Owned by yachts and female sailors!

Yacht ownership … why own a yacht? For the same reason you have a car, it gives you the freedom to travel near and far with a sense of independence. It gives you unlimited adventures!

Yacht ownership isn’t just for the wealthy, an increasing number of seafarers find they can afford to own a midsize yacht in the 28 to 40 foot range. Make the right decisions you want to enjoy sailing and the incredible lifestyle opportunities it offers, without continual maintenance.

Yacht ownership What type of yacht?

You need to decide what type of yacht suits your needs and this will depend on whether you want to go on a harbor cruise with a few friends, take part in fun races, or see yourself cruising for long and blue waters. You can try a sailing yacht to get a sense of the adventure that awaits you.

And you will also have to see if you are going to be with family, partner, friends or crew when you go sailing or if you need to consider solo cruising when considering yacht ownership.

Accommodation will depend on how many are likely on board and if it is just a sailing day where cabin size is important or for sailing and interior size and layout are important, how many berths, amenities and kitchen facilities. if you are anticipating longer cruises or blue waters.

What is important to your yacht ownership needs? Do you want a large sail cabinet for yacht club regatta fun or a roll-up system for easy sailing and one-handed sailing?

What type of engine, an inboard or an outboard, and what HP is important to your needs?

Can you afford all the upgraded equipment like chart plotters or are you going to settle for a handheld GPS and some basic but essential equipment? Does the yacht meet all the safety requirements with life jackets, flares and EPIRB, or will it be an additional expense?

The cost to buy and maintain?

The main ongoing maintenance job for owning a yacht is getting it out of the water for its annual antifouling, and this is a time to check and work on hull fittings and other jobs that cannot be done on the water.

And don’t forget to insure your precious possession! This can be costly.

You can almost always say that what you are quoted as the cost of work to be done on your boat will double when the final invoice arrives. And since a woman gets reliable exchanges, men are not going to take advantage of you … there are some out there.

So what are the first steps you take when you decide to buy a yacht?

The more you are prepared to do yourself, or learn to do, the more you can reduce costs. Do your homework and do your research!

How to start looking for the yacht of your dreams?

Don’t be emotionally rushed when looking at yacht ownership! Start looking at boating magazines, shipyards, and boat shows. Browse the Internet within a radius of where you are prepared to travel. Take a look at yacht charter windows and get a real sense of value by comparing yachts that are the same. Look at tons of yachts and their different designs, what they include, and always keep in mind what your intentions are when it comes to sailing, but do not set it specifically. I saw more than 50 yachts before making a decision. For example, I started looking for a 25 foot yacht to sail the harbor and ended up buying a 32 foot yacht capable of sailing the high seas, how grateful I am now in my final choice.

Are you looking for a small trailer-sailor? If so, have you considered the task of putting it in and out of the water? If you are looking for a bigger yacht, have you checked the marinas and moorings in your locality and the fees you will pay regularly? You will find a broker who will listen to you and is willing to take the time to show you some of the yachts that they have on their books.

I found as a woman a lot of brokerages that I walked into, the sales staff seemed to ignore me, not take me as a serious buyer or if I had a male partner, they would talk to him when, as some said … ‘Tell her, no to me … she’s the one buying a yacht! When it comes to female yacht ownership, I know of countless cases of sexism … like the one I encountered when buying a yacht.

The best way to combat this is by knowing both the type of yacht you are looking for and the seamanship. A good accredited school or TAFE course in Australia will give you confidence and a base of knowledge and understanding. The broker who sold me my yacht heard what I said, showed me what I was saying and then threw a ‘wild card’ … reading between the lines and listening to my emotion and that’s what I bought.

Did you find the right yacht? Now what?

When you finally narrow it down to a yacht that you like and suit your purpose, the hull and rig look solid and you’re happy with the design, then you can negotiate and buy anything else.

But wait … there is still more work to be done! You will need to take a survey that is required by most insurance companies and banks. This is done by a marine surveyor and is a complete survey of the yacht.

The surveyor checks every corner of the boat, if the hull is fiberglass for osmosis and if the wood for rotting dry, details the equipment on board and gives the buyer a written statement of the condition of the yacht, as well as a list of recommendations. .

Get a marine mechanic to check the engine and do a report for you. I loved everything about Levitation, the yacht I bought, except for her tired old 12hp engine, but it went away and the mechanic warned me that in a moment I would have to replace it. Also consider the environment … Are you leaking fuel or oil … are there excessive fumes? I had to think about the cost, and 14 years after purchasing my yacht I replaced my old engine with a new Volvo Penta 30HP engine at a total cost of $ 18,000A which included installation.

It is also advisable to do a sea trial to see how it moves and sails and that it lives up to your expectations, keep in mind that used yacht ownership will always be compromised.

Consider the condition of the sails and if they are skeins in the sails, but you wanted a furler on the headsail for easy handling, check the cost factor of making the switch or are you prepared to accept them as is. ?

• What about marine instruments?

• Are you happy with them after the sea trial?

• You may want to buy a chartplotter!

• Gold handheld GPS!

• Must have a depth probe

• VHF radio

• Do you want to improve your life jackets?

Security equipment is one of those ongoing costs, not only for your own peace of mind, but it is also required by law. So, have you checked what the boat has according to the requirements?

• EPIRB

• Updated flares!

• Are fire extinguishers up to date?

• What about the first aid kit?

All of these can be purchased from a local Chandlery or you can get a better deal and more options on the internet. So now you’ve decided on a yacht and feel like you’re ready to own a yacht … now what?

There is the usual process of offer and counter offer with the broker negotiating for you in the same way that it works in real estate until an agreement is reached. And a contract term until the settlement date so that if necessary you can organize the financing, this is done in the same way as you would for a car, a personal or special loan.

Don’t be put off by the entire process … the rewards of owning a yacht are great! In no time you will be taking possession of your yacht and when you do have at least one capable sailor with you to take you to your chosen destination while you learn and get used to your prized possession.