Now that you've bought your Dream Boat

The Yacht Show is just round the corner, 10-13 April 2014. Soon thousands of boating enthusiasts will congregate around 1Deg15 Marina to enjoy the fun-filled atmosphere. Majority will be there to update themselves on the latest developments and just go window shopping. A few will be swarmed by the electrifying atmosphere and upgrade their current boats. A small group will be bitten by the bug and actually buy their first boat. This would mark their entry into the world of boating a world where little is well known although much has been seen in advertisements and nowadays on Youtube.

Last Years Yacht Show at 1Deg15

A friend of mine recently bought a boat at the Yacht Show because he could. He knew nothing about boats but had been invited for a few boat trips before. He bought a boat that  fitted his wallet rather than his skills. So his first boat purchased was a 42 footer fly-bridge cruiser. It has been 6 months since that impulse purchase. He has used the boat 3 times. Lack of knowledge & skills and a fear of the unknown has kept him from enjoying his million dollar toy. My common sense remark to him was why he didn't engage a boat captain or even a deck-hand to maintain the boat & assist him whenever he feels like taking the boat out. As was the case, the boat sits in her berth at the Marina baking in the sun with her hull, propellers & rudders becoming home to aquatic parasites. The only answer he could offer was he wasn't a boater and was clueless as to what to do after he got the boat. Joe is not alone, they are many new boat owners out there that need help. As much as the sales person tries to assist, he is probably not the right person to lead Joe from raw boater to master mariner. Surprisingly, Marinas are also not well established in that area of service. Nevertheless they probably are still the best place to get information and probably the best avenue to eventually land a deck hand or a captain that will do a better job of bringing Joe out boating. It would be all too easy for Joe's boat to turn into a white elephant if he did nothing other than wash the boat & paid the Marina.
   

The Grand Banks EU42 is definitely the all time evergreen favorite for the seasoned sailor    

The Chaparral Sport Express Cruiser is a good entry boat for the family 

If you're looking for an all rounder, I would recommend the Marlow 53

It has everything you'll need in a reasonably priced Trawler 

The Nordhaven 72, one of the top Passage Makers today

Slightly expensive, but worth every cent if you intend to do long-haul journeys

The Selene 62 Passage Maker

The Meridian 441

All fun and play at the Singapore Yacht Show at 1Deg15 Marina in Sentosa

This year's event will be held at the same place 10-13 April 2014 - Be there....