Did you test sail your boat?

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Bill Robb

Bought from a friend

My dock neighbor put his gorgeous O'DAY 30 up for sale and I couldn't resist - especially after I got him down to an awesome selling price. Fell in love with it and would have bought it even if I hadn't gone out with him a few times. So far I haven't regretted it - it's been GREAT!
 
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Jack

Bought boat in January, covered with snow and ice.

Every boat sails differently anyway. If you want a good deal for the spring, you have to buy in the winter. Test sailing is unpracticle in the northeast. P.S. Boat sails like a dream. Jack
 
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Les Murray

Bought in November, but tested in April

I bought my Cat 36 in November, but we held back several thousand for the sea trial. The biggest concern was running the engine and ensuring the electronics worked correctly. After we launched in April, we (my broker and I) went for about an hour of motoring and sailing. Afterwards, I gave him the OK and he gave the previous owner the escrow money. So far so good. Les Murray s/v Ceilidh 86 C-36 #560
 
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Don H.

It's called Sea Trials

When purchasing a used boat, it is not unusual to include sea trials as part of the contract. If the prospective buyer is dissatisfied with any aspect of the sea trials, the contract is void. In my sea trials, two of my sailing friends came along with me and the previous owner on a 1/2 hour session of sailing. The wind was blowing 15 knots and the owner had a reef in the main. I asked him if we could take it out (it was still his boat at the time). He hesitated but agreed. We put the lee rail under a few times. The previous owner was more than slightly scared. He also started the diesel to make sure we could tack the boat. (I couldn't talk him out of it and he was the owner.) After about 5 minutes of sailing, I was satisfied the boat would do what I wanted and we went on to the marine survey stage after which there was some renegotiation on the contract price due to some defects listed in the survey. The deal finally went through and I was the happy owner of a used 37.5. By the way, it tacks very well without the use of the diesel.
 
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sbrass

...in a parking lot

My Cat30 had been in a parking lot for 3 years. But we brought in a surveyor, a diesel expert, batteries and water and tested and checked everything. So we knew what we were getting into.15k for the boat and 15k to bring her back to life. A 1981 boat that looks like new !!!
 
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Drew

Nope... it was a Catalina

I've sailed on Catalina Yachts for 20 years and have owned one for the last four. They all have handled well and I've never had any complaints. When the new C310 came out I had to have it. I finally sat down with the broker last summer and ordered one exactly the way I wanted it.
 
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Marc Buller

Of course!

I took a test sail with MY surveyor on board, we also hauled and power washed the bottom, and did the out of water survey. This was for a 1993 Oceanis 350, the biggest boat I`ve yet to purchase. Marc
 
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Bob Sawyer

No, Auction

Deal too good to pass up. Checking my boat (Paceship 23) after a hurricane, I realized that this was the day a Cat 27 was being auctioned off at the boatyard so I decided to check it out. I was the only one there.The hull was filthy and covered with branches. I didn't know if the engine was any good and I didn't know if what the sail inventory was. I bid the minimum to cover what the owner owed the boatyard, and it was accepted. The sails were in good shape. So I had the boat surveyed to see what had to be done, and decided to keep it. Donated my Paceship to charity. Got the A4 refurbrished, replaced exhaust system, replaced the fuel line and added racore filter, cleaned it up, had the cushions covered, and now I have a great boat. I have to be the luckiest guy in the world.
 
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gary jensen

just motored my 380

What can I say, it was a Catalina 380. All Catalinas sail well. I went from home (California) to Florida to see the boat. The owners price was absolutely worth any problems that could surface. I was interested in the motors operation, even though the boat was only 2 yrs old. I don't think the boat was ever sailed, and besides everyone trims their sails differently. This is my third sailboat. My first was an O'Day 27 and my second was a Catalina 36. They too were just motored at sea trial time. I did inspect their sails for wear and shape before the purchases along with the rigging.......
 
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Stirling Hasen

Nope, I put my trust in the HOW owners reviews!

On a typical Saturday last April 1999, we saw a Hunter 54 listed on Yachtworld. I e-mailed the broker about it, and he e-mailed us photos that day. Sunday I talked to him and then he faxed a contract, I signed it and faxed it back to him. It gets better. I had 1 week to arrange a flight etc. and find a great surveyor. Then I flew down to Tampa from Raleigh, NC to see what I just signed a contract for. I arrived Friday, hooked up with the broker and went to see the boat. After seeing this poor neglected boat. I knew I had to give it a good home. Saturday came and we motored (at least 1 thing on the boat worked:) it to the marina to haul her out, the Surveyor said she looks bad, but structurally she's ok. He also said If I do a great job surveying this boat you'll never get it. So I called my wife and told her it looks like crap, but it has potential. So we bought it. She earned the great wife award at that moment. The main reasons I didn't sail her was. A Broken Rod Rigging turnbuckle. The Jib Furler, and the Staysail steel halyards were wrapped at the top, i.e. non functional. The main halyard rope/line didn't look like it could handle the strain of lifting the mainsail up all the way, let alone handle wind. But all of this is irrellevent. Because I had done my homework on the Hunter 54. I read all of the reviews that were posted here, and I had also been reading reviews for the other Hunter models. So to this day even though we still haven't sailed her, we know we have found our dream boat.
 
