Adventouristic sailors from Sweden off to the Caribbean

[Unhooked]

Hi all, I'm new to the forum but will probably come with a lt of stupid questions. Please, do mock me a bit when I deserve it.

I'm out to buy a boat and Cruise for 4-5 months in the caribbean - absolutely zero sailing experience. Have cruised this forum and it does provide some really useful advices. Thanks!

As no previous experince with boats this is really one hell of an adventure. Lot of People think one should stay put, get a small boat, learn for some years and then sail. Well, that might be wise, as I don't even know if I'm liking this boat life. But I do love kiteboarding, surfing and diving so what can go wrong with a winter in the caribbean? And I'm really bad at waiting games, if one should learn I think it's better just to go for it. Life is Now.

The boat I'm buying will be a fairly new Bavaria, as I expect it to be less problematic ownership. (righfully so?) The plan is to sail and surf for the winter, sell the boat in spring (or probly next atumn) and loose as little as possible in the process. And if we don't manage to sell it, we'd keep it for another winter, rent it out a bit, and maybe then sail it back to Europe in May.

As we're swedish the blog is (currently at least) in swedish and found at Nossa – äventyr i Karibien | Segling, kitesurf, dykning och kärlek i Karibien but maybe we'll need to switch to english? Right Now I'm sitting in the Dominican Republic and cursing the fact that I neither speak spanish nor french, but hopefully I'll learn some frases on that as well.

[sailorchic34]

Welcome to CF.

When buying a boat, you need to be aware that all boats will need some work or fixing, even when purchased new. They really are not "ready to cruise" If nothing else the raw water impeller may need to be changed. Anchor updated, things fixed, etc.

Best of luck with your adventures.

[brownoarsman]

Dude, a friend and I are doing the exact same thing. Here are my notes so far: on the Caribbean vs. Pacific Central America and a thread on the best places to look for a large volume of used boats.

I don't have much to add besides those threads as I haven't completed the process yet (looking to fly out and buy directly after the New Year), but keep the thread alive and let us know how you end up. Hope to see some other sailors/surfers on the waves this winter! Have fun and don't drive the used boat prices up too much

[JerseyJoe]

Just a heads up. Has been my experience that the newer mass produced Bavarias are no where near as solid or well built as the early year models. But if you have your head set to do it, then enjoy. What could go wrong? A myriad of things...at least one of them most difficult to talk about or learn from later.

[visailme]

Rent a little Prindle or sail board once you can get to windward with that youre good to go! (stay in water deep enough to float)... Can one get to windward with a kite board ? never tried one but looks like fun.

Will look around the VI where I am now if a likely boat for you shows up.. Capt Paul

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Unhooked

Hi all, I'm new to the forum but will probably come with a lt of stupid questions. Please, do mock me a bit when I deserve it.

I'm out to buy a boat and Cruise for 4-5 months in the caribbean - absolutely zero sailing experience. Have cruised this forum and it does provide some really useful advices. Thanks!

As no previous experince with boats this is really one hell of an adventure. Lot of People think one should stay put, get a small boat, learn for some years and then sail. Well, that might be wise, as I don't even know if I'm liking this boat life. But I do love kiteboarding, surfing and diving so what can go wrong with a winter in the caribbean? And I'm really bad at waiting games, if one should learn I think it's better just to go for it. Life is Now.

The boat I'm buying will be a fairly new Bavaria, as I expect it to be less problematic ownership. (righfully so?) The plan is to sail and surf for the winter, sell the boat in spring (or probly next atumn) and loose as little as possible in the process. And if we don't manage to sell it, we'd keep it for another winter, rent it out a bit, and maybe then sail it back to Europe in May.

As we're swedish the blog is (currently at least) in swedish and found at Nossa – äventyr i Karibien | Segling, kitesurf, dykning och kärlek i Karibien but maybe we'll need to switch to english? Right Now I'm sitting in the Dominican Republic and cursing the fact that I neither speak spanish nor french, but hopefully I'll learn some frases on that as well.

best bet if you want 4-5 months sailing in the Caribbean and get your money back on the vessel.........

is to get some balsa logs strap them together and float off from the DR......by may you should have reached panama.........think thor hyandhal

[nigel1]

Still a bit of research for you to do, other than learning to sail and keeping a boat well maintained.

You mentioned you might rent it out a bit. Renting a boat out (chartering) is going to cause you to spend money on the boat to make her suitable for chartering.

If you bring her back to Europe, there are other implications to look into, VAT comes to mind.

If you were only planning on keeping the boat for a few months, I'd buy a clunker, at least some thing you can be sure would stay afloat for 6 months.

[visailme]

Saw an (2005?)Bavaria 42 on a board in St. T VI for 120,000 us.. seems like a chunk of money to put down on a will-toys-sell-better-next-year bet..

Also see a Westsail 32 illegally parked in a St.Thomas lagoon (these are great boats the biggest 32' boat in the world as I know... had joy to drive one from Florida to Quebec once.. .
.. see a ferro cement 45' reef bumper Tahiti cutter rig rafted to her.... and a 40' Post taking on water nearby..all soon will have gov't tickets on them soon as storm season here is over..

these are the kind of boats I would use to further my boat knowledge.. they may need repairs but repairing boats is something any boat owner will end up dealing with..at least you will have someone else to blame... start there first and gain knowledge on that..

[Unhooked]

Thanks! It's interesting to hear americans views on Bavaria. In Europe their reputation is definately stronger.
Everything might go wrong, and everybody keeps telling me that it will cost at least twice as much, but so be it. If one is in the game of saving money, one should probably get a condo instead. ;-)
So far it's challenging to take on this project Where everything is new. Learning every minute! :-)

Sent from my SGP321 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[visailme]

Still in DR?... are you looking at a boat that is now in DR?

[Unhooked]

Still in DR, not a bad place so far. :-) Hope to make it to BVI at end of December.

Sent from my SGP321 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!

Any updates?

[Unhooked]

Woohoo! This is a great life. :-) Sailed to BVI and then further on. Tomorrow of to Guadeloupe. Sailing so far has been great. Learning every day! :-) Just tried out the genacker.

Sent from my GT-I9295 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[monte]

Did you find some good kite spots along the way? Nonesuch bay in antigua is worth a stop