Sailboat 34-38: Best country to buy and keep?

[SMaturin]

Hi all,

Need your advice on the best country to buy and keep (boatyard, etc) a sailboat 34 - 38 feet (England, Sweden, Turkey, Greece, ...). By best to buy I mean a place with good selection of boats (not new ones) with good price to choose from. By best to keep I mean not expensive boatyards, marinas with enough facilities to live and do all kinds of work on the boat.

Thanks!
Steve

 

[Yngmar]

The best country to buy the boat is where the boat you want is located. If for some reason you're not too picky about the boat, shop for one in a country where you speak the language and have a bank account in.

The best country for refitting the boat is one where you can get everything you need (parts, services, professionals if you don't DIY). The UK is pretty good, as will be France, Germany, the Netherlands and perhaps Italy, again depending on which languages you speak.

After the boat is fitted out, the best country to keep the boat is wherever you want to use it, and cruising means that country can change regularly. Cheap places are typically the ones where nobody wants to be, although some regions are vastly more expensive in general, i.e. the Rias Altas are much more affordable than the Islas Baleares.

 

[sailaboutvic]

I would suggest places like the Ionian not only there a lot of private boats fot sale in towns like preveza ,
the brokers tend to under valve them to move them on plus there many ex charter boats ,
although there also many boats that not worth buying because they been badly maintained.
In Italy if your buying from a broker you will find the buyer pays the broker fee.

Where to keep a boat will depend on where you want to sail , it isn't any good keeping you boat in a cheap boat yard in Turkey , if you just want to jump on the boat every time you have a bit of free time .
Again no good buying a boat in Greece if you want to keep It in your local yard in Southampton .

I think you needed to start by given more details how you wish to use your boat first to have a chance to get the answers your looking for .
Although as you posted this under the liveaboard section I guess your thinking to use it as a liveaboard boat ?

 

[25931]

As Vic says you need to be more specific with your questions. Having said that there is a vast amount of info on the net - boat ads to marina prices. Be aware that some marinas and boatyards don't allow you to do work on your boat.

 

[SMaturin]

I am thinking about Ionian as well... Yet not sure if I can find a good affordable offshore/liveaboard boat, such as Gin Fizz or old English boats, S&S 34, Nic 35, old Rival 34s and 38s, also the First Series Beneteaus, the 34 and 38.
I got my RYA YM Offshore and commercial endorsement in Hamble and sailed a lot in Solent, English channel and Brittany, etc. Saw a lot of good boats there. Yet I am not UK citizen, so buying a boat there may be complicated. I live in Moscow and using Turkey or Greece would be a convenient starting port for me for sailing in the Med and Atlantic.
Preveza, Greece looks like a good idea, thanks!
What about Malaga or Balearic islands?

I would suggest places like the Ionian not only there a lot of private boats fot sale in towns like preveza ,
the brokers tend to under valve them to move them on plus there many ex charter boats ,
although there also many boats that not worth buying because they been badly maintained.
In Italy if your buying from a broker you will find the buyer pays the broker fee.

Where to keep a boat will depend on where you want to sail , it isn't any good keeping you boat in a cheap boat yard in Turkey , if you just want to jump on the boat every time you have a bit of free time .
Again no good buying a boat in Greece if you want to keep It in your local yard in Southampton .

I think you needed to start by given more details how you wish to use your boat first to have a chance to get the answers your looking for .
Although as you posted this under the liveaboard section I guess your thinking to use it as a liveaboard boat ?

 

[Tranona]

Now you have given a bit more information on what you are trying to achieve it is possible to give a few pointers. You are right Greece and Turkey would not be a good place to look for that type of boat. You will do best in n Europe - UK, France, Netherlands or maybe southern Spain or Portugal looking for abandoned dreams. Wherever you buy you will have the same problem with registration if you don't have a home state with a register you can use. However it is possible to use registers such as the offshore Red ensign registers - Channel Islands are the most obvious, but you need to research which ones you are eligible for.

 

[Graham376]

I live in Moscow and using Turkey or Greece would be a convenient starting port for me for sailing in the Med and Atlantic.
Preveza, Greece looks like a good idea, thanks! What about Malaga or Balearic islands?

Remember if you buy in Turkey, the boat won't be EU VAT paid so that could increase cost if you want to keep it in EU waters for more than 18 months.