Dream Boat or go ASAP?

[Rustic Charm]

Spend the time to look and get the best boat your finances can afford that's suitable for cruising 'off shore'. Get it and start sailing. Have fun. During the winter lay it up and do your renovations but don't do anything so big that you can't have it back together again for the sailing season.

Part of the fun for a lot of men of having a boat is doing it up. So enjoy getting it ready. But more importantly is 'use it'. Get out and sail, day sails, weekends, week and build it up.

Skip the bit about crewing in racing boats, unless your into that sort of miserable existence. Learn from books, films, utube. Do a short course on weather reading and navigation. Learn about diesels. It should all be fun.

If the wife doesn't get as enthusiastic, find friends that are and go without her. Just don't go alone with someone else's wife. Not wise.

Oh, and don't worry about getting qualifications other than those you legally need. There pretty much irrelevant and a big wank unless your into racing.

[Hudson Force]

Maybe there's a "half-step" that could be made. It might not be the best choice to have the retirement, boat purchase, move aboard, and cruising away all happening at the same time. There are some advatages to living aboard the retirement boat while still working and doing some short distance cruising.

I was always one to dip a toe into the water before diving head first. We bought our third boat, our "retirement boat", at age 39 and retired at 55. Our two children finished secondary school while we were at marinas and when they left the nest, they left us with a lot of space.

[Suijin]

FollowingCs, in your specific situation, I would suggest chartering a few times and trying to get as much time on boats as possible before you actually pull the trigger on a purchase. The reason is that with your level of experience, there is an outstanding chance that any boat you buy now, or in the near future, will not end up being the boat you would have bought after you've been on it for awhile.

You can talk to all the experienced sailors you want, but the fact of the matter is that everyone is different, has different needs, preferences, and tastes. Someone can tell you "Oh you definitely need/want X." and their rationale will sound like common sense...until you've lived with X for awhile and discover that you really, personally, would have preferred Y.

I was siding with those that said "Chuck it and go ASAP" until I read your last post. But I really think that unless you're prepared to buy two boats (one now to get going and one later when you find out what you really want) along the course of this journey, that you should get more experience before you pull the trigger.

Chartering can be huge fun. You show up and basically go, get to try different destinations and boats, and don't have to fart around with boat maintenance/costs etc. While learning how to maintain/fix a boat is critical, that can wait until you have the boat you want.

Just to be clear, I'm not advocating the 10 year plan over the 3 year plan. I'm probably talking about the 4-5 year plan.

[petrified]

. I'll be 58 by then. Seriously thinking of heading out west and driving a truck on the oil rigs. Save like a man possessed, and when all my ducks are in a row...buh-bye!!

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app[/QUOTE]

Dont wait. People piling in daily

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by Jammer Six

Dream boat.

Buying thing twice to upgrade is for kids who have no money. If you're worried about time, buy the last one first.

There are lots of posts at CF about how possible, or impossible, it is to buy your last boat first. You seem to think you want a cat, but have some constraints about price and possibly other things.

The problem I see is that you really don't have any idea what your ideal cat is.

By this I mean do you want a condomaran like an FP or a go fast boat like an Outremer. There are also lots of other cats to pick from. Boatman has suggested an older (and cheaper) cat to get experience. Problem with that is the wife (and maybe kids) may get the wrong idea about what life will be like on something like an FP, or even a Gunboat.

There are lots of threads at CF about which cat is best, even threads about which FP (insert the name of your favorite cat maker) is best. Also keep in mind that just because I think a Seawind is the best cat for me does not mean a Seawind is the best cat for you.

So how do you get up to speed on the topic of which cat, at your price point, is the best one for you. This is why I posted earlier check all the sources you can to hitch rides on different boats. Talk to the owners of the ones you like and get some idea how much they cost to buy and to maintain.

Best of luck.

[FollowingCs]

Originally Posted by tomfl

The problem I see is that you really don't have any idea what your ideal cat is.

So how do you get up to speed on the topic of which cat, at your price point, is the best one for you. This is why I posted earlier check all the sources you can to hitch rides on different boats. Talk to the owners of the ones you like and get some idea how much they cost to buy and to maintain.

Oh, I know my dream boat (it's a bit pricey, even for a used one)... just never been on one yet.

But for sure, my friends have a Privilege 50 and that's about the same advice he gave me, to get on different boats and see what we like.

The interesting thing will be if we don't have the cash for the boat we want when the last kid has moved on, do we go and try it with a boat we know will be lacking, or save up a bit more. One big example is mono hulls are generally cheaper than cats, but she is pretty dead set on a cat, so there we have it.

All the best, FollowingCs

[FollowingCs]

Originally Posted by Suijin

FollowingCs, in your specific situation, I would suggest chartering a few times and trying to get as much time on boats as possible before you actually pull the trigger on a purchase. The reason is that with your level of experience, there is an outstanding chance that any boat you buy now, or in the near future, will not end up being the boat you would have bought after you've been on it for awhile.

