Traveling on sailing yachts today has become a more and more popular form of outdoor activities and sports, available to all categories of citizens. One has only to imagine how picturesque shores and a light breeze, salty spray are regularly moving away from the coast in the rays of the setting sun, how you immediately feel like a seasoned captain at the helm of your own yacht. It gives a feeling of boundless open spaces ahead and unprecedented freedom!
If you are interested in the subject of sailing, then you are passionate about this sport and strive for the dream of many yachtsmen - to acquire a yacht. In this article, we will try to sort out the issues related to making an informed decision about owning your own pleasure boat. Choosing a yacht before purchasing it is always a compromise decision made after much deliberation.
First of all, you need to take at face value the following adage: "The ideal yacht has not even been designed and built, but the best one that you have at the moment." And then a significant proportion of controversial issues will disappear by themselves. A yacht can be compared to a woman - we can forgive some of the shortcomings, but only if we generally like her. Let's figure out how to make the right decision when purchasing a yacht.
First of all, let's find out for ourselves, what does the size of the yacht matter to us? This is one of the key questions, and you need to analyze it with examples. So, even 8-meter yachts go around the world alone (as an example, you can mention "Berserk"), as well as large 14-meter ones (for example, T. Chihotsky in 2014 on Delphia 47). And if we consider out of the ordinary examples, it is worth mentioning E. Gvozdev, who at one time circled the globe on a 4-meter (!) Yacht.
Yachts up to 9 m in length are characterized by a slower movement speed, but the handling is improved, as well as the costs of their maintenance and storage are reduced. According to the law, a court with a width of less than 3.5 m is allowed to be transported on a trailer without an escort. A 9-meter yacht can be very comfortable and have a shower and latrine, while the ceiling remains high enough.
Yachts up to 12 m in length are the most common, this is due to the best combination of affordable cost with dimension, level of comfort and seaworthiness. Most often, on a ship with two or three cabins, a crew of 3-4 people feels very comfortable, but up to 8 people can be accommodated. On a ship of this size, there is already a full-size galley with a refrigerator, oven and sink, and on the bow there is a place for receiving air and sunbathing.
Vessels longer than 12 m can be equipped, if desired, in such a way that you can independently navigate it at sea. For this purpose, electronic assistive systems such as an autopilot can be purchased. Yachts ranging in size from 12 to 14 m are most in demand among singles - participants in round-the-world travel. Due to its large size, it is possible to achieve a sufficient level of comfort at sea, and there is no particular difference in handling between a 10-meter and 14-meter yacht (the same seaworthiness category - A).
Of course, the size of the yacht plays an important role in its choice and purchase, since the future owner should decide on the allocated budget, the number of crew and their own preferences regarding comfort. A large vessel gives a sense of prestige and has the best seaworthiness. In addition, it provides a higher level of comfort, but additional equipment on board will require more expensive maintenance, and accordingly, the costs of winter storage of the yacht increase.
Over time, yacht building moves in the direction of increasing the speed and increasing the capabilities of the ships produced, so the buyer is faced with an important question: what to choose: a motor boat, a sailboat or a sailing motor yacht? In order to be able to navigate in advance in choosing the type of vessel, you can try to rent a yacht for a short period (about a week).
When developing racing yachts, designers put into their device elements that contribute to the maximum power-to-weight ratio. At the same time, less attention is paid to the convenience of team placement. But cruise yachts usually have a durable and reliable structure (sometimes significantly weighted), equipped with all the necessary devices for navigation and communication, space for the crew, storage of fuel and water supplies (which is necessary on long voyages).
The line between a cruise yacht and a cruise racing yacht is difficult to grasp. Of course, when comparing sailing ships, you can use racing coefficients, mast height and sail size, but still decide when choosing - do you need to make the journey flow into a racing competition?
When choosing between monohull and multihull yachts, consider the increased deck space, better stability and reduced pitch on catamarans. In addition, a multihull yacht has a higher cruising speed due to the smaller wetting surface. Modern catamarans differ from earlier models and offer significant gains in space, comfort and privacy - something that is usually lacking on conventional monohull boats. The disadvantages of catamarans include the high difficulty of walking on sharp courses, as well as the increased cost of parking in the port.
When choosing a yacht's draft, you need to take into account the specifics of the water area. So, if you plan to approach a poorly equipped shore or in shallow water closer to the shore, you need to choose a lower draft. As you know, a long keel helps to increase the stability of the vessel, but then many cozy, but shallow bays will remain inaccessible to you with a large draft.
At this time, yachts with a short keel and a reduced draft are gaining more and more popularity, even though the long keel also serves as a hydrofoil, preventing the lateral drift of the vessel. If you do not plan to participate in races, then you can consider the option with a small draft - a deep keel gives you an advantage only in tacking, and if you are an inexperienced yachtsman, then this question should not be one of your priorities. In addition to the plus in draft, another advantage is the fact that when landing aground, a ship with a shortened keel is more survivable - after all, the blow is distributed over a wider area.
A sailing dinghy is a lightweight cruising yacht that is used to enter shallow water. In this type of vessel, lateral resistance is created by a flat keel called a centerboard. The centerboard at the right time is retracted inside the body, in a specially created recess. The mass of such a keel is not that great and does not affect the stability of the vessel. The stability of the sailing dinghy is ensured by the design features of the vessel, and they also use the mass of the crew, which can move on board the vessel to take off.
In addition, there are yachts with, so to speak, a "heavy" centerboard - this is a transitional option, suitable for both tidal regions and for long sea voyages.
If finances allow, you should take a new vessel with the maximum possible configuration, the advantage of such a solution is the uniqueness of the chosen yacht and investment for years to come. The new yacht will reflect your preferences, if it is not possible to equip it as much as possible at the shipyard, then additional equipment can be installed later.
But the option to buy a used yacht also has its advantages. For example, the fact that it has already been tested at sea and theoretical shortcomings have been identified and measures have been taken. In the event that the yacht has received serious damage, it can be dangerous and if you do not understand enough about the choice of the vessel, it is worth inviting a surveyor to organize a check of the yacht's components and the functionality of the hull structures in general. It is also better to consult with more experienced yachtsmen about the possible disadvantages of the purchased vessel and get recommendations on the choice of equipment. When considering a yacht from the point of view of its comfort, layout, strength of the main components, safety, degree of engine wear, it is necessary to be extremely careful and weigh all the pros and cons.
Otherwise, the purchase may drag on for an indefinite time (perhaps even for years), and after a while life priorities may change (as well as the requirements for pleasure craft). From experience we can say that the best yacht is the one on the market that fits within the planned budget and is ready to go to sea.
If you set yourself the task of buying or renting a yacht in your favorite region, we recommend that you contact the specialists of the 2yachts company for advice and assistance. Qualified managers of our company are ready at any time to advise how to choose and purchase a yacht correctly, so that at the same time it is a profitable investment and pleases its owner for many years.
In conclusion, we wish future sailors a successful completion of the ship acquisition deal and an unforgettable experience in the future from sea adventures!