What advice would you give a 'newbie' and why?

[Dame.n.Jess]

Hi everyone,

Its been ages since I was on here and since last time we have sailed north a few hundred miles and still loving the boat life.

I was asked this the other day and it got me stumped for a bit, I got thinking about this and thought I would ask some others to see what they would say. So

"if you were doing it all over again, what would be some of the things you would want to tell other people who are starting out, and why"

Everyone has there area they think should be at the top of the list but im interested to know what makes peoples list.

for me it would be get the most comfortable boat you can afford, not the biggest or shiniest but the one that suits you ie good comfortable interior seating, no leaks etc as in my experience it makes living aboard a much nicer experience.

[atoll]

get a boat under 12m and your running costs will be significantly less than a 12.1m vessel

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Dame.n.Jess;1397880
[B

"if you were doing it all over again, what would be some of the things you would want to tell other people who are starting out, and why"[/B]
.

That you shouldn't believe people posting on forums actually know what they are talking about other than repeating the common lines.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by atoll

get a boat under 12m and your running costs will be significantly less than a 12.1m vessel

Might be the case if you go to Greece.

[skipmac]

After 40 years of messing about in boats and a few years in the business watching many dreamers come and go, if asked a couple of things come to mind.

1. Before you invest a lot of your time and money in a boat make sure that living on a boat and cruising is for you. I have seen too many people spend thousands of dollars and in a few cases, years of their lives "preparing" to cruise only to walk away at some point, often before even leaving the dock.

2. Develop a good set of DIY skills before taking off for remote places.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Might be the case if you go to Greece.

in respect of taxes yes,but marinas generally here in europe charge in brackets,ie 10-12m,12-14m etc,so anything over 12m you are paying the same as a 14m boat.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by atoll

in respect of taxes yes,but marinas generally here in europe charge in brackets,ie 10-12m,12-14m etc,so anything over 12m you are paying the same as a 14m boat.

Guess I'm gonna have to take a chain saw to the bowsprit and anchor roller and forgo the swim platform I was planning.

Oh wait, I wasn't going to stay in marinas anyway so better keep the anchor roller.

Actually, when I checked rates online I seem to recall that a lot of marinas charged by the square meter so took your length and beam to calculate the charge.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Guess I'm gonna have to take a chain saw to the bowsprit and anchor roller and forgo the swim platform I was planning.

Oh wait, I wasn't going to stay in marinas anyway so better keep the anchor roller.

better chuck that engine out as well with fuel @6euros a gallon

[crashkahuna]

Originally Posted by skipmac

After 40 years of messing about in boats and a few years in the business watching many dreamers come and go, if asked a couple of things come to mind.

1. Before you invest a lot of your time and money in a boat make sure that living on a boat and cruising is for you. I have seen too many people spend thousands of dollars and in a few cases, years of their lives "preparing" to cruise only to walk away at some point, often before even leaving the dock.

2. Develop a good set of DIY skills before taking off for remote places.

Read this: Amazon.com: Breaking Seas: An overweight, middle-aged computer nerd buys his first boat, quits his job, and sails off to adventure eBook: Glenn Damato: Kindle Store

[Oceandeep]

I've been messing about in boats for over 40 years as well. I started with a 21' sailboat with a swing down keel that we kept on a trailer in the driveway and gradually worked my way up to a 28 fixed keel, a 35 coastal cruiser and now to a 51' Blue Water cruiser. I've learned a lot of things along the way as I've tended to buy older boats in need of repair and fix them up. Probably the most important thing I've learned is that there is about 10 hours of work or every hour of sailing so you should buy a boat that makes you feel good every time you see her. Whether it's her sweet lines, varnished teak, canvas coves, sailing rig, cabin lay-out,etc. you need to get a sense of contentment every time you see your boat in order to keep makeing the tremendous investment of time and treasure.

[Dame.n.Jess]

These replies are really great.

What would you say to a newbie when they ask the infamous "What boat should I buy?"

Damien
s/v Lightly Salted

[Coops]

I would say "do a search on here"

Coops.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by atoll

better chuck that engine out as well with fuel @6euros a gallon

Nah. I'll keep the engine. I usually get about with the sails but I might take a little detour up the canals.

I will try to save up all my pennies so I can buy enough diesel to crank the engine once every month or so.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by atoll

better chuck that engine out as well with fuel @6euros a gallon

Another reason for a boat under 12 meters. Smaller engine, less consumption. Coming down to Mananaland, I averaged .37 gallons an hour...not too shabby!

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by Oceandeep

SNIP
Probably the most important thing I've learned is that there is about 10 hours of work or every hour of sailing
SNIP

While I have no doubt this is true for some folks it is not universally true. There are some folks who buy simple easy to maintain boats in very good shape and the ratio is reversed. On the other hand I know some folks who seem to enjoy maintaining their boat more than they enjoy sailing it.

My advice would be to determine what kinda sailor you are. There is no right or wrong answer. But you are the only one who can determine if you are a sailor or a maintainer. Once you figure that out it is much easier to figure out what kind of and level of shape the boat you get should be.