Hi everyone, I'm looking into buying my first sailboat: a used keelboat between 16 and 25 feet long, between $2k and $4k, equipped with a trailer and a small outboard motor (less than 10 hp). I've contacted many private sellers and I've asked each one if it would be possible to test their sailboat on the water before I decide on making the purchase. To my surprise, almost all of these sellers are reluctant to launch their boats into the water so I could test the important functions (engine operation, sail operation and performance, keel operation, leaks, etc). Do most buyers of used sailboats from private owners simply have the boat inspected without a water test before buying? Is this sufficient in order to purchase? I thought a "test drive" on the water was a reasonable request, much like someone would test drive a used car before buying it. Can people with knowledge and experience please shed some light on this? Thanks!
Alex
Alex