They say that buying a boat can be the best day of your life. However, they also say that the second best day is when you sell your boat. Owning a boat can be a joy and pleasure, full of adventure.
The first decision to make when buying a boat is the type of boat you will need to suit what you intend to do, Sailing, Fishing, Speed, Inland Waterways, etc. The amount of money you have available could also be a big factor. Some bargains can be found if you are the type of person who would like and be able to do some work yourself.
The type of material a boat is made of should also be taken into consideration. Boats do take a lot of looking after and if you have never owned a boat before their is a lot to learn. If you can afford to put your boat in a boat yard every year and have them do all the work, then great. If not then you must be prepared to roll your sleeves up and get stuck in. All boats need some maintenance, some more than others.
Wooden boats are beautiful and romantic with glossy painted topsides, shining varnish, and polished stainless-steel. However, this all takes a lot of work to keep it that way. Wooden boats don’t like rain and they don’t like the sun. The sun’s UV rays damage the varnish and rain causes rot. If you buy a wooden boat you could be spending more time working on it than sailing on it.
Many production boats are built these days with Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP). They are not maintenance free but they are easier to look after than other materials.
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