Changing my life, setting sail in a year!

[Lambordinghy]

Hey everybody, hope all is well.

I am 20 yrs/old, graduating college soon, living in South Texas, and have been sailing for 6 years now. My dad got into sailing when I was almost 15 and these last 6 years have been very incredible for our entire family. We got a Catalina 320 shortly after getting into sailing, and have been sailing frequently ever since. There have been multiple trips to the BVI and a very memorable trip to Annapolis, MD for the boat show.

I recently told my dad that I want to work around boats when I graduate in May and I plan on somehow making a career out of sailing. My dad had the idea of letting me cruise with his boat for a while (like a year, give or take some months). Since he can't really take off cruising until he retires, and since I am young and have the time. This would most likely include sailing around the gulf to Florida and then up the East Coast. I am super excited for this trip and extremely grateful that my dad is as serious about my future of sailing as I am. I just wanted to know if anyone had any general advice for me in the preparation phase of this trip. I graduate from school May 2016, and would move onto the boat then to finish preparations and leave.

First post here, thank you for your replies!

[BlueBuddha]

Welcome and congrats! It sounds like an amazing opportunity for you!!!

Regarding your plans to work in the industry I would start looking into the cost guard licensing process (e.g., accumulating hours etc.). Also consider getting RYA Yacht Master at some point.

Regarding your trip, you seem to have tons of experience already. I would consider doing some of the advanced navigation theory courses (such as RYA coastal skipper theory). That will complement your experience nicely. I did the theory and practical courses recently and it was quite challenging but insanely useful.

Best wishes


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[Lambordinghy]

Thanks, I will look into that!

[dannc]

Originally Posted by Lambordinghy

... My dad got into sailing when I was almost 15 and these last 6 years have been very incredible for our entire family. We got a Catalina 320 shortly after getting into sailing, and have been sailing frequently ever since. There have been multiple trips to the BVI and a very memorable trip to Annapolis, MD for the boat show....

This is great. Do more of it.

Spend more time with your family, as much as you can, while you can. You are starting out in your life and time is going to start flying by at a speed that is hard to comprehend. My dad and I went sailing together but not near as much as I wish we had. I was off at school while working full/part time, and dating, ie, making my life. I did find time to go sailing but near enough. One day you will wake up and you will look back and say were did the time go?

Before things take off for you, make sure to spend some of this sailing time with the family. For me it is all but impossible to get a week off at one time. Two weeks is for Christmas and New Years. To take off more time than that is impossible.

At about your age, I thought about taking a summer off and driving around and camping out west. That did not happen and will not happen until I retire. At this point, I would rather travel around the world by boat and when the boat is too much, see the western US.

A guy I went to high school with took a year off before going to college. He was a smart guy in school and he was even smarter to take off that time. Teachers and advisers had a fit that he was taking off a year before going to school but he was smarter than them. He did go back to school but he had the special, precious year.

Good Luck,
Dan

[JPA Cate]

Lambordinghy:

Welcome aboard! Great CF name.

There are some professional seamen aboard here, in no particular order, nigel 1, muckle flugga, El Pinguino, boatman 61, atoll, and many others. It is a fairly arduous task to become a skipper these days, you have to work your way up and pay your dues, but the pay is quite good.

Enjoy your "gap year". You'll have many memories of it for a long time.

Ann

[BandB]

Originally Posted by Lambordinghy

Hey everybody, hope all is well.

I am 20 yrs/old, graduating college soon, living in South Texas, and have been sailing for 6 years now. My dad got into sailing when I was almost 15 and these last 6 years have been very incredible for our entire family. We got a Catalina 320 shortly after getting into sailing, and have been sailing frequently ever since. There have been multiple trips to the BVI and a very memorable trip to Annapolis, MD for the boat show.