You can talk to all the experienced sailors you want, but the fact of the matter is that everyone is different, has different needs, preferences, and tastes. Someone can tell you "Oh you definitely need/want X." and their rationale will sound like common sense...until you've lived with X for awhile and discover that you really, personally, would have preferred Y.

I was siding with those that said "Chuck it and go ASAP" until I read your last post. But I really think that unless you're prepared to buy two boats (one now to get going and one later when you find out what you really want) along the course of this journey, that you should get more experience before you pull the trigger.

Chartering can be huge fun. You show up and basically go, get to try different destinations and boats, and don't have to fart around with boat maintenance/costs etc. While learning how to maintain/fix a boat is critical, that can wait until you have the boat you want.

Just to be clear, I'm not advocating the 10 year plan over the 3 year plan. I'm probably talking about the 4-5 year plan.

Suijin, our next trip to the Caribbean will more than likely be a charter of some sort. We've spent time on the cruise ships, which I tolerated only for the on shore/beach/snorkeling experience. We've spent a few weeks in condos on Roatan, where I got scuba certified. So the next trip to the Caribbean, which will also probably be the first one without at least 2 kids in tow, will be a charter.

Although my friends have told me that chartering is nothing like liveaboard, it at least gives a good sense of various options, and its a good vacation as well.

As far as options and knowing what I want, I'm getting as detailed now as sail drives versus shafts, access to the engines, sail configuration options, ground tackle, etc Some of these things won't show up a charter, or least I hope not.

The 5 year plan works out as what I'm seeing as the best case. First, we get to save for 2 full years after paying for Catholic high school tuition, and hopefully downsizing the current house provided the market has picked up a bit. Second, we will probably get more experience through some chartering. Third, we will probably be able to run our real estate investment business from the boat for 5 more years, until we truly retire at age 57.

All the best, FollowingCs

[SaltyMonkey]

Blablablablabla….blablablablablaaaaa…

Get this go now - just came to market

1980 Hans Christian 38T Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by FollowingCs

Oh, I know my dream boat (it's a bit pricey, even for a used one)... just never been on one yet.

SNIP

The first thing you need to do is get on what you think is your dream boat. Maybe it does not have enough head room, or your wife will not like the galley. Almost for sure you will have to make some changes.

The previous owner of my Seawind was six four and the first thing I had to do was add two steps on the mast so I could climb up high enough to attach the halyard to the main sail.

Another thing you need to do is come up with a rough idea of what cruising means to you. My boat is great for sailing in the Florida Keys and Bahamas. Probably could take it all the way to Panama and through the canal. Maybe up to Baja as well. Not so sure about the South Pacific; and almost for sure another boat would be a better choice for that area. There are also many places it gets much colder than where my boat is the best choice for sailing.

Even with an unlimited budget it may not be the best move to buy the most expensive boat you can afford. My sister in law still thinks I should get a Gunboat. Problem for me is I would almost for sure not be able to single hand it as easily as I can my Seawind; and certainly not as safely. Not to mention a Gunboat is above my price point.

I was looking at Fboats when I first started and still like them a lot. There are a lot of nice boats out there and I really think you need to check out more of them.

[smac999]

no matter which plan make sure you still have lots left over... you'll need it. because you'll own a boat.

[deluxe68]

The used sailboat market is fantastic if you are a buyer and have some cash. Who knows what the market conditions will be in 5 years. My wife and I have been talking about retiring to a boat for 15 years. We just sold our first "big" boat (36.7) and are shopping for a blue water live aboard. I have told my wife we are buying this year otherwise we will keep finding reasons not to "jump".

[dannc]

We are, pun intended, in the same boat as the OP. So to speak.

Last weekend, the wifey and I were talking and we realized that we have several clocks running in regards to us being able to go boating. The clocks are:

• Retirement to give us time to go boating.
• Retirement to give us money to use the time.
• Certain investments that would buy the boat and time earlier than retirement.
• Kids still in school.
• Kids going off to college.
• Do we leave the kids after they graduate from college or are still in college, and "sail" off into the sunrise?
• Family members that might need our time and money for elderly care?

Implicit in that list of running clocks is our age. We would be in the demographic of a couple that retired and then went cruising. It seems that many people who are crusing are older and of retirement age. Certainly to have the time and money to head out requires certain resources or a financial stream that can be maintained while traveling on a boat. We know what boat we want and the people on those boats are pretty much retired. This means that they/we will have maybe 10-15ish years of cruising before old age starts causing them problems. Tick Tock Tick Tock.

While we certainly have a current money restraint on cruising or even living on a boat, our major constraint is the kids. This pretty much forces us to wait until they are well into college, if not graduated, which also maps into our retirement age. Not a danged thing we can do about this either. Tick Tock Tick Tock.

We have a plan, which we are doing actively, but it will take us years to get OUR boat and it is very possible that getting the boat is not possible. That is life. Tick Tock Tick Tock.

One big variable is not us or the kids, but family members. Will we have to take care of family members in their old age? Will older family members anchor us to land? Only time will tell. Tick Tock Tick Tock.