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Stirling Hasen

Nope, I put my trust in the HOW owners reviews!

On a typical Saturday last April 1999, we saw a Hunter 54 listed on Yachtworld. I e-mailed the broker about it, and he e-mailed us photos that day. Sunday I talked to him and then he faxed a contract, I signed it and faxed it back to him. It gets better. I had 1 week to arrange a flight etc. and find a great surveyor. Then I flew down to Tampa from Raleigh, NC to see what I just signed a contract for. I arrived Friday, hooked up with the broker and went to see the boat. After seeing this poor neglected boat. I knew I had to give it a good home. Saturday came and we motored (at least 1 thing on the boat worked:) it to the marina to haul her out, the Surveyor said she looks bad, but structurally she's ok. He also said If I do a great job surveying this boat you'll never get it. So I called my wife and told her it looks like crap, but it has potential. So we bought it. She earned the great wife award at that moment. The main reasons I didn't sail her was. A Broken Rod Rigging turnbuckle. The Jib Furler, and the Staysail steel halyards were wrapped at the top, i.e. non functional. The main halyard rope/line didn't look like it could handle the strain of lifting the mainsail up all the way, let alone handle wind. But all of this is irrellevent. Because I had done my homework on the Hunter 54. I read all of the reviews that were posted here, and I had also been reading reviews for the other Hunter models. So to this day even though we still haven't sailed her, we know we have found our dream boat.
 
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Kurt Knoettner

Want too

Looking at possibly buy a new 310 and would like to sail one but so far have not found one available. I have never purchased a boat without first sailing her. I had one dealer tell me that after I signed I might be able to sail a 320
 
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Todd Taylor

Did you test sail

No,it was snowing and we wanted the bost by summer. What we did do was research what boats were available for our needs and the Hunter 260 kept coming out on top. We talked with several dealers to get our best deal and when we did we put down a deposit. We take delivery next week. Yahoo!!!
 
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Dick Vance

Quick Trip

The day I bought "Honey Bear" had very light winds but we took her out anyway....It was an opportunity to check the sails, hardware, rigging, motor, etc., to make sure everything worked. You can do the same thing at the docke, running through the systems, if you can't actually sail the boat. Ideally, you would want to take the boat out for a good thrashing in 10-15 mph winds but that's not always possible. A good survey will reveal any structural problems and the overall condition of the boat and is not to be ignored. I didn't have the opportunity to have mine surveyed but took another very knowledgeable sailor with me for the inspection and check ride. The boat was 6 years old but had been sitting at the dock for nearly 3 years, a repo case. It was very dirty outside but like new inside and had been sailed very little. I also had the dealer lift the boat on his hoist to inspect the bottom. I've had her for nearly 10 years now and love this boat. Dick Vance H-25.5 "Honey Bear"
 
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Brad O.

Did not sail

The boat was rather buried in the boatyard and it was late fall. I bought after I reviewed the outcome of a survey by a professional. I did a lot of due diligence on the sailing characteristics on the 25.5 on this site. thanks to the people that posted their expereinces. I also noticed that there are not a lot of 25.5's for sale at any one time. So this told me that people tend to enjoy the boat. I have done a lot of work prepping and it will continue through this season I am sure. the boat was somewhat neglected by the previous owner.
 
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Fred G

Didn't even start the motor

The boat was bought in December of 2000. It is a 81 Hunter 30. There was a survey done by a eariler buyer, but the deal fell through. The boat was very clean, and the survey rated it highly, so we went with that. It turned out that it does need some work, but nothing major.
 
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Don Corcoran

No test sail

No, I didn't test sail my H 170. However, I relied heavily on this website for comments from others. I asked questions and got good answers. If I had test sailed first, I would have delayed my decision and probably bought a heavier more stable boat that would NOT have been as easy to sail, as easy to launch and as easy to tow as my H170. I down-sized from an O'Day 26 to a Hunter 17 and had to relearn how to sail.
 
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SailboatOwners.com

Final results

Final results for the Quick Quiz ending 5/27/2001: Did you test sail your boat before purchase? 51% No 39% Yes, once 06% Yes, more than once 04% No, but I should have
 
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