On Sun, 05 Nov 2006 01:00:03 -0600, Cal Vanize
wrote:

Have you decided between power and sail ?

We both have experience sailing, but would prefer power.

I lot of sailors end up with trawlers as they near retirement age,
speaking from personal experience and others we know. We started out
7 years ago with a 33 ft sportfish just to see if we liked the concept
after a lifetime of sailing, and ended up with a Grand Banks trawler
for our "retirement boat". So far, no regrets although everything is
a compromise one way or another.

There is a book that I would recommend to you: "Stapleton's Powerboat
Bible" by Sid Stapleton.

http://tinyurl.com/y7gqff

There are other books by Chuck Gould and Robert Lamy that are worth a
look:

http://tinyurl.com/y5s329

http://tinyurl.com/y4cp9t

One of the most difficult decisions other than type of boat, is how
much to spend on it. Be sure to leave plenty of funds in reserve for
the inevitable repairs and upgrades, at least 30 to 50% over purchase
price in my opinion.

Also be aware that the cost of insurance is becoming a major expense,
especially for boats in southern states, and for older boats. Be sure
you have an insurance commitment at a price you can live with before
you finalize the deal on the boat.