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Step 1
Consider your purpose for buying a ketch (or a sailboat at all) and what kind of boat best fulfills that purpose. Among the questions to ask yourself are how far you plan to go in your ketch, what kind of sailing experience you have, how much money you can afford each month to keep and maintain the boat and what kind of budget you have to buy a ketch.
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Step 2
Look at ketches for sail in local marinas or at boats stored within driving distance so you can get a firsthand look at potential buys.
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Step 3
Check out the integration of potential ketch's mizzen masts, paying attention to whether or not the mizzen mast has a furling system, if the mast obstructs the stern deck, if the mizzen lines run cleanly to the cockpit and simply if the rig is well configured and in good condition.
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Step 4
Sail the boat if it's in sailing condition (if it's not make sure that the price takes this into account). When you go out for your test sail, sail on various configurations of the ketch rig, such as a mizzen sail and foresail only configuration, a full sail set configuration and a mizzen-only configuration.
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Step 5
Have a professional sailboat surveyor survey the boat before you even seriously think about buying the boat. Make sure that the surveyor has good references and speak with the seller about paying for or splitting the cost of the survey.