I recently told my dad that I want to work around boats when I graduate in May and I plan on somehow making a career out of sailing. My dad had the idea of letting me cruise with his boat for a while (like a year, give or take some months). Since he can't really take off cruising until he retires, and since I am young and have the time. This would most likely include sailing around the gulf to Florida and then up the East Coast. I am super excited for this trip and extremely grateful that my dad is as serious about my future of sailing as I am. I just wanted to know if anyone had any general advice for me in the preparation phase of this trip. I graduate from school May 2016, and would move onto the boat then to finish preparations and leave.

First post here, thank you for your replies!

First thing you need to do is document and record the sea time you've already accumulated.

Then I'd recommend getting as much sea time in that year as you can and taking a captain's course. I'd go USCG Master's simply because that's where you are plus being a citizen, it will open certain avenues up to you. As soon as you get your license, get a sail endorsement. Your first goal is 360 days of seatime and your second is 720. You may be surprised how many days you already have if you think back through it all.

While there are many ways to get into the industry, I encourage you to become a licensed Captain, a Master. The coursework will take you a total of 10 1/2 days. That will then open more doors.

Is your interest strictly sail or include power and sail?

[deckofficer]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

Lambordinghy:

Welcome aboard! Great CF name.

There are some professional seamen aboard here, in no particular order, nigel 1, muckle flugga, El Pinguino, boatman 61, atoll, and many others. It is a fairly arduous task to become a skipper these days, you have to work your way up and pay your dues, but the pay is quite good.

Enjoy your "gap year". You'll have many memories of it for a long time.

Ann

Hey Ann, I wasn't on your short list.

Welcome to CF Lambordinghy, and I would definitely take your dad up on his offer. Plus with him as a working stiff, you have the ability to get his boat to great cruising grounds where he can join you during his vacation. A real win-win.

As to work in the maritime industry, there are a lot of supply boats running equipment and supplies to the drilling rigs in the Gulf. If you want to be working on larger vessels then there is more school in your future like one of the maritime academies. Great versatility in having a USCG Unlimited Tonnage Any Ocean license.

[Cap Erict3]

Originally Posted by Lambordinghy

I recently told my dad that I want to work around boats when I graduate in May and I plan on somehow making a career out of sailing.



First post here, thank you for your replies!

I your wish is to become a commercial mariner, then a maritime academy is the route to take. It is a demanding but financially rewarding career.

That's a bit different than making a living with a sailboat. They are primarily tied to the charter industry.

There is money to be made in teaching sailing. There are jobs building, repairing and selling and crewing on sailboats. I don't know that you will be playing the hedge fund game.

What ever you choose, I hope you enjoy your time on the water.




------------------------------
Looking for another pretty place to work on the boat.

[travellerw]

Living where I do, a maritime career wasn't even an idea. If it was, my life probably would have been very different.

I envy you and wish you all the best! Enjoy your year cruising. It will be an experience you never forget!

[laika]

That's how I got started sailing, on a friend's dad's boat who bought it cuz it was a dream he had always had, and was happy to give his son the opportunity to live that dream for him til he retired.

I feel obliged to recommend you enlist some of your friends to join you on this endeavor

[alansmith]

Hi Lam, greetings to you and best of luck in your preparations for the unmooring in 2016.

Nothing wrong with taking off for a year or so once you finish school. It will give you time to access whether it is the life you want to dive into. It is also wonderful that you have a close bond and trust with your father. I had that also and consider it as one of the best things in my life.

As others have said the maritime industry is highly competitive. We have a maritime academy here in Vallejo. It is expensive but gets students to the point of being officers in the commercial maritime industry. I have no information on how difficult it is to obtain a job after that.

Running charter operations on someone else's boat is no lark. Read "Zero to Cruising" and countless others...to obtain an insight into how hard those people work...it is no joke what they go through. Personally, I couldn't do it. You have to have the right financial package and the right personality to work with people in this industry. Building boats and repairing boats...is an honest living if you enjoy this type of thing. Skill levels can develop over time if you have the desire. Fiberglass repairs, rigging, engines, subsystems...they all take someone to do the work.

