What is the cheapest way to get on the water in one's own boat?

[scotchleaf]

I have the urge, but not the means, to sail. What is the cheapest way to get on the water in one's own boat, with the following caveats:

1. don't have skills to fix up a boat
2. want to be able to tow the boat from Atlanta area to Florida (so I have to budget for a tow rig on my car);
3. don't want a boat made of styrofoam (tried one of those "Kool" boats... not for me)
4. don't have the freedom to become a crew member, etc;
5. would like to be able to take my wife and two children in the boat.

I love the idea of a 16 ft Com-Pac Yacht & trailer (but $3k is too steep) - this could actually be slept on, which would be fabulous;

I have also seen listings for a "1976 Lippencott lightning. This is a 19 ft racer or day sail. Plenty of cockpit room. We have sailed 5 adults comfortably in this boat. This is an easy sail and a great family boat. Clear Title" but $1700 seems expensive for such a boat.

I'm sure this community gets plenty of requests like this, but any help you could provide would be very much appreciated.

Thanks

[SJ34]

If 3k is out of your budget AND diy repairs are out of the question, maybe boat ownership is not for you.

[centaursailor]

As above, so how about boat share option.

[dhays]

I have to agree. Boat ownership doesn't have to be expensive, but it isn't free either. If you want to weekend on the boat, then one of the trailer sailors in the 20 ft. range would be good. However, you won't pull one of those with a bumper mounted hitch and you won't find boat and trailer available for what you can afford.

Stay away from the Lighting. Great boat, but IMO more work than what you sound ready for. There are a lot of 14-16 ft sailing dinghies out there that are great to day sale. They are really cheap, easy to maintain since there aren't any "systems". Lightweight to tow, etc... My family gave away two such boats to our Yacht Club's Junior sailing program a few years ago. You should be able to find one sitting neglected in someone's back yard for cheap.

[Hudsonian]

A good used Lightning can go for more than $15K

[bljones]

Good, cheap, comfortable... pick two.

Okay, scotch, you CAN get on the water in your own boat... but not with the caveats you outlined above.

All is not lost, however. Here's what I would do, if I was in your shoes
1. Focus on Lake Lanier- lots of peopole happily sail on Lanier for years on end without ever feeling the urge to go anywhere else.

2. If you haven't got a big budget, take advantage of free advertising. Place ads on craigslist, kijiji, the bulletin board at marinas, the supermarket, telephone poles, EVERYDAMNWHERE, begging for a boat. Check out marinas and ask about derelicts and liened boats. Yeah, they need fixing, BUT...

3. Fixing boats is not rocket surgery. It IS, however, hard work, and lots of it. You mention that you don't have the skills to fix up a boat.
Too bad. Even a new boat requires a certain level of maintenance know-how.
If you have the willingness to LEARN the skills, then that opens up all sorts of possibilities. It also dramatically expands the amount of boat you can afford, because right now, my friend, you are dreaming way above your weight class.

In the meantime, while you look for a boat, start saving money. if you set aside $100/month and look for a boat for 6 months, you have $600 more in your budget. It may allow you to buy a better boat, or buy the materials and tools to repair the boat you fell in love with.

Good luck.

[MarkCK]

I agree with some of the first post that if 3k is out of your budget then boating is probably not for you.

My only thoughts would be to find a $500-1000 sailing dinghy. something in the 16 foot ranget that can be towed by anything. Or possibly a hobie that can accomodate more people. Then beach it at night on the shore of a state park campground and pay $20 to camp out in a tent. On Tablerock lake and other Corp of Engineer lakes you can sleep on the various islands for free. That's about as cheap as it gets.

[tomperanteau]

We bought our first boat with the idea of learning to sail. We wanted to go cheap in the event that we decided that it was not for us. I had already decided years ago, but needed to convince the wife.

We bought a 1972 Columbia 26 for $1300. We sailed her for about six months and learned a LOT. We sold her for $1300 and bought a larger boat, and now have the current boat.

Point is that we got into a boat for $1300 that was save and a good sailer. We leaned and had a lot of fun spending the night here and there. It was cheap and I had time to learn about all the systems on the boat.

I would bet that is about the cheapest that you are going to get away with. You also have to include slip fees and insurance into your equation.

[Sabreman]

Take a different tack (pun intended). Why does it have to be your boat? How about OPB's (Other People's Boats). We crewed for a great family who were casual racers and took a young married couple (us) under their wing. My wife learned how to sail and we were introduced to Sabres through them. 30 years later, we're still friends with the family.

Hook up with local racers and if you're enthusiastic, you'll get out on the water as often as you like. Of the crew in my avatar, half do not own their own boat.

[mgiguere]

Join a sailing club. You get to learn (first) and use boats with other members. The cost is usually insignificant to owning anything, and the benefit is substantial.