# Take the plunge?



## Zogma (Sep 2, 2015)

Hi all, my husband and I are thinking about if and when to take the plunge and buy a sailboat. 

My dad is a lifelong sailor and I grew up on a 27' sloop built by my uncle. I loved it and when I left home for university missed it terribly. This spring we bought a speedboat to be back on the water. It's been fun but not the same though! It was mostly a test- to see how much we would use it. To see how much we liked it!

We are a couple of DINKS. Rather introverted and low key. I do shift work, my husband works normal business hours. We have every third weekend off together and about two thirds of our week nights. 

We have been looking through boat listings... Love the idea of a 26' nonsuch... Out of the blue my uncle is now selling his retirement boat that he built. A 34' ketch. It got us fired up, there was a big emotional tie to grow up on a boat my uncle built and this seems like an amazing opportunity.

It's a big financial step. I worry that we won't use it enough to be worth owning... We live in an area that begs to be sailed. Almost walking distance to a marina. 

I wonder if anyone would like to share what helped them make the decision to buy their first sailboat, what to look out for, what mistakes newbies make. 

I look forward to your thoughts


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## Donna_F (Nov 7, 2005)

Welcome to SailNet. 

We bought what we could comfortably afford. Twice. Now we're about to buy our third. We're also DINKs and have no desire to have a boat loan.

No boat is "worth" owning financially. A boat that size will put a sizable hole in your wallet from initial purchase to routine maintenance and things happening unexpectedly. Only you can decide if you can refill the hole to the point where you're not worrying about money more than you are sailing.

Don't let emotions put you in a financial quandary.


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## overbored (Oct 8, 2010)

the biggest mistake is to dream to big. better to be on the water in a small boat then on the shore dreaming of owning a bigger one. get a boat that is more ready to sail not one that is a project. if you like projects thats fine buy a project. if you want to be on the water buy a boat that is ready go sailing on. for me if it is in the water and easy to rig I will use it. if it is on a trailer it will not get used as much. if you are close to the boat you will use it more even if it is just sitting on it at the dock. 
Nonsuch 26 is a very big little boat, simple to sail with over 6' headroom and great under power too. more money then other 26' boats but well worth it


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## MikeOReilly (Apr 12, 2010)

As others has already suggested, given your situation you may do better with the 26-footer rather than the 34'. I gather your uncle's boat is finished and sailable. Even so, it sounds like you're looking at getting away from the dock for long weekends and the occasional evening sail. A 34' ketch will be a lot harder to get going compared to your 26' Nonsuch. It will take up much more of your time and money in maintenance, dockage/mooring, repair, etc, not to mention up-front costs (although a 26' Nonsuch is no inexpensive boat). For your stated plans, the 26-footer will give you plenty of room for two. I'm sure your uncle's boat is a beauty, and personally I love ketches (my first boat was a 34' ketch), but it sounds like you would do better right now with the smaller boat.

BTW, you're considered two fairly non-standard rigs. Nothing wrong with that, but there are lots of good and inexpensive boats to be had. You don't really say how experienced you are as sailors, nor where you are sailing. These would factor into the decision.


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## jwing (Jun 20, 2013)

Pin down why you want to buy a sailboat. Your husband's reasons might be different than yours. List the attributes of a boat that will satisfy all the reasons for buying a boat. Realize that no boat will have all the attributes, so prioritize the attributes. Then start looking at boats for sale. Have your budgeted amount of money ready in cash. (If you don't have enough cash, your reasons for owning a boat don't match up with your questions.) Consider just the boats that satisfy your priority list well and do not need any work in order to sail them. Prove this by having the seller take you out for an hour or so. 

One of my attributes was an investment small enough that I would not feel bad if I didn't use the boat every chance I got. This was one of my better decisions; I don't get the boat out as often as I would prefer. Even so, if lose my entire investment when I want to not own the boat anymore, the money that I've spent on it was well worth it. My boat works great, but was inexpensive because it is old is not pretty. I'm not trying to impress anybody.


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## Zogma (Sep 2, 2015)

Wow, am I ever glad I asked! Thank you. 

We live in Nova Scotia, Canada. Lots of coast. Short (ish) season

My own experience, growing up on my dads boat and now going out fairly regularly with my dad on his 32' Pearson. I've managed her on my own, with dad on board. Far from an expert, but enough basics to learn on


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## seaner97 (May 15, 2011)

Buy the Ketch for a 'family discount' and never look back. I grew up on small boats and if I'd had the financial ability when my father in law was selling his tayana 37, it would still be in the family. Ten years later it's one of our biggest regrets.


