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Engine vs. Sail 5: Regatta sailing makes the sailboat more expensive
April 16, 2025 · 6 min · 2K views
What this video covers
A used sailboat versus used motorboat cost comparison pits Thomas Nilsson's X362 Sport (a 2000 sailboat) against a Nimbus 30S of similar vintage, both purchased for under 1 million NOK on the used market.0:04 Nilsson details annual ownership costs on the X362: roughly 60,000 NOK per year currently, up from about 30,000 NOK annually on a previous boat owned for 12 years, with spikes when new sails or equipment are needed.3:50 Racing drives costs sharply higher — sails burned through in the Skagen Race, a gennaker repaired after a world championship, and a broken lower shroud mean a full standing rigging replacement is due this winter on a 25-year-old rig, with the belt service on the engine overdue at seven-year intervals.2:50 The Nimbus owner's costs include a new chartplotter, refrigerator replacement, and a paint job; engine and drive remain original.1:22 Both owners do significant maintenance themselves, saving substantially against professional winter storage, which runs around 100,000 NOK at a full-service yard.5:03 Both boats have held value well as new-boat prices have risen, making the used market lag behind.5:33 Racing participation is identified as the primary cost multiplier on a sailboat.3:13
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