As discussed in other subject strings, I'm looking at 30 to 35-foot used
boats such as Cals, O'Days, Catalinas, etc. My intended use would be for
day sailing and sailing offshore near the coast in the Texas Gulf. As
mentioned, offshore sailing would probably require four or five days in
our area because of the distances involved.

Although I know it all depends on the person, the crew, the
circumstances, the boat, etc., have there been any studies or surveys
that might provide some idea of how many days of sailing per year an
owner of such a boat typically gets, particularly after the first year?
Again, it's obvious that it all depends, on the person, the individual
circumstances, his work load, etc., and that there can be no
generalizations. (No need to tell me this. - It's pretty self-evident.)
Still, there may have been some polls or surveys, or at least, some
general experience and consensus regarding the question. The reason for
asking is that, though I'm anxious to get out to the blue water, I'm
wondering whether I would be the exception to what seems to be the
general rule in this area, in which the boats seem to sit in their slips
for 99.9 percent of the time. For example, one of the brokers I spoke
with last week bragged that the owner of that boat had only taken the
boat out some 10-12 times in the past ten years. - Any estimates, guesses?

Jim

jim, you are trying to make a perfect decision. That is a recipe for failure.

go buy a boat for 1/10th what you expect to pay now, sail it for two years than
buy the boat you want *then*, figuring you got two years sailing for little
jing.

otherwise, five years from now you will still be trying to make the perfect
decision.

As discussed in other subject strings, I'm looking at 30 to 35-foot used
boats such as Cals, O'Days, Catalinas, etc. My intended use would be for
day sailing and sailing offshore near the coast in the Texas Gulf. As
mentioned, offshore sailing would probably require four or five days in
our area because of the distances involved.

Although I know it all depends on the person, the crew, the
circumstances, the boat, etc., have there been any studies or surveys
that might provide some idea of how many days of sailing per year an
owner of such a boat typically gets, particularly after the first year?
Again, it's obvious that it all depends, on the person, the individual
circumstances, his work load, etc., and that there can be no
generalizations. (No need to tell me this. - It's pretty self-evident.)
Still, there may have been some polls or surveys, or at least, some
general experience and consensus regarding the question. The reason for
asking is that, though I'm anxious to get out to the blue water, I'm
wondering whether I would be the exception to what seems to be the
general rule in this area, in which the boats seem to sit in their slips
for 99.9 percent of the time. For example, one of the brokers I spoke
with last week bragged that the owner of that boat had only taken the
boat out some 10-12 times in the past ten years. - Any estimates, guesses?

Jim

It has little to do with the boat size. Depends more on the individual and
his financial state. Fer instance, I bought a relatively cheap boat so
therefore I don't need to work as much ( I'm self employed) and have more
time to sail (and work on the boat). It seems as though a majority of the
'big' boats tied up at marinas are owned by 9-5ers, who , though making a
decent salary, tend to buy the most boat they can afford and then spend
their time working to pay for it, squeezing in a weekend or two here and
there. This is, of course a generalization.
The old saying, ''the bigger the boat the less it's sailed'', does seem to
hold some water.

SV


"Jim Cate" wrote in message
...

As discussed in other subject strings, I'm looking at 30 to 35-foot used
boats such as Cals, O'Days, Catalinas, etc. My intended use would be for
day sailing and sailing offshore near the coast in the Texas Gulf. As
mentioned, offshore sailing would probably require four or five days in
our area because of the distances involved.

Although I know it all depends on the person, the crew, the
circumstances, the boat, etc., have there been any studies or surveys
that might provide some idea of how many days of sailing per year an
owner of such a boat typically gets, particularly after the first year?
Again, it's obvious that it all depends, on the person, the individual
circumstances, his work load, etc., and that there can be no
generalizations. (No need to tell me this. - It's pretty self-evident.)
Still, there may have been some polls or surveys, or at least, some
general experience and consensus regarding the question. The reason for
asking is that, though I'm anxious to get out to the blue water, I'm
wondering whether I would be the exception to what seems to be the
general rule in this area, in which the boats seem to sit in their slips
for 99.9 percent of the time. For example, one of the brokers I spoke
with last week bragged that the owner of that boat had only taken the
boat out some 10-12 times in the past ten years. - Any estimates, guesses?

