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Old 19-04-2016, 08:38   #1
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Too Much Boat Too Soon?

Yup, double emphasis on too much boat and too soon!

Hi All,

Brand new registered user here although I have been reading for months. Very informative and it seems almost all respond with their true feelings. Some differences of opinion, of course, but the OP usually wants both sides; as I am requesting now.

I have motor boated on the Gulf of Mexico for the past 45 years. I have sailed with a friend on a mid-thirties (35 I believe) Hunter a total of about 6 times, just day trips - out and back. I also helped the same friend deliver a 44 footer from the Tampa area to Key West. I was a swabbie for that passage, not the captain. As you can see, the bulk of my experience has been with power and only one passage that entailed two night watches on a sailboat. I was a licensed USCG Captain, then Master and had a towing certification. I have since let the license expire as I wasn't using it.

A few qualifiers: I am in excellent health and physical shape at my young age of 62 years. Yes, I know most people get out of sailing at this age. The wife and I, she is 11 years my junior, want to leave Florida and hit the Carib.. At my age I am looking at this sailboat purchase as my "one and only" as I don't have enough years to start small and move up some years down the road. We are dealing with a lovely couple on a 45' Leopard. Wife wants stability, I want storage and we both want extra room for friends to join us quite often. We are talking the Caribbean, not the Pacific.

Oh, did I mention the "late in life child?" Younger women will get you in trouble every time.. A 10 year old boy and we want to give him an education and upbringing you simply can't buy.

Yes, there is a lot to learn but we are up for the challenge. Yes, we are going to take it slow the 1st year. We will probably just hang in coastal Florida and the Keys while we learn. Yes, we know we can still get into trouble but with my on the water experiences I hope we can stay out of the worst of it.

So, too much boat too soon?
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Old 19-04-2016, 08:49   #2
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Re: Too Much Boat Too Soon?

I don't think it's too much boat too soon. You probably would get better sailing experience with a monohull first, as cats can seem "too easy", ie: they don't let you know that you have too much sail up etc ... until it's too late and other things like that. But you will figure it out.
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Old 19-04-2016, 08:53   #3
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Re: Too Much Boat Too Soon?

Doesn't sound like too much to me - all depends on your comfort level.

Keep in mind though this is coming from someone who on their first charter captained a Leopard 47 and the largest boat I had captained prior to that was a 27' power boat and 27' sailbot. I knew I could handle it though as I am very confident in my boating skills. It just took some getting used to with not only the length, but the added beam..
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Old 19-04-2016, 08:59   #4
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Re: Too Much Boat Too Soon?

You have the desire and the experience. What more can you ask for? Sounds like a great plan. Go for it.

I'd be interested in if anyone says don't. This just isn't a forum where dreams come to die!
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Old 19-04-2016, 09:01   #5
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Re: Too Much Boat Too Soon?

I had previous power experience myself.
Very first sailboat I had ever tried to sail, is the one I own, and then not until after I bought her.
Accept the fact that your a dummy and don't know anything and act accordingly, and I think you'll be fine.
That will mean of course a few times of sitting at the dock when you could be out sailing etc., but you have time, right?

Just go slow, and it it doesn't feel right, go around
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Old 19-04-2016, 09:04   #6
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Re: Too Much Boat Too Soon?

Before you buy, check out insurance first, there may be some requirements that you may not meet right off.
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Old 19-04-2016, 09:09   #7
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Re: Too Much Boat Too Soon?

Your previous experience sounds much more extensive than many cruisers have before taking the plunge. And many less experienced people charter cats of that size.

I'm 67. Your age isn't an issue. If you (and your wife) can keep up with a 10 year old boy you can manage sailing.

Best wishes for good sailing. Life is an adventure.


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Old 19-04-2016, 09:14   #8
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Re: Too Much Boat Too Soon?

Quote:
Originally Posted by SV Bacchus View Post
Yup, double emphasis on too much boat and too soon!


