The First Season Costs More Than You Budgeted

The fixed costs

Berth, insurance, registry and, if you use one, management. These are quotable before you buy, and there is no reason to discover them afterwards.

The annual costs

Lift-out, pressure wash, antifouling, anodes, an engine service and a rig check. Predictable, unavoidable, and cheaper booked in autumn than in April.

The second-month costs

Every used boat has three or four things that only show themselves in use — a pump, a seacock, a fridge, a chartplotter that will not hold a fix. Budget for them by name and they stop being a shock.