Jim

This new guy said: one of the brokers I spoke=20
with last week bragged that the owner of that boat had only taken the=20
boat out some 10-12 times in the past ten years.

Number 1, stop listening to brokers. There are only a very few honest =
brokers out there...the rest are tantamount to used car salesmen ir =
Kirby vacuum cleaner salesmen. Number 2, who cares how often the boat =
was taken out per year? The important thing is: as the boat well =
maintained and will it go through a sound survey? Number 3, stop =
looking at sailboats as investments. For the average sailor, they are a =
hobby...something nice and fun to do when you're not working or putting =
a new roof on your house. When you do get a boat, sail it as much as =
you personally can, and then when you move up or away or whatever, hope =
that the new owner finds as much enjoyment and pleasure in it as you =
did. =20

--=20
katysails
s/v Chanteuse
Kirie Elite 32
http://katysails.tripod.com

"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax
and get used to the idea." - Robert A. Heinlein

On Sun, 7 Mar 2004 22:02:33 -0500, "katysails"
wrote this crap:

This new guy said: one of the brokers I spoke
with last week bragged that the owner of that boat had only taken the
boat out some 10-12 times in the past ten years.

Number 1, stop listening to brokers. There are only a very few honest brokers out there...the rest are tantamount to used car salesmen ir Kirby vacuum cleaner salesmen. Number 2, who cares how often the boat was taken out per year? The important thing is: as the boat well maintained and will it go through a sound survey? Number 3, stop looking at sailboats as investments. For the average sailor, they are a hobby...something nice and fun to do when you're not working or putting a new roof on your house. When you do get a boat, sail it as much as you personally can, and then when you move up or away or whatever, hope that the new owner finds as much enjoyment and pleasure in it as you did.

Hey New Guy! Don't listen to some dumbass who can't set word-wrap.




This signature is now the ultimate power in the universe

Yeah, instead listen to an idiot guy with tits.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"Horvath" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 7 Mar 2004 22:02:33 -0500, "katysails"
wrote this crap:

This new guy said: one of the brokers I spoke
with last week bragged that the owner of that boat had only taken the
boat out some 10-12 times in the past ten years.

Number 1, stop listening to brokers. There are only a very few honest
brokers out there...the rest are tantamount to used car salesmen ir Kirby
vacuum cleaner salesmen. Number 2, who cares how often the boat was taken
out per year? The important thing is: as the boat well maintained and will
it go through a sound survey? Number 3, stop looking at sailboats as
investments. For the average sailor, they are a hobby...something nice and
fun to do when you're not working or putting a new roof on your house. When
you do get a boat, sail it as much as you personally can, and then when you
move up or away or whatever, hope that the new owner finds as much enjoyment
and pleasure in it as you did.

Hey New Guy! Don't listen to some dumbass who can't set word-wrap.




This signature is now the ultimate power in the universe

"Scott Vernon" wrote in message ...
It has little to do with the boat size.

I have to disagree slightly with this statement. How much a boat gets
USED may be different than how much a boat gets SAILED. All sailboats
get SAILED, some, but under the right circumstances, the boats get
USED much more. Used for what? For a weekend retreat, for a place to
entertain friends, for a place to be alone to read a good book, etc
etc etc.

In this case the size of the boat is important. If you boat a 20'
boat, you probably would not use it as a weekend home. A boat in the
30' plus range could and probably would be used for this purpose.

I have seen that the owner who lives far away from his boat uses it
more. Here is what I mean. If you live 15 minutes away from your
boat you might go to it a few times a year and day sail, but you
probably will not find it worth the effort to pack up clothes, food,
etc to stay a weekend, not when your bed is just a 15 minute drive
away. But if the boat is an hour or two or three away from your home
you may get into a routine of packing up every friday and living on
the boat for the weekend. This way the boat gets used a great deal.
How much you actually go sailing may vary, however.

