Budget Sailboat, Should you buy one to learn on

[@somebody1869]

I did the cheap boat, joined a local yacht club, did the club races. If I add up all money spent towards the boat, the biggest piece of the pie is definitely the yacht club membership. However, I have learned all about fiberglass repair, running rigging, marine instrument communication, electronics, plumbing, energy systems, etc. I’ve saved enough and learned enough to be comfortable spending the money on some jobs instead of doing it myself. My boat is a train wreck, but she’s my train wreck. And I don’t have to take an international flight to spend time on her. And making mistakes on this boat is a lot less costly on my 30’ IOR club racer than it would be on a 10 year old ex-charter in the Caribbean. I genuinely enjoy a lot of this under the hood stuff and I want to be able to handle lots of failures without relying on a well-supplied port. So what I take with me when it’s time to let go of my 1978 Beneteau First 30 will be the tools, confidence, and skills acquired along the way. I’m very glad to hear your opinion, and your videos have swayed me from drooling over pretty canoe-sterned Tayanas and mid-80s Hylas boats to the more practical amenities of a dual helmed Jeanneau from this millenium. However, I am very glad for my experience with my old sailboat. Just so long as I cover my ears and scream LALALALA whenever anyone brings up how much money I’ve spent keeping her these past 15 years… no one at my yacht club ever talks about that…

[@ChasingLatitudes]

Awesome my man

[@JamesEbersold]

Hi Chris, "Jim on the Hudson" from the membership area. Yeah, this got long. I can definitely speak to this from experience but first some initial thoughts. I think as you present things in the video it could give someone pause to be spending $25K on a boat and than another 10K to get on the water especially with an older boat that might not be good for long term plans. That's also lot of money to start doing something that you might not like. You come at it today as people wanting to live-aboard on an ongoing basis and many people might not want to do that and those that do might not even like it if they tried. I cringe a bit hearing people say they are going to sell everything, buy a boat, and take the family on this fantastical sailing journey. This often seems to come from people with no experience and there are a lot of assumptions that they will all actually like doing this. If they don't, there is no place on land from them to return and they now have this depreciating asset to sell. Think of yourself, you didn't start out that way as a live-aboard. I guess some people figure out its not for them on delivery trips with you. There are some who might have an interest in getting onto the water but are not planning to sail full time or maybe don't even know that is something they even want to be doing. I'll relate our journey with sailing. In July of 2020 we were doing some home renovation and had a little extra money. I had limited experience in sailboats and knew something about the basics of it. We decided we were going to look for a boat and want to get something and use it that summer. We looked at a dinghy sailor on a lake but decided we wanted something that stayed upright. We knew a guy at a local yacht club on a lake and checked out some inexpensive keel boats. We just wanted something you could sleep overnight and had a head of some kind. Sort of to camp overnight on a water. We had looked on a some of larger lakes in our area but mooring / dock space was a premium and eventually found a 1989 Pearson 27 for sale on the Hudson River. I had not thought of boating on the river and didn't fully consider that it opened up the opportunity for bigger adventures. It was a good decision for us. We offered $7500 on the $9000 asking which was accepted. With the 8% NY tax ($520) it was a total of $8020. Does any state really charge 15% for taxes? It had a working diesel, a couple year old mainsail and a decent genoa. We sailed it away from its old yacht club and went to our new location on the mid-Hudson. It was already insured by State Farm with 500K liability and $13K declared value and that first annual premium was $235. Now in 2024 with 20K declared value we spend $245 and that good to Bahamas and 70 miles offshore - more than adequate for what we do. A 2 year registration in New York is $75 and there are no additional taxes. We are a member of a working yacht club, nothing pretentious, and cost us a $2400 initiation fee, $1100 annual membership, $600 for a deep water slip including electricity, and $525 for haul/storage/launch. That's a total of $2,225 annually which I realize is very reasonable. It would be considerable more on Long Island Sound. Since August of 2020 we have spent a total of $13,742 on insurance, membership/docking, BoatUS membership/towing but not including any travel related costs. That's $2748 annually for all of that. The elephant in the room is of course what you spend to maintain and upgrade the boat. We have not had to replace any sails or rigging as they are in good shape. It helps being on fresh water unless we take a longer trip out on the salt water. We are also seasonal use May to October. But things I have done are: drop mast and replace wiring and hardware. Replace all opening ports lights and gaskets, replace all lights with LED, install 200W MPPT solar, new VHF w/AIS receiver, DST 810 transducer, NMEA 2000 to WiFi gateway, tablet for navigation, water heater, 2xAGM batteries, alternator, rewire panel harness, new head, new sanitation hoses, reupholster stern cabin, tri-function masthead light, install flag halyards, spinnaker w/blocks & lines, replace water lines with PEX, 12V fans, bilge pump, water & waste tank level gauge, line clutches, winter cover, and other items. I would say that costs I would assign to upgrades total $16,600 ($3327 annually). Things I would assign to maintenance and repair are $6700 or $1341 annually. I spent $2088 on safety items like PFD, PLB, etc or $417 annually. Finally I spent another $11,000 ($2200 annually) on other boating things that aren't specifically about mother ship like a dinghy and motor. This all totaled to $36000 over 5 years not including the boat itself. You of course know there was a lot of my own time doing all this stuff but at least not in tropical locations. I certainly didn't set out to spend all that but also didn't realize we would want to take trips on the boat. Some of the spending was to make it better, safer, and more comfortable for shorter distance cruising. However it has become apparent that a 27' boat isn't enough space for a couple who desires a reasonable amount of creature comfort for a longer trip. Still, I don't regret buying the boat. I didn't have 30 or 40K to spend on a boat back than but could manage the incremental cost. Still with $31K to date on the boat, upgrades, and maintenance we are certainly not going to get that when we sell it. But we have gotten to use the boat for 4 1/2 seasons and gained a lot of practical experience during our 2500 NMi of travels during that time. Now we are avoiding spending too much money on the Pearson as we will never recover it when we sell even though I can think of things I would want. Have to save it for the next boat. Going forward I hope to be buy that newer boat to probably head to the Caribbean in the winter and to cruise the northeast in the summer. As you point out, life changes plans so who knows how long that might last but it will be an adventure while it does. I would tell someone to get on the water as quickly as possible but remember the older boat will cost you time and money but might be better than waiting years. Someone does need to restrain themselves with the upgrades if they plan to get a larger newer boat in the foreseeable future. I don't think we realized at first we would be taking that path but it seems we will do that and move on to a fancy dancy new to us bigger boat.

