| What discourages most would-be boat owners is | | | | a lower mileage. |
| going to boat shows and looking at the prices of the | | | | When you are looking at boats, look for a solid, |
| new boats. What they must realise that boat shows | | | | heavy displacement boat, preferably one withThe |
| invariably display large capacity boats loaded with | | | | answer is - of course you can. It all comes down to |
| extras, which, while they give you all the comforts of | | | | your expectations. a long keel. They may be slow, |
| home, will be a cut deep inroads into a cruising | | | | but if you're going cruising, what's your hurry? My |
| budget. | | | | father-in-law once won a race to Fiji in an old boat |
| In order to get the picture, visit a local camping | | | | built of concrete. He didn't win line honours of course, |
| ground. There you will certainly see some | | | | but won because of the generous handicap he was |
| Winnebagos and other big rigs, but the vast majority | | | | given for having such an old boat. |
| of caravans will be simple one-axle ones, mostly | | | | While on the subject of concrete boats, you can get |
| occupied by just a travelling couple. | | | | a lot of boat for your buck, as they have a stigma |
| It's the same with boats. Believe it or not, the | | | | attached to them because a lot of the early ones |
| average length of yachts doing world cruises is | | | | were home built, and the finish was amateurish. |
| around 30 feet, and a lot of them are being sailed by | | | | However, if you can find a professionally built concret |
| just one couple. Once you get the 30 feet mindset, | | | | boat, you will get a solid, good sailing boat at a very |
| you will find that prices will almost certainly | | | | reasonable price. Of course when you come to sell it, |
| accommodate your limited budget. In my local market | | | | your prospective buyer will also want a good price, |
| of Australia there are plenty of boats available for | | | | but if you got a reasonable deal in the first place, |
| under $30,000, and some under $20,000, if you drop | | | | that shouldn't bother you too much. |
| down to a 28 foot yacht. | | | | In boats 30 feet and under, you should plan on there |
| These prices are equivalent to buying a second car, | | | | only being enough accommodation for two adults, or |
| which is not considered an extravagance in today's | | | | perhaps two adults and a couple of kids, regardless |
| society, so it's a straight choice, a second car or a | | | | of how many berths there are. Because a boat has |
| boat. An additional factor is that the resell price will | | | | limited space, any extra berths will be very small, and |
| not drop significantly if it is a good solid boat with a | | | | will probably be next to the toilet - not a very |
| good reputation, so you could possibly buy a $15,000 | | | | hospitable place to put your guests! |
| boat, have a few years of sailing fun, and probably | | | | So, lower your sights and expectations, forget the |
| sell it for the same price. There is no odometer on a | | | | fifty foot plastic fantastics - you couldn't afford the |
| boat - it's the mileage that dictates that a car with | | | | annual associated costs, let alone the boat itself. |
| high mileage will be cheaper than an identical car with | | | | |