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I am very happy with the service provided be United City Yachts and your representative Adrian Philpot. He was very prompt in his responses to my queries. Knowledgeable and efficient. Nelson “

Services were impeccable! Adrian is a fun guy to work with and quite a professional. Denis “

All good. Got no suggestions. Our highest compliments and gratitude to Adrian for his exceptional professionalism and a job well done. Amanda & Jim “

Seamless, excellent service. Good advice and attention to detail. Conscientious to our needs and requirements. Flexible in appointments and timely with information. No improvement necessary from Adrian! Kelly “

WELCOME TO KINGSTON YACHT SALES

• Kingston yacht sales
• Used boat sales
• Powerboat & sailboats for sale
• Free online boat evaluation

Your full service yacht / boat brokerage based out of Kingston and serving Eastern Ontario! We service the Greater Kingston Area area from the Bay of Quinte east to the Quebec border and Upstate New York, and throughout North America via our sister companies owned by United City Yachts - we offer a local representation with international reach.

Kingston Yacht Sales offers sellers and buyers an incomparable level of service. Our experienced boat brokers will skillfully orchestrate all stages of your yacht purchase/sale from the very start; working with you all the way through to the closing and after sale service. We want your business and will work hard to earn it. Whether you want to buy a boat or selling a boat, at Kingston Yacht Sale we are dedicated to providing each client with the same level exceptional service. Our team of yacht / boat brokers are ready to take your call.

Buying a boat is a big investment. You should trust only the most experienced professional yacht broker, to help you find the right boat to purchase and handle its sale when the time comes to trade up. A top yacht brokerage, like Kingston Yacht Sales, will lead you through the boat buying process. With their expertise and guidance, you can feel confident that the yacht you purchase will be the right one for you; a boat that fulfills all of your requirements, and for the right price.

While Kingston Yacht Sales is a leading Southeastern Ontario yacht brokers serving boaters in the Kingston Area, the Bay of Quinte, and Eastern Lake Ontario, we also handle boat sales across Canada, throughout the United States, and around the globe. Kingston Yacht Sales, together with partners Toronto Yacht Sales, Vancouver Yacht Sales, Georgian Bay Yacht Sales and Montreal Yacht Sales form the United City Yachts Network, one of the top yacht brokerages in Canada. When you list your boat with Kingston Yacht Sales, your yacht receives maximum exposure throughout Canada and beyond. Boat buyers have access to our extensive inventory of brokerage yachts for sale.

Our full-service Eastern Ontario yacht brokerage, based out of Kingston, specializes in selling quality pre-owned powerboats and sailboats in the greater Kingston area. Kingston Yacht Sales also facilitates yacht sales outside the Kingston, Ontario area. We handle both international yacht sales and boat sales across Canada.

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Kingson yacht sales is part of united city yachts, canada's yacht sales network with locations across canada to serve you.

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Kawartha Marine Boat Wreckers & Recycling

Free intact boat removal boat, kawartha marine, ontario – boat wreckers recyclers salvage disposal removers, used boat parts sales, motors, outdrives & trailer, marina sales, if your boat is unbecoming to you, it should be coming to us.

We are a legally run Boat Wrecking yard and  Marina in Southern Ontario, Canada.  We accept any type of intact boat, run-abouts, fishing boats, aluminum boats, steel boats or wooden boats. Kawartha Marine Boat Wreckers & Recyclers is your green boat solution. We are your one stop source for used and some new boat parts. We recycle old boats and so far, we have recycled over 3000 boats.

Centrally located in the Kawartha Lakes at 9 Wychwood Crescent, Fenelon Falls, Ontario, Canada, we sell quality used parts in our Southern Ontario boat wrecking yard and Dry Land Marina.  Our yard intersects with all parts of the Trent Severn Waterway. We are a short driving distance from Orillia and Haliburton and many area lakes.