[@montebarnhart2098]

Chris, this one really hits home, I literally made most of those mistakes. Bought the budget boat for 4k and it could actually motor or sail away from the dock. I even had a relatively cheap place to dock it. So far, so good. My mistake was maintenance. I should have done the bare minimum to keep the boat safe and functional and sailed the shit out of it. Instead, I put way too much money into a boat that I knew was just a "starter" boat. To be fair, I learned a lot and I got a lot of miles in but now I know there are less expensive ways to learn. You don't know what you don't know. Thanks for educating people.

[@jwn5442]

Hobie cats are epically fun to sail. And they're very quick to teach you what you're doing wrong.

[@jkwitstijn]

We bought a 2008 MacGregor 26M for $30k so I could show my wife what sailing was all about. She loves it so we decided to retire in the Caribbean. Now we have bought a Bene Oceanis 41.1 as our retirement home. If she had hated sailing, we could have sold the Mac almost for what we bought it for and that would have been that. A really inexpensive test of something important. By the way - anyone want a 2008 MacGregor 26M? LOL

[@NixonAngelo]

Are you in SoCal? Comes with a trailer?

[@andypdq]

I started sailing in dinghies it teaches you how to sail and capsize every half hour, invaluable experience. I then bought a trailer sailer, no mooring or marina fees, a Sadler Seawych for £1000 GBP, a truly awful bilge keel boat, but it had a cabin, so you could do multiple day sailing trips, work your way along a coast and figure out whether you like sailing/cruising, even though a moderate gust puts you on your beam ends and upwind sailing is a spectacular achievement. Buy a very cheap starter boat, to see if you like sailing, you won't lose much money if it doesn't go how you planned. If you decide you like it, move forward from there.

[@beardedwoodsman9692]

We bought a 28.5 hunter for 10k which included the first year of marina fees. It is close to home, so we were able to spend almost every weekend on it through the summer. Have learned about what we will want on our next boat and should be able to recover our money when we sell this one due to tinkering and minor repairs that I have made while hanging out on the water.

