Rent or buy a sailing boat?

Many of our customers who rent a sailboat from us wonder when it actually becomes more attractive to buy a sailboat instead of renting it.

Actually it is a matter of feeling. Having your own boat used to be very normal, but then sailing was more of a “way of life” that people were involved in every weekend and every sailing holiday. Nowadays there is much more to offer than just sailing, and we are much more used to filling in the weekends and holidays in a different way.

The most important question of whether you should buy your own boat or better rent it is actually; what feels best to you?
The advantages of renting a sailboat are mainly found in the convenience and variety of sailing area. Just think that if you have your own sailing yacht, which is located in Hoorn on the IJsselmeer, for example, your sailing area is also quickly limited to the IJsselmeer. Perhaps you will sail to Zeeland or England during the summer holidays, but then you need at least 3 weeks to be able to do this relaxed.
If you rent a sailboat, you can in principle always start in another region. At Happy Sailing we also offer holidays in Croatia, for example.
Many of our customers are very fond of the IJsselmeer and come back every year, but the feeling that they are not tied to this region gives them a feeling of freedom. And once every few years they opt for a luxury sailing holiday in another beautiful country such as Croatia or Greece.

Another great advantage of renting a sailboat is the great convenience. Having your own sailboat means a lot of jobs, cleaning and maintenance. Not a problem in itself if this suits you, but for many it is seen as a great burden. This includes, for example, annual cleaning of the hull, sanding and anti-fouling of the underwater hull, rigging the boat for the winter and rigging again for the new season. Have the engine serviced, take away sails for repair, etc.
We ourselves find it no problem to work on boats at Happy Sailing, and we have to because with our fleet of ships there is always plenty to do!

Financially it is another question whether it is better to rent or buy a boat. The truth is usually pretty hard on yacht owners; the turning point is already at about 3-4 weeks of sailing. This is without depreciation of the ship
this means that if you sail for 3-4 weeks with your own boat, it will cost as much as renting a boat. Usually this 4 weeks is not achieved and a boat owner would therefore be better off renting a boat than buying it.
Realistically, you also have to write off the boat, and if you factor that in, the turning point is quickly around 8-9 weeks!
Since hardly anyone goes on holiday with the boat for 9 weeks, it is always better to rent a sailing boat.

In other words:
Is sailing really a “way of life” where you value a boat that is only for you, where you always have your own things on board, and financially a boat can cost something, and jobs are no problem, then own boat is best.
For those who like to change sailing areas, and don’t want any hassle but just want to sail for a few days or weeks; then renting a sailboat is the best option.

An alternative is of course to buy a sailing yacht and offer it for rent at Happy Sailing. Then the calculation will be completely different, and you will probably earn money from your boat!
By purchasing a sailing yacht from Happy Sailing, you can immediately deduct the VAT and earn from the rental of your own ship.
Inquire about our Buy&Charter program and contact us so we can see if this might be a good option for you!