About the study
A small study of patient yacht ownership
Lode & Keel is an independent reference for sailors, owners, and people still deciding whether to become one. It is written slowly, checked against the paperwork, and kept free of sales talk.
Why the name
A lode is a vein of ore running through rock. It rewards anyone willing to dig carefully and to stop when the seam thins out. A keel is the spine that keeps a boat upright and tracking straight through a rising wind.
We chose both words for the two things owners tend to overlook until they matter: what lies under the surface, and what keeps everything steady when conditions turn. The rest of the site follows that pairing.
The five habits
Principles we return to
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01
Record before you remember
Memory flatters a boat. A dated line in a log, a photograph of a fitting, and a note of the engine hours are worth more than any recollection of how smoothly last season went.
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02
Inspect before you trust
A clean hull and fresh varnish say little about the structure underneath. Look at the bilge, the joints, and the places the previous owner did not think to polish.
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03
Budget in ranges, not promises
A range shows the gap between an easy year and a difficult one. A single figure hides that gap, and the gap is where most surprises live.
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04
Respect the weather and the water
A forecast is a plan, not a guarantee. Decide in advance what would make you turn back, and treat that decision as seamanship rather than nerves.
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05
Sell with the file intact
A boat that leaves with its logbook, service records, and survey report is easier for the next owner to understand. Keeping the file is a kindness to someone you will never meet.
Who this is for
- People planning a first sailing yacht who want to ask sharper questions of surveyors and brokers.
- Owners who inherited a boat and need to understand what they now maintain, and why.
- Crew who want to move from passenger to someone trusted with the helm and the checklist.
- Couples and small partnerships who share a boat and need one honest record that both can read.
How we write
We teach rather than sell. Where a figure depends on your boat, your port, your country, or your circumstances, we ask for it rather than guess. We do not publish prices, market forecasts, or rankings of brands and yards.
Nothing on these pages is paid placement, and nothing is an endorsement of a specific yard, product, surveyor, or person. When a page names a type of professional, it means the type, and you should choose the individual yourself.
Questions or corrections are welcome. Write to hello@mining.yachts and name the page and the sentence.