[@krisschacker5317]

Chris, love the content, but I have to disagree with you on this one. I bought a starter boat for $3700 (1975 Catalina 27), 1 year boat slip $2100 (just south of Annapolis, MD, nice marina with amenities, pool, events, includes electricity and water when needed), 12 months insurance $430 (up to 90 miles from home dock); all in after 2 seasons of sailing, $13,000. That would be equivalent to maybe 1.5 weeks charter in the Caribbean, and these companies will make you hire a captain with your charter if they feel you don't have enough sailing experience. I get to go out and putt around the Chesapeake as often as I want. And the docking experience alone has been huge. I took the ASA courses (101, 103, 104, 114), but a new sailor needs more hands on experience also. It's not just about the actually sailing part, which you point out is relatively easy, but all the subtleties. Boat ownership has meant I pay attention to the weather and tides more due to necessity, get a feel for how the windage on the boat behaves, repetitions with all the knots learned in ASA, docking, regularly being exposed to the charts, ATONS, rules of the road, etc. Maybe one of these local sailing clubs is a slightly cheaper option (I saw one that was about $4500 for the year for a 36 ft Jeaneau), but then you have to try to compete with other club members for weekends when reserving. For me, the important thing to remember is why I got this boat in the first place; for repetitions, practice, and exposure. Otherwise, you're right; I could start sinking all kinds of time and money into boat projects. Watching your channel has taught me not to go down that rabbit hole with this vessel; it's too old and not worth it to sink a ton of money into.

[@anonpers0n]

i bought a laguna 22 from 1988 and it came with a trailer and motor, spent a few days cruising on it after about 4 hours work.... had to put a new battery in it and add a masthead light. i am in to it for less then 1700$. its all relative.

[@nganduong7683]

What's good my dude!! Always educational with no bull crap info. Thanks man

[@dave98781]

I keep seeing articles that say the purchase most regretted of a retiree is either a boat or RV. So, definitely it makes sense to get time on the water to be sure buying a sailboat is a good idea. I can't imagine not owning a sailboat, but I guess there are some who don't enjoy it. Hard to believe, though.

[@stevenwatsham5973]

I have an excellent Hurley 22r with an inboard Yanmar 10GM for £1500!!.. Well looked after and with new sails!!... Bargains are to be had..

[@Foxtrottangoabc]

Another great video . M y brain say learn on dinghy courses, then rya dayskipper course , then buy cheapest smallest boat possible or hire someone elses. My Heart and dreams says buy a Contessa 32 and sail round the world 😅

[@ChasingLatitudes]

whoop whoop

[@bobloblaw1720]

Tartans are some of the mot beautiful, well built and smooth sailing boats built in the 80's. Like all old boats you need to look for water damage and soft spots and purchase one that is in good shape.

[@trollboy665]

Great video! Really shows how cheap boats are actually expensive boats in disguise!!

[@ahoneyman]

I might go smaller and newer. A Hunter 27 is cheap to haul out, has the swim platform, and are pretty easy to find. You can finnd one in the 2006 range for $24k. Find one in good shape and tear around the bays or local lakes for 2 years. Bring the niece and nephew. Bring the girlfriend. Host a poker night. It sleeps 4 so everybody can have wobble pops galore.

[@bobbrown9158]

I started off with an El Toro then Coronado 15. Cheap, easy to store and launch and great for learning sailing skills. Then later had to get that bigger boat, no regrets.

[@richardhassell818]

Great video content here valued information in an easy to understand format. You sir are a legend!

[@bigchief4044]

Good timing. After a couple of years sailing dinghies, this question has crossed my mind. I’d still like to get some experience somehow on something larger before jumping up to a 35-ish foot boat.

[@ChasingLatitudes]

It's a great way to get started, but I recommend jumping up to a bigger boat ASAP

[@DanaSails]

As soon as I’ve gotten all of my ducks in a row and I’m ready to jump, I’ll be reaching out for a consultation.

[@ChasingLatitudes]

yorue a legend, pop on over to the members area

[@johghurt9863]

One more thing against buying a boat in general: once you have the boat, you're stuck wherever you are. It makes a lot more sense to charter in various destinations to find out, what area you like. Better try out Croatia, Greece and Sardinia instead of going sailing every single time in Pet-sur-Mer.

[@matjam8305]

Buy a boat in the EU with Vat (many charters do not have it) and keep the boat in Greece (very cheap) and you can fly in and spend summers in amazing waters, towns, etc and eat cheap food with cheap wine. You can get amazing deals (I got it for a third of the original cost) cause lots of northern Europeans who have grown up with boats after they retire will buy a sailboat and do a complete refit and use it for a few years then sell it to move onto another hobby/interest. These boats are ready to go and in amazing condition. Start looking at northern European boat sellers.

[@matjam8305]

No, buy the boat you want after you know you like it. Go sailing to find out.

