-
Step 1
Determine your needs. There are literally hundreds of thousands of sloops on today's boat market. You need to understand what you need out of a boat in order to start searching in the right place. Consider whether you intend to use the boat for day sailing, bay sailing, offshore sailing or ocean sailing. Think about how many people you want to be able to get on board and whether you need sleeping quarters.
-
Step 2
Decide if you want to go new or used. The used boat market is enormous and is filled with many good boats at reasonable prices. The risk, however, is much higher than buying a new boat. New boats, on other hand, are far more expensive than their used counterparts. Think about your budget and the kind of risk you're willing to take before setting out to buy.
-
Step 3
Shop in your area or region. This allows you to go see the boat and its current owner so you can get an exact feel and detailed information about the boat. Start at local marinas or shipyards to get oriented. Use regional sailboat sales websites such as Eastern Yachts to search by area for sloops for sale.
-
Step 4
Consider what the boat comes with. Because a sloop has a relatively simple rig (compared with a cutter or ketch), a decent selection of sails is important if you want to maximize the boat's performance. Sails are your number one concern since a jibsail and mainsail are not enough. Other parts, like winches, lines and emergency gear, should also be considered since these things are expensive in the long run.
-
Step 5
Survey and sail the boat. Most people do one or the other, but it's critical to do both. A professional survey gives you the technical data you need to know before buying the sloop. Actually sailing the boat gives you a personal, intuitive feel for how the boat will suit you.