Boats with operable trailers or motors are usually hauled for free; others may be charged by the foot.  Some exceptions apply.

Please call to verify – 705-559-4191.

No boat is too big or too small.  We accept fiberglass or aluminum, etc.  If you aren’t sure, just give us a call. We can accommodate all sizes from run abouts up to yachts!

Don’t send your boat to the landfill or to some farmers field!  We are a green company that is working on keeping as much as we can of your boats out of the landfill and out of farmers fields!

Call 705-559-4191 for more details. Our email for sending pictures is [email protected]

We say what we do and we do what we say!  We use the 3 R’s reduce, reuse and recycle.

Used Boat Parts

We carry a wide range of used boat parts.

Some of the items we carry: – Used inboard and outboard motors, drives, seats, interior panels, props, used and windshields, steering, and wiring, swim platforms, ladders, hatches, ski equipment. – Project boats and trailers are always available.

We are in the developmental stages of recycling boats and boat parts in a more environmentally friendly manner. Please check out our fiberglass recycling page and our Environmental Initiatives page for updates on our program.

We also accept old motors and boat parts. Anything marine related.

In the event we don’t have a used part, we can order you a new or rebuilt part.

Contact us for more details.

We ARE the largest boat wrecking yard in Ontario! We accept Visa & MasterCard

Boat junkyard, boat salvage, boat wrecking,  boat removal, boat disposal, boat scrap yard, junk boats, old boats, abandoned boats.

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Dental care for seniors

Learn how to access free, routine dental care for eligible seniors 65 years or older, through the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program. The program is designed to support low-income seniors.

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Effective August 1, 2024, annual income eligibility thresholds for the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program will change for:

• single seniors, going from an annual income of $22,200 to $25,000
• senior couples with a combined annual income, going from $37,100 to $41,500

You can apply starting July 1, 2024, under the new income thresholds.  Applications received prior to July 1, 2024, will be reviewed under the current income threshold.

Dental care providers are continuing to monitor COVID‑19 in their communities and carefully and gradually restarting services under the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program ( OSDCP ). In person dental visits may still be limited during this time for the safety of dental care providers and patients.

You can continue to apply for the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program during this period.

If you are enrolled in the Ontario Seniors Dental Care program , please contact your local public health unit by phone for assistance with your dental needs and more information on the gradual restart of services in your area.

Read the latest information on COVID‑19 .

About the program

The new Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program is a government-funded dental care program. It provides free, routine dental services for low-income seniors who are 65 years of age or older .

Coverage includes:

• check-ups, including scaling, fluoride and polishing
• repairing broken teeth and cavities
• removing teeth or abnormal tissue (oral surgery)
• treating infection and pain (endodontic services)
• treating gum conditions and diseases (periodontal services)

Certain dental procedures under the  OSDCP have limits based on scientific and clinical criteria; your OSDCP dental provider can provide more information based on your situation.

Dental prosthetics (prosthodontic services), including dentures, will be partially covered. Please speak to your local public health unit for more information.

Coverage period

Once you are enrolled in the program, your coverage period is for up to one year.

Your coverage will end on July 31 st every year, no matter when you enroll. Learn more about renewing your yearly coverage .

Eligibility

You can apply for the program if you:

• are 65 years of age or older
• are a resident of Ontario
• an annual net income of $22,200 or less for a single senior
• a combined annual net income of $37,100 or less for a couple
• have no other form of dental benefits, including private insurance or dental coverage under another government program such as Ontario Works, Ontario Disability Support Program or Non-Insured Health Benefits

We will verify your income using your Social Insurance Number ( SIN ), that you will provide when you apply to the program. We will use your SIN to verify your annual new income from your tax return. Learn how you can apply if you don’t have a SIN .

How to apply

You can apply to the program online or by mail .

If you and your spouse or common-law partner are applying to the program, you must submit two separate applications.