[@airborneranger-ret]

I picked up a 97 Maxgregor X for $11k to learn sailing on the Great Lakes. Great boat to learn on - will not sink. It's for lakes and coastal sailing only - possibly "jumping" over to the Bahamas from Florida or doing one of "the loops". ;)

[@StormBlueHull]

Great video. You're right. Learn on a dinghy. Not sure hobbie cat is best to learn. One sail to worry about at beginning and then move on to jib+main. Not it's as easy as you make it but basic knowledge + practice and you can have fun quickly.

[@rak3151]

Whoo! Hoooo! Let’s go, Chris!!!!!

[@thetraveler264]

So we have never boated before. Instead of buying anything, we joined Freedom Boat Club. We are using their Captains for classes, their boats for skill and confidence. When it gets to that time to buy a boat we will already have the experience.

[@nobody46820]

eSail is helpful.......😃

[@ChasingLatitudes]

whoop whoop

[@SuperSventizeMe]

If somebody has $50k to invest in a starter boat, I would suggest they should spend $5k and get their ASA 101/103/104, and then join a club and try a bunch of boats. They then should do some $5k week long charters on boats they like. It's madness to buy a crappy boat before you have any idea what you like as a sailor. For instance, stack pack vs in-mast furling, or controls at the mast vs lines going back to the cockpit, or deck salon vs single level. Or even monohull vs multihull. I agree that 99% of the time the mechanics of sailing are easier than YT pundits will lead you to believe, but it's the executive function- that comes from experience- that separates a safe sailor from an unsafe sailor. You rip on people who use the term "lee shore," but the point there is that if someone is upwind of a wrecking shore, they are one mechanical failure away from disaster. If they know their boat and know their anchor and windlass and motor and electrical system will not fail, OK, but if not... you've recently pointed out a boat whose "experienced" skipper didn't understand this concept and got blown onto a reef. :^(

[@EdwardTilley]

Always a playshoore misseure ... Keep em comin@!

[@johnrasmussen17]

I watch Sailing Sole'. He has a $3500 dollar boat he bought to learn on. Sails to Catalina island from Long Beach. Learning has he goes. Check it out!

[@frank1181]

You make it Easy Peasy.

[@jonfroyd8658]

I bought an 85 Catalina 30 for 12k outside of Seattle. Ended up getting new sails and learned about sails, replaced the dodger, cleaned and cleaned…Hired someone to help with the old engine. Now it’s a 30k boat. But we sailed a lot and now know what we actually want. Now I’m saving for a 130k boat. Will probably sell the Catalina for 15k. Was it worth 20k to sail on the weekends for a year and make mistakes? Don’t look back, look for the horizon ahead. Would I have been happier spending more and fixing less? Maybe

[@MatthewWright-y9t]

Have a hobbie cat my dad gave me out on my property In Arizona I need to go pick up. Your right

[@PainterDee]

What state are you currently in?

[@MatthewWright-y9t]

@@PainterDee so cal

[@PainterDee]

@ that HobieCat can possibly change your life!! (Sailing ruined mine!) 🤣🥳 #hurry

[@Jonathan-yr3so]

Chasing latitudes Changing Attitudes

[@yahuchanon37]

I’ve sailed my 22ft old american design to it’s and my limits and now I know I want a bigger one some day…

[@walterjohnson2429]

Got a 22 Catalina under 3k to learn on. 50 years old. Yea stupid but fun.

[@BrandonSchmit]

Damn! Two in one day!

[@ChasingLatitudes]

2 for Tuesday

[@swimcat2333]

Fresh regret for me , didn't buy Bene 311 2003 , standing rigging redone 2yr ago ,fixed keel , brand new seacocks 6, bilge sparkling clean , sails good, 2nd owner , only used for day sails, some charters day only with owner/ captain $ 35k . And a day sail for home, This boat's an 😢. I feel stupid. Boats like this 3 yrs older $45 -$55 k . Anemometer was not working and the vinyl down below needed to be pulled and cleaned behind ( that thin foam) re afixed - only in v - berth- the rest already done-- --- didn't know all questions to ask .

[@pifprime]

The girl in the intro reminds me of the adult version of the girl from full house lol

[@ChasingLatitudes]

Haha

[@derby7776]

Hello. Why spend money to learn and just buy the boat you’re going to want anyway? Like a 34 Jeanneau Sun Odyssey.

