How To Choose a Sailboat

Let's talk about how to choose a sailboat that is right for you.

This is a big subject and there will be lots of follow-up posts on it, but I think it's the place to start - for our new blog and for you, if you're a beginner sailboat cruiser or are thinking about getting into boating.

First off, there really is no one answer to the question "Which boat is right for me?". The way to go about choosing a boat is to ask yourself (and be completely honest and rational here!) "What do I intend to use the boat for?".

If your answer is "I don't know" - that's perfectly fine! Much better that than kidding yourself. If that's the case, you're probably best to start by taking some Learn How to Sail or Sailboat Cruising Basics courses that will give you a taste of the lifestyle and let you get some experience with different types of boats, bug your friends to let you join them on theirs, or volunteer as crew (many yacht clubs will have a list of volunteer crews for race nights in case some yachts are short-handed).

Do you want to day-sail in protected waters?

Do you intend to cruise your sailboat for only a few weeks a year?

Are you planning on Great Lakes or Ocean sailing?

If you're ocean sailing, will you be doing coastal cruising, or will you be heading off over the horizon for several years?

Do you want to live aboard year 'round?

Do you have a need for speed, or is ease-of-handling and seakindliness more important to you?

Are you a singlehander, or will you have a crew, or have your spouse and kids along?

Do you want to be able to trailer your boat?

What is your budget?

These are just a few questions that you need to ask yourself. The main point is to first determine, as best you can (plans have a way of changing!), how you intend to use your boat. Only then can you start researching what sort of cruising sailboat might suit your needs.

In future posts, we'll look in more detail at what to consider when choosing a boat for some of the following assumptions:

1. True blue-water long distance cruising with a short-handed crew (typically a couple);
2. Short-term (several weeks' duration) cruising plans, once or twice a year in coastal or larger inland waters;
3. Trailer-Sailer sailboats capable of being quickly moved to new and interesting cruising grounds and of avoiding marina storage fees;
4. Boats for Liveaboards where most of the time is spent tied up in marinas but still manage to get out on the water from time to time.

Once you've answered the first (and probably most important) question about what sort of use and what type of cruising you expect to get out of your boat, please continue reading for more ideas on "How to choose a sailboat" and more "How to" sailboat cruising ideas and tips.

DSM.