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## Tanski (May 28, 2015)

Buy the ketch! Sailed a good bit on the north shore of New Brunswick in smaller boats, bigger is better out there.
Just sold my cottage out there, planning on moving there in a few years. Will be buying a bigger boat at that point, the 25 footer will be staying in Lk. Ontario more than likely.


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## krisscross (Feb 22, 2013)

Keep the boat in the family. I would. Your uncle's desire to sell is a sure sign. He would be happy knowing that it stays in good hands and you would be happy too. Life is not about money, especially if you have enough to eat and take care of other basic needs.


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## FSMike (Jan 15, 2010)

You say your uncle built his ketch but you don't say out of what material? If it's made of wood that produces a different level of maintenance. If that's the case be sure you have the time and desire to deal with it.
Emotional ties can fade when you're trying to learn how to recaulk 
the hull.


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## seaner97 (May 15, 2011)

FSMike said:


> You say your uncle built his ketch but you don't say out of what material? If it's made of wood that produces a different level of maintenance. If that's the case be sure you have the time and desire to deal with it.
> Emotional ties can fade when you're trying to learn how to recaulk
> the hull.


True!


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## MikeOReilly (Apr 12, 2010)

Zogma said:


> Wow, am I ever glad I asked! Thank you.
> 
> We live in Nova Scotia, Canada. Lots of coast. Short (ish) season
> 
> My own experience, growing up on my dads boat and now going out fairly regularly with my dad on his 32' Pearson. I've managed her on my own, with dad on board. Far from an expert, but enough basics to learn on


Sounds like you've got a pretty good handle on things. I certainly understand the emotional draw to a beautiful boat, especially one that was built by your family member. All I can tell you is that I loved my 34' ketch, and it was a great distance cruising boat, but I know we didn't sail it as much, or as often, as we would have given a somewhat smaller boat.

Given that it sounds like your time available to sail is fairly short periods (long weekends), I know if you were me (which you're not ... and you may be quite different) I would not get out as much as I'd envisioned. But on the flip side, the 34-foot ketch would be a much better boat for getting away for longer periods. And you could face some big water out your way.

As with all things in boats, there are few truly wrong choices. But each one comes with different compromises. Only you can know what is best for you (and hubby).


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## Zogma (Sep 2, 2015)

Oh, I had replied to this but it doesn't look like it went through. The boat is fiberglass and is in good condition. In talking about it with my dad he expressed interest in co-owning it with us (he has an emotional attachment to her as well). Has anyone done anything like this? It certainly becomes a lot more feasible financially, and it would cause me less stress to know she would not sit unused as much when we are busy with work. We talked about buying the other out if it proves to be too much for either of us.


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## seaner97 (May 15, 2011)

Partnerships can be difficult if you're not clear how it's going to work. Doubly so with family. Can be done and done well as long as you are very clear up front what your expectations are. If you are going to want to use her when your not working and they are gone cruising every time you can take her out, you will feel put upon. If you are out with your friends on her every weekend, and they wanted a two week cruise, they will be upset. How much gas in the tank at all times? My beer or yours? If you do this you are married to your parents. Get a calendar, hammer out the rules before you buy. Be sure the boat reverts to you in the will.


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## Zogma (Sep 2, 2015)

Thanks for the thoughts Seaner97. Lots to think about...


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## capecodda (Oct 6, 2009)

Zogma, where are you in NS? It's amongst my favorite places on the planet.

The cost of boat ownership is operating cost, not the purchase price (that's the cheap part). That said, we've done it 5 times, and I wouldn't undo any of it if I could. Co-owernship with your dad could help offset those costs. Depends on how you guys see eye to eye on stuff.

Good luck with your decision. Life is short, do what makes you and your family smile.


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## Sal Paradise (Sep 14, 2012)

A boat with family ties can be a burden, but it is also a great joy. From reading your posts it seems like you might regret letting this go. It is the second boat your uncle built, so he probably got a lot better the second time around. 

Besides this, you are from a family of sailors. Trust your gut. The reason I sail is because of some urge that I can't explain, best described as when I stand on a dock and the wind is blowing and the sailboats are ringing their halyards, then I get kind of hyper and impatient I can't think of anything at that moment but getting on board and getting out there. Then I sail and pretty much think of nothing else until that is over. Later that evening I lie on a bunk and though the boat is still, I feel the heeling and lunging of the hull against my back and I feel pretty good. 

