How stupid is this idea?

[Don C L]

Anyone who takes to vicious, heartless, unforgiving, god-forsaken open sea in a boat of any size is a damned fool!

Have a nice time, write when you find work!

[Scout 30]

I did a quick search on Tampa Craigslist & found a couple of boats that fit your budget & could get the job done. I'm not recommending them, just showing you that you can do what you want to do & stay within your budget. The main thing is to find something that's been well maintained which may be harder than it sounds but is possible.

https://tampa.craigslist.org/hil/boa/5307892509.html
https://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/boa/5303991391.html

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

I did a quick search on Tampa Craigslist & found a couple of boats that fit your budget & could get the job done. I'm not recommending them, just showing you that you can do what you want to do & stay within your budget. The main thing is to find something that's been well maintained which may be harder than it sounds but is possible.

https://tampa.craigslist.org/hil/boa/5307892509.html
https://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/boa/5303991391.html

WOW those are both GREAT boats. I am leaning toward the Tartan for you!

[billgewater]

In the early 80's, I met literally hundreds of young people doing their thing cruising the world. Some had babies on board, some were out for maximum adventure. Some changed crew as events unfolded. Marinas were scarce. The boats were small, cheap and navigation was harder. No GPS. No internet. Just VHF or occasional HF.(the cost of a HF set could finance cruising for a year!).
I believe that they all had an experience that for them was amazing in that they were always welcome and learned great skills (mechanical as well as social). They also worked as fruit pickers, bar staff ... anything for some cash ..... but gained greatly from the work experience and social contact in the visited countries.
I believe that the 80's were the best of cruising times and that the advent of large expensive cruising vessels costing vast sums has essentially altered the entire experience .... and not necessarily for the better. Wealthy cruisers actually find it harder to make local warm contacts. Who wants to help a wealthy sailor who boasts of their wonderful vessels?

Specific advice that all the above seem keen to give should be read, but the most important thing is to make your own mistakes. You will be more independent, adventurous and mature for having cruised on your own little boat. The makings of a better person.
If your parents are not worried, then you obviously are not being adventurous enough. Make them worry. That's their role.
Just remember that every other single person you encounter is as valuable and entitled to your consideration as you would wish for yourself. You will discover what is meant by "the kindness of strangers".
"Stupid" ideas are often the ones we remember as life changing. Stupidity and lack of initiative are the usual bedfellows.

[hamburking]

DO IT!

I recently sold my Pearson 30, which would have been suitable for your trip, well within your price range, ready to sail south...anchors, plotter, diesel, etc...just really ugly 70's below. In fact, an 18 year old bought it. The only issue he had was getting insurance...my insurance company, which I had recommended to him, requires owners to be 20 years old minimum. However, if you aren't going to marinas, you can go without boat insurance. Around here however, you can't go anyplace without proof of boat insurance. Travel/Health insurance is another matter entirely.

To be clear, you should go. You'll learn more in that year than a year in school...much more.

You don't need a fancy boat, just a strong one with space for your gear. Look at boats from the 60's and 70's with new rigging...they made some solid boats back then. You'll want an inflatable dinghy with a realiable outboard, like an avon with a small yamaha enduro. Bring a ton of dry foods...rice, pasta, dried fruit, spices, etc...so you won't starve or need to shop too often.

Wish I could go with you.

[Scout 30]

A Wharram would be a neat boat to do this in. I did a search in sailboatlistings.com between 25' & 30' under $12 K & came up with over 2,300 listings. Looks like a buyer's market.

[SunnySky]

A side note about boat insurance, oftentimes "prior boat ownership" is an important issue to them in addition to "prior boat experience." Despite personally having sailed since childhood and having ASA sailing certifications I ran into issues wanting to insure a boat in the 38-42' range after I first began shopping for boats when I inquired about insurance before purchase.
It is a mind numbing loophole but if you have sailing experience but no prior boat ownership experience I would highly recommend buying the cheapest sailing dingy you can find sooner rather than later. You don't even need to sail it, just own it; then get the boat you want and sell it (or ideally use it as your tender if appropriate).
Then you can answer yes to both "prior sailing experience" and to "prior boat ownership," and do the best you can to avoid speeding tickets because that is another factor insurance asks about..

