Newbie

[Kings Gambit]

Personally, I don’t think someone with zero sailing experience should buy a sailboat unless perhaps it is a sailing dinghy or one otherwise 20 ft LOA or less. To successfully own and use one for purposes beyond a years-long work project or dock condo requires much experience, knowledge, and understanding. If you cannot put it on a trailer you’ll need a slip, and that could be a whole other project. Perhaps get yourself a West Wight Potter 15 or 19 ft. In California there’s a big WWP owners group that gets together in various places to sail. Look into it if you have serious interest about getting into sailing. They can tell you about insurance for it, etc.

 

[rgranger]

Get yourself a West Wight Potter 15 or 19 ft.

Those are very nice camping boats for a fun weekend on the water. If you decide to go that route there are several threads on here about trailor sailboats and the respective +/- of each type. A quick search of the archives will give you a lot to consider...

For example

Pocket cruiser recommendations for family of 3

Hi all. I've found this forum really helpful when researching boats, so I decided to register and make a post myself. I currently own an early 1970's 12 ft O'day Widgeon, which I've enjoyed restoring over the past year, but the rest of the family (wife + 6-year-old son) is a little intimidated...

forums.sailboatowners.com

 

[Kings Gambit]

Those are very nice camping boats for a fun weekend on the water. If you decide to go that route there are several threads on here about trailor sailboats and the respective +/- of each type. A quick search of the archives will give you a lot to consider...

SFB is a lively sailing venue, not to mention cold, and as far as I know not offering many good places for anchoring. Unless willing to “suit up” for the challenges of SFB w/o knowing much or anything about it, a trailerable boat where you might sleep aboard in testing other venues offers many options, especially if connected to an active owners group.

 

[tfox2069]

I'd recommend you take ASA 101 (Basic Keelboat Sailing), ASA 118 (Docking Endorsement) and maybe 103 (Basic Coastal Cruising) before you buy a sailboat. Its great training, you'll feel a LOT more comfortable when you buy a boat, and your insurance company will recognize those certifications as formal training. Then you can also go and rent some sailboats of various sizes and see what fits your needs - THEN go buy one. Or join a club that has various sizes you can take out when you want. But I'm inline with others on here - buying a big (e.g. 40'+) sailboat is an expensive venture one way or another, and the older it is the more work (and often creative work), money and time it will require to keep it in working order.

 

[jssailem]

Perhaps get yourself a West Wight Potter 15 or 19 ft. In California there’s a big WWP owners group that gets together in various places to sail.

The WP's are good boats. A Fun sail in competition. Really fun to beat with my Montgomery in Monterey Bay....

 

[BigEasy]

I'd recommend you take ASA 101 (Basic Keelboat Sailing), ASA 118 (Docking Endorsement) and maybe 103 (Basic Coastal Cruising) before you buy a sailboat. Its great training, you'll feel a LOT more comfortable when you buy a boat

I second that recommendation.
There are two schools of thought that are discussed often on SBO. First, buy a small boat, read a book or watch a video, & go sailing learning thru experiences. Second, take a sailing course or two, get a little experience & then purchase a boat. I tried both methods, first boat was a 15’ catamaran & then bought a book. Damned near killed myself, a few times! Then took a few sailing courses & learned in a structured manner.....much more satisfactory & safer. Definitely shortens the learning curve; however, if you’re conscientious you will continue learning for a lifetime.
My boat recommendation for a first boat would be a Catalina 22. There were at least 20,000 built (and counting). Many sailing schools use them & allow you to rent, after completing a basic course. They are affordable, responsive & fun to sail, big enough to overnite on, economical to maintain & not too complicated. There are many CAT 22 owners on this site who can help you with ANY aspect of ownership. Finally, if you decide to move up to a bigger boat, in the future, you can easily sell it. Welcome to SBO & good luck with your first boat; but not a 44 footer!

 

[tfox2069]

I'll add an analogy: You wouldn't go out and buy a car, and then teach yourself how to drive. There's a reason why insurance won't cover you right now - and they wouldn't without a driver's license in a car: You're a bad risk for expensive things happening without some training.

A sailboat is WAAAAY more complicated than a car to operate reasonably skillfuly, even a Sunfish which I learned on. A 44 foot boat, with all its complex systems (and on an old one, complex systems with all sorts of undocumented owner mods) is way beyond a beginner - you'll spend more time fixing than sailing (just see a thread from today). There's real rules of the road (who has right of way here??), equipment which you're not familiar with and is often not intuitive (how do I unfurl and furl that mainsail inside the mast without making a mess?), and environmentals which you will have to understand in order to contend with every time you go out (tide, wind, current).

Don't let that put you off - after ASA 101 you'll have the basic skills you need to get out there and start sailing, and learning. You'll also not be a hazard to others - particularly your passengers. Just like in a car, people really can get hurt - or killed - even at 8 miles an hour. There's a LOT of force on sails and rigging, and you need to understand all that before someone stands up in the middle of a gybe and is knocked unconscious and overboard by the swinging boom. And I recommend the docking cert because for most of us that's the hardest part - like landing an airplane is the hardest part.

