I think its going to be a Roberts

[BBWolf]

After looking at lots and lots of different boats the one that I love that's often advertised as a "great first boat" are the Roberts designed ones around 25-28 ft.

Just something about them.

A brokerage I've been talking with is located at a marina that also runs AYC approved sailing courses.

There's an intro 2 day course followed by what they call a "crew" course and then a 3rd 2 day course called the inshore skipper.

They also offer a whole plethora of other courses too. Things like crossing Bass Strait (which Pt Phillip and Westernport Bay open onto) to things like celestial navigation and the customs of sailing people in different regions of the world. But those courses seem more directed towards experienced sailors.


The inshore skipper course involves sailing from Westernport Bay into Bass Strait and then on into Port Phillip Bay and back. To get in and out of Port Phillip bay involves navigating the entrance known colloquially (and pretty much officially) as "the rip" and Bass Straight is the roaring 40's lattitudes where the Southern Ocean is forced though a bottleneck. (Lots of shipwrecks for any of you divers out there

Port Phillip Bay is a great stretch of water to learn on. And is pretty big too. Circular in shape which is 80k or so in diamater. Few hazzards apart from the shallows located around some of the shore areas but all so well mapped and marked it's not funny.

But to get out of the Bay and on to distant anchorages involves navigating "the rip" and the afore mentioned Bass Strait.

That the 3rd of the 3 courses I initially want to take over the summer covers "the rip" and Bass Strait all just sounds too good to be true.

I fall asleep every night thinking about sailing and wake up every monring thinking about it too and now that the reality of actually doing it is becoming so tangible I'm occasionally being overcome by anxiety attacks.

There's an argument going on in my head between "get a grip! - you're going off the rails with all this boat nonsense" and "you only live once chase the dream"

Needed to get this off my chest and out in the open as I don't talk to anyone in real life about this.

Cheers,
Wayne

[bradbarrett]

Wayne...My 2 cents worth...

Chase the dream, track it down,search it out, encircle it with all you are, all you have and all you hope to ever be. Tell everyone about your dream, so you MUST continue to pursue it, if for no other reason than you have good answer when those people you told ask "what's up with your dream". Keep stepping everyday towards your dream, and one day, you will have reached it.

Just showing up to earn the money to pay the rent and buy the food isn't a reason for living...it's a reason for dying...slowly.

[Jeff H]

Welcome to sailing. It is the kind of sport that you can do for a lifetime and still love. That said and with all due respect, the Roberts 25-28 footers are a miserable choice for a first boat in almost every way but especially if you actually want to learn to sail well. The ideal first boat is responsive with few bad traits. These are non-responsive boats with a range of very poor sailing traits. I really suggest that you actually learn to sail and spend some time sailing before deciding that a particular model is "one that I love".

Respectfully,
Jeff

[troppoboat]

G'day Wayne, Go for it mate don't wait or hesitate, ignore the knockers and those who are so deeply embeded in a rut they can't see out. The Missus and I are currently building our dream (11m cat) and had our fair share of negative comments. Bass Strait sounds like fun...NOT....more like a washing machine. I think my tip on boat choice is to talk to as many people as you can that have that boat and see if you can go on a passage with someone. We at first were looking for a 10.5m mono but after going for a blast in a 11m easy (we just asked the owners for a look on board and ended up on the habour) we were hooked and as we don't have the 200k to buy one, building was the answer. (no fun in 35c and 80%+ humidity) Goodluck with you dream and don't grow old wishing you had when you could. Regards Shane

[BBWolf]

g'day Troppo

Good to see another skip.

Do you know anything about the Aussie built Columbia 27's of the mid to late 80's?

There's quite a few on ninemsn boatpoint and they are invariably well maintained boats being offered.

I'm guessing that if the people who own these boats are people who look after their boat they must be half decent.

I took a squiz at a Seawind 24 a while back. A cat like that could be fun and would'nt cost an arm and a leg.

Good luck with knocking one up yourself. I envy those on the forum who are skilled with their hands.

If I ever come across plans for a corrugated iron and chicken wire boat I'll be game

A worry for the dream of boating is the RBA decision to increaseinterest rates by 25 points. Can't stop myself from calculating the opportunity cost of owning a boat when at call rates are creeping over 5% and BBB or higher rated debentures nudging 7.

Do accountants ever break free ?

[troppoboat]

Sorry Wayne no ideas on Columbias but I think boatpoint is a good start, seawinds are great boats a bit dear for me though, I went for a spin on the latest 12m seawind the other week very civilised, very nice. Chicken wire and corregated iron isnt that a ferro boat? Ooops now I have done it the concrete boys will be gunning for me. All the best for your quest. Shane