Wow, this is the first forum I have registered with as a user. I have been a professional lurker (travel forums) for a few years though and here for a few weeks (I only just discovered you).
Always wondered how to get those faces and thingamajigs
. That would be my first! Thought you had to be super computer savvy. It took me 30 minutes to get through the registering and opening a new thread.
I'm cool... really.
And I won't use too many. I actually want to put one here.
Anyway...
I am so excited! Gotta talk about it somewhere. No friend, coworker, neighbour, grocery store clerk, babysitter really wants to hear about my plans.
Family does but has already. I need help sustaining my plan / dream.
BRIEFLY about myself.... Husband and three
children. We've tilted to forty (not quite). And our
kids are two, six and eight. I'm a crazy saver. Actually, whatever I do I tend to go
overboard (embrace with enthusiasm is what I'm really doing - whatever). We've paid off the mortgage, set aside funds for
kids education, topped up RRSPs (that's 401 for U.S. I think), no consumer debt.
The DREAM (plan)... in seven years my husband retires with a pension (military). Decent
income. I will be pretty much giving up mine (will only have 20 years
service in a 30 year plan before the early
retirement age). We'll save all the
money we threw at the mortgage for our
boat fund (we paid off our first and only mortgage in ten years). This times seven years will give us a nice chunk of change for
buying a seasoned
boat. We want to keep the house. No experience
renting anything out though.
We want to go cruising.
Live-aboard. (I don't wanna
work, wanna bang on the drum all day - I cannot carry a tune.) The kids will be nine, 15 and 17. We'll be in our mid forties.
We took a sailing course at the local marina. Basic Sailing. Absolutely loved it! This was years ago. We had plans to be mates through the marina. Got knocked up...... Anyway. I'm back on track now.
This December, we are taking a sailing course in
BVI. Basic Sailing and
Bareboat Sailing (Catamaran). We have not committed to a company. There is a big difference between them in terms of
price, duration for the same qualifications and the
reviews that they have received. Especially regarding the 'sailing' time versus 'touring around and sampling the local cuisine' time.
Offshore Sailing is the most expensive I've seen but the longer duration (10 days) and the itinerary is more appealing to me. I'd love to find something serious that won't set us back 10 k though. And that is not including the flight and the conversion from our loonie to USD. Next year we'll
charter on our own, maybe with another couple but without the kids. After that, we'll
charter with the kids each year, sampling a different model of
catamaran. Ideally one that we have narrowed down in our search to
purchase.
I am already perusing boats
for sale. This is really difficult. It's almost like
buying a used car. I can't evaluate the condition or value of it. It will take me years to be knowledgeable of the fair market value pricing of a well equipped cruising
catamaran.
And I keep straying outside my projected
price range. That new Cantana 50' is making me think of Mr and Mrs Jones.
Anyway, clearly you can see I need some inspiration to stay on track. I find it hard to believe that noone I know personally has obsessive all-consuming dreams that they intend to fulfill.
I have used up too much space and taken too much of your time. And my
internet connection has timed out three times.
I just wanted to say hi.
I also see the [More] button beside the smiley faces.