Before you begin the online application, you need:

• your date of birth
• a valid Ontario address
• your Social Insurance Number ( SIN ) or Temporary Taxation Number ( TTN )
• to have filed your taxes last year

If you do not have a SIN or did not file taxes in the previous year, please complete the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program application through guarantor form .

Apply online

To apply online:

• Complete the online application.
• Print and fill out the consent form.
• Mail the completed consent form within 30 days to:

Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program Station P, P.O. Box 159 Toronto, Ontario M5S 2S7

Apply by mail

To apply by mail:

• Download and print the application form , or get one in person from your local public health unit .
• Fill out and complete the application form.
• Mail the completed form to:

If you don’t have a SIN or did not file a tax return

If you don’t have a SIN or didn’t file your taxes last year, a guarantor must help you apply by mail .

A guarantor is someone who can confirm the identity, age and residency of the individual or couple applying to the program. The guarantor must be:

• a Canadian citizen
• at least 18 years of age

If more than one person in your household is applying, you only need one guarantor per household.

List of eligible guarantors

A guarantor must be a practising member in good standing with a provincial regulatory body, such as a(n):

• chiropractor
• optometrist
• doctor (physician or surgeon)
• psychologist
• veterinarian
• professional accountant
• professional engineer
• social worker or social service worker
• teacher, vice-principal/principal in a primary or secondary school
• dentist or dental hygienist
• judge, Justice of the Peace
• municipal, provincial or First Nations police officer or constable
• Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officer or constable
• member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
• minister of religion authorized under provincial law to perform marriages
• municipal clerk or treasurer who is a member of the Association of Municipal Managers or Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario
• notary public
• professor in a university, a senior administrator in a community college
• signing officer of a bank
• Chief (or culturally relevant leadership equivalent/Band Council Leadership) of a First Nation community
• Executive Director (or leadership equivalent) of an Indigenous organization (Inclusive of First Nations, Métis and Inuit organizations and service providers)

After you apply

Once you have completed and submitted your application form, you will be contacted by phone and/or mail if there are any issues with your application or if your application is incomplete.

If your application is approved , you will receive a welcome package and dental card in the mail that will expire on July 31 st .

The welcome package will tell you:

• how to access services
• where to book an appointment
• how to book an appointment
• what you need to bring to each appointment

You must present your card to your dental provider at each visit to receive services under the program.

Find a participating dentist

For information about where to access services and what services are available near you, please contact your local public health unit .

If you are accepted into the program, you can access dental services through:

• Public Health Units
• partner Community Health Centres
• partner Aboriginal Health Access Centres

Access to the full range of dental services will vary across the province. The program will continue to expand in the coming year.

Renew your yearly coverage

Every year, eligibility will be automatically verified for most clients to confirm enrolment for the next benefit period.

You will be notified by mail if you are eligible to keep participating in the program, or about how to re-apply to the program, if required.

You must reapply if:

• you applied using a guarantor
• you do not file taxes for the most recent tax years that your eligibility is being determined

Change your account information

If you are enrolled in the program and would like to make changes to your account, you must complete and submit a  change of information form .

Mail your completed form to:

Questions and resources

If you have any questions or need to replace your dental card, please contact the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program:

• Tel : 416-916-0204
• Toll-free: 1-833-207-4435
• Toll-free TTY : 1-800-855-0511

Your local public health unit can also help you apply to the program.

The Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program ( OSDCP ) contacts clients by phone or mail. We do not send invoices. If you receive a suspicious email claiming to be from the OSDCP program, please do not open attachments or click on links in the email. Contact us using the above information to determine if the message is authentic.

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Home » Blog » Buy a boat » How to find free or cheap boats for sale

How to find free or cheap boats for sale

By Author Fiona McGlynn

Posted on Last updated: July 31, 2023

How to find cheap or free boats

Did you know it’s possible to find free boats for sale ?

Finding cheap boats has been an obsession at various points in our lives. In the last five years, we’ve bought three boats and spent hundreds of hours scoping out good deals.

