Sara Clemence
Where you sail (which is related to how you sail) will influence the size of the boat and the systems you have on board.
In the Northwest or Maine, for example, the water is deep enough that you don't have to worry about how far your keel goes into the water. But try squeezing a 16.5-foot draft into Long Island Sound or Chesapeake Bay, and you may be in for an unpleasant grounding. A very tall mast can also restrict your sailing area, as it may not clear low bridges. Conversely, while you can take a 30-footer across an ocean, you probably don't want to.
If you're sailing in Bora Bora, says Phil Bennett of Hinckley, you'll want to carry a single sideband radio, which can communicate over thousands of miles. "If you're sailing in Annapolis, all you need is a VHS and a cell phone."
Location can also determine your water and fuel systems. In most of the United States, you can refill your water tanks with a hose at a dock. If you're traveling to the Caribbean, where water sources may not be reliable, you had better have a water-making system on board.
If you're buying a used boat, where it has been sailed can affect its condition. Saltwater is far more corrosive than fresh water. In the United States, the freshwater sailing season, which takes place in the Great Lakes, is relatively short. More-expensive boats are often stored indoors, so they have less exposure to the elements, says Mitchell Gibbons-Neff, president of Sparkman & Stephens, a venerable boat design and brokerage firm based in New York City and Ft. Lauderdale. But beware freshwater with wooden boats, which are prone to rot.
http://www.forbes.com/2002/07/24/0724sport_2.html
Sailboat Buying Guide
1. Intro
2. Location
3. Brokers
4. Bigger can be better, but..
5. Pedigree Counts
6. Turning a Profit
7. Used? New? Custom? In-Between?
8. International Buying
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