Visit our Popular Forums

Nadineon31 · 20-01-2015, 02:26

Hi everyone!
My husband and I are completely in love

with the idea of sailing away into the wild blue yonder one day as soon as his retirement is official and with around 18 months or so still to go we have already started to get the ball rolling by taking a day skippers's course and qualifying for the ICC certification.
We have joined a local yacht club in the meantime and have been reading every bit of information on this and other forums regarding WHICH boat to buy when the time comes. We plan to live aboard for at least 6 months just to get used to her, taking her out for day/weekend sails up and down our coastline and then once comfortable with her (and our) abilities, realise the dream!
I should have mentioned that we hail from Durban, being our "safe haven port" and making up coastal miles would be to Richards Bay or up to East London (and further as we venture deeper into the unknown).
People ("friends" and family always ask something silly like: "but aren't you scared at all?" or declare adamantly "there is NO WAY I would do anything like that!"). Well of course I'm afraid. That's why I read books like the ones the Pardeys and Kretchmer have written, and avidly devour every bit of advice given from first-hand sailors like the ones I encounter every day on this Forum. I need to know that this is real life and not a "booze cruise". I need to be educated and then still be comfortable in any situation. I am new to this as hubby grew up sailing, but funnily I have been the one to push for this new way of life, so, its now or never and we go on right to the end, to the literal point of no return.
Nice to meet you all! Hopefully one day I can writ something down and be of help to someone else contemplating sailing away!