I want to buy a boat but i don't know the first thing about them are there any suggestions?

Question

are there any classes or something that teaches you how to sail or should i continue going with friend and learning from them

Answer 1

Offshore Sailing School has lessons, they have a place in the Caribbean and various places in the US.  Otherwise keep going with friends or look for a local club.

As for buying a boat, I wouldn't do it on impulse.  A boat is a hole in the water into which one pours money.  Learn to sail and learn what you would like to do with sailing before you buy - it'll make all the difference.  Do you want to cruise?  Do you want a daysailor?  Do you just want something that you can throw on top of your car?  Do you want to race?  Do you want a motorboat (do want to fish, ski, cruise, tool around the harbor, live on it, etc.)

These kind of things determine what boat to buy, and you can only really answer them after sailing for a while.

Answer 2

The first thing you need to do is figure out how you plan on using the boat.  This will tell you the amount of HP (horse power) you will need for that activity.  I would also suggest that you decide how many people you will be boating with usually.  This will tell you the size.  What most people do not realize is that when you put a boat in the water, it shrinks.  They look huge on the trailer but once you figure out your passangers, gear, coolers, etc, the boat will shrink.  I would also suggest that you look at someting used, late model.  I say this because it is quite possible that you will change your boating habits with-in a very short period of time.

This way, if you choose to either sell or trade your first boat, you will not take a huge hit in depreciatioin.  Hope this helps.

Answer 3

First thing you have to do is decide what kind of a boat you want to buy. You ask about sailing classes, so I'm assuming you want to buy a sail boat, but what do you want to do with it? Do you want to go on cruises, day trips, overnight trips? Or do you want a small, personal boat that you can use for racing? Or something like a HobiCat that is virtually untippable, that you can use just to loll around in the sunshine?

Check your phone book and find the nearest sailing club, then register for classes with them. They will teach you the basics of sailing, and through the club, you'll also have opportunitites to crew on larger ships, to see (and possibly ride on) various classes of sail boats, and this will help you make up your mind what it is you really want.

The sailing fraternity is very open to helping newcomers to their sport.

Good luck!

Answer 4

general boat handling : both the the US Power Squadron and the US Coast Guard Auxiliary offer excellent introductory courses in how to handle a boat, tie knots, learn the Rules of the Road.all that stuff. I'll leave it to you and google to find the www.; or call you local Coast Guard station.they'll know.....as far as sailing........go with friends go with lots of people ask around get your time in take notes...its wonderful life, and none of us were born knowing it we all learned from others, as they did from others, as they did from others, back 10,000 years to the first guy who paddled a tree trunk off shore......

Answer 5

The coast guard gives safe boating courses.  Boats are very expensive to maintain, dock and store.  Investigate it thoroughly before you buy.