Advice

[Lysander]

Hello,

I am 23 years old and my wife is 24. We have been able to amass over $30k. We are preparing to leave the U.S. and sail the world.

1. Which boats would you recommend we buy for our budget (that can handle circumnavigations safely)

2. What are our options in terms of making money during our travels?

If you need more information, please ask.

I know that we don't have a lot of money. We don't need much either.

Thanks.

[sailorboy1]

I don't think you have enough money. But if you use the search function here your questions have been discussed.

[Pelagic]

Have you considered pooling your limited funds with other likeminded young sailors or a couple on a budget, to strengthen your cruising kitty?

[Lysander]

To Pelagic,

No, it's just going to be me and my wife. We want to go it alone.

[sv Winterlude]

I would read Annie Hill's book "Voyaging on a Small Income" -- you can get it on Amazon. It's an older book, but she's done it and been there. Plus I can guarantee that the view from the cockpit of our 30 year old boat and your whatever boat will be the same in any anchorage we're lucky enough to cross paths! ENJOY & Go for it! I think your budget may be a bit modest, but it depends on how handy you are are. Cheers!

[Cruiser2B]

There is a book by John Vigor, Twenty Boats you can Sail anywhere, or something like that. Anyway any of the boats in that book in good shape can take you anywhere. 30K is plenty if you look carefully and are frugual.

A guy locally here is thinking of parting with a Bristol 27. A great boat that will take you anywhere. I think he want s $7000 or so. This is not the most spacious or comfortable. What is it? It is safe, seaworthy and will carry you to many new adventures with your wife and your current savings. Life is too short to wait!

Good Luck

[Lysander]

Jan,

Thank you for the response. I will most definitely look into this book. Let me ask you this: We are currently living in the middle of the U.S.

We are considering first moving to some place on the coast, maybe Houston, and living on the boat for some time as we get used to it. That way we could continue earning some money, and we could also become a bit handier.

How long would it take for someone to acquire the skills necessary to be considered "handy?"

How much of a budget is considered not modest?

We want to continue earning money during our travels, but are still discussing how we would go about this.

[Lysander]

Let me also mention that we have another 6 months of rent, which means we have at least 6 months before we completely commit.

[sailronin]

Unless you have a job prospect in Houston I would choose a coastal area with a larger yachting population. More boats equals more prospects for finding a good used cruising boat. Check out SE US or So. Cal to find a good small boat. Houston has fewer boats and thus you'll have a harder time getting to a good boat.

[S/V Illusion]

Let me ask you -

do you know anything
about sailing?
about boat maintenance?
about boat equipment repairs?
about living on a boat?
about handling a boat in heavy weather?
about annual cost of ownership, insurance, expenses living abroad?

Your plan is a typical dream of many people and it would help save a lot of people's time if we knew if this was more than an idealistic plan.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by sailronin

Unless you have a job prospect in Houston I would choose a coastal area with a larger yachting population. More boats equals more prospects for finding a good used cruising boat. Check out SE US or So. Cal to find a good small boat. Houston has fewer boats and thus you'll have a harder time getting to a good boat.

Houston (clear lake) is one of the largest concentrations of private vessels in the us.

But given a choice, I'd rather be in south Florida.

[Jim Cate]

And not to be mean, but these very questions have been asked and answered countless times here on CF.

Please use the search functions to avail yourself of the many hours of advice-giving that has gone before. We all have a soft spot for young dreamers, but get tired of retyping the same old answers.

Thanks...

Jim

[sv Winterlude]

John Vigor's book mentioned above is also great -- in Portobello, Panama, we met a family from England, a mom, dad and 2 boys- aged maybe 10 and 8 sailing around the world on a 27 foot boat, might have been a Bristol 27. We met a late 20's couple in the San Blas Islands, Panama -- they were on their way through the canal to the South Pacific and that was two years ago. Go for it!

There's a Cape Dory older ketch for sale in our marina in SW Florida, but Yachtworld.com is down this evening, not sure how much. Do the homework. Maybe it would be best to relocate based on where you find the right boat, on the other hand, we meet a lot of cruisers from Texas.

There's no right or wrong answers, only what you find with your research that meets your criteria! If you don't know anything about electronics or diesel engines or refrigeration, learn now -- community colleges often have classes costing next to nothing -- wish we would have taken a couple before we left! On the other hand, there are always other cruisers with specific skills usually willing to help out.

Cruising is a wonderful community as I'm sure you'll find out soon!

[Lysander]

S/V Illusion, thank you for the response:

Let me ask you -

do you know anything
about sailing? -> No
about boat maintenance? -> No
about boat equipment repairs? -> No
about living on a boat? -> No
about handling a boat in heavy weather? -No
about annual cost of ownership, insurance, expenses living abroad? -> No, No (was thinking about not getting insurance), and not really (I lived in Sweden for 7 years growing up. It's rather expensive there.)

Your plan is a typical dream of many people and it would help save a lot of people's time if we knew if this was more than an idealistic plan.

Maybe it's idealistic, but it's going to happen one way or another.

[Lysander]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

And not to be mean, but these very questions have been asked and answered countless times here on CF.

Please use the search functions to avail yourself of the many hours of advice-giving that has gone before. We all have a soft spot for young dreamers, but get tired of retyping the same old answers.

Thanks...

Jim

Hi Jim,

I understand this. I have read many threads here. Sometimes a person still wants to discuss things individually with people. I appreciate your patience.