[@stevoking5225]

GO BIG, OR GO HOME. From this Armchair Admiral.😂

[@ChasingLatitudes]

love it

[@JeffreyDRein]

To learn how to sail learn on a dinghie that sails or something like a 14 foot laser or sunfish.... It's like riding a bike.... Need to learn how to not to capsize and self rescue.... Cost could be under 1k including trailer registration life preservers, bailing bucket... Paddles as you don't have the experience to use oars yet(BTW don't get caught in registration lies otherwise you are enabling boat thieves and/or voiding your car insurance for trailers, and you will never get the used boat registered for outboard with any elaborate lie other than registration in hand... My sister's exhusbands bs....Of course you shouldn't be putting an OB on this learning craft... Bc one capsize will kill the ob.. if the ob doesn't sink it with the weight.... ) Athleticism? Sailing is a sport... If you can't do the dinghie capsize self rescue thing.... That will define your sailing needs, you will always require cruise ship like amenities and marinas.... Stay away from boat ramps jet skis and all watersport fun... And using motor is like driving a car backwards don't smack the ass into the dock or rocks as the fiberglass tube of a heavy boat is not impact resistant from perpendicular and tangential strikes ... Forget about scratching the gelcoat, youl put a nice Titanic like hole in the eggshell that was your hull below the waterline.... Small boats are so forgiving for beginners in protected waters with plenty of onlookers to call the coastguard to rescue yo soggy butt)

[@Foxtrottangoabc]

@JeffreyDRein couple of years ago when learning to sail on dinghies , I got my tac and gybe all mixed up and got wacked on the forehead by the boom full frontal 😅 that's definitely one life saving lesson I have learnt for bigger sail boats 🙂

[@chrisperkins3026]

I'm not paying insurance on a 20k boat🤨

[@rak3151]

I’m on your website, chose 3 items to purchase and can’t find the grocery cart… where is it? Hahahahaha! I swear, I haven’t been drinking and my intelligence quotient isn’t too shabby but….I can’t find the cart w my 3 items in it. Help meh, Mr. Chris.

[@BillJohnston-y7o]

I wonder why all these adds show up with girls in their underwear on your page? On my page they aren't there. LMAO Google tracks you.

[@Hondo76251]

Every time I start watching sailing channels, a great number of them seem to fall under "thirst trap" in the algorithm. As soon you watch one, that's all you see. Lmfao

[@BillJohnston-y7o]

No to buying a junker, my wife would nag me to death. I'm old anyway, not enough time to fix up an old one. I could drop any day now. lol

[@jsmith3728]

Where’s the pay per view? You vs lady k in the octagon

[@ChasingLatitudes]

when ever hes ready

[@jeremystruzik6798]

@@ChasingLatitudes atleast he’s not the pot calling the kettle black. You literally mention “pretentious”, yet all your videos are condescending to someone who can’t spend $100k on a boat. And 1/4 of this video is you pimping your own services/merchandise. I’m sure you know who Walter Shulz is, he’d whole heartedly disagree with you. Yes owning a boat is expensive, but most of your videos you spend discouraging people, instead of encouraging.

[@ChasingLatitudes]

@@jeremystruzik6798 cry more

[@jeremystruzik6798]

@@ChasingLatitudes riveting response, tell me more

[@ChasingLatitudes]

@jeremystruzik6798 dude, you've commented on my channel over 100 times, if you don't like the videos don't watch, but don't be a secret fan boy trying to run your mouth as if you have even the slightest clue as to who I am or what I do. I have literally 100s of clients that I've helped purchase boats from 20k to 1.5 million. Lady k is and always has been a joke, he called rescue from a hobie cat, get real dude. You've got an issue with me come on down ro the carribean, I'll pick you up at the airport, take you out for some beers and you can tell me all about how horrible I am

[@rodneyp9590]

Craigslist is the way to go cheap

[@ChasingLatitudes]

100%

[@rakanzahed5588]

80s pearsons are bad? good to know. but why?

[@firstnamelastname9013]

👏👏👍👍❤❤

[@Shepherdservices317]

Bro some times your a goober. When people talk about budget boats to learn on they are talking 8k catalina 27s not fucking 30k boats. I'm learning on a ofay 25 I paid $600 for. Has trailer, I've been sailing all summer. Come the fuck on bro. Talk about getting small boats at a lake not 30k boats at a marina on a coast.

[@swimcat2333]

Oday 322 is my neighborhood, HMS Beagle is one ugly boat.

[@Steven-r3b]

Wanna fly? Pay the "FARE". YOU AIN'T GOING TO THE "FAIR".