Hello ShipMateys This is the first entry on The Captain's Blog - and so I will start with "10 things to think about before buying a boat ."  The Captain has a salty sense of humour so take it with a pinch of the white briny stuff   All the same there is wisdom in the old Sea Dog's words and it never hurts to listen to someone who has been there, done that and got the wooden leg  

10 things to think about before buying a boat .

1.Dont do it you, will never have any money again or be loved by your family.

2. Think about sharing with a group of likeminded idiots,  …see article “boat share” you should have done it when you were much younger, its going to hurt your muscles and wallet!

3.It may be a pain but visit, look at, see, at least 4 similar yachts boats more expensive and cheaper , this will give you a guide on price and standard.

4.Go to a local yacht club and talk to all the old farts..yes they sometimes talk sense.

5.If buying second hand try and get an idea of whether the boat has been cared for or abused. Visit the club from which the owner is from and find out what sort of sailor he was or is.

6. Pay for a surveyor, they will save you a fortune,  they will at least cover their own fee by giving you bargaining tools.  See “surveyors listed in your area”  If you are buying new and spending a lot of money then this might still be a good idea.

7.Make certain who actually owns the boat…if using a broker find out about the brokerage…if you give them a deposit and they go bust you lose, plus if you're selling this applies too…see article “selling your boat yacht or ship”.

8.Take it for a test drive . Even if means paying launching/hoist fees.  A few hundred pounds spent at the beginning can save thousands in the long run.

9.What do you actually get for your money?  Write a List and get it copied and both buyer and seller sign to agree what is included in the price.  Nothing worse than finding those lovely chintz curtains in the salon weren’t included in the price and cost £10,000 to replace .

What don’t you get for your money? Nothing worse than turning up with a delivery crew and finding no kettle or life jackets etc.

10.If you have the slightest doubt don’t buy, if you fall in love with it don’t buy it. Always always always take a few extra days to think it over.  If it’s a steal some one local would have stole it.

These are just a few things to start off thinking about before buying, and there are bound to be more, but before you walk the plank make sure you are likely to have a nice warm dip and not a cold sharp shock and check that there aren't any circling sharks!!!