Advice on Buying a Boat in Florida ?

[Biscuitpants]

I'm looking to head to Florida and buy a cruiser - something in the neighborhood of 30 ft. Any advice on where to look or what things to look out for when buying a boat?

[KayKay58]

The first thing would be to have her put on the hard to check the hull, keel and rudder. Then I would have a surveyor have a look at her, and if all seem well, take her out on a shakedown cruise. We really enjoyed our 30ft Cal, and a big plus is the ease of singlehanding her. Just a note, storage space is a premium from a woman's point of view. Good luck, and keep us posted.

[cdennyb]

Hmmm, you're investing significant money in a trip to Florida to buy a significant boat you haven't seen yet and don't know what to look for?
I think you need to look for a surveyor and the want ads first, not necessarily in that order either.

I'd also look for leaks in the bottom. LoL Those are a no-no.

[marc2012]

There is an allied princess on ebay for cheap.Might ck out allieds are well built.marc

[Surveyor]

Buy a decent book that will explain how to survey/inspect a sailboat yourself. This will teach you what to look out for and how to look. You will be able to weed out the ugly rotten ducklings this way. When you find a satisfactory vessel that passes your survey you can then hire a professional marine surveyor to do a more in depth inspection.

Look at this book and the others listed at the bottom. I own this one and the one by Don Casey. Both are very good for beginners who are looking to buy their first sailboat.
Amazon.com: Surveying Fiberglass Sailboats: A Step-by-Step Guide for Buyers and Owners…