Decisions, dedisions...

[Capn Jimbo]

I have no doubt that many if not all of you have been here in the no man's land of trying to make a decision. In my case, here's where I'm at.

1. I have great interest in the classic plastics, eg. the Allied Seawind, Seawind II, Luders 33, Cape Dory 30 +/-, etc. If a cutter, great; if not, add a inner forestay and running backstay(s). Lots of respected CCA type classics that

2. I have also found the Freedom 33 and 28 Cat Ketches very attractive as well.

Here's the issue. I am in great physical shape - daily cycling, etc., very good health - BUT - I just turned 70, a rather scary number. Owned and sailed a Columbia 26 sloop on Lake Erie many years ago, outboard, typical weekend sailing. My partner is healthy, but not a sailor (though she is a very quick study).

This purchase will be my last hurrah, as it's now or never time.

The plan: sail around Ft. Lauderdale, then the Keys, and work our way out, get our chops down and then? The Thorny Path for, well, for maybe ever. The Pacific? Maybe. The Caribbean for a LONG time, yes.

The dilemma: I'm fine now, but I have to be real. If it were not for the facts, option one would be no-brainer, as I feel with a cutter rig or equivalent, I can rig it out in Pardey style. But there's also a terrific case for the Freedoms:

Super easy to sail and keep sailing, Minimal time on deck. No rigging. Relatively simple to handle and operate.

The question: at my age, and with these goals I need to make the practical choice. As much as I truly love the classics - they take our breath away - the Freedoms beckon with their alleged apparent ease and practicality - but then again, we love those classics...

And so it goes. Help! Man overboard in the Sea of Confusion...

[Schooner Chandlery]

The plastic classics you're considering are all small enough for you to keep sailing despite reduced agility or strength as you age. I know little of the Freedoms except a friend has one with a cracking carbon fiber mast that is very costly to repair. If money will not be a problem for you (he is fixed income) then you can deal with big failing technologies...

Best of luck with whatever you choose to do.


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[leftbrainstuff]

Originally Posted by Capn Jimbo

I have no doubt that many if not all of you have been here in the no man's land of trying to make a decision. In my case, here's where I'm at.

1. I have great interest in the classic plastics, eg. the Allied Seawind, Seawind II, Luders 33, Cape Dory 30 +/-, etc. If a cutter, great; if not, add a inner forestay and running backstay(s). Lots of respected CCA type classics that

2. I have also found the Freedom 33 and 28 Cat Ketches very attractive as well.

Here's the issue. I am in great physical shape - daily cycling, etc., very good health - BUT - I just turned 70, a rather scary number. Owned and sailed a Columbia 26 sloop on Lake Erie many years ago, outboard, typical weekend sailing. My partner is healthy, but not a sailor (though she is a very quick study).

This purchase will be my last hurrah, as it's now or never time.

The plan: sail around Ft. Lauderdale, then the Keys, and work our way out, get our chops down and then? The Thorny Path for, well, for maybe ever. The Pacific? Maybe. The Caribbean for a LONG time, yes.

The dilemma: I'm fine now, but I have to be real. If it were not for the facts, option one would be no-brainer, as I feel with a cutter rig or equivalent, I can rig it out in Pardey style. But there's also a terrific case for the Freedoms:

Super easy to sail and keep sailing, Minimal time on deck. No rigging. Relatively simple to handle and operate.

The question: at my age, and with these goals I need to make the practical choice. As much as I truly love the classics - they take our breath away - the Freedoms beckon with their alleged apparent ease and practicality - but then again, we love those classics...

And so it goes. Help! Man overboard in the Sea of Confusion...

Go for it. Buy one in good condition that doesn't need any corrective maintenance.

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