I've known people that lived 5 hours away from their boats and used it
3 out of 4 weekends every month. Every 4th weekend they would stay
home to get things done around their home, or take care of social
obligations there.

That is my 2 cents.

Lonny














Depends more on the individual and
his financial state. Fer instance, I bought a relatively cheap boat so
therefore I don't need to work as much ( I'm self employed) and have more
time to sail (and work on the boat). It seems as though a majority of the
'big' boats tied up at marinas are owned by 9-5ers, who , though making a
decent salary, tend to buy the most boat they can afford and then spend
their time working to pay for it, squeezing in a weekend or two here and
there. This is, of course a generalization.
The old saying, ''the bigger the boat the less it's sailed'', does seem to
hold some water.

SV


"Jim Cate" wrote in message
...

As discussed in other subject strings, I'm looking at 30 to 35-foot used
boats such as Cals, O'Days, Catalinas, etc. My intended use would be for
day sailing and sailing offshore near the coast in the Texas Gulf. As
mentioned, offshore sailing would probably require four or five days in
our area because of the distances involved.

Although I know it all depends on the person, the crew, the
circumstances, the boat, etc., have there been any studies or surveys
that might provide some idea of how many days of sailing per year an
owner of such a boat typically gets, particularly after the first year?
Again, it's obvious that it all depends, on the person, the individual
circumstances, his work load, etc., and that there can be no
generalizations. (No need to tell me this. - It's pretty self-evident.)
Still, there may have been some polls or surveys, or at least, some
general experience and consensus regarding the question. The reason for
asking is that, though I'm anxious to get out to the blue water, I'm
wondering whether I would be the exception to what seems to be the
general rule in this area, in which the boats seem to sit in their slips
for 99.9 percent of the time. For example, one of the brokers I spoke
with last week bragged that the owner of that boat had only taken the
boat out some 10-12 times in the past ten years. - Any estimates, guesses?

Jim

This old guy wrote:

katysails wrote:
This new guy said: one of the brokers I spoke

with last week bragged that the owner of that boat had only taken the
boat out some 10-12 times in the past ten years.


Number 1, stop listening to brokers. There are only a very few honest brokers out there...the rest are tantamount to used car salesmen ir Kirby vacuum cleaner salesmen. Number 2, who cares how often the boat was taken out per year? The important thing is: as the boat well maintained and will it go through a sound survey? Number 3, stop looking at sailboats as investments. For the average sailor, they are a hobby...something nice and fun to do when you're not working or putting a new roof on your hou
se. When you do get a boat, sail it as much as you personally can, and then when you move up or away or whatever, hope that the new owner finds as much enjoyment and pleasure in it as you did.


Hey old guy. - Do you know the meaning of the term: "for example"? My
observation that the boats in our area are seldom taken sailed was based
on discussions with various boat owners and from observations of the
small number of boats that are sailing in the bay here, even on weekends
and in good weather, compared with the thousands of boats sitting in
their slips. The reference to the discussion with this particular broker
was intended only as an example of what I was talking about.

The point is that if nearly all owners of such boats find that they
don't continue to sail their boats as often as they thought when they
bought them, and if, in fact, they are only able to get out very
infrequently, perhaps I should take this into consider as ONE FACTOR,
among OTHERS, when looking at boats.

Like, how often have you had your boat out in the last six months old
guy?

Jim

That is my 2 cents.

Lonny


Good points, all. As we've move up in boat size, we've found it more reasonable
to make time for those extra overnight and weekend trips. Even with my wife
pregnant, we have some nice little trips planned. With a smaller, less
comfortable boat, it would be less of an option. With the 36 footer I expect
we'll be aboard much more than than the 3 days per week we average now. I do
tend to agree that REALLY big boats, over 40 feet and more, will get used less,
since more people are generally required to sail them.

RB

RB

Hey old guy. - Do you know the meaning of the term: "for example"?

Jim, there's no reason to attach an adversarial element to every discussion. He
was just making some points....most quite valid.


RB