First sail boat (motor, navigation, diesel, engine)
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Hello everyone, I ask you an advise for my first sail boat. Until this moment I had only motorboat but now I'd like to buy a sail boat. What do you recommend? I give you some information...I have the license beyond 12 miles, I'd like e cabin boat to be able to stay even e few days and my budget is around 25/30.000 $.
Thank you very much for your time.
If you don't have any practical sailing experience, you're in for an entirely different boat ownership and operation with a sailboat.
Perhaps it would be best for you to start in a smaller boat and work up to the skills of sailing before buying a larger boat.
As far as a specific boat goes, you'll do best to visit the local marinas and dealers to get an idea of what is popular and appropriate for the waters you intend to sail and your intended use.
The range of sailboats is huge ... from spartan to luxurious, with wide ranging attributes and capabilities. Hulls can be wood, fiberglass, aluminum, or steel ... all have their virtues and drawbacks, so you need to make an informed decision while understanding the differences. Boat dealers and visiting with other boat owners will be invaluable to your journey.
Don't be surprised if sailing turns out to not be your "cup 'o tea". I've known many people who wanted to be out on the water and the allure of sailing boats called to them, but the reality of sailing in their home locales ... sailing conditions, the arts of sailing, the utility of the boat ... fell well short of their expectations. Some of them had power boat experience but the sailing experience didn't satisfy their needs or wants ... especially when the reality of how the interior spaces are used in most sailboats compared to powerboats. For some of them, it was a wonderful experience to charter a sailboat in nice sailing venues but at home, sailing was a real disappointment and they sold their sailboats very quickly.
Keep in mind that the purchase price of a sailboat is only the beginning of the costs that you'll have to keep in properly maintained and operational.
If you don't have any practical sailing experience, you're in for an entirely different boat ownership and operation with a sailboat.
Perhaps it would be best for you to start in a smaller boat and work up to the skills of sailing before buying a larger boat.
As far as a specific boat goes, you'll do best to visit the local marinas and dealers to get an idea of what is popular and appropriate for the waters you intend to sail and your intended use.
The range of sailboats is huge ... from spartan to luxurious, with wide ranging attributes and capabilities. Hulls can be wood, fiberglass, aluminum, or steel ... all have their virtues and drawbacks, so you need to make an informed decision while understanding the differences. Boat dealers and visiting with other boat owners will be invaluable to your journey.
Don't be surprised if sailing turns out to not be your "cup 'o tea". I've known many people who wanted to be out on the water and the allure of sailing boats called to them, but the reality of sailing in their home locales ... sailing conditions, the arts of sailing, the utility of the boat ... fell well short of their expectations. Some of them had power boat experience but the sailing experience didn't satisfy their needs or wants ... especially when the reality of how the interior spaces are used in most sailboats compared to powerboats. For some of them, it was a wonderful experience to charter a sailboat in nice sailing venues but at home, sailing was a real disappointment and they sold their sailboats very quickly.
Keep in mind that the purchase price of a sailboat is only the beginning of the costs that you'll have to keep in properly maintained and operational.
Particularly if you want something large and seaworthy enough to spend multiple days offshore. You're talking something that will live in a slip in a marina. The cost of slip rent, hull and spar maintenance is substantial and that's added to engine operational costs (your oceangoing sailboat probably has an auxiliary engine). There is a growing variety of boats known as "pocket cruisers" that are trailerable, but you still need to park the trailer.
Still, there are sailors who choose to spend nights at sea in sailboats that don't have enclosed shelter. My parents used to sail the 30+ mile crossing to Catalina Island in a 17' open sailboat, tie up to a mooring in Avalon harbor or Isthmus Cove and "camp" (cooking on a kerosene stove, sleeping bags, maybe a boom tent), then sail back the next day. If they wanted to get to shore they had to hail a water taxi.
Last edited by Parnassia; 04-06-2021 at 01:26 PM..
Thank you very much for your advise and for your clarifications. I know that sailboat is not simply and confortable. Like I wrote i have a motorboat since many years and definitely they are two different things. But, I have a friend who has a sailboat of 12 meters and I often go out to sea with him. He taught me some things and now I decided to buy a sailboat. Obviously he has his opinion and I would others opinions on this topic. Thaks
Sailors who start in a small dinghy turn out to be better sailors, more in tune to the wind, waves, and their vessel than those who learned to sail on larger boats. My first boat was a Windmill 16, and my last was a Beneteau 40. I hope to own another before I step off this mortal coil.
Speaking as someone who sailed small boats (under 16 feet) most of his life and who researched purchasing a boat in the 28 to 32 foot range for extended sailing on the Great Lakes in North America, I believe that you must ask yourself many questions before purchasing a sailboat, both to decide if you really want a sailboat and to decide what kind of sailboat to get:
Where will you sail it? Are you going to sail it on lakes or in coastal waters? Or will you be attempting to sail across the Mediterranean? Line of sight sailing in protected waters is easy. Coastal sailing will require you to read charts to avoid hazards. Deepwater sailing will require both charts and navigation skills.
Will you be single-handing the boat most of the time, or do you plan on having at least one and possibly three other people to help with sailing? This will dictate the maximum size of the boat you can handle.
How tall are you? If you are over 6 feet (like me) will you be willing to settle for a cabin in which you cannot stand up?
How long will you be sailing most of the time? Will you be cruising for weeks at a time, only for a few days on the weekends, or only day sailing? This will also dictate the boat size, as well as the supplementary systems required.
Where will you moor the boat when you're not sailing it? How much will it cost you to moor the boat? Where will you store it in the off-season (that is, if Italy does have an off season for sailing).
Sailboats require more attention to detail and (imo) more maintenance that motor boats. Are you willing to commit to regularly inspecting, repairing, replacing standing and running rigging, sails, steering systems? Are you capable of purchasing new rigging and a new set of sails every five to ten years?
If getting a boat with a galley with more than a hotplate, or a head that's more complex than a porta-potty, are you willing to understand how to work with, trouble shoot, and repair the systems with these features, possibly while underway?
...
No, I didn't purchase a larger sailboat, I stayed with my 16 foot sailboat on a trailer (a fiberglass Ian Proctor Wayfarer 16).
I did do my research and decided that for myself, a fiberglass sloop no longer than 35 feet and no shorter than 28 feet, equipped with a diesel engine, a basic galley, and a basic head, would be the correct size/shape of boat for me. Over the course of a week I did go day sailing on a series of boats varying in length from 20 to 40 foot, under the guidance of an experienced instructor. But it finally came down to cost - I couldn't justify the rather large expense to keep a large sailboat year round that would be used for maybe eight week-end trips and one two-week trip every year.
OP~ Sailing a sailboat is so very different than a powerboat. While it's good you have a friend who sails, it's best if you took a few sailing classes, so you're proficient. I don't know what Country you are in, but check locally for your Government approved sailing school/class.
Good luck and fair winds!
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