DO SOME INVESTIGATING BEFORE YOU BUY
Fred Dyson – Dyson's Starboard View – Messing About in Boats
The annual boat-buying epidemic is almost upon us, and those who are liable to be exposed need to take some precautions. The sufferer seems to have symptoms of compulsive obsession and fever induced visions in which the afflicted person sees himself masterfully piloting an exciting vessel through romantic and adventurous scenarios. (Note: I am a certifiable chauvinist pig who thinks that women, in general, have far too much common sense to be smitten by this obsessive boat-buying bug).
The prospective boat buyer should do some investigating before laying hard cash (or loan papers) on the keg head. Here are some guidelines:
RULE ONE
Don't just listen to the sales person and read the sales brochures. Avoid, like the plague, sales pitches that appeal to veiled promises of enhanced sexual attractiveness. If the boat won't sell itself without sex, it probably will let you down when you get into tough situations.
RULE TWO
Talk to people who have lots of experience with the kind of boating you want to do. Preferably seek counsel from people who have no relationship with the seller.
RULE THREE
Take a deep breath and try to make your decision solely upon the basis of the safety and appropriateness of the boat for your application.
RULE FOUR
Consider comfort. By definition, boating is going to get you wet and sometimes cold. Being able to get some shelter, warmth and a place to dry your clothes is very important for any trip that lasts more than a few hours.
If you are relying on canvas to protect you from the elements, take very good care of the canvas and get a safe heater of some kind, lash it securely and VENTILATE. If you buy a boat with an enclosed cuddy cabin forward, consider what it is like to not have standing headroom. Being stooped over for many hours is uncomfortable, even for young backs.
RULE FIVE
Think about heads. I mean marine toilets, not dopers. If you are going to have mixed sexes and families aboard you will either have to go to shore every few hours or make some provision on board. If you choose to have on-board facilities, consider privacy.
Imagine the following scenario: You have a new boat and you have another couple with you to share your joy. You are anchored up in some cove and it is raining trout and otters. In the middle of the night, one person decides he or she has to "go." In many boats the head is under one of the bunks and everyone else on board must get up, put on their rain gear, go on deck, and stand in the rain to give the one person some privacy.
This oft-repeated one-act play has been well known to cause serious depreciation of long-standing relationships. Beware and make appropriate provision for privacy.
RULE SIX
The purchase price is only the beginning of the cost of boating. The imagination cannot circumnavigate all the gadgets that a mariner will be tempted to purchase as "necessities" for his boat.
BUYING OLD BOATS
Boats, like cars, lose a disproportionate amount of their monetary value during their first year. Fortunately, with reasonable care, they will loose little of their service value. In his famous essay, "Selecting a Mistress," Ben Franklin told a young friend to pick an older mistress because "They are so grateful, have useful experience, and are not given to the giddy flights of fancy." Like Franklin, I would encourage the consideration of older boats.
NEW BOATS
There are some great new boats available now, and technology is serving our boating needs very well. Beware however of glitz and superficiality. Some of the most popular new boats are notorious for lack of structural strength and will not handle any abuse. Also be careful of the weird. Stick with the proven if you are going into rough waters.
SHAPE
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and to each his own. I would encourage you to be very sure of what you want if you buy a completely flat-bottomed boat. No bow means that you will have trouble in rough water and weather. Low freeboard (hull height above water) means that you will get wetter and have limited load-carrying ability. High-sided boats may be difficult to maneuver in a crosswind at low speeds.
The shape of the bottom will determine: how a boat rides in a chop, how it rises out of the water to plane, the ease with which it is driven through or over the water, how stable it is when you run it up on the beach or the tide leaves you high and dry.
The shape will also dictate the comfort of the boat. A round bottom boat is very efficient to propel, but it will rock easily. A boat with a long thin bow (or stem) will tend to bury its nose in an oncoming wave. The fullness of the hull affects its performance.
And so shipmates, you can see that this boat-buying business is somewhat intricate and has many of the elements of selecting a lover. Use some common sense and PRACTICE SAFE SEX ... 'ER, BOATING.
For those who are offended by allusions to romance and sex, consider the following on vessel hull design. ''The buttocks lines of the hull (vertical sections through the hull, parallel to the center line) will determine how it rides in a seaway. Full buttocks lines will produce comfort whereas flatter buttocks lines will produce more speed."
No kidding!!!
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