by John Neal
John Neal and Amanda Swan
toast the new Mahina Tiare III
| Selecting a Cruising Boat, Part I
by John Neal |
John Neal and Amanda Swan |
| The Boat... A Pivotal Decision |
Selecting a cruising boat is one of the most important decisions in pre-paring for an offshore voyage and often is a pivotal point in the changing of dreams from "Let's take off and go cruising sometime" into the reality of "Let's get outfitted and go." Obviously there isn't
any single design perfect for everyone; the boat you choose should be safe, comfortable, well-built, and ideally capable of fast passages and prove to be a good investment. The process of selecting and purchasing a boat for long distance cruising usually takes six to 12 months. First you'll need to research boat types which suit your budget, wants and needs. Be patient, ask questions and learn everything you can. If your plans are for coastal cruising you'll be able to consider a wider range of boats than those suited for long-distance ocean passages. Secondly, you'll need to locate, examine, survey, test sail, complete the purchase trans-action and possibly ship or deliver your new boat to a place convenient for outfitting.
If you make a poor choice, you may be plagued with structural problems, leaks, slow, uncomfortable passages, endless repairs and a low resale price. I mention resale price now, because the money used for purchasing cruising boats represents a substantial part of many people's life savings. Although sailboats are rarely a 'good investment in strictly monetary terms, you'll want to recoup as much of your original purchase price when it comes time to sell. |
| Size and Cost |
Two of the most important points to remember when selecting a boat are size and cost. Few people realize that outfitting a boat for long distance cruising can easily take 30% to 50% more than the initial purchase price. On a 35' new or used boat, this can mean an additional $15,000 to $30,000 just for essential equipment including additional sails, ground tackle, liferaft, safety gear and tender. This amount excludes optional equipment such as refrigeration, electronics, outboard motors, scuba gear and autopilots.
Here is a common scenario: you overspend on the initial purchase of the boat, spend more money on equipment that isn't essential and then run short of funds once you've completed your initial provision-ing and have actually started cruising. I speak from experience, having done this several times during the past 23 years. A better approach, if you're working within a budget, is to spend less on the initial purchase by either purchasing a well-built used boat or a smaller boat. Purchase the priority equipment first, provision the boat (or set aside $2,000 for it), set aside an average of $700 to $1,800 (for a couple) per month for the period of time you want to cruise, and then see if there is enough money left for the expensive, non-essential but 'sure would be nice to have equipment. The size of boat you select will affect your cruising costs, not only in initial purchase and outfitting, but also in cruising expenses once you're under way. From my observations and experience, the majority of boats cruising for a year or longer are sailed with only couples aboard, and a boat in the 30' to 42' size range works out best, particularly if they are new to sailing. The cost, time and energy required to maintain a 50' boat versus a 35' once you're 'out there cruising is significantly higher. Many people who have been cruising full time for several years opt for a boat under 42'. In general, the median size of cruising boats has been going up steadily. This may correspond with an increase in average age and budget of cruisers and the development and improvement of sail-handling and navigation systems. |
| Crew | People cruising on larger boats may get stuck in the bind of having to depend on finding pick-up crew in different ports in order to safely manage their boat on ocean passages and keep their insurance valid. Crew difficulties are one of the most persistent and common problems on cruising boats. It's easy to find friends and family members excited about sailing with you when you first leave home; as you get further away and airfare becomes more expensive, finding crew becomes difficult. You may not be comfortable trusting your boat and life to people you don't know well. You must be prepared to singlehand your boat. You or your partner may become ill (or even severely seasick) leaving one person to handle everything. It makes sense to have a boat with manageable sized sails, a totally dependable wind-vane self-steering system and an electric auto-pilot. Fatigue is the number one cause of short-handed or singlehanded boats being lost on the rocks or reefs while making landfall; it is vitally important that you are able to handle your boat without help, and that you realize your abilities and limitations. |
| Primary Options | In the initial purchase of your cruising boat you have four options: buy a new boat, have a custom boat built, buy a good used boat, or build a boat. If you don't have financial constraints, the first option may be the most attractive. Having a boat custom or semi-custom built often takes considerably more time and money than planned. Resale value on a custom boat may not be as strong as on a well-known quality production boat. If your budget and time frame are more limited, a well-built used boat is a more logical option. If you can find a boat that has already been outfitted and cruised, you may save tens of thousands of dollars. Cruising equipment adds very little to the selling price of used boats. The easiest way to find a quality used boat is to locate a professional and knowledgeable broker who has offshore sailing experience. The broker can use the BUC computer listing network and various publications to locate appropriate boats in a local and national area. Spend time with the broker clearly communicating your purchase time frame, budget, and personal priorities. A professional broker should have the expertise and experience in locating boats on a national level. Compromise is important in selecting the right used boat. Chances are you may not find any boat in your price range that exactly meets all of your criteria so be prepared to be flexible and keep an open mind! Home building makes the least sense unless you are an experienced boat builder and are not concerned about time and expenses. Home-built boats may end up costing more than a well-built used boat, are generally much more difficult to sell and insure and may have a lower resale value than a comparable production boat. Used boat prices vary geographically and tend to be lowest in areas of the country experiencing economic downturn and weak real estate markets. If people can't sell their property, they are less likely to be able to afford to purchase and outfit a boat for extended cruising. Since January 1996 prices have firmed up substantially in the Northeast and in California, and we are hearing few tales of 'stealing good used cruising boats for 20% to 30% below asking or BUC Used Boat Guide prices. Brokers on both coasts are mentioning a shortage of good ten year old or less cruising boats in the $60,000 to $180,000 price range. Pacific Northwest prices have remained slightly higher through the last recession, due to demand and the relatively strong economic climate. When trying to decide whether or not it is logical to purchase a boat out of your area, make sure to factor in all shipping costs. Here are present day quotes for shipping a 35' and 42' sailboat with a beam of no more than 12' and a trailer height of under 14'. Boats with beam in an excess of 12' will require a pilot car at $1.00 per mile in some states. Add approximately $200 for trucking insurance rider, and $1,000 to $2,000 for decommissioning and recommissioning, depending how much of the work you do yourself. Florida to New York or Los Angeles to Seattle: $2,815 $3,069 Annapolis to Seattle or Seattle to Florida: $6,800 $7600 Wisconsin to Seattle: $4,000 $4,600 The present relative weakness of the dollar has made purchasing a boat overseas much less of a bargain than it was in 1984-85. Buyers in the market for cruising boats coming to the U.S. from Europe and even New Zealand. When the dollar strengthens, this will change again. If you're interested in cruising specific areas such as Scandinavia, the Med or the French canals, and aren't interested in the long passages, purchasing a boat on location may be a good choice. If you're considering purchasing a boat overseas and plan to sail it back to the U.S., try and select a well-known builder who has dealers in the States. You'll find it much easier to sell a well-known boat for a reasonable price. The cost of shipping a 35' boat from Europe or New Zealand to the West Coast is $12,000 to $15,000. Any U.S. Embassy will be able to provide you with temporary documentation papers if you're purchasing and cruising a boat in another country. |
| Boat Selection Checklist |
A COMPREHENSIVE LIST of important considerations for evaluating a cruising boat can be found here.
Next month John's discussion on selecting a cruising boat will continue with Hull Construction Materials and Underbodies. This article is an excerpt from the 25th edition of John Neal's Offshore Cruising Handbook, available for $45 from... Mahina Expeditions at 360.378.6131
For a four page list of boats to consider for offshore cruising, please send a #10 SASE to You may reach also John's web site at www.mahina.com or through www.48north.com linked sites. |
...return to 48° North title page.