| I discovered sailing many years ago and
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| | of "feel" at the helm and in many
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| found it to be a wonderful way to enjoy
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| | locations such as the Chesapeake Bay with
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| time with friends and family as well as a
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| | winds typically 5 - 15 knots in the
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| way to get away from the office and
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| | summer you may have purchased a very nice
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| become totally entranced and absorbed
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| | well equipped power boat. However these
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| with a world that I did not know existed.
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| | heavy displacement cruisers are excellent
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| I love to sail, so much that I became a
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| | for extended off shore passage making and
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| certified American Sailing Association
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| | live-aboard sailing either in the
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| Sailing Instructor.It has been 30 years
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| | Caribbean or the U.S.A..One of the best
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| now that I've sailed the Chesapeake Bay,
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| | tips, If you are a first time sailor and
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| East Coast U.S.A. and the Caribbean
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| | want to buy a boat in the 25 to 50 ft
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| Islands and I've been fortunate to have
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| | range, is to sail with someone who knows
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| owned a number sailing vessels, currently
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| | how to sail, take a sailing class and
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| two Beneteau sail boats.I'm often asked
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| | then charter a boat in the length range
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| by my students what to look for when
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| | that interests you. Picking a boat with
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| making an investment in a sailing vessel.
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| | out sailing a boat of similar size is
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| I often share the following seven tips
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| | risky although many have done it
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| and hope that you too may find some value
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| | successfully. Keep in mind that many of
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| in them.First carefully examine where you
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| | the modern designs of the last 10 years
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| expect to use your boat, long term. Will
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| | are designed specifically for two people
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| it be on the Ocean, trans-Ocean, near the
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| | to sail easily whether in the Bay or in
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| shore, in a Bay, on the Caribbean or all
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| | the ocean.Lastly, do insist on a survey.
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| of the above. If you plan to sail Ocean
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| | If the boat has any of the defects listed
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| or trans-Ocean then be sure that the
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| | below find out the cost to correct them
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| construction is class "A" or rated for
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| | if you are expecting the boat to pass the
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| extended off shore passage making.Beware
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| | insurer's surveyor. Insurers have their
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| of the buying philosophy "I'll buy a
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| | own requirements. Your insurance agent
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| smaller boat now and get a bigger one
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| | and the surveyor should be working hand
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| later." If you're buying new you will
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| | in hand. This is where a purchaser of a
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| suffer two large depreciations. If
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| | used watercraft can suddenly be faced
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| buying used, the money you put into the
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| | with unexpected costs. Costly defects
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| first boat to bring it up to your own
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| | include but are not limited to:Soft or
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| personal standards and needs will go a
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| | cracked gellcoat on the deck.Deck leaks
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| long way to paying a down payment or many
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| | around windows, masts, caprail,
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| monthly payments on the second boat. You
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| | traveller or through deck fittings.If the
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| will be upgrading the second boat anyway.
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| | engine that has stood idle for more than
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| Buy now what you expect to own for 5-10
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| | 6 months diesel may be contaminated with
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| years.Take into account the area where
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| | bacterial sludges, have pistons seized,
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| you will be sailing and who you will be
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| | injectors blocked and electrical system
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| sailing with. Decide on the type of
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| | contaminated with water. Insist on at
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| berths that will be suitable for you,
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| | least a 2-4 hour run in the water at
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| your family and your guests. For
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| | cruising speed. Check for undue
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| example, aft doubles aligned with the
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| | vibration, overheating, proper charging
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| axis of the boat or an aft double that
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| | of the batteries and that the engine can
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| runs across the boat port to starboard.
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| | come up to its cruising rpm.If the boat
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| Although the latter tends to be larger
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| | is more than 6 years old have the
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| and more comfortable in the slip it is
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| | surveyor check that the engine mounts are
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| definitely not a sea going berth. How
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| | OK and particularly that all mounting
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| easily does the main salon table convert
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| | bolts are intact. Two can be broken
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| into a berth and is it sturdy enough to
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| | without any obvious signs or effects.
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| do so repeatedly? In a pinch or in good
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| | When #3 breaks the engine is loose! This
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| weather can any one sleep in the
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| | is a common problem on older boats that
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| cockpit?What is your likely cruising
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| | encounter rough waters while under power
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| range? If just 2-4 days then water and
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| | and can easily be overlooked by the
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| diesel tankage can be respectively 20 and
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| | surveyor.Obviously you will need an out
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| 80 gallons or less. If it is 5-10 days
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| | of the water inspection. Check for
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| then a minimum would be 50 and 160. If
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| | blisters, gellcoat cracks, soft spots,
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| you buy a boat with say 100 gallons
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| | shaft play in the cutlass bearing and
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| diesel and 2-300 gallons water then the
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| | loose rudder bearings, hull integrity
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| designer will have given up berth space
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| | around through hulls and the gap between
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| to accommodate the tankage. Depending on
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| | the hull and the top of the keel which
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| the size of the boat the left over space
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| | should be filled with sealant else
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| may not be well utilized until you reach
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| | corrosion of the keel may have caused the
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| say a 50 ft. long boat. Look for living
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| | keel to separate from the hull.Rigging
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| and storage space that is well utilized.
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| | should be checked by a rigger and all
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| Odd placement of the main salon settees,
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| | running rigging must be overhauled
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| chart table and galley may indicate poor
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| | end-to-end to detect hidden chafe.Hope
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| utilization of space and hence you may be
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| | you find these tips helpful. Best wishes
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| paying good money for little
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| | to you on your investment, maybe I'll see
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| advantage.Boats that are heavy
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| | you on the Chesapeake Bay or near the
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| displacement, say 28,000 lbs for say a 42
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| | British Virgin Islands sometime, I'll
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| ft. boat rather than say 17,800 lbs for a
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| | either be sailing on Majjik II or Majjik
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| medium displacement, 42 footer will need
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| | III.
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| 10- 15 knots of wind to develop any kind
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