How to Explain to a Woman what Liveaboard Means ?

[Ocean Girl]

Originally Posted by Don1500

Thanks for the incouragement.

BTW my first stop after the house is settled is Kemah. There are so many boats for sale in that area I am sure I will find one. Spend a few months there for whatever refit I would need then head east. Take a year to get to the Chesapeak and settle into the Salt Ponds for the summer, Florida and points south in the winter.

Yep, lots of good boats for sale here. When you are ready give us a holler, I kinda keep track of the boats for sale so can give you a good idea of how long they have been on the market (though I have been out of the loop these last few months). I highly recommend Kemah for boat purchase, refit, and a jumping off point. Plus if you choose the right marina it is a good hurricane hole. I can help your gal( if she wants) with the sailing life transitions and whatnots.
Not to jump too ahead but what design are you looking for? I could keep an eye out if you like. Plus, one thing to keep in mind when shopping around here is to be cautious of IKE damaged boats.

Cheers and I really hope your house sells, your lady turns sailoress, and you are afloat very soon.

Erika

[VirtualVagabond]

Ocean Girl.
I'm not wanting to hijack Don's thread here, but I guess I am, a little.

I've not really considered Kemah to boat hunt. We hope to be over from Aus in a couple of months and will be looking for something along the lines of Vagabond 47, Hudson Force 50 'Venice', Formosa 51, even CT 54.
I know Wanderer is there (Formosa 51), but if you happen to come across anything else in your meanderings that you think is worth a look, I'd really appreciate the tip off.
Thanks.

Vic

[Don1500]

Ocean Girl,
Thanks! I am looking for something 30-40' (More towards the 40), monohull, draft <5', Bridge clearance <55' (My home port will have a bridge I need to clear). Something along the lines of a Pearson 365, Tartan 34 or 37, or Irwin Citation.

I have been looking at a Bruce Roberts Spray, (2000 Bruce Roberts Spray 36 sailboat for sale in Texas). But I am leery of the steel hull. Also it has been on line now for over 2 years. At the price they are asking it should have sold by now. It doesn't say but I think it is a home build.

[Don1500]

Oh, yes, I know about Ike.
But, if you're careful, and look sharp, you can get a deal on a boat the owner thinks is beyond his level to fix. a $100,000 boat for $15,000 is worth it, even if you need to put in all new electronics and engine.

[Ocean Girl]

Oh goody I get to go boat hunting :-).
VB- there is a Formosa 46 that brian and I like, it is the same design as the Kelly Peterson. They are asking 90 but It has been on the market for quite a while.

Don- The steel boat market down here is very dismal, everyone is scared of steel so you can get some really good deals, but 35 for that boat seems really wrong, it's down in Galveston which is too far away for me to peek at but maybe we can get a call out here to a CFer that might be willing to see her. Bruce Robert design is great. let me look around the area for you guys :-) fun fun.
Cheers,
Erika

[Ocean Girl]

VVB-
Here is the link to the f 46
Little Yacht Sales - Current Inventory

[Don1500]

"35 for that boat seems really wrong"
Wrong - High or low? I think low. that is why I haven't put this one up here. Everytime I do the boat gets bought. We might all be friends here, but a deal is a deal.

NOTE: This thread may be drifting, but I'm the OP and I'm getting answers I can use. Thanks!

[Don1500]

BTW Oceal Girl, Get me down there so I can party at your "wedding"!

[VirtualVagabond]

Thanks Ocean Girl.
May just be a tad smaller than we want. Even the Vag47 only just makes it for us.

Don,
Bruce Roberts designs are generally very good. The Spray is not one of them. As I understand it, he used the lines of Slocum's Spray as much as possible. The result is a boat with loads of space to liveaboard, but a serious dog under sail, unless your going downwind.
They do not go to windward at all, and you'd have to consider yourself to be buying a motorsailer.
If that is fine by you, it could be a good buy.
BR is a designer who specialised in the home built market, so standards vary tremendously. He has made it possible for many to get to sea who wouldn't have normally.
Good, well built Bruce Roberts boats can get big money, and deservedly so.

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by Gadagirl

That is always so disappointing. It seems you go on for a time becoming more attached and then they swap out the product that was on display.
They say at around 6-8 months into a relationship is when a persons true agenda and motives become more apparent. Trouble is, by then you've become fond of them and it's not really pleasant to have to move on. Live and learn.
Meeting a woman on the water might be the best option. She will certainly be upfront and honest about lifestyle choices, as she will have been putting her choices into action already. However, do not look exclusively to one place. Opportunity is always found by keeping your mind and eyes open.

You are so right..I spent 6 mos.getting in and 8 mos. getting out and this "person" still wont leave me alone...Don be very,very,very,very,careful..good luck...PS. got my mustang problem worked out,now one more trip thru the system of juris-prudence and i'm going to catch up with the sweet life.DVC

[EBCAU]

A word of advice for introducing a new partner to sailing and live aboard. Break her in gently - to the sailing that is. Over to you for the other stuff!

Make sure that you don't take her on any challenging trips in the early stages. Build her confidence gradually because the chances of frightening her off could otherwise be high. As blokes we are prepared to make do with the minimum of bathroom amenities. Women seem to like a little luxury. Consider that and do your best to provide.

I give my advice from my own experience. My now wife is from another warmer country and culture, had never been on a boat, and cannot even swim. She was not overly enthusiastic at the prospects in general. I said she had to prove she could live aboard with me for a cold six month winter and then we would review our future. Two and a half years, and three winters, later she had called my bluff completey, and so I had to marry her. Not reluctantly either.
We now live ashore, but after eight years owning the sail boat, and a little cruising, I have considered selling. Funnily enough it is her that says that perhaps we might not be finished with sailing yet and not to rush into that. So, it can be done. Good luck with it.

[callmecrazy]

I learned a long tine ago about compatibility. Basically, if you want a certain type of person, you have to be that type person first.

If you want a girl that's athletic, doesn't smoke, and doesn't drink. Your best shot is to be athletic, don't smoke, don't drink... It's that simple.

The same goes for most lifestyle choices, including livingaboard and cruising. Trying to 'convince' a girl about a lifestyle you're not already leading is like clapping with one hand.

Chances are, once you find yourself as a cruising sailor, the cruising chicks will become available. (or at least the ones that might be interested in it)

If your already Ina relationship, it's a different story. You'll have to work that out amongst yourselves but I have no doubt that trying to convert a landlubber into a sailor is a losing battle.

[Don1500]

Originally Posted by EBCAU

A word of advice for introducing a new partner to sailing and live aboard. Break her in gently - to the sailing that is. Over to you for the other stuff!

Make sure that you don't take her on any challenging trips in the early stages.

So I guess the Galveston - Key West rhumb line trip is not a good idea?

[Don1500]

Why is it when we were young and were starting to sail all we wanted was faster, further, wetter, but to get a girl to go sailing it's slower, shorter, dryer?

[avb3]

Originally Posted by Don1500

Why is it when we were young and were starting to sail all we wanted was faster, further, wetter, but to get a girl to go sailing it's slower, shorter, dryer?

I almost thought you were not talking about sailing when I first read this