How to Choose the Right Sailboat
Choosing a sailboat sounds simple, until you realize how many different types are out there. Catamaran or monohull? Bluewater cruiser or coastal boat? Most people don’t choose the wrong boat because they lack options, they choose wrong because they don’t know what actually fits their plans. And that mistake? It follows you for years.
The right sailboat depends on how and where you plan to use it. So let’s dive deeper into: how to choose a sailboat?
There is no perfect boat. Only the wrong one for your plan.
Coastal vs Bluewater boat
Not every boat is built to cross oceans. There are two types of boats: coastal boats and bluewater boats. Coastal cruisers are designed for shorter trips, marinas, and calm conditions. They offer generous living space inside and are built as cruising boats or charter boats.
Bluewater boats are heavier, stronger, and built to handle rough and potentially life-threatening offshore conditions. Choosing the wrong sailboat can turn your dream into a living nightmare. Choose your sailboat wisely! Want some more background info about the differences between a coastal cruiser and a seaworthy bluewater boat? We recommend you read Get Real, Get Gone.
If you’re not 100% sure which one fits your plan, you’re already at risk of choosing wrong. 👉 Take the test
A proper bluewater sailboat can handle the conditions, but can you?
Monohull vs Catamaran
As the word monohull already implies: a monohull exists of one hull and a catamaran is a multihull. Monohulls are traditional sailing boats, more robust, often cheaper en they perform better upwind and heel heavily in the right conditions. Therefore the sailing experience is very different.
Catamarans offer more living space, greater stability and are faster due to the larger sail area, but come at a higher price. Furthermore, they have a shallower draft which enables them to navigate shallower waters.
As you can see, there are many pros and cons. What boat to buy depends entirely on your lifestyle, not trends.
A monohull is better than a catamaran, proof me wrong. ;P
Liveaboard vs Weekend Use
A boat that works for weekend trips may become uncomfortable very quickly if you plan to live on it full-time. These weekend or holiday boats don’t need to be equipped with a large and expensive solar arch or lithium-ion batteries that can handle 24/7 air conditioning. All of a sudden, storage, layout, and seaworthiness become issues you will struggle with daily instead of once every weekend.
Ask yourself: How small of a boat will I be able te live on?
Budget vs Reality
Many people start with a budget, but forget to match it with their actual needs. A cheap boat that doesn’t fit your plans will cost more in the long run. From experience, we can tell you there is no such thing as a cheap or free boat.
Most people don’t buy the wrong boat because they didn’t research enough, they buy wrong because they didn’t ask the right questions. My hubby and I did tons and tons of research, we knew exactly what we wanted, and we still made some big mistakes. We don’t want you to make the same mistakes and lose thousands of dollars you worked so hard for!
We all live on a budget, but yours might have more zeros.
Most people don’t need more information. They need clarity on what fits their situation.
Already looking at a specific boat? We’ll tell you if it actually matches your plans — before you make a mistake.
