Future liveaboard sailor seeks advise from experts

[EX Wanabe]

Yes, it is a CF thread. I am new here , but I think you can find it through the search. Sorry I can't tell you for sure, but I am still trying to figure out this site.

[Valmika]

From a man I admire

Captain Frank Dixon
July 19 ·

WOULD YOU SAIL AROUND THE WORLD IN THIS SIZE BOAT?
This young man did. I think the boat is an Islander, about 30', more or less. Notice the wind vane steering and the life saving equipment. Boat looks a little beat up, but remember, it has been around the world.

I took this photo several years ago. I was anchored in Bahia de Tortuga on the Pacific Side of the Baja Peninsula about 200 miles south of Ensenada. I was returning to San Diego from my cruise to Cabo San Lucas and La Paz on my Downeast 38. Sitting on deck of my boat having a cup of coffee one morning, I saw this young man motoring by.

He waved and I asked him where he was coming from. He said that he had anchored about 20 miles south of Turtle Bay the previous night. I replied, "But where are coming from?" Expecting a reply of Cabo, Mazatlan, etc., I was surprised when he said "around the world". I stood up and shouted to him, "We gotta talk!". Later that day we met in a small cantina on shore and over a couple beers he told me this story.

Five years previous, he was living in San Francisco. His father died suddenly and the young man was devastated. Not able to recover from the loss and not motivated to work or go to school, he made a decision. With some money he had he bought a boat for about 20K. He did some work on the boat and then having less than $10K in savings, decided to circumnavigate the world. He did it! He found friends all over the world but mostly sailed alone. Worked along the way at any job available, cook, laborer, deck hand, navigator, carpenter, etc. I asked him, "What are you going to do now?". He replied, "I have done what I set out to do. Got it out of my system. I am going back to San Francisco, sell the boat, get a job, go to school and live a "normal" life.

As an instructor and experienced cruiser, I am asked frequently about the size of boat and the expense of cruising. Most people think you have to have a large boat and a ton of money. Not so. Frankly, I would rather start out on a cruise with a boat like this in good shape (this photo was taken 14 years ago and has been cruising for 5 years) than I would a Hunter 31.
Captain Frank Dixon's photo.

[Isailerman]

You should pull up 32' Endeavour, I have one and looks like it is what your looking for. If you like it get with me and I'll tell you more. They were even built in fla. Mac