Help getting started

[alexb]

My wife is an amatuer sailor. I've been sailing several times where others have been running the boat but know nothing about the subject at all. My wife has been clamoring to take a long cruise. That's why I have the question below (and here it is):

For a cruise to the Medeterranean, presumably sailing, and with two children under 3 and a wife, what courses do I need to take, how many months (or years or hours) do I need to have been sailing, how many other able bodied good sailors (adults) do I need with me, how long would it take, can I store all the food/water I need on the boat or would I have to stop, and what kind of boat do I need to have (size, etc)?

Also is there a way to transport the boat back to the states (we'd want to fly back), and how is that best done?

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks!

[Sandero]

Are you talking about crossing an ocean? Or getting a boat to cruise around the Med?

If you are talking about an extended cruise you have a few options:

Buy and own - do it yourself

Buy and own - hire profession crew

Buy and own - get competent sailing buds to help you out

Charter without captain

Charter with captain

All this depends on what size boat you are thinking about (more creature comforts generally mean larger). Are you interested in roughing it or looking for a floating hotel to tour the Med?

You can ship a yacht for 10-20K from Europe to the US or hire a crew and have your boat beat up for 10K

If you are starting from scratch and want to learn to run a yacht around the Med, figure it will take on the order of years to get up to speed, unless you make getting up to speed a full time thing which most of us can't since we have jobs and so forth.

I decided to "cruise" while I was self employed in 85. I found a boat in 6 months and took 6 years to fit it out for cruising and off shore work and learn to sail in all sorts of conditions. I felt "ready" after 6 years and now I feel 3 x more ready, but I did cruise for 3 years in 91.

There's lots to get and you can't cram this in a few short months. It's a slow and steady journey and enjoyable one. If you're in a hurry, cruising may not be for you.

On the other hand, I don't know of people who got the bug, got started and dropped it. Once people start with this they seem to soldier on. It's an enormous commitment in both time and money, a decision not taken lightly, but very rewarding.

Go for it!

[alexb]

Originally Posted by defjef

Are you talking about crossing an ocean? Or getting a boat to cruise around the Med?

If you are talking about an extended cruise you have a few options:

Buy and own - do it yourself

Buy and own - hire profession crew

Buy and own - get competent sailing buds to help you out

Charter without captain

Charter with captain

All this depends on what size boat you are thinking about (more creature comforts generally mean larger). Are you interested in roughing it or looking for a floating hotel to tour the Med?

You can ship a yacht for 10-20K from Europe to the US or hire a crew and have your boat beat up for 10K

If you are starting from scratch and want to learn to run a yacht around the Med, figure it will take on the order of years to get up to speed, unless you make getting up to speed a full time thing which most of us can't since we have jobs and so forth.

I decided to "cruise" while I was self employed in 85. I found a boat in 6 months and took 6 years to fit it out for cruising and off shore work and learn to sail in all sorts of conditions. I felt "ready" after 6 years and now I feel 3 x more ready, but I did cruise for 3 years in 91.

There's lots to get and you can't cram this in a few short months. It's a slow and steady journey and enjoyable one. If you're in a hurry, cruising may not be for you.

On the other hand, I don't know of people who got the bug, got started and dropped it. Once people start with this they seem to soldier on. It's an enormous commitment in both time and money, a decision not taken lightly, but very rewarding.

Go for it!

OK, Thanks for your response, appreciate it.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by alexb

For a cruise to the Medeterranean, presumably sailing, and with two children under 3 and a wife, what courses do I need to take, how many months (or years or hours) do I need to have been sailing, how many other able bodied good sailors (adults) do I need with me, how long would it take, can I store all the food/water I need on the boat or would I have to stop, and what kind of boat do I need to have (size, etc)?

Also is there a way to transport the boat back to the states (we'd want to fly back), and how is that best done?

Hi Alex and welcome to cruisers forum.

If your wife is an experienced sailor and you are comfortable being first mate in regards to sailing duties this is not a huge hill to climb in my opinion.

Lots of people rent a charter with limited experience.

However to better prepare yourself you should consider taking some sailing lessons ASA101 and 103 are a good start.

The big variable is having 2 very small children on board and the risks need to be understood and the children properly looked after.

If you plan to buy a boat in the med and sail it back you are talking a whole different ball game.

Have you considered a catamaran rental in the bahamas instead?