Quote:
Originally Posted by Barley pops
My wife and I are relatively new to saling, we've both taken bareboat sailing classes, have sailed in the Great Lakes and now we are looking at buying our own sailboat. My questions are numerous and from what I have seen on the different posts there are a lot of great suggestions and the advice looks to be invaluable. First, we would like to buy a boat and sail out of Bayfield, WI, the extent of our sailing will be based upon our confidence. We are looking at an Island Packet, my choice for a number of reasons, but the main reason is safety and comfort. There are a number of "production" boats that are a little larger and a little less expensive, but I would like the Island Packet. Any suggestions on this boat vs a Beneteau or Oceanis and what we might expect in Bayfield or the Great Lakes would be greatley appreciated. Our budget is in the 125-150k for purchase and another 25-50k for updates. We are relatively newbies but this has been a dream and any advice would be welcomed. Thanks!
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Howdy and Welcome Aboard the Forum Barley Pops!
You posted some good info in your intro.
IP yachts are nice boats. Not my personal favorite, but I tend prefer a different style. The IP brand is well respected, and there are several IP owners that are members of this forum.
I will post some of my favorite tips for new members below. They may not be what you expect, but I believe they will help you in the near term and in the long run if you intend to spend much time here on this forum and if you wish to gain the most from the knowledge available and shared here etc.
Since you are new to this forum, let me mention a few things you might miss but that could help you more enjoy your time here:
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ics-19760.html
There are also some "social groups" that are more focused on special interests, and as I saw, they can be fun for their members. I am not a
member of those groups, but you should be able to find them if you do some exploring of the forum website, look for "groups."
Cruisers & Sailing Forums - All Groups
Tip: Look for a CF Group for Island Packet owners.
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There is a free Cruiser's Wiki associated with this forum.
There is a LOT of free content in that wiki. Including "cruising guides."
Here is one you might find useful:
http://www.cruiserswiki.org/wiki/Great_Lakes
As a
newbie to boats or sailing, there is a LOT of additional information there too. I suggest looking at the contents to see.
http://www.cruiserswiki.org/wiki/World_Cruising_Guides
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Looking for Quick Answers?
This is the best and fastest method I have found to the answers I seek here.
Since you are relatively new to the forum, here is my favorite friendly forum search tip: Look at the green menu bar on the forum pages for the drop down "Search" menu. Click on that to drop down a list of search functions. From that drop down menu select the
GOOGLE CUSTOM search feature (the second box down) and then enter several different descriptive terms for your topic of interest. That will do a Custom
google search of ONLY this site and it is likely to find answers to your questions or results for you. Note: this is different from using the regular forum search box or field. Also note, this is NOT found if you use the CF app. It IS found if you use a web browser such as Safari, etc.
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I hope these tips help you and others here.
Sincerely,
Steady