Owning a sailboat. What does it take monetarily? Taxes? What about small boats such as a laser?

Question

Actually, I regularly sail on a J44 every wednesday here in Corpus Christi, but I want something to sail with just me and the wife, maybe to teach the kids as well as they get older.

Answer 1

The cost of owning a sailboat will vary considerably depending on many factors such as it's size, insurance, dockage, etc.

I've purchased and owned serveral sailboats ranging from lazer type 1-person boats up to 33-footer I keep in the Caribbean.

Probably the best vlue was a 17-foot keel boat. It's a dry boat (won't tip over) that can easily be rigged and launched from a trailer in about 20 minutes. I could easily sail it on my own or have up to 5 on board. Slip fees on a small lake which cater mostly to pontoon boats are only about $150 for the summer. I bought the boat and trailer used about 12 years ago or US$2,500. Since it has simple systems, I've been able to maintain it for less than $50/year on top of slip fees. If you don't have room to park it where you live, you can easily store it in any storage yard. With such a low value and only using it on small lakes, I'm happy to go uninsured.

I've purchased two 26-foot cruising sailboats, both used. One at about 11K and the other at 18 K. When I first sailed the first one on the Great Lakes, I was able to get a ryder on my homeowners insurance policy for under $200/year, but once I did ocean sailing I had to puchase a seperate policy which was about $700/year. Double that if I wanted Bahamas coverage. As these boats were meant to spend extended periods of time on, and were sailed in rougher conditions, there was alot more maintenance - probably $1000/year on average.(and a lot of my time) I paid about $70/month for storage on the hard and launched it when I wanted to sail. Slip fees could be anywhere from $75/month to hundreds for a boat under 30 feet depending on location and the amenities of the Marina.

I've seen small 1-person sunfish or lazer type sailboats sell used for $500-$750 which were in good shape and could go for years with no maintenance. These can be car topped or trailered to avoid any slip or storage fees and most people would not insure such a boat. I recently purchased a new Byte (similar to a lazer) for $4,500 for a sailing program, but I think you can find great deals on used boats.

If you are looking at used boats, make sure there is no serious damage to the hull or fittings. Check the sails as this can add up and if it comes with a trailer, check this out as a new trailer can cost almost as much as the boat. Don't get too hung up on needing new tires or trailer wiring as these are common maintenance things, but makes sure the trailer is sound and not rusting through. If it has a swing-keel, make sure that is not damaged as that would be an expensive repair.

Of course, as with any purchase, you'll have to pay sales tax and will most likely have to register the sailboat with the county recorder's office or possible DMV (in United States). These registration fees are similar to vehicle fees and not a major expense. If its a larger boat that you will be sailing on the ocean, it may need to be titled, and registered with the coast guard.

If you buy used and it needs to be registered with the county where you sail, make sure you have the registration signed over to you when you buy it and I recommmend getting a bill of sale as well. Trying to register a boat without this can turn into a nightmare.

Best of luck.

- Dave

Answer 2

I'm not too sure on the taxes, but depending on where you want to use the boat, the bills can add up quickly. The most affordable way to go is with the small trailer sailers, or even catamarans like the hobie cat. Once you get into the bigger sizes, there are an amazing amount of things that should be repaired, hauled out, polished, replaced, etc... harbor moorage not being the least of these expenses. Have you considered being a volunteer crew member for someone else's boat? There's the anachronism, BOAT, bring out another thousand.

Answer 3

For a Laser or similar:
Owning? Nothing.

Owning sensibly? You will need insurance: in the UK around £70-100 per year.

Sailing? You will need to either keep it at a club (UK: 100-200 for membership and 50-100 for boat park space per annum). Or keep it at home and car-top / tow it when you want to sail. So expect around a £25 launch fee.

Racing? Well now you are talking much bigger money! New ropes? sails? mast? fittings? insurance? class association membership? race entry fees? staying overnight? drink!? new boat? Or else, just go racing at your local sailing club without it costing you anything more.

Answer 4

their are no tax except when buying a boat. the cost is in dockage,elbow grease and sometimes you'll need parts. if you know someone on a lake or harbor you may keep her there for free(make a deal)