Now don’t get too excited. As you read this, remember the saying: “There is nothing more expensive than a free sailboat”.
I had learned to sail as a young teen, and as I grew older I mostly sailed on OPB’s (Other People’s Boats). The time had come for my first keelboat. I had previously taught sailing and I was looking for a platform to start a learn to sail program for kids.
After poking around a bit and getting the word out, I found someone who was willing to give me an old sailboat to get started. I was not sure why I was getting the free boat, but I was so excited that I didn’t ask any questions. I should have. In many cases, a free boat is one that has been for sale for quite some time with no takers.
I worked out a deal to use a mooring ball at no charge and then an old, abandoned dinghy completed the package. The dinghy was not as seaworthy. I had to row quickly to the sailboat before the dinghy sank.
The boat was seaworthy, did not leak and passed the inspection of my untrained eye. I cannot count the number of young people that learned to sail on that old boat. Each outing was an adventure!
The number one shocker for new boat owners: The amount of time and money required to maintain the boat.
I was in for a surprise at the massive amount of work it takes to maintain a sailboat. I had heard that owners should plan on about 10% of the price of the yacht each year in upkeep. But what if the boat was free?
As the time drew near to upgrade the boat, I noticed something that did not look right in the bilge. Several of the bolts holding the keel to the hull were severely bent backwards, probably from a hard grounding by a previous owner. I knew nothing about keel bolts, but I was in for an education.
A little research revealed that to make the necessary repairs would cost several times over the value of the boat. Most likely, this is why the boat was free. I was the proud owner of a boat that I could not sell, nor could I afford to fix. Although I had a great time sailing this vessel, my blind optimism had gotten me into quite a predicament. Could I even continue to safely teach sailing aboard?
One day, as I was contemplating how to proceed, the phone rang. It was a gentleman who grew up sailing with his father who had recently passed away. He was trying to track down his father’s old boat and saw that I had a similar vessel. After discussing, we determined that I had the exact boat on which he grew up sailing!
Then came his big questions: He asked if I would consider selling the boat to him. I had to make it sound like I was struggling to answer. I also needed to disclose the keel bolt issue, but for him, the nostalgia of having his father’s boat far outweighed the repair issues. He would totally refit the boat and bring it back to new condition. We agreed on a fair price that would allow me to acquire another vessel for the sailing program and the deal was completed. A truly happy ending!
After 30 years and countless boats along the way, I still remember the pleasure of sailing that old, free sailboat. Bent keel bolts and all!
If you want to avoid learning about boat ownership the hard way (like I did), I designed the Sailboat Club as an alternative. Members do not have to worry about maintenance, they just enjoy the sailing part. Learn as you go, and you will be much more knowledgeable when the time comes to buy your own yacht.
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