The other thing to think about young grasshopper, from Kung ** series, is your overall game plan to obtain some level of financial support in the long run. It is just the way I am wired and am not trying to impose my thoughts on anyone. But someday you will need to tap into your lifetime of hard work when you are no longer marketable. We all have a shelf life ...so to speak.

Have a great time between now and when you have to make a decision which heading you will pursue.

[laika]

Originally Posted by alansmith

Hi Lam, greetings to you and best of luck in your preparations for the unmooring in 2016.

Nothing wrong with taking off for a year or so once you finish school. It will give you time to access whether it is the life you want to dive into. It is also wonderful that you have a close bond and trust with your father. I had that also and consider it as one of the best things in my life.

As others have said the maritime industry is highly competitive. We have a maritime academy here in Vallejo. It is expensive but gets students to the point of being officers in the commercial maritime industry. I have no information on how difficult it is to obtain a job after that.

Running charter operations on someone else's boat is no lark. Read "Zero to Cruising" and countless others...to obtain an insight into how hard those people work...it is no joke what they go through. Personally, I couldn't do it. You have to have the right financial package and the right personality to work with people in this industry. Building boats and repairing boats...is an honest living if you enjoy this type of thing. Skill levels can develop over time if you have the desire. Fiberglass repairs, rigging, engines, subsystems...they all take someone to do the work.

The other thing to think about young grasshopper, from Kung ** series, is your overall game plan to obtain some level of financial support in the long run. It is just the way I am wired and am not trying to impose my thoughts on anyone. But someday you will need to tap into your lifetime of hard work when you are no longer marketable. We all have a shelf life ...so to speak.

Have a great time between now and when you have to make a decision which heading you will pursue.

Lovely post. Just feel it worth saying that us generation xyz'ers are a lucky in that we have more opportunities to make a living remotely than ever before. I started cruising and fell into the IT game to support the habit. The boat is an office, playground and home all rolled into one.

The trick I've found is balancing the job with cruising Tough when you're full-timing it! Project-based work is the way to go if you can swing it.

[hamburking]

Take lots of pictures and video...document your trip well. Then, write a book. If something interesting happens on your trip, the book will be a big success. Look at Jessica Watson...she turned her trip (around the world) into a career.

My guess, at your age, you'll make new friends and meet a girl and have some fun adventures together...maybe a storm at sea or who knows what.

I'd buy your book.

Check out: https://youtu.be/2lwbHYOFD-4

[Lambordinghy]

Originally Posted by laika

I feel obliged to recommend you enlist some of your friends to join you on this endeavor

Yeah, I have a close friend that is considering going along with me for all or part of the trip!

[TheThunderbird]

We used to look at life as an ever increasing set of possibility.

it is not
Priorities, goals, resources, the reality v expectations GAP shrink over time
Boating is a smart way to extend these options.... TEMPORARILY
as it would be relocating with a young woman abroad and being a florist, a tourist, a bar tender...

Health, economics, physical shape, BRAIN, are the major factors.
I try to live to the full, even head down in the bilge.
Those living at the Ritz are cleaner, not happier than me!

Feeling in Love is my major driver, being fit and healthy 2nd, having the cultural background to experience life is a paramount 3rd pillar.

At 51, I want to sail blue waters, to relocate, to get married again and possibly having a new family and , if God allows, new-borne children (have already 3, all majors)

A wondrous 38Lady left me since my nails were uncured, my travelling luggage short, my dressing code inappropriate . OK I threw away old stuff, bought brand new garments and outfits, for Boat as well as for Myself finally!

I keep loving her, life, my mind,... whatever a toll life exiges, ashore or offshore

PLEASE: LET ALL US STOP " MAKE A LIVING ".. let's live, today, making love (with the one, or any thing) this afternoon (Marianne Faithfull cit), not tomorrow...
<3