10 Critical Considerations
PRACTICAL SAILOR reports the 10 considerations that prior burnt buyers said would be their guide the next time they buy a boat. We thought you might learn from their voices of experience. We will be paraphrasing but you will get the gist of their collective wisdom:
1. TALK. Mostly to owners. That is rather easy to do these days, thanks to browsers and the Internet. True example: AF from New England posts a note on an Internet bulletin board, "I am considering buying a Rhodes 22. Opinions anyone?" TJ answers on the Net, "The latest issue of Practical Sailor has what I consider a rave review". Boat shows are another good forum. You will be amazed how many of the clustered crowd around a boat are current or former owners in the mood to be sympathetic and knowledgeable critics for you to corner. But, to be fair, challenge the builder to respond to any hearsay negatives. There may be a good response that you should be aware of. You know, most stories are three-sided: your side, my side and the right side.
2. FOLLOW. Do not be the first to jump on board. A good design ages and mellows with years. In the early days, a good design stayed the course for a lifetime (Lightnings, Snipes, Rhodes 19s). Today new models come out before the ink has dried on last year's literature. Why is this necessary? Many lofty new techniques (like carbon spars) come back down to the drawing board for further perfection before the boat's first month's payment is due. Our 6:1 motor lift, for instance. (Now perfected of course.) When it comes to buying a sailboat, the percentages are that you are going to do better with a matured design rather than the green hyper-shaped thing, piping hot out of the molds.
3. TIMING. This is a seasonal business. Most of the world wants their boat May 15. Pick another date and negotiate a better price. The best deal; order in the Fall for Spring delivery on a delivery date of your choice. Location as well as timing, can trim prices. Surprisingly, a boat show can be a good place to place an order, if you sense a motivated builder or dealer.
4. FEATURES. There has to be a reason for the existence of still one more sailboat. Sailboats have a lot in common. So, it is what makes them different that should be your focus. And does that different feature, or features, address your particular needs? Play with the features. How do they look, feel and work? Or, go to a reviewer of the boat, like Practical Sailor, who may have been able to do what you cannot get around to doing.
5. RESALE. How can you think of selling when you have not even purchased yet? But you should have an exit poll working. Models that have short lives before their builder has a replacement model out, plummet in resale pricing. "Why should I buy your boat with that kind of keel when, this year, the builder has switched to this kind of keel?" It is easy to check the classified for an indication of how value holds up among the various brands.
6. SAIL. Get a demonstration. Maybe two. Ideally, you would like to see how your contenders perform in light airs and in heavy airs and choppy seas. Set the stage for a full-fledged sea trial by telling your seller you would be willing to pay for the demo sail. Some sellers will ask for a modest refundable deposit. Don't be turned off. It means you will get a better testing opportunity than you would be getting from non-qualifying demo offers. Once on board, don't be a passive passenger. See if you can manage it all, all by yourself, without hassles, without helping hands, and in comfort.
7. GUARANTEE. Promises are only as good as the history of the builder. How long in business may be one guide. Practical Sailor has a feature called "Where Credit is Due". Has the builder been cited for a good service record? (Of course we have.) The point is, a guarantee is only as good as the people in back of it. A million year guarantee may not be as valuable as a one year term from someone who means it.
8. COST. There is a long standing tug-of-war between "cost" and "value". It becomes clearer when you find that what you paid does not necessarily get you sailing as you envisioned. That you still have to shell out thousands more to make your investment work. So, when you see one boat selling at half the price of another, you have to turn to a value judgment. Does the lower cost boat include the genoa you wanted or those cockpit cushions you saw on the display model – – and keep adding.
9. SAFETY. This is one feature it is hard to put a value price on. You will just have to decide what safety is worth to you and then you will just have to ask: Is the boat unsinkable with positive foam flotation? Will the mast fall on everyone's head when the jib stay wears or will nine, instead of 6, stays save the day? Not, "Is the boat tender" but , "Is the boat non-capsizable".
10. YOU. And finally, and most important, pick the boat that fits your needs as opposed to the needs of experts who may be nudging you to that boat because it is fast or that one because it will get you to Guam. What is it YOU want? Are you being realistic? Racing? Cruising?, Daysailing? Live-a-board? Trailerability? There simply is no one such boat. Bend a little to the practical. Prioritize and zero in on the boats that do the job YOU want done. Then pick the best from this category. Now the experts can help, if you still need them.