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by SunnySky

A side note about boat insurance, oftentimes "prior boat ownership" is an important issue to them in addition to "prior boat experience." Despite personally having sailed since childhood and having ASA sailing certifications I ran into issues wanting to insure a boat in the 38-42' range after I first began shopping for boats when I inquired about insurance before purchase.
It is a mind numbing loophole but if you have sailing experience but no prior boat ownership experience I would highly recommend buying the cheapest sailing dingy you can find sooner rather than later. You don't even need to sail it, just own it; then get the boat you want and sell it (or ideally use it as your tender if appropriate).
Then you can answer yes to both "prior sailing experience" and to "prior boat ownership," and do the best you can to avoid speeding tickets because that is another factor insurance asks about..

I doubt 18 yr. olds with that budget are going to worry about insurance? Maybe it makes sense to do it before you are to old to enjoy it and worry about insurance?

[Joel E Felt]

walked thru Europe when I was 17. By all means ,DO IT!

[420sailor]

Thank you so much for all the advice, it really is helpful. We were hoping to start up in New England and work our way down to the Caribbean in order to get some experience before leaving the country. After reading all of the response, it seems that if we get a solid boat and a plan worked out this could be a go.

[GrahamHO]

Stupid not to. I didn't but I wish I had. Read, The Dove; Robin Lee Graham (USA) at 16 years in 1965 started, and alone sailed around the world taking 5 years in a 24' yacht. I think he got a bigger yacht later. There is also a film.
Look up Ella's Pink Lady. Jessica Watson at 16 years ( Australian) started her solo circumnavigation 2009 and took 210 days at sea in a S&S, 34' steel yacht to arrive back in Sydney to a hero's welcome 3 days before her 17th birthday. .

Both extraordinary feats.
But you're not planning a circumnavigation; are you?

[jheldatksuedu]

One of the best books I have read on the subject is "Deep Sea Sailing" by Erroll Bruce, written in 1953. Nothing about modern electronics, but everything about cruising on the ocean, very important stuff. It tells how they did things without modern electronics and in those days they typically did this circumnavigation in 26 foot boats. It will be at the top on the must read list for new inexperienced crew on my boat.

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

I did a quick search on Tampa Craigslist & found a couple of boats that fit your budget & could get the job done.

https://tampa.craigslist.org/hil/boa/5307892509.html
https://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/boa/5303991391.html

I also vote for the Tartan as well. However, they both have Atomic 4 gas engines, which IMHO means they should both be much cheaper. Those are just the asking price. In today's buyers market, I think they would actually SELL for half of the asking price.

The Tartan has big double quarter berths, which means tons of storage space below for things like people and inflatable dinghies.

Seriously though, find a boat with diesel, or you'll spend all your time searching for gasoline.

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by GrahamHO

Look up Ella's Pink Lady. Jessica Watson at 16 years ( Australian) started her solo circumnavigation 2009 and took 210 days at sea in a S&S, 34' steel yacht to arrive back in Sydney to a hero's welcome 3 days before her 17th birthday. .

Sorry to nit pick, but Jessica Watson's Sparkman and Stevens 34 was a fiberglass vessel, not steel. She bought an old, used boat, of proven design and sailed it around the world. There are S&S boats, and similar, out there in your price range.

[Muckle Flugga]

Originally Posted by seasick

I took off for a 4.5 year voyage through the South Pacific in 1973 with five of my best high school friends. We were ages 17 to 19. Best age to voyage.

Of the six of us, only one went back to school. One married the Bora Boran princess who accompanied us through much of Polynisia.

All have prospered in their chosen fields of endeavor and we all have an enduring bond that transcends everything life has thrown at us.

What a great story. And what a great time to have done it (in both age and decade)!