Introductions are in order

[cerebraljungle]

Greetings from Afghanistan! I just joined the forum and figured I would introduce myself - I'm looking at retirement from the Army in the next 3 years and my plan is to purchase a sailboat and cruise the world. I figure Ill have a couple years to get some hands - on training and I will be taking a year or so to "learn the ropes" on the boat I buy. Obviously I will be looking to this forum for any useful advice along the way.
Cheers,
Scott

[maxingout]

Welcome from the other side of the world.

I got my first cruising monohull when I was in the US Navy - a Westsail 32. I still love that boat.

Good luck on your cruising dreams. You can even practice some of your cruising skills on deployment. I learned celestial navigation and reducing sun sights when I lived in Saudi Arabia.

Stay safe and keep working on your dreams.

[cerebraljungle]

Thanks Max. I have definitly been overwhelmed by the amount of new information I've had to dig through. Looking at taking a training course in basic sailing when I get back - covering the basics and giving me something to build on. The only experience I have is on sunfish boats in summer camp back before most of my soldiers were born!

[rgscpat]

Welcome.

Training is good, and then finding boats to crew upon, and a little boat to learn all the basics very well upon.

[maxingout]

Originally Posted by cerebraljungle

Thanks Max. I have definitly been overwhelmed by the amount of new information I've had to dig through. Looking at taking a training course in basic sailing when I get back - covering the basics and giving me something to build on. The only experience I have is on sunfish boats in summer camp back before most of my soldiers were born!

I never took a sailing course, but I read lots of books so that when I got on the water, it was like second nature to me. Sailing is easy. Not doing stupid things is hard. The learning curve is all about the stupid things that can hurt you or your boat.

I only sailed overnight one time before I sailed around the world, and I had never sailed offshore. You can only sail one day at a time, and I have always been able to make it through to the next day without any great problems as long as I didn't do stupid things. When things get challenging I slow the boat down and take it easy.

If you can survive in Afghanistan, you can sail around the world.

[Irish rambler]

Welcome aboard brother, maxingout has very good advice on the celestial navigation, I learned mine wayback in the sands of North Africa too. You could also try a correspondence course if you're a remf with good access to the net, that will get the theory done and dusted. Check with the HQ admin, the US Army has a sailing team and you can organize yourself a course while on leave/furlough for practical 'hands on' stuff. If you are near any of the Brits they have one and you may be able bum a guest berth, (be prepared to buy beer, lots of it !) there's a couple of boats not too far from you.

[cerebraljungle]

Originally Posted by maxingout

If you can survive in Afghanistan, you can sail around the world.

well this is my fourth go - around plenty of close calls but nothing to slow me down. Definitly looking for a more relaxing though exciting environment. Being military pretty much my whole life has ingrained into me the whole "check it twice and make sure everything works" mentality

[cerebraljungle]

Irish - not a REMF, but these days see us going out the wire less and and we have internet in our b-huts (my how things have changed) Our local national security manager is a former Brit Marine, tons of laughs that guy tho no beer to give him unless its NA

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Scott.

[cerebraljungle]

Thanks everyone - I know I have a lot to learn but from what I see these forums are a wealth of information. Still looking to see what I can afford with my meager funds, looking into sailing away debt free! What amazed me is the range of boats in my price range (about 45k)

[Irish rambler]

Good on ya brother, we sing from the same hymsheet, stay safe.
There are several ways to look at it. Now you've got time to think, write down all the things you want to do, where you want to go, how you want to do it and that will determine the hull shape, facilties, comfort, will you be alone ? take all things into consideration, you'll have a long list, then start looking at the type of boat that ticks all the boxes. if your handy with your hands, look around for abandoned 'projects' which can be picked up for a song. If you get a golden handshake, you can just buy, in the meantime if you have access to Amazon kindle they have free library(you can download a Kindle reader free to your Laptop), you can also do an online Nav course. email me privately with your address and I'll send you a couple of DVD's to help.

[boatman61]

Hi Scott.... Welcome to CF..
You'll have plenty of choice with that budget.. just gotta remember... go with the head.. not the heart...

[Tellie]

Weclome Scott, and thank you for your service.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!
Thanks for your service. Most military marinas have MWR basic sailing courses available. Wherever in the mainland you retire there might be one close to you. Always good to have a basic sailing course so you sort out the bad stuff.
Good to have you posting here.
kind regards,

[cerebraljungle]

Thanks! My overall plan involves liveaboard while I go to college after retirement - I have about 2 more years of school left to finish my degree. One thing I want to be sure of is knowing my boat inside and out before heading out on a "I dont know when ill be back" cruise. The time in school will give me plenty of opportunity to learn the small mistakes without being 1000 miles from land and having to say "hmmm, is that supposed to be on fire?"