Keeping Afloat

[L_atitude]

Guess this is an old subject but would be grateful for your views. Having taken up sailing recently with my partner - and obtaining the necessary qualifications - we want to get out there more regularly to enjoy it while developing practical experience. As we see it our options are: a) crew for a while b) look for a boat share, equity and/or costs c) buy a boat for own use and/or for share/charter. Budget is not unlimited!

Any experience, views, suggestions, advice on best way to achieve our objective and/or offers would be appreciated. We are based near the south coast (UK).

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[blackbeard]

Don't buy a boat unless you have spare money and LOTS of spare time (eg have retired from full time work). Marinas are chock full - far too full - of boats which never move; they were bought by people who thought they had spare time but found that there was always something else which was more urgent and took up the time. Next weekend maybe (triumph of hope over experience).
One solution, which is MUCH cheaper than ownership or chartering, is to join a club which runs its own boats. Cost can be around £30/person/day and there is usually a very experienced skipper. Meet lots of interesting people too, but a sense of humour is sometimes required

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[Salty]

Blackbeard's advice is good. In any case keep well away from buying a boat until you've done a bit of sailing and have a good idea what you will want from it - simple decisions like fin or bilge keel, downstairs comfort vs. sailing performance, etc are very difficult to make until you've crewed or sailed a few boats to get an idea. You'll find a shortlist of possible boats will become apparent quite quickly once you've spent a bit more time on the water.

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[L_atitude]

Thanks for this. It was not an option I was aware of. We are members of a club that do buddy sailing but it is very hit and miss, and you feel like a hanger on! Do you know of any sailing clubs who run their own boats on the south-coast?

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[AndrewB]

If you have the qualifications, then my vote would be to buy your own boat. There is nothing to compare with this. However, be careful with your choice. A first boat should be small and simple, bought primarily for learning, and with an eye on reselling after a year or at most two. By then you will have a much clearer understanding of the sort of boat you really want, and even more importantly, whether you like the sport enough to commit yourself further.

Incidentally, one option you didn't mention is sailing through chartering. A half-way house between being your own master and crewing for other people. Lots of people who don't own a yacht get most of their sailing this way. One advantage is the opportunity to do it in sunnier climes.

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