"basic" boat or fitted out

[Cheechako]

I have done similar things, spent $50k outfitting a boat and then only used it two years and lost that money as well as the broker's fees. My philosophy now is dont pay anything extra for added items when you buy. That way trying what's on the boat out for a while is free. The wiring is already there if you decide to change etc. I would highly advise using your new boat for a while before you sink a lot of money into it. Mentally it seems like it would be nice to start with an empty boat "clean slate", but installing things takes a LOT longer than you would think. ("lets see, to mount the VHF there, I need to remove the overhead ceiling, find a way to route the wire up the bulkhead, bore a hole in that bulkhead. Hmmm, this 2 hour job has become a 2 day job!")

[MarkJ]

We couldn't afford anything after we bought Sea Life! We was dead flat broke!

The boat was basic fitout and we had a huge list of stuff we would like to buy. But now after going for 9,000 miles in the first year and have 5,000 on the slate for this year our list has contracted!

The stuff that we though we really needed we have not missed.

The simple life as Vic DeMattia says in his post means less maintenance and more time doing tourist stuff.

Also when we do get some dosh to fling around the suppliers we know what will be the best value for our lifestyles.

Doing it hard financially the first year out is good.
And starting away from home is good too! Our boat would have been loaded to the gunwales with junk. But all we had was what was in our suitcases

Mark

[Sandero]

The are several issues here about "fitting out" a yacht. One of them is, and I may have commented earlier on this, is that some simply like to do things on boats and that's actually a large part of the enjoyment - fitting them out, repairing, upgrading, maintaining and just messing about with boats.

I've seen some work for years on the boats and never sail them! And some who head out and sail like crazy with the most basic gear in a ratty looking but seaworthy boat. The latter class of sailors consider it a total waste of time and money to mess with boats as opposed to sail them.

Most sailors are in between the extremes. They like to trick out the boat a bit with gear, safety, navigation, convenience, and performance do a bit of maintenance and "bright work" cos they have some pride in their boats and DO like to sail them a lot as well.

I can always find something to "work on" on the boat and since I like it, it's fine. I don't like the "to do" list to get too long, but I can't imagine it all being checked off either.

But the sailors who DO mess about and re fit their boats will know them a lot better than if they boat a completed package.

[Curmudgeon]

There's no right answer to the question. If you get a good price on a fully equipped boat, take it. If you get a good price on a boat with no extras, take it and add the extras later. That's assuming the basics are there in either case: good hull, good sails, good diesel (the most expensive thing to replace).

I do agree that you ought to sail a boat for a couple of years before making major new investments. You need to get to know the boat first.

Who knows, maybe you'll decide that it isn't the boat for you, and major upgrades would have been money down a rathole.

[James S]

One thing that always amazes me is how many tools I end up having out for what seem very simple tasks.

I swear, by the time I've installed a bracket with two screws I've got every tool on the boat out...its amazing.

But I'm definitely in the category of liking that sort of thing.

I would tend to agree with Curmudgeon and others.....sail it around a bit first.