Buying A Used Sailboat
Make sure that you never, ever buy a second hand boat made from wood. It's very hard to maintain and very costly. Fiberglass is the best choice, but its hardly hassle free. It will take a few days each year to maintain, but thats ok. You will need to antifoul your fiberglass boat. This is to prevent barnacles from growing and algae. You should also wax with a marine grade wax. You should also have your sails inspected by a sailmaker to repair any tears in your sails at least once a year.
Some people are not a fan of fiberglass and you can also buy a boat made of steel. Steel does tend to rust how ever, so you should check for rust before buying. Steer clear of any boat made by amateurs.
You should then check if the sails and rigging are all in good order. Remove them from their storage and spread them out so you can see for any damage. Things like mildew and rips, worn out spots, repairs that have been made previously. Check that all the winches move smoothly. If you can, hoist the sails on the boat to make sure its all in good working order.
You should also look for leaks. Look around the hatches and the portholes. These are very costly to have to repair so check carefully. You should have someone who knows about electrical wiring to check out the wiring if needed. The last thing you need is a fire on board your new purchase.
Look for any leaks around hatches or portholes. These can be costly repairs to have to fix later on. Have someone who really knows electrical check the wiring. Again, this can be expensive to fix later, or even dangerous if a fire breaks out while on the water. Check to see if there are any wires banging around inside the mast - as this could certainly keep you up at night if you're a light sleeper.
To wrap up. Don't buy a boat for the sake of buying a boat and never buy a boat until you know what you are looking. For sure, never buy the first boat you see, no matter how good the deal seems.
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