What sailboat to buy to start with? The best tips for beginners

There is a wide range of boats to choose from depending on your needs and characteristics. That’s why we give you some tips that can help you choose your first sailboat.

First questions to ask yourself

These are the questions you should ask yourself before buying a sailboat.

• What is my sailing plan?
• When will I sail?
• Who will I sail with?
• Where will the boat winter?
• What is my budget?

New or second-hand sailboat?

It’s true that new sailboats allow you to personalise them, but the cost is very high and you’ll have to wait a few months to enjoy it.

Second-hand yachts, on the other hand, are more recommended because you can enjoy them from the very first moment; they are also cheaper. For this reason, Amoyachts offers a wide variety of second-hand boats at the best market prices.

Types of sailboats for beginners

If you are new to the world of sailing, we recommend that you opt for a 20-foot sailboat or one with a regatta profile.

20 feet

These boats are ideal for those who are just starting out in the world of sailing. The 20-foot sailboats have a unique interior space, with cabin, bathroom and kitchen. In addition, it has impressive dimensions that will help you learn little by little.

With regatero profile

These sailboats are perfect because they have dimensions similar to regatta boats, but allowing 5 or 6 people on board. Their main objective is to achieve speed, so they don’t have much room for length.

Tips for buying a sailboat

Here are some tips that can help you make the purchase of your sailboat.

• Draw up a navigation plan. Decide what type of sailing you plan to do frequently.
• Place of rest. A buoy, a mooring or on land, the important thing is to know where you are going to keep your boat at night. In addition, you must perform this action before the purchase because, depending on the size of your area, you can choose one model or another.
• Hostile environment. Weather conditions can condition your navigation, it is not the same to go out to sea in Galicia as in Ibiza, for example. Therefore, it is necessary to choose a sailboat that adapts to your circumstances.
• Maintenance. All the elements of the boat require maintenance because the sun and water can damage them. Therefore, it is necessary to know all the parts of your sailboat so that, in some cases, you can check these defects yourself.
• Knowledge. It is best to start with small sailboats, as they are more manageable and allow you to gain experience.

10 essential commandments to buy a sailboat

Buying a sailboat is a desire that most people have had at least once in their lives. Here we show you 10 steps that can help you in this choice.

1. Where to look. It is advisable to avoid pages that sell all kinds of second-hand items, a boat is something very particular. It is best to opt for companies with years of experience, such as Amoyachts.
2. Agencies or individuals? The problem with going to a particular person is that they usually raise the price of their boat and can try to deceive you. Companies, on the other hand, tend to reduce the final price.
3. Price. It depends on the condition of the boat, the repairs it has had and the use the owner has given it. Even so, you should know that, after the first year, a sailboat depreciates between 20 and 30%.
4. Hidden vice. It is very important to analyse the boat perfectly to avoid the appearance of any defect in the boat that the owner wanted to hide.
5. Perfect season. Winter is the best season to buy a sailboat, especially the month of February.
6. Flag. You must request the transfer of ownership of the boat and present it in the captain’s office together with the corresponding documentation.
7. Documentation. Sheet of seat, certificate of navigability, report of the technical inspection of ships (ITB) and certificate of suitability of the installation of radioelectric equipment.
8. Try it. Before you buy a sailboat, go sailing with it. This way, you can check if the boat suits your needs and the purchase will be perfect.
9. Expertise. It is the person in charge of fixing the mast, the auxiliary motor and the humidity of the hull. In addition, it must be contracted by the buyer.
10. Other factors. For example, if the sailboat has had few owners before the depreciation will be scarce.