HOW TO BUY A SAILING YACHT


Depending on whether you want to buy a sailing yacht that has just left the shipyard or is already in use, there are a huge number of questions that should be clarified before buying. Most people who have bought a yacht consider this event the second largest and most important after buying a house.

Most people who have bought a sailing yacht consider this event the second largest and most important after buying a house

When buying a yacht, there are no very strict and strict rules, of course, much depends on the individual circumstances of each person and they can be very different. In our review of the yacht purchase process, we have highlighted some key features that should be considered during the initial decision about which sailing yacht is right for you.

How do you see your yacht?
A lot of small details can affect the decision to buy a sailing yacht, here they are simply a great variety and variety, which leads to the inevitable appearance of some compromises. It may be difficult for the future owner of the yacht to immediately determine what functions the yacht should perform, what equipment should be installed on it. Especially if it is the purchase of the very first yacht.

It is very important to understand and decide for yourself how you want to use the yacht in terms of sailing and life on board. And it should be solved as concretely as possible, trying to avoid the abstract "well, I will walk between the islands" or "I will travel a lot".

How do you see your yacht

There are hundreds of manufacturers of sailing yachts that produce different models, and narrowing down when selecting the parameters you need can become a real minefield. Yachts are very different from each other and the choice can be difficult.

In fact, it is important to never forget about the true pleasure and emotions that appear and cover you only as the owner of a sailing yacht. You should feel a sense of pride and excitement as you descend the pontoon to your yacht. To recognize the early signs of such emotions during your research of the yacht market before buying is an excellent indication that you have found the right yacht.

You should feel a sense of pride and excitement as you walk down the pontoon to your yacht

Interesting fact

Most yacht owners point to the organization of the interior and cabins as the most important factors that influenced the decision to buy a yacht, and only then they were interested in sailing and seaworthiness characteristics.

The Council

When you are looking at and selecting a sailing yacht, make sure that you take everyone who is involved in the purchase of the yacht with you. This will save you a lot of time, as you will be able to immediately assess the reaction of your companions. In this way, you can quickly learn the key features and features that are important to each of you and should be present on your yacht.

Explore as many yachts as possible
Botshow

Visiting the botshow is a great way to see the most popular and newest yachts in one place. Throughout the year, numerous exhibitions are held around the world. But not all boat shows are the same and there are only a few yacht shows where you can see all the lines of yachts offered by different manufacturers. In Europe, the largest annual botshows are the Cannes Botshow in September, the Paris Botshow in December, and the grandiose and perhaps the largest and largest botshow in Dusseldorf, which takes place in January.

Visit the botshow - a great way to see the most popular and latest yachts in one place

So make sure to buy your plane ticket in advance and take advantage of the opportunity to see all the yachts you are considering for purchase in one place. The cost of a trip and a visit to the botshow is a fraction of the total purchase amount and is worth the effort, especially if you manage to combine this trip with a mini-vacation. Along with the largest boat shows that are held in different cities of Europe, there are also small yacht exhibitions organized by yacht brokers and yacht parking lots.

See also:

Ocean sailing yacht: preparing for long voyages

Oceanis 46.1-European yacht of 2019 in the Family Cruiser category

Representative of the shipyard (broker)

Talk to a representative of the shipyard. This is a great source of information and he will be happy to tell you about the yachts he sells.

The Council

Tell the broker where you are in the purchase process. If you are at the very beginning of this path, then make it clear right away. Do not pretend that you are going to buy a yacht immediately if you expect to do so within two years. A good broker will be happy to help you no matter what, but will also appreciate your honesty.

Sailing Yacht Reviews
There are many excellent sailing yacht reviews available to read online, and there is also plenty of video material on the topic. Some are created by the yacht manufacturers themselves, while others are created by yacht journalists. In the reviews of sailing yachts, you will find the main characteristics and advantages of a particular model of yacht, evaluate the appearance, design features and interior layout.

Sailing yacht size
The Council

You will always appreciate the extra space on board your yacht, and so try to buy a yacht on which you can "grow". Very soon you will get used to your yacht and learn how to manage it, and it may turn out that it "becomes too small for you".

In the long run, it is financially much more profitable to buy a slightly larger sailing yacht (within reasonable limits!) than to sell your yacht and buy a new one a short time after buying it with a loss on the sale. Making the right choice of yacht size is a very important point.

The number of people with whom you are going to regularly go to sea and who will sleep on board. Most 34-to 60-foot sailing yachts have similar interior layouts and can accommodate different numbers of people, but it's clear that living space can vary dramatically.

Think about how much time you plan to spend on board? Are you going to use the yacht for a weekend outing or take long cruises for several days?

Where will you mostly sail? Most novice yachtsmen will agree that in the Mediterranean it is very easy and comfortable to operate a sailing yacht and there is a good maritime infrastructure. The choice of the location of your yacht is determined by the presence of berths, marinas, as well as the tides, weather conditions and the intensity of ship traffic at sea.

Additional expenses. An additional budget to the original cost of buying a yacht, which should take into account the current cost of parking in the marina and maintenance of the yacht.

Modern technologies and equipment. Fore and aft thrusters, electric winches, mainsail twist, auto-staysail and high-precision electronic navigation instruments-all this has already become common on the yacht. Today, it is much easier to manage a large modern yacht than it was ten years ago.

The Council

Buying a sailing yacht designed for long voyages in the ocean is completely pointless if you plan to never leave your cozy marina. Or maybe you are guided by the fact that you choose a yacht on which you will be more comfortable to storm in the open sea than to sit and wait out the bad weather in a pub?

By the way, the storm is still better to wait out in the pub. Buy a yacht that will meet 90% of your requirements, not 10%.

Interior of a sailing yacht
There are many options for the layout of the interior of sailing yachts, but here are some points that you should pay special attention to.

There are a huge number of options for the layout of the interior of sailing yachts

Usually there are two or three cabins on the yacht. In the variant, two cabins in the cockpit often arrange a large locker. The lavatories are more spacious.
Option with one or two headboards: on any yacht larger than 38-40 feet, it is possible to install two headboards, but on small boats this is not advisable.
Galley. Most often, this is a traditional L-shaped galley or a galley along one of the sides.
On large yachts 40-50 ft.

The galley can be located in the cabin closer to the forward cabin, just in front of the bulkhead.
The four-cabin layout is usually found on yachts intended for charter.

Most often, they combine a toilet with a shower in one room.
The owner's cabin is usually located in the bow and is different from the rest — it is more spacious, the bed is in the center with access from both sides.
Additional cabins with bunk beds, which are ideal for children or guests. Often, such cabins are equipped instead of one of the latrines.
Sailing yacht equipment
There is an incredible amount of different equipment that can be installed on the yacht. Something designed to make it easier to work with sails, or to easily manage a large yacht with a small crew. And also the equipment on the yacht can simply reflect your modern life as you live at home.

Rigging and deck equipment

Electric hoists for halyards
Electric windlass for anchor chain
Reef lines
Automatic staysail
Mainsail with through and semi-through lats
Mainsail-to-mast twist system
Bow thruster
Anchor chain meter meter
Equipment for life