What happens to all the wannabees?

[Kettlewell]

By PR I assume you mean Puerto Rico--cool place to start sailing, but if you leave the dock this winter there will be more than enough wind! Makes it tough to go east at times. Down there going aground often means coral, so try to avoid that activity.

[WannaBeWanderer]

Wow!

I had thought running aground was a very rare occurence. I stand (well sit) corrected.

@ Atoll - No, not the estimable Cpt. Ron! He was an "old salt" that just had a bad day.

@ Kettlewell - I am praying that you are joking about it being a "typical day on the water". I don't think I would enjoy doing that as a routine outing.

(Thread Drift) btw- I am still looking for an affordable boat timeshare with an owner who is willing to teach/boss around a wannabe. Philadelphia to Annapolis and points between are our practical geographical limits. Thanks.

@ sv Winterlude - I am glad things worked out in reverse in your situation . Thanks for the luck-wishing.

William

[Kettlewell]

@ Kettlewell - I am praying that you are joking about it being a "typical day on the water". I don't think I would enjoy doing that as a routine outing.

Ha! I was typing that tongue-in-cheek, but at the same time I was remembering a day I had in the same spot. We were on our way to the Annapolis show and it was after dark, light wind, so we were motoring the last bit south of the bridge to Annapolis when I noticed that apparently we were no longer moving. Engine was humming right along, but we weren't going anywhere. Since we had been dodging crab pots I figured I must have snagged one on my prop or rudder, so we shut her down and I went over the side with a waterproof flashlight and a knife strapped to my leg. Let me tell you, it is creepy swimming underwater in the pitch black with nothing but a flashlight lighting things up--I felt like a giant fish bait down there. Couldn't find anything. Back up out of the water and down below to remove the engine box to see what was going on. Engine is running, but shaft is not turning. Apparently the transmission is shot. So, in very light winds we hoist sail and proceed to spend the next few hours slowly tacking our way up into Annapolis Harbor. Since we have no engine we decide to anchor pretty far out in a patch of 10-20 feet of water. Lower the anchor and down it goes, down, and down, and down. Finally at 50 feet of chain it hits bottom, yet the depth sounder is still showing something like 15 feet?! We find out later from some locals that the Navy sunk some shafts down in the harbor out there for some reason and we happened to have dropped our anchor into one of them. It actually turned out to be somewhat lucky, because we hung there through some bad storms with people dragging all around us. Of course, two weeks later, after rebuilding the transmission while on the hook, getting that anchor back up out of the shaft was nearly impossible. We cranked, hauled, motored around in circles, etc. and finally we were covered in stinky black ooze from head to toe, along with mud all over the deck. Finally got that thing up, and off to the next adventure!

It wouldn't be as much fun if it wasn't challenging at times.

[Mr B]

Could this be a wannabee,

[caratacus]

I posted the typical "Hey I totally want to go cruising what do I do?" a couple of years ago and talked with one or two members and received useful information on where to begin. I've since learned to sail, crewed in races (lakes, since I'm a landlocked guy), learned a lot about small engine repair, sold my house, changed my career to get me to south Florida, and will be moving there this summer. I still have a long list of things to do, but it's been a pretty major hurdle to disconnect myself from in-land USA both financially and relationship-wise.

I'm fully prepared for the eventuality that my plan will stall somewhere short of sailing around the world, but so far, I'm about 4 months ahead of schedule at the end of year 2 of a 4-year plan to cruise the American east coast.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by caratacus

I posted the typical "Hey I totally want to go cruising what do I do?" a couple of years ago and talked with one or two members and received useful information on where to begin. I've since learned to sail, crewed in races (lakes, since I'm a landlocked guy), learned a lot about small engine repair, sold my house, changed my career to get me to south Florida, and will be moving there this summer. I still have a long list of things to do, but it's been a pretty major hurdle to disconnect myself from in-land USA both financially and relationship-wise.

I'm fully prepared for the eventuality that my plan will stall somewhere short of sailing around the world, but so far, I'm about 4 months ahead of schedule at the end of year 2 of a 4-year plan to cruise the American east coast.

Hi Caratacus
Welcome back to CF!
Glad to hear you are halfway through and ahead of schedule.
We get so many posts here from people with no experience who say they want to go cruising, that it is fantastic getting some feedback from those that are actually making it happen.
Good luck with all your plans.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, caratacus.

Originally Posted by Mr B

Could this be a wannabee,

More probably a "used-to-be".