One thing is for sure with us. We want the dream boat. To get anything else would be a complete waste of money. I looked at buying a used boat but it make absolutely no money or time sense for us to buy a boat right now. We would be hard pressed to spend four weeks a years on boat and that makes no money sense at all. Chartering makes far more sense which is what we will do. For us to buy a boat right now would be a complete waste of money.

It is just not so easy to cut loose and go when one has responsibilities to kids and family. We just have to wait for some of the clocks to time out. Tick Tock Tick Tock.

Later,
Dan

[FollowingCs]

Originally Posted by dannc

• Retirement to give us time to go boating.
• Retirement to give us money to use the time.
• Certain investments that would buy the boat and time earlier than retirement.
• Kids still in school.
• Kids going off to college.
• Do we leave the kids after they graduate from college or are still in college, and "sail" off into the sunrise?
• Family members that might need our time and money for elderly care?

While we certainly have a current money restraint on cruising or even living on a boat, our major constraint is the kids.

One thing is for sure with us. We want the dream boat. To get anything else would be a complete waste of money.

Our list is similar, our kids get very little from us for college though, only $7k per year per kid. I think it is outrageously stupid the current cost of college, so if they take out student loans, they better make the grades and the profession to pay them back. That is another rant I could go on, something that should be GETTING LESS EXPENSIVE due to technology, actually gets more expensive due to stupid government involvement.

And as for elderly family members, we've had some discussions with them, and they don't want to hold us back. Our parents were children of the 60s and lived and played hard, and still do to some extent. We were the responsible ones - engineering degree, USAF pilot, software business, real estate business. 2 glasses of wine is a big night for me.

And I understand about the dream boat or bust mentality. Living in Ohio, we actually have a cheap cost of living that let's us travel a bit, and if the boat is too rough, we may as well stay in Ohio and take 26 week vacations. But we are a bit tied up in the 'life worth living' quotes and other Mark Twain quotes. I've been a water dog all my life, loving the ocean, and doing the best we can on a lake near our house. I'm wanting the liveaboard/travel experience.

Our 2 fears are #1 some kind of illness that prevents traveling during retirement, or worse, creeps in before it even starts, like my 57 year old uncle who just passed away of MS at 64 last week. Or #2, grand kids. The good thing with grand kids is they more than likely wouldn't be in Ohio anyways, as my kids don't want to stay here either. They will be scattered, so visits will come in to play regardless.

All the best, FollowingCs

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by dannc

We are, pun intended, in the same boat as the OP. So to speak.

Last weekend, the wifey and I were talking and we realized that we have several clocks running in regards to us being able to go boating. The clocks are:

• Retirement to give us time to go boating.
• Retirement to give us money to use the time.
• Certain investments that would buy the boat and time earlier than retirement.
• Kids still in school.
• Kids going off to college.
• Do we leave the kids after they graduate from college or are still in college, and "sail" off into the sunrise?
• Family members that might need our time and money for elderly care?

Implicit in that list of running clocks is our age. We would be in the demographic of a couple that retired and then went cruising. It seems that many people who are crusing are older and of retirement age. Certainly to have the time and money to head out requires certain resources or a financial stream that can be maintained while traveling on a boat. We know what boat we want and the people on those boats are pretty much retired. This means that they/we will have maybe 10-15ish years of cruising before old age starts causing them problems. Tick Tock Tick Tock.

While we certainly have a current money restraint on cruising or even living on a boat, our major constraint is the kids. This pretty much forces us to wait until they are well into college, if not graduated, which also maps into our retirement age. Not a danged thing we can do about this either. Tick Tock Tick Tock.

We have a plan, which we are doing actively, but it will take us years to get OUR boat and it is very possible that getting the boat is not possible. That is life. Tick Tock Tick Tock.

One big variable is not us or the kids, but family members. Will we have to take care of family members in their old age? Will older family members anchor us to land? Only time will tell. Tick Tock Tick Tock.

One thing is for sure with us. We want the dream boat. To get anything else would be a complete waste of money. I looked at buying a used boat but it make absolutely no money or time sense for us to buy a boat right now. We would be hard pressed to spend four weeks a years on boat and that makes no money sense at all. Chartering makes far more sense which is what we will do. For us to buy a boat right now would be a complete waste of money.

It is just not so easy to cut loose and go when one has responsibilities to kids and family. We just have to wait for some of the clocks to time out. Tick Tock Tick Tock.

Later,
Dan

Yep, I'm starting to suspect your right. It's a dream. Nothing wrong with dreaming. Just not sure this is the correct forum for you though.

[FollowingCs]

Originally Posted by SaltyMonkey

Get this go now - just came to market

1980 Hans Christian 38T Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

Very nice Salty. While I could see myself on that yacht, my wife would not be with me.

My fictitious boat name comes from my kid's names, all begin with C, hence FollowingC's. My wife's name also begins with a C, and those FollowingC's would include HER if we don't get a cat...

I'm just stuck with that reality, and I'm okay with it. But thanks for looking out.