Whether you are a hardened sailor planning to buy your next yacht for an ocean voyage, or are just looking for your first small boat to potter about on a lake, there are a few key rules that everyone should observe when buying a boat. Failure to do so can result in a costly lesson where you have to carry out avoidable but unforeseen repairs or worse still, lose your investment altogether due to theft or fraud. The Yacht Market’s Top Tips are here to help.
WHAT KIND OF BOAT TO BUY?
Flickr - Ahmad Mohamad
The first question to ask yourself is: What kind of boating would I like to do? If you haven't done so already, consider where and how you will use the boat that you buy.
Boats are specialized, so what you buy should be largely determined by how you will enjoy the water. Just as you wouldn't buy an off-road vehicle to commute on a highway, it's important to find the right boat to fit your activities, tastes, and the needs of your crew.
Where should I look?
Flickr - Patrick Boury
2016 - Boat shows and boat fairs - dates, schedules
Well known and less known boat shows and boat fairs, in halls and on the water can be a great place to look at all sorts of different vessels.
Read More - http://www.profinautic.com/en/boat-shows/fairs/?year=2016
Should I Use A Yacht Surveyor?
Flickr -yaniv ben-yehuda
YACHT BROKERS, DESIGNERS & SURVEYORS ASSOCIATION is a great place to find qualifyied experts who can help and advise on your purchase.
Read More - http://www.ybdsa.co.uk/index.html
Try a Boat First!
Flickr -laura alice watt
You’re lucky that there really are lots of boating events to choose from all around the country and they are a great way of getting started. Events are ideal for having a go for the first time, trying the boat of your dreams or picking the brains of all those marine companies to get the answers to your questions.
Read More - http://onthewater.co.uk/Events
Keeping Your Boat
Flickr - Don Briggs
The Gold Anchor award scheme has been auditing marinas throughout the world for over 25 years and is well known as a credible measure of the marina quality. Any rated marina will have been subject to a serious of rigorous tests, including a full marina audit.
Read More - http://www.which-marina.com/Default.asp