Im thinking about getting a boat. something small like a 30 footer. any tips for a boat noob?

Answer 1

For starters a 30 ft boat is not considered small. But it all depends on what you want to do and where you will use the boat. Do you need a cabin and all the comforts of home? Center console? Are you going fishing? In the ocean? Check out as many boats as you can and see what hits you. Look on www.yachtworld.com punch in the size you think you want and you will get many hits. Then you can narrow it down when you see what you like. I would rather see something seaworthy and able to go offshore myself, you never know what kind of weather you may hit.

Answer 2

Without knowing your intent, it's hard to give any specific advice. My general advice: Buy a boat for what you will actually do, not what you dream of doing. You'll be unhappy if the boat characteristics are not appropriate for what you are experiencing.

You can save a lot of money by buying a used boat. Paint, basic plumbing, wiring, etc are affordable to fix (if you do it yourself), but structural problems or having to replace major components, like sails, spars, motors, etc can quickly add up and you may end up spending almost as much as you would with a new boat.

Boat size is also very relevant to the situation. I have a 17-foot sailboat on a local inland lake which is of average size there. I sailed a very volumous 26-footer to the Bahamas several times and rarely saw another boat anywhere near that small.

Go take a boating course or get some time on the water with others first, so you'll a have a better idea of what your needs are.

I'm in total agreement with the previous post that said along the lines that buying a boat is the second happiest day of your life - selling it is the happiest. That being said, I always buy another one...

Answer 3

30 feet is not a small boat. For a power boat, figure it will cost you $300 in gas every time you start her up for an afternoon's ride. Better to start with a 17 -20 foot runabout, take the power squadron course and do some reading....

If it's a sailboat you're interested in... a good used daysailor, like a mariner, or small hunter is a good starter. Everyone learns to sail in a small boat....

If you are intent on a 30 footer, unless you're independantly wealthy, figure that your hobby for the next 5 years is going to be boat maintenance, not boating. If you plan to pay professionals to maintain your yacht, figure that the yearly cost doubles every 5 feet after 20. The big dividing line is a boat you can trailer home and launch when needed. That;s about 25 feet max if you've got a maxi SUV or 20 feet max for a standard car.

Answer 4

G'Day Bob,
Not enough information to make an evaluation on your question, what are your intended uses for the craft, powered or sail, inshore or offshore, budget and skill level e.g. have you even been on a boat, have you ever had control of a boat before.
Remember what the others here have said about the two best days of a boat owner, also the bit in between buying and selling, it is just a hole in the water you pour you money into!...

Answer 5

30 feet is not a small boat. Small is trailerable. 30ft is midsize.
Are you thinking New or used?, Sail or power? fresh water or salt water? cruising, racing fishing? gas or diesel? Where will you keep it? Will you have to winterize every year?
Owning a boat that is too large to trailer easily is a lifestyle and a financial commitment. You need to be able to justify the cost by using it or have a big enough bucket of money to not care whether you use it or not.

Answer 6

The two best days in the life of a boat owner are the day the boat is purchased....and the day it finally gets sold!

In between is a LOT of work.

Rent a boat instead!

Answer 7

A boat owner has 2 happy days:
The day he buys it
and the day he sells it

Answer 8

something tells me Bob is full of crap!!! can you even afford a 10 footer?? and what is a "noob"??