If you have this, or some form of it then you are buying a sailboat and all arguments pro and con are moot. 

Have fun and enjoy.


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## Zogma (Sep 2, 2015)

Capecodda I am near Saint Margaret's bay, the road to Peggy's Cove. I love it here though sad that the surfing is as far from my home as it is!

As a little kid I used to row the punt around the berthed boats in the fog, humming songs to myself and listening to the lines slapping the masts... I feel like a part of the water. Boating surfing swimming and a certified diver... 

My uncle has shared some good stories about the building of his boat. I wish I had more personal experience on board but my dad knows her inside and out. So I think it's a go. Since its dads brother he's going to call this weekend and we are putting a deposit. I'm in shock- dad still owns his Pearson so I don't think we will find ourselves fighting for use. Even if my dad wants to take this boat for a month we will have use of the Pearson. But i imagine the 3 of us will crew her together quite a bit. Maybe we will stay co-owners and maybe one of us will eventually buy the other out, but this seems like a pretty gentle step to take. I'm very excited! And so is dad


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## seaner97 (May 15, 2011)

Zogma said:


> Capecodda I am near Saint Margaret's bay, the road to Peggy's Cove. I love it here though sad that the surfing is as far from my home as it is!
> 
> As a little kid I used to row the punt around the berthed boats in the fog, humming songs to myself and listening to the lines slapping the masts... I feel like a part of the water. Boating surfing swimming and a certified diver...
> 
> My uncle has shared some good stories about the building of his boat. I wish I had more personal experience on board but my dad knows her inside and out. So I think it's a go. Since its dads brother he's going to call this weekend and we are putting a deposit. I'm in shock- dad still owns his Pearson so I don't think we will find ourselves fighting for use. Even if my dad wants to take this boat for a month we will have use of the Pearson. But i imagine the 3 of us will crew her together quite a bit. Maybe we will stay co-owners and maybe one of us will eventually buy the other out, but this seems like a pretty gentle step to take. I'm very excited! And so is dad


Sounds like a perfect set up. Enjoy and congrats!


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## Zarathu (May 26, 2014)

No matter how good a condition it may appear to be, it is going to cost you another $1000(US) to bring it up to a spec you feel comfortable with. And remember that most people don't sail in the cold waters we do, and don't understand sailing in 48 degree water. 

I bought a West Wight Potter19 3 years ago. It took me until this year to get it into the water, and it was in excellent condition. But I has to replace a lot. All the lines everywhere had to be replaced. Endless stuff. Since my wife wanted it in the water to sail, we needed a mooring(no slips up here in northern New England) so we had to join a yacht club, but it turned out that the mooring outside the club are on the channel in Frenchman's Bay, and there its either too rough, or too calm, and often fogged in. Moving farther way from Bar Harbor we found a place where it never fogs, the waves even in a storm never exceed about 2 feet, and its always calm enough to sail. 

If you have a gas outboard, you cannot run ethanol gas in it---which we learned the hard way becalmed out in the middle of the bay drifting. 

So no matter what good price you get, expect to have to come up with a yearly payment of an additional 500-700 canadian bucks(just for fees and insurance, an not including mods and repairs), and a start up of $1000-$2000. 

So if you'll be able to sail often with a 34 foot ketch and you have the money to replace all the rigging and fix the rest of stuff you find(its not a new boat after all), then go with that. But if you are going to have to single hand it half the time since you can't find crew or your spouse has something else to do, or you do something crazy and scare the bejeebies out of her and now she is too scared to go out with you, you may find that a smaller boat you can more easily single hand is better for you, especially if you can find a place where its not too rough to sail single handed.


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## TheSailingRode (Sep 12, 2015)

Definitely consider the ongoing maintenance and slip/mooring costs of any boat you buy. Often the purchase price is less important that what needs to be upgraded or maintained. With your limited time to sail, you want to spend that time sailing rather than maintaining / fixing. A smaller low maintenance fiberglass boat may be a better choice. Our first boat was a 25ft. trailer sailor, we stored it for free in the yard, setup took 30 minutes, had hardly any maintenance, and we stayed on the boat over 30 nights a year. Sold it three years later for more than we paid for it. Great fun/$$ ratio.

Every foot you add in size adds to maintenance, insurance, slip fees, bottom jobs, winter storage, sail management, engine size, etc.

We just did a podcast about our trailer sailors and talked about the pros/cons if you are interested in listening. Search google for The Sailing Rode, or click our website in our profile.

Whatever you decide, it will be an adventure and create great memories.


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