Do it! And have fun.

 

[rgranger]

And I recommend the docking cert because for most of us that's the hardest part -

LoL

I always say docking is a spectator sport....

 

[kappykaplan]

I always say docking is a spectator sport....

 

[Calif. Ted]

LoL

I always say docking is a spectator sport....

I used to have a real tight space against the seawall in front of the harbor coffee shop where a lot of people would hang out. I came in once on a busy crowded holiday and some comedians started clapping when I made it without hitting anything or anyone.

 

[George Braun]

The point about forces involved is really the whole point. In a small boat you can manage the forces involved with your hands/arms without mechanical assistance beyond a simple multi-part mainsheet. Any boat up to about 24' will offer the chance to do that and learn the hard way without bodily damage or $ when you make a mistake. Boats with big winches remove that possibility. Above a few thousand pounds of displacement you get into territory where an error can instantly lead to more than enough to scare, injure or cost way too much $ in sporty conditions. Spend some time at the smaller end of things. I can remember as a pre-teen in a 24' 1966 Columbia Challenger flying along on a broad reach with my dad at the tiller and me trimming, making a mistake and tripping the boat at about 5 knots. Felt like we were going 100. Big broach, lots of water everywhere, but the boat was back on it's feet and at 5 knots again in about 30 seconds with absolutely nothing wrong except we slept in wet sleeping bags that night. You need that to really learn, and it's a whole lot of fun along the way. Most of the stuff that happens wrong because of inexperience isn't dramatic or traumatic, just an opportunity to try again.

 

[rgranger]

…and some comedians started clapping when I made it without hitting anything or anyone.

That has not been my experience. When I stick a particularly difficult landing… the dock is always deserted .

 

[George Braun]

and when you pull out of your slip forgetting to unplug the shore power there are more than enough people on the dock to notice you going up the fairway trailing a 50' bright yellow power cord!

 

[rgranger]

and when you pull out of your slip forgetting to unplug the shore power there are more than enough people on the dock to notice you going up the fairway trailing a 50' bright yellow power cord!

I always (silently) criticize those boaters who are out with their bumpers dangling.

 

[muzik311]

Dalliance is my first, and likely only, boat. It’s 30 feet, was a cash purchase in need of cosmetic work only, and seemed big to me as a first boat. At the time, 2006, Boat US was the most recommended boat insurer, but they would not insure me because I was a first time boat owner with a 30 foot boat, which they deemed to be high risk. I went to my home & auto insurer, State Farm at the time, and they covered the boat, no questions. After the first year or two with no claims, Boat US decided I was a good risk and actually sought my business. I favored them because they specialize in boats, so I switched to Boat US for about 12 years. Never had a claim, but then Geico took over… and the boat is now insured by Chubb.

Sooooo… my recommendation is….
Consider starting with a smaller boat and talking to your home & auto insurer.

Thanks. We are leaning towards smaller boat now. Would we be able to get liability only with no sailing experience? We will take classes and hire someone to teach us on our boat

 

[muzik311]

Thank you. Makes sense, will definitely take everyone's advice here to heart. I want the smaller boat to learn, but my partner wants a bigger one.

 

[BigEasy]

Thanks. We are leaning towards smaller boat now. Would we be able to get liability only with no sailing experience?

I would think that you could get insurance from just about any source. for a small boat, including your homeowner's insurance co. or Progressive insurance co. Anything above 27-28 ft, I would be looking for a yacht policy with agreed value in the event of total loss. Also make sure that the policy includes coverage for environmental damages (for fuel / oil spills) as well as removal & salvage in the event that it sinks.

 

[Tally Ho]

Thank you. Makes sense, will definitely take everyone's advice here to heart. I want the smaller boat to learn, but my partner wants a bigger one.

Marry that one!

Wish my wife wanted a bigger boat!

Greg

 

[rgranger]

Thanks. We are leaning towards smaller boat now. Would we be able to get liability only with no sailing experience? We will take classes and hire someone to teach us on our boat

No one has ever asked fir my sailing resume…

I’d recommend something trailerable in the 23-26’ range. Ease of launch and set up being high on the list of priorities.

Don’t get seduced by the layout of the galley in a small boat. You will spend 95% of your time in the cockpit even at anchor…so… sit in it. Make sure it is comfortable. Then lay down in the berth … make sure it is going to work for you.

When buying an old boat… look past faded paint and scratches… all of that can be made right with little cost to you if you enjoy tinkering…you are buying the SAILS, TRAILER, and the OB. That will cost you real money if you start replacing those things and functionality there is essential for enjoying your boat.

Be patient when shopping and be ready to pull the trigger when you find the boat that ticks all of your boxes.

 

[Kings Gambit]

Marry that one!

Wish my wife wanted a bigger boat!

Greg

Be careful what you wish for! I’ve two friends whose wife wanted a bigger boat. Both “complained” to me about it. One—the owned boat had been PAID for and he did not really wish to pay for another. The second was tired of having to fix stuff all of the time; bigger boat means more fixing of stuff, etc. Ultimately, however, the bigger boats were acquired!