#24: Boat Buying 101: Avoid Costly Mistakes

So you are looking at boats! This week on Your Pocket Sailing Instructor podcast I am going to share with you some key information and questions that you should ask yourself and consider when purchasing your first boat.

Support me on Patreon!What type of sailing do you want to do?

So a big part of your boat shopping will revolve around the type of sailing you want to do. Are you looking to race? Are you looking to cruise? Are you looking for a boat camper? Do you want a chameleon that gives you a bit of everything? These are all important and equally valuable questions to ask yourself!

What kind of sailing is available in your area?

This may seem like an odd question, but some inland lakes and waterways will limit the type of sailing you can do. For instance, if your lake is very deep, it may be difficult to do boat camping as there will be few anchorages available.

What amenities are available to you?

Do you have marinas available to you? Or will you be putting your boat out on a pin? If you are on a pin, how will you get back and forth? Where will you store your dinghy? What type of dinghy should you get? Where will you put it when you're not sailing? So many considerations!

What kinds of conditions will you be sailing in?

This goes along with the point above, but knowing about the local hazards in the area will also help to shape the type of boat you purchase. We are in the mountains out here so the water is deep and the winds are wild! We tend to not have much current, however the lake has a dam system which can cause the lake to fluctuate significantly depending on how much snow we get in the winter.

Do you have regular crew?

This is a very important question when you are deciding to become a boat owner. Are you prepared to be out by yourself, or will you always require crew? I have seen many enthusiastic sailors have their dreams snuffed out because they cannot find crew and they do not feel confident enough to sail on their own.

How will you meet other sailors?

Do you have sailing clubs in the area? Will you be able to find other like-minded sailors to head out with? Will there be regular social events that you can attend? Check out EP 6: 10 Ways to Meet Other Sailors for some other ideas too...

How much elbow grease are you willing to put in?

If you are interested in projects, a boat is good for you! LOL. Kidding. There are also lots of boats available to those of you who are not interested in rolling up your sleeves. The pool of boats will be smaller and more expensive, but a plug and sail boat is definitely worth it!

Penny