There are hundreds of R/C sailboats for sale on EBay and the one thing they all have in common is the pleasure and relaxation that comes with the hobby. If you are new to R/C sailing or an experienced skipper/boat owner there are a few things about purchasing on EBay that I thought might be helpful.

First deciding what type of boat you are seeking and then chosing from what is available. I have been on EBay for over 6 years, and I have seen *almost* every class of model sailboat come across at one time or another. Deciding which boat you want is half the battle, then finding, buying and shipping the boat will be the 2nd half.  If you are a racer, and new to the hobby, learning about the classes of boats that are recognized in your country would be essential. Here in the USA, the AMYA or American Model Yacht Association is the place to start.  Once you know what you want, begin searching for the model under several different listings, since sellers seem to find new ways to list their models each week.  Searching under: Toys & Hobbies > Radio Control > Radio Control Vehicles>Boats>Boats,Watercraft> Battery Operated is a good start. Once there... you can search under Sail, Sailboat, Sail Boat, R/C yacht etc...  and yes, they all make a difference! Yacht, Model Yacht,   and then you can search under the specific type of boat such as EC-12, Santa Barbara etc.

I recommend that you set up several "Favorite" searches and check them a couple of times a week. Most auctions last at least a week.  There are many "toy" plastic boats that fall in the category, and you will spend a fair amount of time sorting around those... but you will also find that there are not only boats for sale, but you will find parts and fittings as well if you are looking closely.  Shipping for a model sailboat would seem very expensive at first, but once you have it crated up properly, it is not as bad as you might think. DHL is my most frequent choice as they will come pick up the box for $3.00 from a residence, and they have the best rates for boxes/crates in this size. A typical crate from Texas to California that is 75" x 16" x 16" and 47 lbs would be $56.00 from door to door pickup/delivery. I shipped an EC-12 from the shop here in San Antonio to New England for $38.00  Not bad!

Something to pay attention to is if you are interested in a specific class of boat that has restrictions such as the EC-12, Santa Barbara, Soling M,  etc... in that they are required to be manufactured by authorized suppliers to the class. If you are buying or selling such a boat, the legality of the boat will most certainly affect the selling price.  Many of the boats that you will find on EBay are from estates and or collections and the seller will have little or no knowlege of the boat, how to set it up, whether it works, leaks, etc. Do not hesitate to ask questions, and if you research the model on the web, you will most likely find websites that specifically deal with that class of boat, and many questions will be answered there. Also since the boats are operated on the "Surface" band of 75 mhz frequencies, you may come across some older boats that were setup on the 72mhz band, and will need to be changed. Sails don't last forever, and batteries on radios that are more than 5 years old are probably not going to last very long even after charging and recharging. Your local hobbyshops will probably know of the local ponds where the boats are sailed, and checking with the AMYA website will put you in touch with all the people you would ever need to help you and get you intouch with your local club, and there are hundreds of them across the USA.

Good Luck, and enjoy your new boat! IF you have any questions feel free to email me.