In all that searching, we’ve come across some great buys, a few free boats (yes, they do exist!), not to mention many fiberglass horrorshows that you literally couldn’t pay us to take on.

Not every cheap or free boat is necessarily a good deal. Often it can cost you more to fix up a boat than it would if you’d just bought one in good condition.

However, if you’re handy, have the time, and enjoy a project, there’s nothing more rewarding than getting a great deal and bringing an old boat back to life. 

There are three things you need to know to find a free or cheap boat:

• Where to look
• When to look
• How to find the hidden gems

In this article, we’ll share the best places to search and our search strategies for uncovering the really sweet deals.

Where to find cheap boats for sale

We’ve written about the best places to buy used boats before , but if you’re looking for bargain basement prices, you can probably skip searching the boat dealer sites and places like Yachtworld and Boattrader, where people pay to list their boats for sale.

After all, someone who is looking to offload a boat for cheap probably doesn’t need to pay for advertising.

1. Online marketplaces

There are several big marketplace sites where sellers can list their boats for free, making them great places to start your search for cheap or free boats:

While we’ve found almost all of our boats on Craigslist, we recommend casting a wide net. It doesn’t take much time to set up search alerts to monitor the various marketplaces (more on that below). 

While these sites have thousands of boat listings they also tend to be very competitive because everyone uses them and wants a great deal!

DIY tip: Online marketplaces are also great for finding deals on used boat parts. If you’re buying a used boat, you’ll almost certainly need to replace or repair a few things.

We found this cheap sailboat on Craigslist and sailed it across the Pacific (after spending a lot of money on retrofits!)

2. Listing sites and magazines

There are a few websites and magazines that have pages devoted to listing free boats or cheap boats for sale. It’s worth checking the following places regularly:

• Boat Angel sells donated boats for cheap with all proceeds going to charity . You can also contact them about making a boat donation and getting a tax write-off.
• Free-boat.com scours the web weekly for free and cheap boats and posts them on their site and Facebook page.
• Good Old Boat magazine has a page listing project boats selling for under $5,000. This is a good place to look if you’re interested in a cheap or free sailboat.
• Wooden Boat Magazine has a “free boats” section in every issue and lists free wooden boats online.
• Boneyard Boats is another great site dedicated to saving old boats where you’ll find free boat listings.

3. Boat Auctions

We know of other boaters who’ve found cheap boats for sale at auctions (though it isn’t something we’ve tried ourselves).

Boats that have been repossessed, written off, salvaged, or seized are often put up for sale at auction.

Many auto auction companies will list boats and some even run dedicated marine auctions.

These days you can find most auction pre-sale inventories posted online.

We found a few free and cheap boats in this Mexican boatyard.

4. Marinas and boatyards

The real hidden gems never make it online.

Call your local harbor master and boatyards to inquire about cheap or free boats. Very often they get stuck with abandoned boats that they need to move.

5. Abandoned vessels

Some states are home to significant numbers of derelict, storm-damaged, and abandoned boats. However, salvage rights vary from place to place.

For example, in Florida, it’s illegal to take an abandoned boat without first getting the title to it (that would be theft). However, there is a process for having the title for an abandoned vessel transferred to your name.  

If you’ve had your eye on what appears to be an abandoned vessel, your first step should be to report it to the local authorities. Stay clear (for safety reasons) and do not take anything off the boat. 

The best time to look for budget boats

While it’s possible to find cheap boats for sale at any time of year, these are the best times to search .

The best deals will be found at the end of the boating season when owners are looking to avoid marina fees for the winter months. Search volume for boat sales is much lower in the off-season, which means less competition for you!

If you’re going to buy in the spring, start your search before the nice weather hits. Competition for good deals will heat up with the warming temperatures.

Hurricane season

If you’re open to looking further afield you can very often find good deals on storm-damaged boats. A great book on this topic is Sailboat Cowboys Flipping Sail Post-Sandy: The Art of Buying, Repairing and Selling Storm-Damaged Sailboats.  

