How to choose my boat without making a mistake ?
It is said that the happiest moment for a boat owner or shipowner is “when he buys it”, and the second happiest moment is “when he sells it”. In order not to regret buying a boat too soon, it is preferable to systematically study beforehand some essential requirements that guarantee that I will choose the boat that I really need.
In this first chapter of the “on-line” book BUYING A SAILBOAT we are going to briefly analyze 10 essential requirements that will help us not to make a mistake. The size of the boat is always an essential requirement, although we must be careful with the “3 feet disease”, according to which the owner or owner of a boat would always like to have another one a little bigger (1 meter or 3 feet bigger). From my point of view, it can be just as bad to fall short as to go too large.
The order I recommend to establish these 10 essential requirements is as follows:
– First establish clearly the intended use of the vessel.
– Secondly, establish the boat’s usual and maximum manning.
– Finally, and once these two basic characteristics or requirements are established, continue to complete a list of up to 10 requirements that we consider essential in our boat.
With this list of 10 essential requirements well defined, we can begin the search for the boat we need with greater guarantees.
In this first chapter of the on-line book “Buying a sailboat” we will see which are the 10 requirements that I consider most important, and some simple examples for an ocean cruiser and a coastal cruiser.
Intended use, what do I want a sailboat for?
The intended use of the boat is the most important factor I have to analyze, as it conditions the rest of my study; and the first consideration is whether I want a boat for racing or for cruising.
If it is a racing boat, much lighter and with a higher sail area to dimensions ratio than cruising sailboats, then it requires a detailed study analyzing the various racing classes that exist, and the successful designs and models in the different categories to base my decision.
If the purpose of the boat is cruising, then a clear distinction must be made between two types of cruising:
– Coastal cruiser, capable of staying several days at sea, but normally enters port or spends the night in an anchorage frequently.
– Bluewater cruiser (ocean cruiser), with the possibility of a long stay at sea far from its base, and with the ability to sail in any weather conditions.
90% of the sailboats we see moored in a marina are coastal cruisers, many of them also suitable for weekend club regattas.
Keep in mind that there are many differences between a coastal and an ocean (bluewater) cruiser, and some of the requirements of an ocean cruiser are more demanding. For example, the SLOOP is the most common sail rig for coastal cruisers while the Cutter or cutter-ketch is more suitable for an ocean (bluewater) sailboat (we will describe the rig types in the next chapter). The hull shape is also different, with a longer and shallower centerboard, and with the propeller and rudder protected, in ocean-going sailboats; and there are also differences in construction materials, in the robustness of the masts, rigging and most of the systems on board.
A coastal cruiser will certainly give priority to maneuverability in port, to having a large cockpit with a comfortable bathing platform, as well as rest and relaxation areas, while an ocean-going yacht needs a more protected cockpit, usually with a “pilot house”, giving more importance to robustness and seakeeping qualities in bad weather than to comfort.
Who is going to use the boat, what is the crew?
Once the type of boat (e.g. ocean-going sailboat) has been established, the next most important factor is the boat’s regular crew. It is not the same a sailboat that is used for a cruise of 8 people, or even for charter, than another one that is managed by a couple or a reduced crew. The accommodation requirements and number of berths will condition the interior design of the boat and the size of the boat.
On the other hand, although a larger boat size will provide us with better sailing qualities and greater safety and robustness, if the crew is reduced, we must take into account the difficulty of handling the sails as they increase in size.
Although a fully fit professional sailor can handle a sail of up to 45 m², a sailor in “average” physical condition has a limit of sail size that can be handled of about 35 m², and if it is an older person it will be reduced to 25 m². On the other hand, although furlers and other modern systems such as the electric winch may make it seem that these limits are exceeded, it must be taken into account that in bad weather everything can be complicated.
In my particular case, although I often sail with my family or friends, I am also fond of sailing alone, and I have always preferred a boat that I can handle on my own. My current boat, the “Prince azur”, is a 12.5 meter long ocean sailboat, with a ketch-cutter rig, with 2 masts, which divides the sail area into 4 sails, which makes it more manageable.
The 10 essential requirements for my boat.Este contenido solo está disponible para subscriptores de navegantesoceanicos.com
Efecúe Log In para desbloquear.
Este contenido solo está disponible para subscriptores de navegantesoceanicos.com
Efecúe Log In para desbloquear.