Boat Life Academy
Buying Your First
Cruising Boat
A course for first time boat buyers looking to go cruising or live aboard
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Write your awesome label here.
Take some stress out of the buy buying adventure.
Learn how to find the research and find boats, inspect boats to determine if they're worth making an offer on, plan the purchase process, and tackle your first year of ownership like a champ!
Discover
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Set realistic expectations for the search and boat buying process
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Identify possible types of boat for possible uses; compare power and sail vessels realistically
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List the ways you want to use your vessel, how often, and where; weigh living aboard and long-distance cruising considerations
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Tips for working with brokers, and the actionable steps involved the purchase process
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Identify the benefits of a survey and what to expect on survey day
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Create a budget for your boat — purchase cost, annual fixed costs, unexpected maintenancexpect on survey day.
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Know when a project boat is a good fit and when it is not, and how to identify a project boat when you see one
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Know where to find more resources, information, and help
Meet the instructors
Matt Claiborne
Matt has been boating in Florida since he was in high school.
He holds an M.B.A., USCG Master's, and FAA Airline Transport Pilot Certificate. He was an assistant professor and assistant chief pilot at a Florida university and now works full time as a writer.
Matt loves exploring out-of-the-way anchorages and spending time in small port towns on the US East Coast.
He holds an M.B.A., USCG Master's, and FAA Airline Transport Pilot Certificate. He was an assistant professor and assistant chief pilot at a Florida university and now works full time as a writer.
Matt loves exploring out-of-the-way anchorages and spending time in small port towns on the US East Coast.
Lucy Claiborne
Originally from England, Lucy has been full-time cruising the US East Coast and the Bahamas since 2016. She has traveled the ICW a dozen times, on two different boats.
Lucy holds an M.B.A, F.A.A. Ground Instructor License, U.S. Coast Guard Master's License, and is a full-time instructional designer for a major university.
Lucy loves finding beaches, watching for dolphins, and searching for the best ICW pizza.
Lucy holds an M.B.A, F.A.A. Ground Instructor License, U.S. Coast Guard Master's License, and is a full-time instructional designer for a major university.
Lucy loves finding beaches, watching for dolphins, and searching for the best ICW pizza.
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