Don't Buy a Sailboat Based on a Budget! Ep 182 - Lady K Sailing 

“Once you get sailboats on the brain…well, you’re screwed.”. Yup, pretty much. It is an addiction, but such a wonderful addiction.

Good vid. I'm a marine engineer who has a power boat but had an O'Day Day Sailor for a few years. At 76, I think I'm going back to a blowboat. Thanks-Joe

This episode was so informative and enjoyable. My wife and I have been sailing for 100 years (combined) and you hit on every issue we ever encountered, especially the part about waiting too late. We're in our 70's and still love it. Thanks for a great channel.

Ive come to the realization i may never be able to own a house anymore... but fuckit i can afford a sailboat, and thats way cooler anyway! Very little experience yet but saving cash and goal is to have a liveaboard on anchor. I appreciate all the advice you've given.

Loved the pontoon rip! I am 71, I have been putting this off long enough! I will learn how to sail and head for the islands!! The wife says YES!!

This is why I love your channel. I've been dreaming for 15 years.

Thanks for showing the Sirius 35DS. That’s our dream boat.

Hey Tim, Don Casey wrote a book called "Inspecting the aging Sailboat". I got it on Amazon for $17.00 US. It's 140 pages of inspection advise for the novice. We'll worth the investment if your buying a used sailboat.

Great video I started with a very inexpensive Catalina 30 Re fit her my self and could not be happier Love your channel

With much inspiration from your channel I have my first sailboat, (Luger 26 Tradewinds) secured in her slip on Scugog. Thank you

I’ve been sailing and owning by boats since I was 12. I started with a 19foot project day sailer and now I have a 30’ Columbia and a cal 27’ looking to sell off the cal right now but knowing how to sail has been a blessing to my life. I’m 30 this year

Not waiting to do anything is a good thing some of my best vacations were broke didn't wait just did it

Growing up on Lake St. Clair on my parents power boats, an annual trip was up the Thames River to downtown Chatham. There used to be a Holiday Inn on the river that had docks for overnight stays. You had access to the hotel grounds and amenities, which included the indoor and outdoor pools. Us kids had a blast.

Great lakes region is a gold mine for cheap sailboats. People get rid of them here cuz of annual hual out and storage fees,can sometimes get a really good boat for just the annual price of the slip and hual out. Problem is then u are stuck with the same annual fees and a short 5 month sailing season unless you hual it or sail it south

I'm 53 now. Got "sailboat on the brain" about a year ago. I have a 5 yr plan that is now a 4 year plan to own a sailboat on the SE coast. It would be a 2 year plan, but living in Las Vegas makes it a little more complicated. Step one was sell the 23' power boat. Check - did that several months ago. My point is, put together a realistic plan and get it done. See you out on the water, maybe sooner than I think. Great video!!

Your comment about pontoon boats was priceless! Love it!

Planning to buy a sailboat with no prior experience in about 4 years. We are a family of 5 and have been fulltime rv'ers the past 4 years. We are used to living in a sardine can and just making it work. At one time we were a party of 8 and made that work, all in a 42' fifth wheel. That said, your idea about starting small and cheap makes sense. Our plan is to live half the year on land and other half in the boat. I'm curious how small of a boat can 5 people can live on for 6 months without throwing someone overboard 😄. Seriously though, we are used to being cramped so I'm fine with starting out small while we are figuring out liveaboard/sailing life. I'm expecting to do coastal cruising or learning in bays in the beginning and then hopefully crossing to Bahamas someday. I'm ok with spending $30-$40k or possibly more in the beginning but idea of super cheap makes sense too if the 5 of us can live on it for a few months each year while we figure things out. Thanks for your vids. I like your approach. Cheers 🍻

