New to sailing but not to ships & boats

[AKA-None]

Hello:

I sailed a bit as a teenager in the Elizabeth River in VA and am in the process of learning as an older adult. I've taken my basic keel boating,coastal cruising and barefoot charter courses. I plan on taking the navigation courses this winter and advanced coastal cruising and passage making next year. No rush to buy, well maybe a little as I'm far to old to put it off too much ;-)

I race with a buddy on the St. Croix river on a 25.5 Hunter and am learning more about sail trim because of it.

I've been a shipbuilder in a former career and I keep my hand in metal working with my sports car; so I'm not beyond considering a steel boat.

So far I've decided I prefer a clean walk up to the bow, I don't like the winches back aft if the reefing is at the mast and I really like being able to get all the way around the engine.

I intend to charter a few boats to see what I like and what I can afford before or if I decide to purchase. I'll likely look in on threads that discuss various designs and be on the look out for suggestions of different boats to sail. I'd like to try different designs to get a better feel for the many ways designers have traded off the various aspects of performance and comfort.

Thanks in advance for your knowledge and opinions.

Clear skies.

bill

[Celestialsailor]

Welcome to the forum. If you need a reality check with steel boats, give me a holler.

[AKA-None]

Reality check as in they are a bad idea or a possible good one? I used to repair steel boats and ships. moving water has the ability to really change the way a steel plate looks. I've noticed that without sacrificial anodes you get to see where the galvanic action is. And lastly I've seen lots of OS's sitting in bosuns chair's armed with a needle gun in their hands prepping for the inevitable 3 layers of paint.

So yeah, I've noticed their can be a bit of work with steel. Not sure if it's better or worse than fiberglass and wood, but I can weld steel. Not to sure yet of my plastic repair skills ;-)

But as I said, I did ships and boats (as in Destroyers) new and old not small craft. I'm willing to learn.

[Waterway Guide]

Welcome aboard, Bill!

[Neo]

Welcome aboard. Sounds like you have an excellent course of action. What type of sailing do you see yourself doing predominantly: live aboard, day sailing, weekend cruising? I ask because now that we have purchased our first cruiser, we find that we actually need 3 sailboats. A wooden dinghy for sailing around the harbor, a 30ft day sailer with a big cockpit for 6 adults for entertaining, and 36ft cruiser for weekends and vacations. Too bad we don't have any of these.

[Tymadman]

Originally Posted by AKA-None

But as I said, I did ships and boats (as in Destroyers) new and old not small craft. I'm willing to learn.

I think the main difference is that you can't fit as many gun turrets on a smaller boat ;-)

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Bill.

[Blue Stocking]

Originally Posted by Tymadman

I think the main difference is that you can't fit as many gun turrets on a smaller boat ;-)

-luv it. He could build a ramming bow, however, --being a steel man, and all that..

[HappyMdRSailor]

Welcome to CF Bill !

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by AKA-None

Reality check as in they are a bad idea or a possible good one? I used to repair steel boats and ships. moving water has the ability to really change the way a steel plate looks. I've noticed that without sacrificial anodes you get to see where the galvanic action is. And lastly I've seen lots of OS's sitting in bosuns chair's armed with a needle gun in their hands prepping for the inevitable 3 layers of paint.

So yeah, I've noticed their can be a bit of work with steel. Not sure if it's better or worse than fiberglass and wood, but I can weld steel. Not to sure yet of my plastic repair skills ;-)

But as I said, I did ships and boats (as in Destroyers) new and old not small craft. I'm willing to learn.

Hi None...Ya...don't want to start a controvery here but I have built 3 steels. Two were my own. I have been with F/G ever since. If your hull id 1/8" thick and you end up in a hot harbor, it's not unusual to loose 1/16". There is a reason steel fishing boats plaster their bottoms with zincs every 4-6 feet.

[AKA-None]

I figure I'll continue with the daysailing / racing that i'm doing now then switch to some cruising / rentals. The long term goal, at this point in time would be to live aboard / passage making.

Until I'm sure I'm committed I'll take it a bit slower and as I mentioned try out different boats via rentals. So from that perspective I'll probably start a thread to get some ideas as to different designs (both sailing characteristics and interior layout) and then rent them to see how they handle and how 'livable' they can be. I do have a bride of 30 some years who would be more interested in the layout and ride more so than the effort required to make it go. But then when we discussed all of this with our financial advisor he did note her ideal retirement included gardening and mine said sail to places unknown (ok so not unknown but new to me). I wouldn't mind a cruise to NZ or the Med.


Edit: I could always crew for someone who has a nice boat instead of renting ;-) wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

[SkiprJohn]

Originally Posted by AKA-None

I figure I'll continue with the daysailing / racing that i'm doing now then switch to some cruising / rentals. The long term goal, at this point in time would be to live aboard / passage making.

Until I'm sure I'm committed I'll take it a bit slower and as I mentioned try out different boats via rentals. So from that perspective I'll probably start a thread to get some ideas as to different designs (both sailing characteristics and interior layout) and then rent them to see how they handle and how 'livable' they can be. I do have a bride of 30 some years who would be more interested in the layout and ride more so than the effort required to make it go. But then when we discussed all of this with our financial advisor he did note her ideal retirement included gardening and mine said sail to places unknown (ok so not unknown but new to me). I wouldn't mind a cruise to NZ or the Med.


Edit: I could always crew for someone who has a nice boat instead of renting ;-) wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

Yes, on your last sentence. That's why I'm crewing for CelestialSailor, wink, wink.

When you charter take a look at the hull material. Those folks know the economic benefit of their chosen hull. Also notice what hull material nearly all racers use.

Welcome aboard!

kind regards,