Ex stinkie?

[RayB]

Currently have a 37ft stinkpot and a couple of seasons experience, trained to dayskipper (motor) and cross channel experience.

I have a strong urge to convert to sailing, and don't know where to start. I intend to go dingy sailing, this coming season, to learn the basics of sailing. But in terms of buying our yacht, where do I start? I want 35 foot plus (not more than 44 foot). I might want to go liveaboard within 10 years and cruise bluewater. Equally I want to buy a boat now that will serve that purpose without having to trade up later, and I don't want a depreciation headache. Budget including kitting out would be upto £90,000 but rather £75,000.

Where do I start?



"Hopefully that won't be too expensive to fix?"

 

[snowleopard]

charter

try before you buy. even if you don't find one you want to buy it will give you an idea of what you like and don't like. if you feel you're not ready to go as skipper, find someone to go with. a good way of getting in with a charter group is to join the Little Ship Club (hq in london ec4).

 

[Guest]

Re: charter

I couldn't agree with snow leopard more in terms of doing a decent amount of yacht sailing before you buy. However if you are looking for a liveaboard/blue water boat with the intention of ocean crossings, the sort of boats you will be able to charter, tend not to be the sort of boats you want to cross oceans in. BENJANBAVs are great for coastl work, but to beamy and skittish in an ocean when the going gets rough. So charter to ensure you really do want a sail boat, but not to test out boats you may actually buy!

Dinghy sailing is also a great way to understand the dynamics of sailing - it doesn't matter how big the boat - the laws of physics apply to them all!

As for the litlle ship club - I have just become a member myself, and agree that it would be a very good way to find opportunities to go out on a variety of different sailing yachts.

Hope that helps,

Will