Never a truer statement. 14:16 Being rich isn't about money at all, it's about experiences. You just have to go and do it. My dad was a truck driver and I spent a lot of time with him on the road especially through the summer break. Over the years I got to see and do things that even my teacher's were jealous of and finally got called out on but my parents said was all true. I've been on tons of military equipment and lots of bases, seen the actual Cheyenne Mountain Complex entrance in Colorado Springs(It's almost visible from the interstate if you know where to look), been to see the Sequoia, the Redwoods, and the Petrified Forest, see and been under Mount Rushmore, had snowball fights in July, coast to coast and border to border and even been into Canada by the time I was 16. I've even been sturgeon fishing in Washington state and helped bring in a 48 inch sturgeon that almost got my grandpa's pole when it thrashed and they pulled back and it took off. If I hadn't been holding the pole like a doofus, it'd been gone. I've seen a lot, even seen people die, but there's something about doing something you like and love that can't be beat, especially spending time with your kids. I think that was my dad's happiest time, spending his summers with me on the road. RIP dad

My 1st boat was a 1977 O'Day 22 .. It needed some work but that was ok .. Before I could get the chance to put it in the water someone desided to put it on fire in my driveway .. It was destroyed .. So after 5 yrs .. I found a 1984 MacGregor 25 with trailer for $700 .. It needed work but was still able to put it in the water for a day and slept in it over night .. I really enjoyed that .. A few months later I took my girlfriend out for a 3 day trip to the coast .. It was just s fun as my overnight trip .. Earlier this year I found a 1995 Hunter 26 for a Good deal .. Now .. I'm looking at wanting to take it and (girlfriend) now my wife to Florida to sail the Florida Keys for 2 1/2 weeks around February ... Btw .. I'm 59

Sir - you do a serious disservice to trailer yachts. They are really quite variable, have many advantages for beginner sailors (racing or cruising), and are minimalist in terms of costs, maintenance requirements and insurances. If you want to keep it simple a trailer yacht in the 6-8m range is hard to go past.

Great advice and full of quality information

Beware the C&C 36. The hull is fully cored and wet / soggy balsa is very common.

Another straight to the point(s) video. I agree with every point you make. Not that I did that years ago when I bought my boat! I joined a sailing club, they taught me to sail; I rented their boats up to their largest (28 ft). Did that for a year or so, while I did my research and decided what I wanted. Then ordered a new one, a Catalina 30 tall rig. Had it for 17 years. It was perfect for what I wanted to do.

Buy a boat for the sailing you’re actually going to do is great advice. Being able to easily head out for an evening sail is great. Our schedule with little ones means that the most consistent sailing I do is from 6am-8ish Saturday and Sunday - Dawn Patrol!

Your videos along with many others have encouraged me to get a Catalina 27’ here in Laconner, WA. Catalina”s are like the ‘Acura’ of sailboats. Looking forward to the summer in Puget Sound. Thanks for your efforts. You do a pretty good job at this RU-vid thing. Fair winds.

Tim, your advice is spot-on as usual. I'm back in the market for a boat and the past few weeks has left me, as a first time boat buyer, with a few take-aways you don't mention that don't really have anything to do with the choice of boat. 1. There are boats at a great price on the hard in locations not on the water. The cost of moving a non-trailerable boat to water is not worth the savings. 2. I'm going to stick to local-to-me bodies of water. I have no easy way to get a boat from Lake Simcoe or farther down to Lake Erie or Ontario 3. A lot of sellers who have splashed their boats are including their slip costs for the summer. If you're not keeping the boat at that club, you might end up paying twice. So I'm narrowing down the search to my local YC's and marinas. Now to find the boat I want "in the best shape" I can find. Thanks! BTW, your river cruise looked like a blast.

Good advice. The first boat I purchased last Feb 2021 is a 1984 Catalina 25. I paid $1000 for it. The sails were white, outboard runs, Keel bolts had no rust, and the bilge was dry. It is just me and my dog so the 25 is making a great lake boat. Debating if I want to take it to the intercostal for some cruising.