Divorce season

Many boats don’t survive a separation or divorce. According to some research divorce filings peak in March and August.

We found this cheap aluminum boat on Craigslist. It’s not pretty but it’s been perfect for exploring our local lake.

Strategies and tips for finding cheap or free boats

If there’s one place to find a screamer of a deal, it’s Craigslist (or other marketplace sites like Kijiji). We’ve even come across a few free boats on Craigslist over the years. Most of these search tactics apply to any search platform but some of them are specific to Craigslist.

1. Set the right price range

When people are looking for boats online they usually search for certain “sticky” numbers (prices that everyone searches for) . Common thresholds include $5,000, $10,000, $15,000, $25,000, $50,000.

For example, let’s say I’m looking for boats for sale near me for under $5,000. If I search just above that threshold (say $6,000) I’m more likely to see cheap boats that other buyers won’t.

Set your max price at 30% above your budget. While it depends on the boat and how the owner has priced it, we’ve found that as a general rule of thumb, sellers will come down by about 30%.

2. Search for misspellings and synonyms

Use variants of your search terms.

Craigslist’s listing data is garbage in, garbage out. For example, if a seller lists their 30-foot Hunter as a “Free Sail Boat” incorrectly spelling “sailboat”, it won’t show up in a search for “Free sailboat”.

Very often people use variants of brand names. For example, you’d want to search both “Chris-Craft” and “Chris Craft”.

3. Search for types of boats, lengths, makes, and models

People are random about how they write their listings.

The detail-oriented person will list their boat with the year, make, and model (e.g., “2015 Bennington 2875 QCW”).

Someone else might list the same boat as a 32-foot Bennington.

Some goofball will just list it as a “pontoon boat” or even “boat”.

If you want to find a hidden gem, search for as many variations as you can think of. It’s definitely a good idea to search for a type of boat (e.g., sailboat, fishing boat, powerboat, jon boat, pontoon boat).

4. Use search functions to get really specific

Learn a few of these search tricks and you’ll save tons of time.

Search multiple keywords at the same time by using the “|” key

For example, if you searched “sail boat | sailboat” you’ll get all the search results for both terms.

Exclude keywords from your search by using “-” key .

For example, “sailboats – ferrocement” you’ll get all the search results for sailboats except for those that mention ferrocement (no offence to ferrocement boat owners!).

Get specific by combining search functions using parenthesis

For example, “Home built (sailboat | sail boat) – ferrocement” would search for posts with the terms “home built” and “sailboat” or “sail boat” but not “ferrocement”.

5. Leverage technology to do the work for you

Finding a great deal on a boat is a numbers game, and we’ve looked at hundreds of listings before finding what we were looking for. Technology can help you save time and search more efficiently .

Set up search alerts

You can set up search alerts on Craigslist so that you receive an email or text every time a new listing meets your criteria. It’s a great way to save time!

Use apps to track your searches on the go

Craigslist’s mobile site can be a bit clunky to work with. The Craigslist-approved app, CPlus ( Android , iOS ) streamlines your search process and offers additional features (like allowing you to search multiple cities at once).

So many boats, so little time

6. Save time by qualifying your search results

Finding cheap boats for sale on Craigslist is a volume game more than anything. If you’re not carefully managing your time, it’s easy to burn out .

If you’ve ever shown up to view a boat only to realize that the photos you saw online were 10 years old, then you know what I’m talking about!

Here are a few ways we’ve cut down on time-wasting:

Avoid scams

Avoid scams by looking for classic warning signs: typos, generic images, and sellers who don’t want to meet in person. If an ad looks suspicious try googling the ad text to see if it shows up in multiples. If it does, it’s a good sign that something is up.

Make a “must-have” list

Write up your list of must-haves (e.g., must have an engine with less than 1K hours, must not have a teak deck, etc.) and run through your checklist every time you find a good candidate. Ask the owner to fill in the missing information.