[Kettlewell]

I'm about 4 months ahead of schedule at the end of year 2 of a 4-year plan to cruise the American east coast.

Way to go! It's worth it.

[Boulter]

Originally Posted by Boulter

Hi:

This wannabe has a boat. An Ontario 32 will arrive by truck next week to be parked out the back door until the spring or whenever stuff actually gets fixed. Core is shot in a few places, everything needs to be rebedded, some 37 year old gate valves, and the wiring allegedly done by an electrician is of course botched. And that is just the stuff I know about.

Boulter

The boat is here. I have been working on the winter cover frame the past few weeks. Finally the custom tarp arrived Thursday. After sweeping away the overnight snow , we and two friends hoisted the tarp on and tied things off. I need to go back and change a few things with the tie downs, but we are in principle covered for the winter.

Now on to the electrical, rotten deck core, lift and rebed everything, seacocks, maybe AP ... Oh, and I learned that the clear plastic in my dodger shatters at low temperatures. Probably a boat buck to fix that. Unclear if just the low temperatures did it in, or if 10 years of sun was mostly the issue.

Boulter

[YouTube Sailor]

I'm declaring myself a wannabee, my plan is to escape in 2018 or 2019.

I watch videos, read books, troll around this forum, do a tiny bit of racing and an occasional charter. I am desperate to get on the water and sail off into the sunset, hopefully good things come to those that wait. I have a least a million questions I need answering before I go.

[Kettlewell]

I'm declaring myself a wannabee, my plan is to escape in 2018 or 2019.

Get a small, old, and cheap boat and start practicing by using it. It's also a good way to see if you really like it. I think a high percentage of the wannabees that don't make it start too big and bite off more than they can chew at first, or they find they don't like it once they finally get going.

[Rhapsody-NS27]

While I'm still considered a wannabe, I'm a bit of a try'n to be.

When they say projects are going to take longer and cost more than expected ain't kidding. I knew I had some work to do on my boat when I got it, which was mostly cleaning up. The next thing was stopping leaks. Portholes leaked, replaced gaskets and stopped. Handrails on deck leaked in a few places, took them off to revarnish and about to put them back on. Now a new project showed itself. Engine raw water intake seacock/thru-hull was very loose, which explains why there was water in the bilge when I got it. Now I'm collecting parts and using Maine Sail's site to replace them properly. I could replace all the other thru-hulls and seacock/valves since they're using wood as backing plates but they seem more solid... actually, might as well replace them while I'm at it.
Just recently did my first oil/filter change and will need to replace a rusted metal water lift muffler to a fiberglass one. I winterized the engine for the first time too.

I'll get there eventually. Even though I've been doing more work than I expected, I'm actually still having fun along the way solving the problems and knowing what was done and how in case something else happens.

[DSDman]

Yeah follow their advice, I got a big boat and I'm chewing for all that I'm worth. I've found my biggest problem is myself and my type A personality. I want it done, now...and right! I just dont have the funds/time to make it all happen a fast as would make me happy. Plus I dont think I fully appreciated just how freakin expensive college tuition has become!

[YouTube Sailor]

DSD, I don't think a 60 footer will be my first boat.

I've thought about a starter boat but it would be hard to get the time to get out there. I live in Savannah GA, its pretty shallow and takes a while to get out to open water. I just see it sitting at the dock whilst I am working and I would not be able to afford to charter once/twice a year (next one in Jan 2013) if I owned a boat in a marina. I am learning very slowly but with so little boat time I do feel as though its one step forward and two back sometimes. That being said its hard to see me waiting 5/6 years for my first boat.

[Wannabe-007]

I agree... the adage you see on every thread like this is "Go cheaper, go smaller, go sooner, go longer". I like it, I believe it in, but it does have its limitations. As a mere padawan learner, I reckon your regular charter is a good way to spend your money/time. I'm doing the same thing, and will be aboard my first charter in a few days time .
I've been spending a fair bit of time looking at boats that fit my requirements... I think i'd like a Lagoon 400 or a Lavezzi 40... either one would stretch my 200k budget to its max, and the idea of trying to see if I like it by buying something with half the living area doesn't really work for me. It would really put my wife off if I took her away in a 30 footer. I supposed the issue is exaserbated by the fact that I'm looking at the lowest realistic end of liveaboard catamarans. Life would be much easier if she enjoyed 'heel'.

Anyhoo, next week this Wannabe is chartering an Athena 38 for 4 nights. It will be Wifeys first time away on a cat, so that will be very educational .