Sailboats evoke romantic thoughts of afternoons spent on a breezy bay, rigorous racing, historical reenactment on tall ships, or long-distance travelling to foreign shores—all of which are right since sailboats nowadays can perform a wide range of things.
Although sailing has captivated us for ages, the activity has become more specialised and segmented throughout time, with designs varied according to purpose. For example, small sailing dinghies can be used on lakes or to teach sailing fundamentals, but bluewater (or ocean crossing) boats can transport you worldwide. In between, you can race sailboats in ports or across oceans or cruise them with companions or alone.
Sailboat Types
Sailing monohulls (single hulls) range in size from 10 to 100 feet. Multi-hulls (two-hulled catamarans and three-hulled trimarans) range in size from fun day boats to 80-foot platforms. Multihulls are becoming more popular because of their stability and, in bigger cases, considerable living space.
Advanced construction methods have made sailboats stronger yet lighter, allowing them to manoeuvre in weak winds while also enduring the hammering of head seas (oncoming waves). Onboard equipment has also progressed to the point that sailing a large boat no longer requires as much strength as it formerly did, and creature comforts abound.
Activities involving Sailboats
What you do with a sailboat is determined by the type you buy. You may spend a day sailing in a tiny dinghy or crew on a bigger racer with a group. On the other hand, you can sail for a weekend or a lifetime on boats with staterooms (cabins), galleys (kitchens), and heads (bathrooms). Some folks prefer travelling to a favourite cove, anchoring, and entertaining friends and family. Others devote days to improving sail trim and getting the boat moving at peak speed in all conditions.
Sailboat Ownership Costs
The cost of a sailboat for sale in Singapore varies greatly depending on its size, age, brand, and offshore capabilities. For example, if all other factors are equal, a 40-foot yacht designed and built for coastal sailing may cost less than half the price of a bluewater model.
However, the initial cost is only the beginning of the investment. Include the expense of sails (particularly if modified), electronics, and dockage, which may be costly. Then there’s insurance and registration to think about.
Sailboats have a longer lifespan than motorboats, and it is not uncommon to see people travelling on models that are 30 years old or older. However, maintenance expenses climb when equipment wears out, or repairs to the hull, deck, engine, spars, or sails are required. Furthermore, sailboats require routine maintenance such as interior and exterior cleaning, hull waxing, woodwork varnishing, sail repair, and so on. In addition, boats kept at a dock and so in the water for the season or year-round may require monthly bottom cleaning to scrape off barnacles and biannual bottom paint application.
