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Originally Posted by BrianSmith
looking for a "practice boat" to get our feet wet, so to speak - something older, smaller, cheaper than the boat we will eventually want, that we can learn on and learn from.
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Welcome aboard, Brian. Getting your feet wet through the purchase of an old boat is pretty much "diving in", that is to say, learning the systems and how to maintain them is a pretty big challenge, even for the mechanically inclined. Once you begin to look at and get aboard some boats, things tend to speed up a bit, but ya gotta get aboard everything you can. Cruise the marinas and talk to owners you see......they'll usually chew the fat with you about their boat and its idiosyncrasies. Join the US Power Squadron and take some classes, maybe charter a captained trawler style boat and get behind the helm. Study the different styles of trawler style boats on Yachtworld, Boats.com or Boat Trader.com and think about what style fits your purposes best, you're type of cruising, your type of living, entertaining, whatever. Most of all, have fun.