Some good points. I'm getting to the point in life where I have to get it right first time, balancing that and making sure that I don't end up with a liability that takes away from the experience is quite a challenge.

When I started boat shopping I had a list of wants and needs, I purchased a Catalina 30 and it wasn't what I needed or wanted but now it is what I got. I have now spent more on this boat making it fit into my previous criteria than the cost of the boats I wanted... that seems silly to me. But on the other hand I am sailing. I sail over 1200 nm a season and usually do 10 ~12 hour days all summer. So ya, there is that.

I like your vids and they are informative.But when is the sailing going to start back?

so, my old budget 70's sailboat has a full gear of everything you could want for the rigging, in the 70's lota old school clips and mounts. it has all new interior, about 6k in interior stuff, really nice, some bad wood rot and atleast 6 months of daily work to get it motoring. it iwill be, IMO, a nicer boat then anything modern, its an IP24, decently rare in the motorsailer variant. it has a full keel and really flat bottom, its a 2 sided concaved C with a deep keep between em, the keep starts at about 30-40cm bellow the waterline and the angle of the flat side of the hull is about 15 or so, it wont be as comfortable as a modern boat but it certainly looks way better and its really spacious for a boat so small. it can do river boating and ocean storms, not full gale force 10, that would certainly be sketchy but i can survive it! id love to hear more people talk about these kind of weird niche boats like the IP23/24.

my wife thinks Im crazy for watching so many Sailing channels, and my Kijiji alert for boats :) woah, a new lady friend, is she into the cruising lifestyle??

I intentionally bought a project boat because bored, other than that I needed a boat that both floats and can act as a vacation home around the islands. Went with a 6' draft even though that keeps me out of some of the shallower water. For the next couple of years it's a lake boat, you could argue that I might aught to have bought one of the 20-25' money pits instead of near 40.

THIS. I grew up in a yacht club family, but we could only ever afford to go sailing with relatives on their boats. As I got older, I got married and worked two jobs for 30 years straight, and now as soon as I retired, I’ve been told my days might be numbered at the age of 46. I just bought that 22 footer, and getting back to sailing has been on my heart for a while. It’s in decent shape, and I paid $500 for her, and the running outboard is worth more than that, so I didn’t get waterboarded. 😅

Some of the best advice I have heard on RU-vid in a while. Thanks.

Great advice indeed. I walked away from a boat years ago after the survey, only because there two fairly major repairs done, it was Catal8na 34, and the seller could not produced documentation as to who had done the work and when. The repairs looked it sound, but I wanted to research the reputation of the persons that did the work. So I "wasted" $700 total on survey and launching, as the boat was on the hard, for a sea trial, but money well "wasted". Hey, I saw an McGregor on those motoring pics. I almost bought one when I was looking for a lake boat many moons ago. Nice video.

I've been watching you for years and dreaming of getting my first boat. Going out with a yacht broker tomorrow. Wish me luck everyone.

great vid, just what i needed to hear. Boat shopping soon

Thx,z you always give good advice. I can't tell you how many times I had the money in hand but Murphy came along!

I must admit you offered sage advice chase your dreams! If you do not you will always regret it until that final day!

I sailed one boat my whole life but my mom and dad bought it, I have watched your videos for a couple years. I bought my first boat in December, a new Beneteau. So I’m over the falls on most of the advice in this one but the video still was highly relavent, I’m especially intrigued by the question of which is worse potentially being interrogated by the police for the drunks on my platform, or potential being waterboarded in my sleep.

Excellent advice.

Your presentations are very useful to all aspects of cruisers. Keep it up!

Would you please go over the process of actually financing the boat and the steps that take place doing that?

Caught my "bug" at 16 on a 1980 MacGregor 25 - in 1980! On a HOT California lake with zero breeze! Must have been the 105 degrees and rig-rattling that did it! 42 years later . . . I'm still happily "ailing!" LOL!

