Smooth Sailing

The sea, the wind, the sun, the freedom, the empty bank account--these are the joys of sailing. There are plenty of jokes about the cost of owning and operating a boat:

B.O.A.T. stands for Break Out Another Thousand.

Definition of boat: A hole in the water into which you pour money.

There’s no question that owning a sailboat can be an exhilarating experience--as long as your generator doesn’t quit generating and you have no idea why. But there are ways to solve the problems of maintenance and cut the costs of upkeep.

One of the best is by joining a yacht charter club. Such clubs teach you to sail, let you charter their boats at reduced rates, provide docking services and will handle upkeep details. What’s more, by letting other members charter your boat now and then, you get some income.

These clubs also provide an aspect of sailing that makes it so appealing: It’s a very social recreation. Yacht clubs or ownership associations sponsor regattas, publish newsletters and throw parties. They give members a place to gather and learn more about sailing, or what restaurant to visit in Cabo San Lucas.

The first step is learning to sail. The Orange Coast College program at Newport Harbor has an excellent reputation, and at a reasonable price. Other marinas offer sailing lessons as well (see box).

Sailing and power boating are very different. People buy power boats to get somewhere as fast as they can, then enjoy themselves. Sailors enjoy the getting there as much as the arriving. So, besides the rules of safety and right of way, it’s very important to learn how to sail.

After you’ve gotten your feet wet, you’ll probably want to quit bugging your friends for a ride and get your own boat. But don’t just fall in love and write a check for the first one you see. There are plenty of variables and details to consider.

Buying a boat is sort of like buying a house and sort of like buying a car. The boat must be registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles, but you can also get a tax write-off as if it were a second home. Unlike a house or car, however, you have to find a good place to “park” your boat; the driveway just won’t do in most communities.

As in buying a house, you’ll want a thorough inspection by an appraiser, who goes by the title of marine surveyor. The surveyor is someone the buyer hires to check out the boat, from bow to stern. Besides protecting you from getting a lemon, the surveyor’s report is necessary for insurance and financing.

Unlike a house, there’s state sales tax of 7.75% of the purchase for Orange County residents (8.25% in L.A. County).

Here’s a step by step walk-through of a boat purchase:

Step 1: Choose your style. Whether you want to take afternoon excursions with friends and family, race in a weekend regatta or cruise to the South Seas will dictate the type of boat you should buy.

For day sailing, a Lido 14, which will fit on a trailer, might suffice. To go to Catalina and spend the night with four or five other people on board, you’ll want at least a 30-foot boat. But that boat is too small to be comfortable on a trip to the tip of Baja, after you load it with provisions. So figure out how you want to use the vessel.

Step 2: Shop around. Go to the boat shows and check out the various manufacturers, models and deck/hull configurations. Barry Wood, a broker with H&S; Yacht Sales in Newport Beach, recommends that first-time buyers stick with an established manufacturer because it’s easier to find parts and repair people who know the equipment.

You might also look around at yacht dealerships in Newport Beach, Long Beach, San Diego or Marina del Rey. Free publications that list boats for sale include The Log, Santana, California Yachts and Sea magazine.

Step 3: Make an offer. You’ve found a boat you want to buy, so you negotiate a price and make a 10% deposit. The broker holds that money in a trust account, pending results of a sea trial, survey and other contingencies--such as getting a loan.

Step 4: Get the loan. Usual terms are a maximum of 15 years with a percentage rate around 11%. But banks can get picky--they might want more money down, or they might not make a loan on a boat that’s more than 10 years old. They’re also suspicious of live-aboard buyers. If the person has no land assets, he or she might sail to Peru and “forget” to make payments.

Step 5: Sail it. This is the big step. The boat still belongs to somebody else, and you get to scrutinize every detail. Go in the afternoon when the wind is blowing. Listen for vibrations in the engine, drive train and propellers. Go below and see how things feel when it’s underway. Can you stand inside the head?