Ask for additional photos

Ask for photos or a video tour before you spend eight hours of your weekend driving to view a boat. Owners should be willing to send you photos because in the long term it saves their time as well as yours.

Take a sneak peek

If the boat is local, swing by the marina and quickly view the boat from the outside . This will give you a sense of how upfront the seller has been in their advertisement.

Pro tip: Craigslist can be a weird place, so remember that sellers are qualifying you too! Most people want to see their boat going to a good home. We’ve both gotten and given great deals simply because we (or the buyer) were honest, upfront, friendly, and didn’t waste time. 

7. Be more persistent than the next guy

That weird listing with spelling errors and no photos? Well, it could be a scam, or it could be a sweet deal on a fishing boat and a seller who doesn’t know how to use the internet! You’ll never know unless you email them.

The same goes for sellers who don’t get back to you, send them a follow-up email.

8. Know how you’ll transport and store your boat

If you’re looking for free boats on Craigslist, know that a seller is going to expect you to take care of all other costs. So, have a plan (especially if it’s a big boat).

For example, if you’re buying a boat and trailer, think about how you’re going to get them home (e.g. does your vehicle have enough towing capacity?) Does the boat need to be pulled out of the water? Where will you store i

Many people sell their boats for cheap or free because they don’t want to pay for another season of moorage. Depending on where you live, it may be very expensive to rent a slip or even impossible to find one. You should always know where you’re going to keep a boat before you buy it. 

Storing your boat in your own backyard is by far the most cost-effective option. Not only will you avoid marina fees, but you’ll also have easier access for projects and repairs. For this reason, any boat that comes with a trailer is a real bonus.

9. When you find a free boat, be prepared to move quick!

Good deals can go in minutes, so be ready to drop everything and get down to the marina for an inspection if you want to score that cheap cuddy cabin.

Be clear in your mind about what you’re looking for, and what you’re not, especially if you plan to negotiate. You can often get lower prices by excluding certain items like dinghies, electronics, and outboard motors from the sale. 

Be sure to have things like your boat inspection checklist , finances, contracts, and paperwork in order. Have cash or another payment method ready so you can close the deal—you can’t just whip out your credit card.

10. Make sure you understand boat values and prices

Buyer beware! A free boat could be the most expensive boat you ever own!

Let’s be real. You’re probably getting a deal for a reason. Any really cheap boat is likely to be project boat (i.e., not in good condition). However, there are certain red flags you’ll want to avoid (like not having a working marine engine!). 

Create a budget, taking into account both time and money, for getting the boat into safe and usable condition. Be mindful of major expenses, like purchasing an outboard motor, or major issues, like a rotten deck, that may take weeks to repair.

So if you’re looking for a truly good deal, you should spend some time learning about boat values and pricing . 

11. Hire a marine surveyor

You may think you’ve found a good deal, but could there be a lurking issue you don’t know about? Best to ask a professional.

Hire a marine surveyor to inspect the boat before you buy. If you’re worried about missing out on a deal, you can see if the seller will accept a deposit to hold the boat while you have it inspected.

A marine surveyor will provide you with a report that lists any deficiencies they find and gives you an estimated valuation. So you can tell if you’re getting a good deal or not!

Good luck and happy boat hunting! 

Fiona McGlynn is an award-winning boating writer who created Waterborne as a place to learn about living aboard and traveling the world by sailboat. She has written for boating magazines including BoatUS, SAIL, Cruising World, and Good Old Boat. She’s also a contributing editor at Good Old Boat and BoatUS Magazine. In 2017, Fiona and her husband completed a 3-year, 13,000-mile voyage from Vancouver to Mexico to Australia on their 35-foot sailboat.

Tory Salvia

Monday 23rd of September 2019

Sailboats are NOT cars. Years-old is not the most qualifying metric for the value of a boat. In the end, cheap boats are rarely, if ever cheap.

