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Sailing Yacht ? |
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SailinSpain.com SELECTING A BOAT |
| When time comes to selecting a boat the first choice is between a sailboat and a motorboat. Most people lean towards the sailboat, for various reasons. First of all, we take into account the price. Sailboats are often, for the same number of seats, far more economical than motor yachts. This is mainly due to a bigger offer in sailboats, compared to that of motorboats. The possibility of sailing is another advantage of the sailboat that, as well as being entertaining, we might be spared the constant buzz of the engine. Finally, we could save by sailing, as the consumption is lower than the motor-boats. | ||||||
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What advantages does a motorboat offer then? It does, naturally. On the one hand, it presents a greater comfort in its interior space, as its hull is less rounded than the sailboats. And on the other hand, its cruising speed is significantly higher than that of sailboats. Therefore it is usually the preferred choice for fishing fans, wishing to move quickly to fishing grounds. In a word, if we are not too determined by costs, we want to move quickly and be comfortable, it could be a good choice. |
| There are also catamarans, which combine the advantages of a sailing boat with a
greater comfort inside, although their prices are significantly higher than for
single-hulled vessels. The next issue is the size. The widest range is on sailboats of around 11 metres, usually equipped with 3 twin cabins, though we but also find 2, 4 or even more if they exceed 11 metres in length. In order to calculate people on board, companies inform about the maximum capacity of the boat. This usually coincides with the sum of 2 people per cabin plus other 2 in the lounge. We can occupy it completely, but we will be much more comfortable if we do not cover all the theoretical places, although it will be more expensive. We will not make someone sleep in the living room and we will have these places available in case someone feels uncomfortable inside the cabin, or with the cabin companion. If we rent a boat with skipper, he/she will rest in the lounge, except in very large ships where a small cabin is designed for him/her. |
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Once determined size and type of boat, we will launch the search. There are different brands and models, but in essence they are quite similar. The most important thing is the condition of the boat and its engine. For this we should check the year when the boat was built, often stated in the advertisements, and the more recent, the better. It is also very important to select the type of company. Ideally, it should be a company owning a large fleet of boats, well updated about the condition of each of them. As usual, we must be careful with very low prices. They can hide shortcomings in the boat or especially in the service provided by the company if we encounter any problems, which tends to be relatively usual. Finally, equipment must be also taken into account. The presence of an autopilot, a roller mainsail, an engine for the dinghy, and other options that vary from one vessel to another, may offer a greater comfort in our holiday on board. |