I’m about to purchase a 26 foot Columbia trailer sailer that will be a lovebourd but movable for the seasons so I can take my motorcycle also I’m also a certified marine mechanic and plan to remove the 300lbs main engine and putting an outboard on a kicker plate I don’t know anything about sailing but I’m studying

Sage advice! One of your most informative videos.

The last bit was so on point. You almost made me want to buy a second boat😀.

Well done.

It took six inspections and offers before I found mine. Don't fall in love with any of them until you are sure it's not a money pit. Good video.

Great advice. Right now, it's just boat books... Stay safe out there!

Well said !

Thank you!

Heard of a top hat 25? Great boats at great value

Great vid Tim. I saw the title and was excited to watch! Couldn't wait. Your opening cracked me up. Can't wait for your next one! Is it ready yet? How about now?

Nothing but good advice. Thanks again

Thanks, great info!

thank you

Great video as always! I searched your channel and didn't find any videos on twin keels any thoughts on a future video on these? I see them occasionally for sale in Florida.

Wise, wise advice, on all counts, I believe.

Just a simple thought...you bring so much insight i should pay you!

Man you nailed it!

Well said

Great advice You have a great deal of knowledge, this was very enjoyable, thanks

Brilliant!

Always informative and always appreciated

Chase your dreams while you can Cause your dreams won’t chase you

Love your advice and keeping it real for us who have just got screwed by having boats on the brain.... 🤣 Can you perhaps do an episode on "everything you need to know about Cape Dory"?

Could you do a video on the shark 24? Heard a little about it but would like your insight on it.

Beautiful

I like your vibe and your smarts in this! 🙂

This one was good enough to make me subscribe...Nice Job..!

truer words were never spoken

Thanks for sharing. Great advice

This is such good advice - Thank you

I want to get into sailing but have zero ideas about what certification and courses are needed to start. Im a Canadian. I would love a video of how you got experience and training. Love the channel btw.

Best episode yet!

Cheers

My wife and I have just taken ownership of a 1983 32’ C & C following the passing of her brother in January. The more we are around it we want to take it out and enjoy it, and not sell it! And we are NOT sailors! It seems to ‘grow on you’ the more you realize what it offers. Dang, I might even take sailing lessons soon!!!

Perfect advice. Great video.

We want to know more about your new Woman! She is cute! What was this video about?

Another great video - thanks!

Are you planning to Sail to the North Channel ( Georgian Bay ) this summer ?.

Yeah, I'm screwed, Can't be helped.

said Cape Dory it would be a hole to get it home but didn't even show the picture

Thank you, from the UK. In the future I will be looking for a 24 to a 28 footer for my first boat, have you any information for British or European small boats? It may be interesting enough to do a vlog on the subject. I can do some research for you, I have no vehicle at the moment but I have a computer with internet and I have some time on my hands. Take care.

Sailboats on the brain are like coocoo birds. They push thoughts of just about anything else out of the nest and take over the place.

So, I’d like your advice. I used to own a Pearson 27 with a friend. We were always out as a group, so I never solo sailed, I want to get back into sailing. The ability to solo sail would be nice, as well as the ability to spend the weekend on the boat, comfortably. Maybe my wife would join me?! I live in RI so the boat would be in a slip. What would you recommend?

My grandma likes your necklace.

stole my first oyster long before i bought my first dinghy within my budget... haha kidding!

It's a shame the seller doesn't pay for the survey.

Good words to the novice who wants to get into sailing.

Great Great thanks

Love what you said makes you rich

L-shaped galley vs straight? Pro's vs con's? or just preference?

I never been sailing but probably for my 1 sailboat I buy 40 footer for like 80k, because being normal is vastly overrated 😀😀😀

By God. You are amazing!

just

I'm 57 and wondering what would be a good sailboat to learn how to sail on. I live in Jacksonville, FL with access to the St Johns river close to the Atlantic. I have minimal experience on a sailboat. What would you suggest Lady Kay person?

First boat should be 14 feet! or a Sunfish