[backcreeksailor]

Most "for sale" sites let you sort through boats by length, price, & year. But searching with only those variables creates a LOT of wasted time looking at boats that don't match what you're really looking for.

Are there any sites with sailboat databases out there that give you (in addition to the search items above), search parameters like:

Keel Type (Fin, Wing, Bulb, Swing, Shoal draft, etc)
Rudder Type (Spade, Skeg hung, etc)
Rigging Type (Mast Head, Fractional, etc)
Drive Type (Wheel, Tiller)
SA/D Ratio

 

[sailingfool]

I know of no such sites. IMHO the best way to sort out such information, and to determine what information you in fact should be sorting...is to find a good yacht broker and rely on his/her years of experience to answer those questions.

 

[JohnRPollard]

I know of no such sites. IMHO the best way to sort out such information, and to determine what information you in fact should be sorting...is to find a good yacht broker and rely on his/her years of experience to answer those questions.

Ditto. I know of none. To Sailingfool's suggestion of finding a good broker, I will add that the other option is to simply do a lot of your own homework. SailNet can be a good source for anecdotal info of this type.

 

[backcreeksailor]

I'm pouring through reams of material from this site and others that provide independent reviews, along with a LOT of time being spent looking through yachtworld and other sales sites reading the specs of one boat at a time. So I'm getting smarter...

But the sheer volume of information on so many different boat builders, models, and year to year model differences is a little overwhelming.

As to the broker suggestion... I'm a little wary of asking for buying advice (be it for a car, house, boat, or anything else), from someone who's ultimate goal is to get a sales commission out of me. I'd rather make my model, year, and size choice based on my own research and advice from experienced sailors who have no vested interest in which boat I pick.

"Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they're not out to get you..."
-- Colin Sautar

 

[paulk]

There are yacht brokers who are like used car salesmen, and there are yacht brokers who are more like... yacht brokers. A yacht broker, though he does want you to buy a boat, wants you to buy the right boat for you. That way, you're a happy customer, and will tell 5 other people who are looking for boats what a good job he did for you. If he sells you the wrong boat, you'll be an unhappy customer, and will tell 50 other people who are looking for boats what a crummy, ignorant, and incompetent lout he is. There are not enough people looking to buy a boat that a yacht broker can afford sell you the wrong boat. He may not have the right boat for you in his yard, but he can certainly steer you in the right direction. He (or she) probably has a lot of insight into the local conditions, the different designs available, and pricing that could be very valuable. Ask around at various marinas and docks in your area and see whose name keeps coming up as the best candidate, and check him out. It will likely be worth your while.