charter renting vs. buying

baober · #1 (**permalink**) 08-19-2004

I''m in the process of taking some cruiser courses and thinking about buying a boat.

Seems to me unless you want to really live on the boat or are retired it''s probably better and cheaper to rent / charter ?

Calculating the cost of the boat seems you need to add the sales tax 8500 on a 100k boat in california, and the outfitting cost 10k probably.

If I rent once a month for 2 days it seems like I would be better off renting.
Even though emotinally it would be nice to own a boat, but probably not practical.

Thoughts ?

garrettav8or · #2 (**permalink**) 08-19-2004

I agree, renting/chartering is probably cost effective if you only sail a day or two a month. The more often you sail, the more you will lower you costs per day/hr....

I own a plane for pleasure flying and just bought an older C22. Owning is more than just $$$..it is comraderie, passion, etc.

When I rented, I rarely, if ever ''hung around'' the marina or airports. As an owner, I ''belong'' there.

Sitting at the marina, or at my planes hangar when not flying or sailing is as beneficial as actually going out and doing the flying/sailing. People network, stop by, chat, sip a cool coke...etc...

If you can afford it, buy it. If you can''t that is a different story.

If you are worried about the $$$, then sit home, give up your interests, and don''t spend any $$$$!

Me? I''ll spend it til I don''t have it or can''t do it. Then I will sit home and remember all my good times!

Just my .02

Garrett

Valdare · #3 (**permalink**) 08-19-2004

Don''t know where in California you are but Modern sailing has what seems to be a great sail club. get alot of the benifits of owning (as mentioned by baober), but only pay for what you use. Great training courses also. I my self am in the great lakes but subscribe to their new letter. Wish we had something like what they offer here.

modernsailing.com

Good Luck,

John _/) _/) _/)

sailingfool · #4 (**permalink**) 08-19-2004

It would be dumb to buy a boat and then use it only two days a month.

HOWEVER most folks who getting into sailing, decide they can''t get enough of it, I''m not sure I know anyone who sails, who is happy with two days a month. So it seems an unlikely scenario, more likely is ending up sailing most days when you aren''t working, or none at all...

First case, buy a boat, second case, don''t...

Good luck.

Sailmc · #5 (**permalink**) 08-20-2004

Look around the average Marina. 80% of the boats get used that little or less.

capttb · #6 (**permalink**) 08-23-2004

I recently retired and purchased my "own" boat about 7 months before. When working I never had enough time to sail & maintain the boat & I had about 15 days a month off. From a practical point of view chartering is much better financially and a great way to sail a lot of different boats. Emotionally there is nothing like your own boat, instead of worrying about it, I know when the raw water hoses & impellor were replaced. You know your boat inside out and if something fails you also know exactly who''s responsible. I try to figure on a day of maintenance/repair/ replacement for every 2 days on the water. Sailmc is correct regarding the limited usage most boats seem to get. There are some in my marina that I swear haven''t moved in a year. Been retired for 3 months and still don''t have as much time for the boat as I want.

maxcontax · #7 (**permalink**) 08-24-2004

Own or Charter: It took me over 10 years to actally get to the ownership stage, chartering makes more sense if sailing is a part of your life but not the main focus. I can pass on what my father-in-law told me: "be careful what you own, because first you own it, and then it owns you." My time, money and friends are all rotating around my sailboats now. I think it''s great, but it is a commitment you need to make, for ownership to be a happier state than charter.