Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff_H
I don't really know what your experience has been. but I frequently find myself helping new sailors getting into the sport who are in your shoes and going through a boat buying process. My normal suggestion is to buy something, simple, smaller (25-30 feet), used and resellable and not try to buy your 'ultimate boat' for a first boat. A year or two of experience will really help you develop your own tastes and narrow your search.
Jeff
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Jeff_H - on this point, I think there is another perspective. We jumped right into the deep end and bought a 35' Coastal Cruiser after sailing dinghy's for the most part. Yes, this was a big step, but a friend of ours imparted some really good advice from his life experience.
He has owned 4-5 sailboats over the past 15 years, and he said that every time he "sold" a boat to upgrade to the next level, he's had to lose a bit of money. Be it in upgrades made before selling that he never recouped the value of or concessions made to get the boat sold, its always meant bringing more money to the table for that next or new boat. At best, he's broken even on a boat he sold.
One of the things about buying your ultimate boat is that you dont take on that imputed depreciation/loss on churning on your starter boats. Of course, my wife and I have had sheer moments of panic (and continue to have moments of concern) as our current boat is more than we are able to fully master right now...but we're taking it slow and easy. Every week, the skills are growing and hopefully in 5-10 years, I'll know every corner of my boat to the point where I could service everything myself.
So, my vote...get the bluewater cruiser thats in ok shape but a bit too big for you to handle...fix her up and sail her in sheltered waters as much as possible and gain confidence. By the time you're ready to cut the docklines and cruise off, you'll know the boat well enough to handle her outright. Plus, she'll be upgraded to exactly as you want her to be. My only additional piece of advice is LOOK FOR SIMPLE SYSTEMS. There's a tendency by some manufacturers to over engineer things to the point where its impossible to service yourself. For your initial boat, keep the systems as simple as possible...whats tried and true works, even if you have to pay a premium for it.
That means avoiding electric heads and fancy exotic hull composites (tartan?)