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Hello,
Maine Sail wrote:
"All boats are bottomless pits but a fixer upper is NO DEAL! Trust me on this one. Many of the other long timers on here will also agree. Spending a little more on a boat in good to pristine condition pays off in the long run in more ways than one!"
I agree - if you plan on keeping the boat. If you aren't sure you like sailing, or know the type of boat you want, or think you may move up soon, then you can buy something cheap.
Don't buy a piece of crap, but you can buy something that you can sail now, but needs cosmetic or some other repair. Buy the boat, sail it often, have fun, and learn more about what you want / don't want. A few years later you can sell the boat for something close to what you paid, and then buy the right boat for you.
I paid $4500 for my first boat, a Catalina 22. I sold it a year later for $4000. I didn't put any money into it. I bought my second boat (Newport 28) for $15000. Sailed it for 3.5 years and sold it for $14000. I did put some money into it, but not too much.
Good luck,
Barry
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