Sailing Craigslist

My lovely wife and I had lunch at a coffee shop and did some web surfing while there. We are still keeping an eye out for a second sailboat. Our main place to shop has been Craigslist. If nothing else, we see what people are asking for their boats.

Prices have been all over the map. In general, the prices are better in depressed areas -no surprise there. That doesn’t mean there aren’t some great bargains all over.

I love the little stories behind why people are getting rid of their boat. Sometimes they want a bigger boat. That’s the reason the reason why the guy who sold my my sailboat let it go. He had a bigger boat sitting right next to it. He needed the room.

Often it’s a case of someone no longer having the time to sail. I got a kick of the guy who bought a boat, but before he could get it ready for the water, he got married. No time for sailing. Then he had a child -even less time for sailing.

People sell there boats because they are too old to enjoy them anymore. That’s kinda sad, but often they’ll make someone they like a good deal just to know their good old boat is back on the water. They hope it brings the new owners the joy it brought them.

Then there are the really cheap damaged boats. Careful there. How damaged? Have you the skills or only think you have the skills. Do you want to spend all your time repairing or sailing?

The prices are so good that I’ve got to seriously resist buying too big a boat. Buying it is one thing, maintaining it is something else.

I feel the clock is running. Summer is zipping along. If I we want to buy a boat and get it ready for winter sailing, we’d better hurry. By November it’s too cold to work outside on a boat. That’s why I’m searching now.

Of course, actually having a perfectly fine boat already certainly takes the pressure off.

-Sixbears