Learn how to choose and buy a sailboat for safe sailing and ease. Purchasing your own sailing yacht is a major decision. You have to take a calculated decision considering numerous factors. Take your time to evaluate all options before your buy a yacht.
How to Select and Purchase a Suitable Sailboat for the Safe Sailing and Ease
New York (USA), September 02, 2017
Purchasing your own sailing yacht is a major decision. You have to take a calculated decision considering numerous factors. Take your time to evaluate all options before finally purchasing your yacht.
Choosing and Buying Your Own Sailing Yacht
Before approaching a yacht dealer, remain well educated about different types of yachts. Scout the Internet, browse through yachting magazines, and look across various sales brochures and similar material on yachts. You would form a fair idea of different types of sailing yachts, popular brands, their costs, reputed dealers, and related important information.
Yacht Type
Your choice of sailing yacht depends on its usage. You should decide the main activities for your yacht- cruising, fishing, racing, overnight staying, water sport activities like scuba diving, or others. Also, decide on your choice of specific sailing yacht brand. Restrict your favorable brands to two or three. This helps you finalize on the choice of yacht dealer.
Size of Yacht
Yachts are available in a variety of sizes starting from very small to very big. Your choice of yacht size depends on its usage. If you want to use it as a family cruiser, a medium-sized yacht can serve the purpose. If you want to accommodate your friends and family on the yacht, a luxury cruiser would be the best bet.
Price of Yacht
Cost of a yacht varies from one dealer to another. Once you finalize on the type and brand of yacht you want, you can compare the prices available across different dealers. Prices are normally high in the yachting season. Purchase your yacht in the off-season or the fall and use it the following year. Always decide on your comfortable level of affordability before making the actual purchase.
Negotiations
Once you choose your yacht and the respective dealer, negotiate for a fair price. Ask all relevant questions to the yacht dealer to understand every intricacy of your yacht. Some dealers include their commissions within the cost. All yachts may not have registration documents or log books. Check proof of ownership through bill of sale.
Accredited Surveyors
Use an accredited surveyor like The International Institute of Marine Surveying, The Yacht Designers and Surveyors Association, The National Association of Marine Surveyors (NAMS), The Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors (SAMS), to carry out detailed inspection of the yacht you intend purchasing.
Inspections
Conduct a recent survey, as old surveys are unreliable. Inspect upholstery, interior woodwork, and gel coat to understand the level of maintenance. If these are not looked after well, rest of the yacht may not have been taken care of at all. Check sails, rigs, control cables, waterlines within yacht, locks, and hatches. Check hull registration number and match with other yacht documents. If there are any discrepancies, do not buy the yacht as it could be a stolen one and you stand to lose everything.
Propulsion
This is the main driving force of your yacht. The propulsion type should match size and weight of yacht like passengers and gear. Propulsion types include Diesel inboard engines, Outboard motors, Gas inboard engines, Stern drive, or Jet propulsion. Choice of engine depends on the type of usage of your yacht.
Purchasing a Used Yacht
Used yachts are normally available with limited warranty or no warranty. Inspect yacht thoroughly to analyze reasons for sale of yacht. Check the brand and get to know if replacement parts are still available for this brand. Spare parts of old brands may not be available. Certain used yachts may not be in very good condition. Probe deeply into yacht maintenance and whether all payments have been made or if any are due. Some yacht owners sell their old ones to accommodate their new purchases. Such yacht enthusiasts take great care in yacht up keeping. Check maintenance logbooks. Yacht owners normally maintain logs to record all repairs, servicing, oil changes, and similar details. Look around to see if yacht has all essential navigational equipment like winches, lights, and others. A brief insight into the main purpose of yacht use can reflect the present condition of the used yacht. Fishing yacht engines are normally used for many hours at a stretch while luxury cruises are used differently.
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