All boat purchasing requires three budgets: find-the-boat-budget - are you going to restrict your search to a one-day drive or are you willing to travel up and the East or West coast?

Buy-the-boat-budget: what price range are you putting aside for the purchase, including survey, sea trials, cost to launch and hull a boat for inspection?

Fix-the-boat-budget: the most mystical of all. What do you estimate in out-of-pocket costs for parts, your free labor, professional labor, and boat storage while in refit?

And of course there's the post purchase maintain-the-boat-budget that goes on for as long as you own the boat. Boat length is a big factor and more length is geometric when it comes to costs like haul-outs, bottom paint, and slip fees.

Yes, you may luck into a perfectly restored good old boat with all systems go, ready to sail off to Tahiti. Good luck. Most likely, that give-away or "cheap" boat will have a very long to-do list required to make her a safe and reliable vessel. Remember, sailing is a dangerous, contact sport where put your life and lives of your love ones and crew on the line every time you go to sea.

Cheap boats are cheap for a reason: in many cases the vessel is approaching or is well past it's bi-decade, 20 year refit, and the present owner doesn't want to deal with it. This means you, the new owner must deal with it, or pay the consequences the ocean will surely throw at you. Take two boats about the same vintage. The amount of refit costs, beyond the basics can vary to the extreme depending on the previous owner's maintenance and proper upgrades, and how often and in what conditions was she sailed? On a freshwater lake in calm waters, hauled each year, covered or stored in barn? OR sailed hard, around the world take a beating from each of the seven seas?

If you are knowledgeable about tools, have DIY experience, a lot of time on your hands, and a reasonable fix-the-boat budget -- you can do a lot of the refit yourself. But there are tasks that you may not be skilled to perform, take a long time to learn, will never do again, or require an investment in tools that you'll never use again - unless you want to become a professional boat restorer. With such tasks, do you really want to experiment on your vessel? And potentially compromise her sea-going integrity and passenger's safety? So you need to pick your refit battles and find qualified, dependable pros to do those tasks.

When looking at any vessel: cheap or not - make a 20 year refit list and start checking off what's been done, what hasn't, what you can do yourself, and what you need to hire a pro to do. Then add up the costs and time involved in restoring the vessel versus buying another not-so-cheap boat with a much shorter, less expensive to-do list that doesn't keep you tied up in boat yard for several years. This strategy will get you a better boat saving you money, time, and often your dream of sailing off on your great adventure.

In sailing as in life, there usually is no free lunch but there are plenty of "cheap" boats that will eat your lunch, and much more.

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Things To Do | Fun free things to do in July in Southern…

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Things To Do

Things to do | fun free things to do in july in southern california, yes they're really free.

Movies In the Park, Riverside (Fridays, July 12, 19, 26): Bring a chair and blanket to hang out on the lawn. Movies begin at dusk. July 12: “Wonka” at Reid Park, 701 N. Orange St.; July 19: “Kung Fu Panda 4” at Bryant Park, 7950 Philbin Ave.; July 26: “Trolls Band Together” at Lincoln Park, 4261 Park Ave.

Long Beach Municipal Band concerts (July 2-31): “ Music to My Ears” theme. 6:30 p.m. start time. July 2 at Whaley Park, 5620 E. Atherton St.; July 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 at Los Cerritos Park, 3750 Del Mar Ave.), July 9, 16, 23, 30 at Bixby Annex Park (aka Bixby Bluff Park) on Ocean Boulevard; July 11, 18 at Recreation Park, 4900 E. 7th St.) and July 5, 12, 19, 26 at  El Dorado Park West (2800 N. Studebaker Road). longbeach.gov

Museum of Latin American Art (MoLAA), Long Beach (July 7, 14, 21, 28 ): The museum is free every Sunday and always has interesting exhibits. Free docent-led tours are offered at 2 p.m. Sundays. Free advance tickets are recommended and can be booked online. Parking is free. 628 Alamitos Ave., Long Beach. molaa.org/visit

Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles (July 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 30, 31):  The Autry is free every Tuesday and Wednesday from 1 to 4 p.m. but reservations are required and limited.. Parking is free, too. Learn about Native American and cowboy ways of life, using historical artifacts such as stagecoaches, serapes, beaded clothing, firearms, photos and more. 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles. theautry.org/free

Norton Simon Free First Fridays. Pasadena (July 5):  If you’ve never been to this marvelous art museum, you should go. It’s free monthly on the first Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. There’s a lot to see so I’d get there early. It showcases the immense collection of the late billionaire Norton Simon, including masterpieces of painting and sculpture by artists such as Picasso, Renoir, Raphael, Van Gogh and more. Free parking. 411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena nortonsimon.org

Chevy show at Zimmerman Automobile Driving Museum, El Segundo (July 27):

“Tri-Five Chevy Show” celebrates Chevy passenger cars from the years 1955, 1956, and 1957. Live music, food trucks and more. 10 am to 2 pm. Free admission, $15 to register a car. This museum features original and custom cars from the 1930s to the 1950s. Coffee, pastries, food truck and raffle. Open to all. 610 Lairport St., El Segundo. https://automobiledrivingmuseum.org/event/tri-five2024

Second Saturday ArtWalk, Pomona (July 13): This monthly event in the Pomona Arts Colony brings crowds to the streets as art studios, galleries, shops and more stay open late. 6-10 p.m. 119 W. 2nd St, Pomona. downtownpomona.org/events

Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Los Angeles (July 9): The museum is free to all on the second Tuesday of the month, but also free for L.A. County residents every day after 3 p.m. The largest art museum complex on the West Coast, this collection includes everything from David Hockney paintings to ancient artifacts to free arts workshops. (Note that part of the museum is currently under construction.) Children 17 and under who live in L.A. County can sign up for the NexGen program, where they can get in free any day and bring one person with them. Bank of America cardholders get in free the first full weekend of every month (Only the cardholder). Paid parking is nearby, beware of street parking in the afternoon — you could be towed. 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles lacma.org/tickets

OC Parks Sunset Cinema (July 12, 19, 26 ): Activities begin at 6 p.m. movies start at sunset. Bring your chair and blanket. July 12: “Trolls Band Together” at Mason Regional Park, 18712 University Ave., Irvine; July 19 Barbie at Yorba Regional Park, 7600 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim; July 26: “National Treasure” at Yorba Regional Park. ocparks.com

Concerts in Orange County Parks  (July 11, 18. 25). Live music under the stars on Thursday evenings. All ages. Bring a blanket and chair. Food trucks available. Sponsored by OC Parks. July 11: Flashback Heart Atttack at Mason Regional Park, 18712 University Ave., Irvine; July 18: A Thousand Horses at Irvine Regional Park, 1 Irvine Park Road, Orange; July 25 No Duh: The Ultimate Tribute to No Doubt & Gwen Stefani at Irvine Regional Park. ocparks.com

Nature’s Open Door at Whittier Narrows Natural Area and Nature Center. (July 22) Open house featuring numerous organizations. Bird walk at 8 a.m. Other programs 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.1000 S. Durfee Ave., South El Monte parks.lacounty.gov/whittier-narrows-natural-area-and-nature-center/

Mountain Grove summer concert series, Redlands. (July 3, 10, 17, 24, 31) Concerts at the Mountain Grove shopping center, 7 p.m. On the food court lawn. Bring a lawn chair. July 3: Woody Garcia; July 10: Rolling Stone tribute band; July 17: Tom Petty tribute band; July 24: Twisted Gypsy Fleetwood Mac cover; July 31: Michael Jackson tribute. 27511 San Bernardino Ave., Redlands, mtgrove.com/events/

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