Ahoy...from Minneapolis!!

[Max Mariner]

I have been waiting a long, long, long time to type this thread.

I have been reading this forum and others, longingly from the outside looking in for what seems like forever.

I have been busting my chops, learning and absorbing as crew & rail meat in one design regatta's on lake Minnetonka for the last four years (no Vikings jabs please ;-)

and now....ladies and gentleman, as of this past Monday I finally feel the proper inclination to introduce myself...I am now the proud owner of a Formosa 41' (46' if you count the pulpit!)...the Lost Pearl is her name...

So greetings...I am so happy to be here...my name is max. my first mates' name is Tracey and in the spring we will be moving to Duluth, MN (where our boat is being shipped) to live aboard for the season...as for winters...not likely...but perhaps down the road, with a few bubblers and an urge to get crazy...but for now, just the summers...

Eventually though- out through the great lakes...yes of coarse, but we are pretty green, give us a good few years...

anyways...I am so very excited, this has been something I have been hoping for and planning for a long time...I caught the sailing bug with a vengeance about 4 years ago...I wondered why anyone would ever want a mortgage.?..I had one at the time and realized it wasn't for me...I knew early on that selling my house was immanent...getting out of debt and saving, learning and biding my time...oh and talking to other sailors would get me on track...

These are just my feelings, I have since learned that others enjoy mortgages and such, I don't and so, in part, that is why I am here typing. also, in part because I am in awe over the absolute beauty I find in sailing...the connection to the universe...gravity tugging away across galaxies and solar systems...gravity tugging at our sun, tugging at our moon causing tides, currents, winds...all succinctly relating to the position of the sail at that moment in time allowing us to almost sing with the motion of 'everything'...that is the other reason...I find that notion, close to, if not...heavenly.

I am looking forward to corresponding with all of you...sharing, imparting...just chatting...

Peace...and happy sailing,

max

[NoTies]

Welcome Max. Minnesota Brrrrr. There are quite a few people that work down here that come from your state. They say they come here for the warmth.

[CaptainK]

Welcome aboard Max.

It's great that you & your wife got yourselves your own sailboat. Good for the two of you.

My name is Kevin. But you could call me that. Or CaptainK. Whichever is easier?

I should be getting myself a boat soon. Looking at a Catalina 27. And I can't wait to start sailing. I once served in the US Navy for 9 years. And that is a different kind of sailing?

Well you've come to the right spot on the web. There are alot of seasoned sailors here. More than me, I do add. And if you have any questions. I'm sure more than one person have answers for them.

Well once again, welcome aboard. "This Is Where The Truth Is!!"

[NoTies]

Beat ya Kev

[CaptainK]

Yeah I know, Pete!!

[MaineCub]

Hey there..

Congratulations on your purchase. I am very jealous!

I would absolutely LOVE it if you would keep us informed on your improvements and work you will be doing on your Formosa 41 (particularly because this is the boat I wish to purchase shortly)

Congratulations again and best of luck on your dream!

--Dave

[Lightfin]

Welcome aboard and Fair Winds!!

If you care to share it, would love to hear about the process of your boat selection and purchase.

[Max Mariner]

Thank you everyone...

oh, and maine cub...i had read your greeting the night i posted my thread...i have been meaning to reply to you...it has been a very busy few days...for the time being i am still a 'cog' at a fulltime job until Tracey and i can escape to duluth...hopefully sometime around the end of May. but i have been meaning to touch base with you.

In addition it has been a challenge (read: full time job) all to itself to get all the parties involved on the same page in getting the boat shipped by truck up here...from Tampa. here's the list:

1- Captain (to deliver the vessel from its current marina across tampa bay to the yard with the appropriate haul-out accomadations)
2- The haul out marina's schedule and availability
3- The shipping company's schedule and availability
4- The recieving marina's schedule and availibilty on the day the boat arrives in duluth.

...a bit of a circus act, eh?

All the while i have been busy finishing the titile/documentation forms...which i did get finished (she is now officially in my name!)

as well as corresponding with the wonderful owner who sold her to me...he and his wife have been exceptional...yesterday he spent the day down on the boat prepping her...winterizing her and getting her ready for the last few cold weeks in Minnesota once she arrives...for our purposes this meant trying to find the appropriate anti-freeze...which was no easy task for him in...ahem...Florida...as well as other preparations...he is even working up a spread sheet he'll e-mail (we talk or e-mail nearly every day) so that once the boat arrives i can go over it with a checklist...to know were all the filters are, breakers, pumps and other proceedures i'll need to take care of that were disconnected or modified for the trip...

-as a side note, i'd love to hear some other experiences people had in buying their boats...the couple i purchased from have been just great (i bought from a private seller...no broker)...i kind of feel like i got lucky...i have not ever made a purchase like this before so i have nothing to compare it to...but with everything they have done for me, and continue to do i can't help but wonder if this is a slightly unique situation...-

so that is where i am at...right now it looks as if i have just about everybody on the same page...i'll have to pay for about 7 days of dry-dock storage in tampa before the trailor can get there...but...that will have to be good enough. she is scheduled to arrive in duluth on friday, march 10th or saturday march 11th...

i'll be on pins and needles until then...i am still happy, still excited...but i'll breath a little easier once she is finally here...

for those who expressed interest in what finally led me to my lovely formosa ...my selection process and so on...i'd love to share that...but i have really gone on and on here...i need to cut you guys a little break from my blathering...

i'll continue on that later...

thanks again for all the warm welcomes...i am very excited to be here, part of this community...truly.

best,
max

[SailWiz]

Congrats to you both! I wish you many happy years of sailing such a fine vessel. I too went through a private person as opposed to a broker. He is a good friend and it worked out very well. besides, the brokers i met over in Miami and Ft. lauderdale reminded me of used car salesmen. please check out my blog and comment if you wish @ www.sailblogs.com/members/trident Best of luck with the "Pearl."
Wiz

[MaineCub]

Hey Max..

I sent you a private message!

--Dave

[Weyalan]

G'day Max, Great to have another enthusiastic person on board.

Just thought that I would mention: I tracked down my recently acquired boat without ever talking to a broker. Agreed on the purchase with a handshake, not a lawyer, and delivered the boat 1100 nautical miles back home myself. In litiginous USA, that probably wouldn't be possible, but it sure as heck saved me some dollars and was a lot of fun too.

[Pblais]

Congrats Max!

I lived in Mpls / St Paul 28 years and have been to Duluth more times than I can count. Always liked MN a lot I guess thats why I stayed so long. I learned to sail in MN and then my wife and I moved to the southern Chesapeake to buy our first boat. It's not a bad way to go as it costs less to live here and the sailing season in far longer.

The good news is once you master the waters out of Duluth you should be ready for any place you care to go. Great Lakes sailing is just not as salty but every bit and more dangerous than the great oceans. Superior cuts no slack for mistakes and is far more difficult than the other lakes. Cold water and difficult coastlines force you to be well planned, and prepared for trouble. Just because you don't have salt or tides is no reason to feel like it's any easier to sail there.

In any case it is more about showing up than anything else. It must be terrible knowing you have to wait a few more months before you can get in the water. Be patient! Sail all you can is the best advice I have. Boats take too much work and money even sitting in the slip. Get a big storage locker so you can sail instead of being stuck at the dock with all your crap. It's the biggest problem liveabords have - too much crap inside the boat to sail!