Step 6: Survey it. You hire a professional to check out everything on the boat. And that means everything: the hull, the engine, the steering system, the mast, the fire extinguishers and other safety equipment, the electric lights, the electronics, the head and its plumbing, the galley, the berths, the upholstery, the stereo, the chairs, the tables and the cleats.

There’s one more detail to the survey: Hauling the boat out of the water to look at its bottom.

“Never, ever under any circumstances buy a boat without pulling it out of the water,” says John Bowman, a marine surveyor for 22 years. “A diver’s inspection is virtually useless because blisters on fiberglass boats can hide in the water.”

Most boats have fiberglass hulls, and blisters are the result of water permeating the outer layer of the fiberglass. The seller will usually pay for repairs--either by fixing them or by cutting the price and leaving the fixing to you.

The haulout will cost $150 to $200, depending on the size of the boat, and boatyards often give a credit in that amount for future work on the vessel.

Bowman also recommends that buyers hire a mechanic to check out the engine.

Step 7: Sold!

Everything checks out, or you’re happy with the way you’ve renegotiated terms with the seller. So you sign the loan and insurance papers. Your check goes to the broker’s trust account, and the broker will make sure that you get clear title. The broker pays off old loans, docking fees, etc. This is when you pay the state sales tax and register it with the DMV.

Step 8: Have fun. Fill up the gas tank and the coolers, throw in the fishing gear and the family, and head for the ocean.

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Where to Learn

Here are a few places in Orange County where you can get your first sea legs in a sailboat:

* Marina Sailing Club, 300 West Coast Highway, Suite F, Newport Beach. Call (949) 548-8900.

A $225 club membership covers 24 hours of lessons in a 30-foot boat. Monthly dues are $27. Charters from the club’s fleet are available to non-members, but members receive a 50% discount on charter fees. Marina also has clubs in San Diego, Long Beach, Marina del Rey, Redondo Beach and Ventura County.

* Newport Sailing Club and Academy, Lido Marina Village. Call (949) 675-7100.

A membership fee of $795 includes sailing instruction from beginning through advanced, a total of 46 hours of instruction. Charter boat fleet ranges upward from 25 feet. Monthly dues are $85, $75 of which goes into an account and can be applied to members’ charter fees. Members are entitled to join South Shore Yacht Club under special arrangement and are entitled to all club privileges other than sailing.

* Lido Sailing Club, 3300 Via Lido at foot of Lido Island bridge. Call (949) 675-0827.

Membership fee of $250 includes 15 hours of basic instruction on 25-foot boats. Classes cost $175 per person for non-members. Instruction consists of five three-hour classes. Weekday lessons available for groups of two or more at same price. Monthly dues are $80, and $60 of that is applied to members’ charter fees. Charter boats available from 18 to 44 feet.

* Aventura Sailing Assn., in the middle of Dana Point Harbor adjacent to the bridge. Call (949) 493-9493.

Membership fee of $198 includes beginning sailing course (12 hours of instruction in the classroom and 12 hours on the water) and club membership. Classes are usually held over four weekend days. Private instruction also available. Class fee is $175 for non-members. Monthly dues are $30. Fleet consists of boats from 28 to 44 feet. Only members can charter boats. Reciprocal membership privileges with similar clubs from San Diego to Washington.

* Orange Coast College, Pacific Coast Highway’s Mariners Mile north of Balboa Bay Club. Call (714) 645-9412.

Beginning classes in Lido 14s are held over five Saturdays or Sundays for a total of 20 hours of instruction. Class fee is $87. Morning or afternoon classes available.

Expenses

* Purchase: $25,000 to $45,0000 for a 30-foot boat

* Hiring a surveyor: At $9 a foot, $270

* Hiring a mechanic to inspect the engine: $125

* Haulout to inspect hull: $200

* Insurance: $400 a year

* Dock fees: At $8 or $9 a foot, $240-$270 a month

* Maintenance: Paint, lines, sails, fuel, groceries: Varies