Buying a Boat-Split from the Sticky

Art said:

Although I don't today (or in near future) have needed bandwidth/time to fully expand upon what I'm about to say...

I feel the "dream-daze/research-time/buying-decision/purchase-haggle/new-owner-experience" of soon to be owners regarding any boat has three (3) levels; each having very unique qualities.

1. “Newbie”: No boating/marine experience at all, just a BIG wish! OMG – With soooo much to discuss, these persons have soooo much to learn!

2. “Middlebie”: Some boating/marine experience with desire to elevate their knowledge and move up to higher level of boating.

3. “Old Salts”: Brush up on marine ways as well as crash course on new technology advances.

I hope this post helps to define/separate levels of “boat-ownership” needs. Although my time for posting is restricted lately I will try to stay in this thread’s conversation.

Happy Boating Daze - Art

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I would park myself in the middle here having grown up in a family that always had a boat. I need to learn diesel power and how to live in close floating quarters for extended times. I find this site to be great to learn more about the cruising boat.

Headed to Ft Lauderdale this weekend on a biz trip but may be able sneak in some time to walk a few piers. I don't want to waste any salesperson's time at this point. Does anyone know of a marina that would allow one to look around a bit without hassle?

Stelaine said:

I would park myself in the middle here having grown up in a family that always had a boat. I need to learn diesel power and how to live in close floating quarters for extended times. I find this site to be great to learn more about the cruising boat.

Headed to Ft Lauderdale this weekend on a biz trip but may be able sneak in some time to walk a few piers. I don't want to waste any salesperson's time at this point. Does anyone know of a marina that would allow one to look around a bit without hassle?

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You could go to marina main office and tell them you would like to visit their piers to see accessibility and determine docking at their location. Usually they will be pleased to provide you a pass-key. Sometimes you will be asked to fill out forms or even leave your driver’s license at the desk for security. Marinas often like upstanding boaters to walk their docks; good for new-customer relations as well as word of mouth advertising to other boaters!
Happy Boat/Marina Search Daze! - Art

We are about to close on a CHB 42' Europa. This will be my third boat over 30' so I had a little more experience than the first trawler. This time we knew we wanted a walk-around queen, single engine, pilothouse and it had to be almost free. After lurking on this site for a couple of years and waiting for the market to recover, I contacted a broker (recommended by a trusted boater) and we started looking at boats. We looked at 5 and liked 2. We really looked at those two and decided a v-berth queen was close enough, twins were going to be OK, a flybridge was going to be better than the pilothouse in the delta and there is no free lunch. We were able to get a good price we could afford (you have to consider and add in all the things you want to do) on a boat in pretty good condition. The whole process from contacting the broker to buying the boat was a couple of months. We considered that we would be in the delta for a couple of years before coastal cruising to the PNW and Mexico and could take our time setting up for offshore, which is way different than flat water on the delta. I sailed my Union 36 to Mexico twice and am looking forward to going back. Probably the biggest issue I had was I like boats and wanted them all. The admiral kept me in check and when she said she liked this one, it was a done deal.

Congratulations!

Thanks. I'm so excited to get back on the water and stop being a lurker on the forum. It's frustrating to hear others great adventures, remember our own and be tied up as caregivers. Duty first but we're getting ready for the day we sail under the golden gate and go visit cruising buddies up and down the coast.

Bilgewater said:

The best advice we ever got was "don't buy the biggest boat you can afford, buy the smallest you can live on." Also need to be honest with your want/need list. After some research and soul searching, many "needs" can turn out to be "nice to have" or blling.

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I like the way you think! I agree still owning a larger Sedan Bridge and replacing it with a 36 Gulfstar.
Bill

Congrats!! Post Pictures, please.

Greetings,
Congratulations from me as well but if this thread is to be a "sticky" and a reference for newbies might it be better for the mods to move posts #'s 24 and following to a new thread? I fully appreciate thread creep but let's not lose our suggestions for the newb's in, what I hope to be, a much used reference source.

Thanks RT for the heads up