Hoping for a good discussion on this ... I've been looking at a lot of boats lately & am not yet clearly focussed. Maybe some opinions would help. I've owned many a pwr
boat & know what I want in one as well as the
environment where I use them. I currently run a 19', 225hp center console up & down the
Ohio. However, I'm planning a trip to
New Orleans to check out the area & I'll take the
boat with me ... everything of interest to me will be best viewed/accessed from the
water.
Considering my planned relocation, I don't think I need to fool with retractable keels, etc, I'm working on getting closer to deep
water & am looking at
New Orleans as a center point of access to
blue water & brown. I’ll probably always keep a
shallow draft pwr boat around for runs upriver and would take a sailboat to sea.
First of all, my preference is
wood, we can discuss the weaknesses of that material but I think I've considered those options to my satisfaction & am willing to live with the difficulties of
wood while enjoying the benefits. Bottom line, I love wood & don't want to live in plastic. Further, I'll admit to a weakness for sloops & do realize that they don't offer the roomiest
hull form.
So, with the above & living space in mind, what would be the largest s/v that could be considered a safe
single handler? On my own I don't require a lot of space & I'm not saying that I'm just gonna run out & buy something really long because it's long, but I do want the ability to accommodate another & need to set the upper limit.
Though I won't commit limited space to a sporadically used "guest"
cabin, I'll need to occasionally accommodate adult
kids & their families. I do have one grand daughter (already
) & would count MzSlobbersAlot as a frequent guest.
Also, what might I do with the
rigging to allow a second more to do than just staying out of the way while still maintaining a safe
single hand configuration? (I've learned from a lifetime of flying that you don't enthuse loved ones by allowing them nothing more than an opportunity to watch you play, have to get them involved as well if they're to find their own interest in it).
I'm not really looking for endorsements of specific models, more like general suggestions in
hull &
rigging, but will read anything offered with interest. Also, though sloops are what catch my eye I'll consider any breed of s/v.
Sailing is a new thing for me & I supposed the root of the attraction is range, the freedom to go where I will without the limits of tankage & the (limited) ability to fill them. Finally, I do plan to pick up a day sailor over the
winter, possibly while I'm in New Orleans, & start
learning to sail her in the spring. Something inside of or around 25 feet & it should be a boat that requires a sailor (much like an old Champ or Citabria requires a pilot & not just a point & click passenger in the front seat, left)
The day sailor will be
sold as soon as I feel that I'm competent to step up so another factor in that selection, I suppose, would be a hassle free
sale or trade-in ... something that people will want to buy for as close to what I've spent as possible. For this purpose
fiberglass will be fine, perhaps even preferable.
So, to summarize ... I'm looking for two entirely different boats ... a trainer that will eventually go away & a
live aboard that I could stumble over & buy tomorrow but not be ready to sail for awhile for a variety of reasons. I'm looking for suggestions & commentary that will help me focus my thinking.
Thanks, Troubledour
I should also say that I've never bought a brand
new boat in my life & probably never will. Can't say that about cars but for my own use I just can't get my
head wrapped around that first couple of years of depreciation, so ... used is fine, new just won't happen.
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