A few qualifiers: I am in excellent health and physical shape at my young age of 62 years. Yes, I know most people get out of sailing at this age. The wife and I, she is 11 years my junior, want to leave Florida and hit the Carib..

What kind of crap is this -- TOO OLD??? We left Miami at age 62 and headed up the east coast and Bahamas twice before we head to Mexico and down to Colombia then across to Jamaica and down to Trinidad - at age 67 or so did a 2 person crossing of the Atlantic and now at age 70 planning our 4th year in the Med and we still have to cross back and we don't take crew - too old what BS


At my age I am looking at this sailboat purchase as my "one and only" as I don't have enough years to start small and move up some years down the road. We are dealing with a lovely couple on a 45' Leopard. Wife wants stability, I want storage and we both want extra room for friends to join us quite often. We are talking the Caribbean, not the Pacific.

So, too much boat too soon?

Our first and only boat is a Jeanneau DS40 that we bought new in 2003 - and we had no real experience in anything outside a couple of ASA sailing lessons and a couple of charters - just work with it.
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Old 19-04-2016, 09:30   #9
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Re: Too Much Boat Too Soon?

You'll be fine.
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Old 19-04-2016, 09:50   #10
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Re: Too Much Boat Too Soon?

I would agree that it's a lot of boat but with your background I think you will be fine. One thing I would recommend is buying a small monohull dingy and get some sailing practice in with it. It is very hard to learn how to feel a large boat.
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Old 19-04-2016, 09:55   #11
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Re: Too Much Boat Too Soon?

A 45' cat is a piece of cake compared to a young wife and a 10 year old kid.
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Old 19-04-2016, 10:31   #12
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Re: Too Much Boat Too Soon?

Ha! Yes, a 10 year old at 62 is a handful but he is a big part of what is keeping me young.

When composing the thread I totally forgot that in "another life with another wife" I sailed for about 4 summers on a Laser (Lazer sp?). The in-laws had lake front property and FIL just had to have a sailboat. Good for him and good for me! The first summer I spend a lot of time IN the water! Dang thing did teach me a thing or two.

The sailboat search has been on-going for almost a year now and did start with mono's. We both just "kinda" migrated to the cats. We were following the philosophy that if you want 40' to 42' in a mono you can get by with 35' on a cat. Well, we just didn't like the set up, or cockpit size, or, etc.. Then we found the 45 Leopard and both said "hmmm, that is the one!" It is an older unit with straight shafts, not saildrives, powered by Yanmars. Cockpit is simply amazing!

The owner's are working with us by accepting earnest money while we sell either a couple of parcels of property or our house. Everything we have is for sale!

We live on the Gulf right now, right on the Gulf, and I almost bought a Hobie the other day for the kid and I both to practice on. Since I had the Laser experience earlier (very valuable) I thought the Hobie would, in the same way as the Laser did for mono, offer some small insight into sailing a cat.

Thanks for all the encouragement, we are pretty excited. Wifey will be glad to know our plan, implemented with caution, is very possible.
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Old 19-04-2016, 11:26   #13
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Re: Too Much Boat Too Soon?

Leopard 45 for the Caribbean is an excellent choice.
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Old 19-04-2016, 12:25   #14
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Re: Too Much Boat Too Soon?

My first sail boat was a 50' mono-hull and I was older than you when I got her. In less than a year I was easily sailing short and even single-handed in 20+ knot winds and off-shore in Norther California. With a small crew we have taken her into considerable weather and for some great passages. Go for it, what is the worst that can happen.

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Old 19-04-2016, 16:02   #15
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Re: Too Much Boat Too Soon?

SVBacchus,

You have a lot of experience, sounds like you've made your choice, so good on you.


I do like the idea above, for a little sailing dinghy for one of your tenders. Your son will learn to sail in it. A large cat does not have the same kind of feel that monos do, but the dinghy will teach him practical physics!

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