Hi new guy
I just bought a 26 foot
boat so im a month ahead of you.
Peice of
advice ill give ya on
buying a
used boat on a
budget is to keep it simple. When i was asking around to people in the know i was advised to get the boat pulled out of the
water, to get a diver to inspect the bottom, to call up a
surveyor, have a sailing instructor come up to sail on the test sail... All of which wouuld have driven the cost of my
purchase up by 50%.
Key is to see if the boat has been looked after by the currrent owner. Check the
cockpit drains to see if they are clogged with debris (means the
current owner hasnt just neglected her) check the
cabin everywhere for mould and mildew, all the stowage compartments. Spend a few nights on the boat before you buy, make sure everything works (youd be surprised how things can
work when you first try it but how things on a neglected boat can fail after you use them a few times) and check the
bilge each morning and night to see if and how muchh
water she takes on)
There is a book i found very helpful called "the sailing bible" i took it aboard for my first few nights on the boat which helped me to familiarize me with the lines and
sheets by tracing them as it explains all the key controls and how they operate.