Buying a daysailor to practice on for a year before making the switch to living aboar

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by CaptainSostre

So.... my only concerns are being able to sell it at the end. How hard would it be to sell a Catalina 22 with a trailer? Or should I just assume I won't be able to sell it?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

Unless you run it down to terrible shape you should not have a problem getting approximately what you paid for it. Besides if you get one for $2-3K even giving it away after 1-2 seasons of ownership and use is still cheaper than paying sailing club dues. If you spend much more on a 30 year old 22 footer even if its condition justifies the price then yes you may have to sell it for less as there will be fewer potential buyers at higher price range.

[scottmills]

Great Idea ! There's nothing that can replace time on the water.
Best of luck.

[Twilight 2]

I bought a Hartley 16' trailer sailer, made some mistakes, found out about windows cut smaller than their hole, learned about broaching and genoas getting away. Learned to set and fly a spinnaker. Had a lot of fun.
Decided to restore/maintain her a bit and bought a 17' venturer.
Learned some more, this boat is 20 years younger than the Hartley.
I now have a 28' daydream keeler so the venturer is for sale. Keeping the Hartley. For me this has been a good way to go. I didn't start out buying a learner boat though! Just got so keen I had to buy a bigger boat after the venturer showed me I would like this sailing lark. I only sail solo and the small boats allowed me to refine some systems and techniques.

[RedHerring]

One thing I wold add is:

1. Find out if any small keelboat class is raced as one-design in your vicinity. It will be that much easier to sell later.

2. Actually, get involved in the racing. It's very easy, as long as you can commit to being there every Wednesday night during the racing season. Even if you have no clue about racing, someone in the fleet always needs a crew.

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by RedHerring

One thing I wold add is:

1. Find out if any small keelboat class is raced as one-design in your vicinity. It will be that much easier to sell later.

2. Actually, get involved in the racing. It's very easy, as long as you can commit to being there every Wednesday night during the racing season. Even if you have no clue about racing, someone in the fleet always needs a crew.

Great idea!

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

Great idea!

No it isn't. So this is supposed to prepare him to live aboard? How? He ought to be learning how to bleed his diesel, not racing his daysailer.

We all raced dinghys and daysailers in our day. It's fun. But it does not prepare you to live on a boat. Not at all.

[CaptainSostre]

I agree it's not gonna prepare me for bleeding a diesel, but shouldn't it teach me some general boat maintenance and ownership?

I've only taken a sailing class on one little 22. And afterwords I thought that learning more about sailing won't prepare me to live aboard, but maybe if I bought a little boat. Learned how to take care of it and do some repairs myself i would be much better prepared for living aboard. I'd also learn how to sail more effectively.

The way I see it. I think this is the best way for me to ease into living aboard. I don't want to jump in headfirst and not have a clue what I'm doing other than how to sail a boat.

Next question: who knows anything about sailboat racing clubs down in miami?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by CaptainSostre

I agree it's not gonna prepare me for bleeding a diesel, but shouldn't it teach me some general boat maintenance and ownership?

It depends. You will learn to scrape and paint (if you've never done this before) and how to flake a sail. But that's about it. I owned a 16' daysailer for years before buying a cruising boat, and in my experience it was apples to oranges. If you have limited funds, I'd spend them elsewhere.

If you are interested in a sailing club, pay for the membership and sail the club boats. Many clubs also have a few cruising boats and offer offshore courses, plus classes on navigation, maintenance, boat handling, etc. If you have to learn how to back a 35 ft. boat into a slip with a current running, it's always better to practice on a boat other than your own.

[jangann]

Try the Coconut a Grove Sailing Club.


An Ocean Lover in Maine.