| > | | | | weight ratio, and displacement (Table Two). TABLE |
| Advice in this article is based on authors personal | | | | TWO -- BOAT CHARACTERISTICS AND BOAT |
| experience plus his discussions with many yacht | | | | DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS Vessel Characteristic |
| buyers who are experience in yacht trade. This article | | | | Impact Keel Design Fin Keel - Easier to maneuver, |
| will focus on the buying process and vessel | | | | more difficult to steer straight Full Keel - More difficult |
| characteristics. The process described applies to both | | | | to turn and wider relative turning radius, easier to steer |
| new and used sailboat purchases. Subsequent articles | | | | straight Keel Depth Deep Keel More stable (more |
| will apply the suggestions presented here to specific | | | | resistance to heel), greater ability to point (sail close to |
| sailing areas and boat types. The Buying Process | | | | the wind) but less access to shallow water Shoal |
| Buying a sailboat is a multi-step process that involves | | | | Draft Keel - Less stable with access to more shallow |
| answering three questions. Successfully answering | | | | water, less ability to point upwind Sail Plan Sloop Rig - |
| these questions will lead you to the vessel that can | | | | Bigger sails, better upwind ability Cutter Rig- More |
| provide years of joy, while failure to accurately or | | | | flexibility in sail options, smaller sails (easier to handle), |
| honestly answer the questions may steer you to the | | | | reduced ability to point Multiple Masts (Ketch, Yawl) - |
| wrong boat, little usage and no fun. The three | | | | More flexibility in sail plan and good reaching |
| questions are: 1. How will I use this sailboat? 2. What | | | | performance with even less ability to point Sail Area |
| characteristics of a sailboat are best for this type of | | | | High (SA/D) - More speed with less stability |
| use? 3. What sailboats have those characteristics? | | | | Displacement Increased displacement delivers more |
| The most important question is "How will I use this | | | | stability while sacrificing speed. Our next consideration |
| sailboat?" and getting this question right goes a long | | | | is safety equipment. The need for safety equipment is |
| way toward buying the right boat. The answer to this | | | | primarily dictated by the conditions we will face and |
| question, however, must be detailed. It can't be a | | | | how far away help might be. If we will carry life rafts, |
| general answer like "to race" or "daysail" or "to cruise." | | | | EPIRBs, offshore first aid gear and emergency water |
| If you only answer the use question generally, you are | | | | and rations, we will need places to securely store |
| not yet ready to buy a boat and run a high probability | | | | these items when not in use. In addition, other safety |
| of making a large and expensive mistake. Answering | | | | gear may include advanced communications devices |
| properly means knowing the details of where you will | | | | (SSB radio, satellite phone, email or fax) power |
| sail, the weather conditions in those areas, the length of | | | | generation (wind generator, genset, and/or solar |
| the trip you will take, number on board and how far | | | | panels) and items like sea anchors and drogues, radar |
| you will be from assistance. Table one provides some | | | | and navigational gear. Again, the safety equipment list |
| examples of the detail you should know BEFORE you | | | | can be generated based on distance away from help |
| consider buying a sailboat: TABLE ONE -- DETAILED | | | | and likely weather conditions we will face. The key |
| USAGE EXAMPLES Primary Sailing Desired Normal | | | | vessel consideration is to assure any boat purchased |
| Trip Length Cruising Grounds Expected Wave | | | | will have a place to safely store everything. Next, we |
| Conditions Expected Wind Conditions No. on Board | | | | must consider living space. Again, based on our usage |
| Distance From Help Example One Daysail 2-4 Hrs. | | | | we should know the number of people and length of |
| Local Bay 1-3 ft 5-15 Knts 2 1-3 Mi. Example Two | | | | time of our voyages. This information is then used to |
| Extended Cruising Months Ocean Any 5-50+ Knts. 4 | | | | determine the required living conditions and space. For |
| 100+ Example Three Weekend Racer 8 Hrs Lake and | | | | example, a boat cruised away from shore for weeks |
| River 1-6 ft. 5-30 Knts. 8 1-6 Mi Vessel Characteristics | | | | would need to have a much different energy |
| Once we know on how we will use our new boat, we | | | | management system, provisioning ability, and cooking |
| can determine the vessel characteristics best for our | | | | equipment than a boat sailed for weeks, but doing |
| use. Vessel characteristics can be divided into three | | | | short hops between ports. This seemingly small |
| categories: sailing, safety, living. Sailing characteristics | | | | change in sailing usage can mean large differences in |
| include speed, stability (tendency to heel), ability to point, | | | | vessel necessities. Consider power generation for |
| ease of steering (tendency to sail straight), balance. A | | | | example. Extended cruising means high output |
| racer, for example, will want a fast boat that can point | | | | alternators, larger battery banks, external voltage |
| close to the wind and may be willing to sacrifice some | | | | regulation, and potentially alternative energy generating |
| stability and ease to get it. A long distance cruiser on | | | | -- all things avoided when short hops between marinas |
| the other hand may be willing sail a little further off the | | | | are the plan. Summary Sailboats are the stuff dreams |
| wind to get more stability and balance. Sailing | | | | are made of, but buying the wrong boat can be a |
| characteristics will be determined by the boat design, | | | | nightmare -- expensive, unpleasant and dangerous. |
| specifically: sail plan, keel type and depth, sail area to | | | | |