Want To Buy: NJ/DE Combat Vet looking to buy a boat

[CabrillosGhost]

Washington Navy Yard had some recreational facilities, but for a marina it was a little too high security and congested. Joint Base Anacostia/Bolling might have had a MWR boating facility but I seldom spent time over there, and I don't imagine there'd be many cruising yachts if any. Traffic from Bolling would be bound almost entirely for inland waterways.

There are a number of sailing organizations and marinas on the Potomac, but most of the things I was around for involved regattas or collegiate type sailing clubs and events, mostly privately owned motoryachts and smaller daysailers upriver.

There are some physical barriers and serious hazards downriver from Washington DC that prevent a lot of cruisers from coming upriver from the Bay, so it's going to be Navy bases further south and further north that offer much of interest to cruisers.

The MWR facilities are built for active duty use, but on public-access bases like the facilities at NAS Pensacola, for example, there may actually be transient slips for members of the public. NAS Pensacola is very open, it's just a big, very orderly, public park on federal land, policed by the military. Which if you like that, it's a good park.

Typically it's descending priority from active duty military as facilities are available. COVID has a lot of things closed to the public currently.

[Nicholson58]

I’ve suggested this before. Look for older, good boats in fresh water. Great Lakes sources will have lightly used boats that have never seen salt. Here is a link to the broker’s page at the marina where we kept our boat.

https://torresen.com/boat-sales/brokerage-department/

A few calls to marinas and clubs might work for you. Yachtworld.com might also locate quite a few opportunities.

[CabrillosGhost]

Originally Posted by CabrillosGhost

Joint Base Anacostia/Bolling might have had a MWR boating facility but I seldom spent time over there, and I don't imagine there'd be many cruising yachts if any.

Yes, I just checked. JBAB runs Capital Cove Marina, and as I expected there are only a couple of masted yachts visible. There are many Washington DC motoryacht owners, it's still practical to get around the city, but you can't get out to the open ocean.

There might be enough of interest there, however, for OP to take a look even if it's inaccessible to most other readers.

[Laughing Buddha]

30 + years ago, on the 'Bay - we joined the Annapolis Naval Sailing Association. Helped with the training program, sailed their boats, did some of their maintenance. With the hours you logged in - you got money off a rental. Real "sweat-equity."



They had good on the water and classroom training. Might give it a look-see. A bit closer to you than DC. https://ansa.org/


Cheers - Jim


BTW they didn't mind we were AF!

[Overdue]

Hi jbegan, I just joined this site also. I am curious about what/ where you rented in the Cape May area? I've spent a lot of time in South Jersey and never found any sailboat for bareboat rental except for 18' hobbie-cats. I used to bareboat rent 26'-29' sloops in Island Heights, Barnegat Bay, NJ (north of Atlantic City), but they no longer rent. Back in the early 2000s, they charged $175 per half day, $300 per day.



You mentioned $400 cost for a couple/few hour usage. I don't think that that is necessarily expensive. Boat ownership is not cheap (marina fees [seasonal slip, haul in/out, winter-ization, land storage for winter, spring commission, repairs, scheduled maintenance], insurance, fuel, upgrades/replace worn-out rigging, sails, etc., etc., etc.). If you rented that $400 boat 10 times per season, you would spend $4,000 and not have any headaches. You will spend a lot more than that for the expense items I listed, unless, of course, you purchase a trailer-able boat, and avoid some of the marina fees.



Depending on how often you want to sail, you might want to consider buying-in to a group ownership. I've seen a few in the North Chesapeake area (12 members share 3 boats, 6 members share 1 boat, others). The buy-in and annual costs are obviously only a fraction of the total cost. You might also consider renting from one of several agencies that match owners and renters, where they rent 1-14 days, 26'-45', older boats, newer boats, all kinds of boats. They are not cheap but cheaper than owning, unless you intend to sail frequently.



I've been thinking about buying also, but I am very cautious and will share some free advice I've found:


1. There is no more expensive boat than a free boat.
2. The biggest disappointment/frustration to a new boat owner is learning that the cost of outfitting and maintaining the boat is more significant than the purchase price.
3. There is no such thing as a boat purchase that is not a "project boat"; every boat is a project boat.


PM me if you want to discuss specific names of rental agencies referenced above (probably not appropriate to post).