Am I dreaming too big?

[valhalla360]

1. Depends how and where you will be traveling. If you will be anchored a lot in cool areas, yes get hot water and a shower. If you will be in warm areas a solar shower can cover you and if you are in cool areas in a marina, you can use the marina facilities.


2. Depends if the boat is designed for it and if it's 4 stroke. Yes, an inboard diesel will still win but with modern 4 stroke EFI engines, the difference is pretty close. The problem people run into with outboard is when they stick one on the back of a boat designed for inboard and then have trouble keeping the prop in the water. If you do go outboard, look up the rules for fueling and if the tank is in the hull make sure you have a bilge blower and check the bilge for fuel.

[SURV69]

It is Spring ... almost

head down to the docks and marinas ... talk to other sailers(sailors?) ...

Let them know what you want to do ... let them know you'd like to keep them company sometime when they go sailing ... maybe you can just sit and enjoy the sail and the conversation, but maybe you'll actually get to help with some sails and such.

Look for ride-alongs on boats of about the size and type you're interested on ... find out if the sea-moving-thingy is too much for you or if it can be overcome.

Just enjoy yourself for a month or two ... get a dozen or little trips in and then proceed with the classes and the buying of a boat.

Learn the way things are done ... then learn the way things should've been done ... buy a boat and go sailing ...

[donkey_jaw]

would a 4 stroke outboard be worthy and fuel efficient? I will probably be doing quite a bit of motoring down the ICW.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by donkey_jaw

would a 4 stroke outboard be worthy and fuel efficient? I will probably be doing quite a bit of motoring down the ICW.

I found the Honda 4x very reliable and fuel efficient.. and in the ICW.. no worries.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by donkey_jaw

would a 4 stroke outboard be worthy and fuel efficient? I will probably be doing quite a bit of motoring down the ICW.

Sure...if the boat is designed for an outboard.

We swapped out the 2 stroke that came with our boat in 2007. After several thousand miles, it runs like a charm, negligible maintenance and it's nice that the entire drivetrain comes out of the water eliminating a lot of the corrosion issues.

The switch, literally doubled our MPG for the same cruise speed.

[donkey_jaw]

Ill only put an outboard in a boat built for one. Im just wondering how the 4 stroke would compare to a diesel inboard in fuel economy.

[tbodine88]

While its warm or hot out a cold shower is fine, and since you are sailing south, when north of 20 degrees latitude and its summer, it'll be no problem. When u want a hot shower there are marinas and motels along the way.

I have had inboard and outboards. Outboards are easier to work on or get worked on except at sea. I spent a relatively pleasant afternoon replacing the fuel filters on my inboard while in St Kitts. It would have been hot work and I probably would have lost some small parts in the drink if it had been an outboard.

Busted the shear pin on an outboard in Puerto Rico. I just carried it ashore to a motor shop and had it fixed.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by donkey_jaw

Ill only put an outboard in a boat built for one. Im just wondering how the 4 stroke would compare to a diesel inboard in fuel economy.

From talking to other owners with the diesel option but otherwise same boat, maybe 20% better economy. Unless you do a lot of motoring the increased maintenance pretty much makes it a wash.