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Old 29-01-2008, 08:31   #16
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Just an note about pilots. I did a delivery to Antigua a few years ago and one of the crew was a "senior" AA pilot who owned a small sailboat for racing.

He was a disaster offshore. I think he was seasick almost the entire time and therefore "useless", although he was a good sport and gave it a good shot. Admittedly we had some rough weather and I also had a brief spell of mal du mar, but we also has fair weather and he couldn't shake it.

Interesting that delivery was.
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Old 29-01-2008, 08:47   #17
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Thanks S/V Elusive for your advice about LLCīs and insurance companies, I will research...Hud3 thanks for your great advice, I am currently living in Medellin, South America and my sailing instructor who recently appeared on a national reality as a sailor lives in Cartagena just 45 minutes flying distance from here.
Cruising World - Good-Bye Kuna Yala, Hello Cartagena
thus I think we will be the entire time within Caribbean waters Hud3.

Defjef, lol I hope I wont become a fiasco too lol

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JC
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Old 29-01-2008, 09:03   #18
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JC - what's your budget just to purchase a boat?

Limiting yourself to a specific boat at this time - well, you may not have sufficient current knowledge to reasonably do that.

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Old 29-01-2008, 09:17   #19
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2Hulls, I am thinking that I can spend around 100 to 120 max. as I am also budgeting monthly costs for this type of living, I like to keep everything well maintained and the boat should be mint thru the years, I think I will need 5000 monthly to cover insurance, port fees and livingaboard expenses.

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Old 29-01-2008, 09:34   #20
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JC

This is a pretty strange . I'm an American living, (39 yrs.) in Medellin ,Colombia also. Living here 4 yrs (Envigado) I grew up in Fort Lauderdale sailing prams, lazers, and cats. I too dream of getting into long term sailing in the Carribean. But my girlfriend is 4 months preg. and we are concentrating on this for now. Drop me a line here or give me a call 313 - 658 -07-03 (Medellin ) Kevin
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Old 29-01-2008, 09:53   #21
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Hi devilfishline, we should meet then, I used to fly for Aces Airlines here in Medellin (Iata code VX now Avianca) back and forth to the US, I will call your cell momentarily, I live very close to El Tesoro Mall and my office and home are very close too Untitled Document

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JC
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Old 29-01-2008, 09:58   #22
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JC,

If Douglas or Bernadette Bernon is your instructor, well - you couldn’t ask for better. The Bernons cruised extensively in the Western Caribbean and they can give you invaluable advice. All I can add is don’t miss the eastern Caribbean. Just about anywhere in the Leeward/Windward chain plus Puerto La Cruz and the Venezuelan islands can be an attractive base for winter Caribbean cruising. These islands are mostly less than a day’s sail apart and they are all different. Our favorites were USVI - especially St. John, St. Maarten - both sides, and Grenada - especially Carricou. St. Lucia has perhaps the most spectacular harbor in the world. I think the French islands are more fun if you speak the language, but Martinique and Dominica are gorgeous. There’s something for everyone. You can spend a lifetime trying to sample it all.

Also, Beneteaus are proven Caribbean boats. Obviously, you should consider others, shop around, compare, etc. But, you have to start somewhere. And if you wind up with a good condition Beneteau, it will not be a bad choice for your intended use. Remember, 90% of the time a cruising sailboat isn't sailing at all - it's anchored. Layout and liveaboard comfort are very important.
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Old 29-01-2008, 10:32   #23
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Thanks for your call Kevin, cu tomorrow
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Old 29-01-2008, 10:42   #24
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slomotion, thanks for your post, my instructor is going to be "Capitanejo" he appeared recently on a TV reality as a professional sailor, I have not met him buta close friend of mine has already touches basis with him with good results, my French is 70% now and I am working daily to bring it to 90% where it used to be lol

Thanks for your advice about Beneteaus, I like your statement about the amount of time one spend anchored and the time once spend sailing so yes layout and liveaboard comfort are paramount to me too, I am trying to start gathering information about what would be the best Caribbean location for me as a new sailor, I have to make a decision of a Marina or a Bay and I need to consider safety, security for the boat and my belongings and I also need to make sure that the integrity of the boat and passengers is guaranteed, cost of living is also important, I dont really want Cartagena as is within the same country, any suggestions are very welcome. I will launch a site for my project within the next few weeks at softair.us


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Old 29-01-2008, 11:54   #25
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JC,

Many/most full time cruisers do not really have a permanent base - nothing wrong with having one - there are an infinite variety of cruising styles and they're all right for the people engaging in them. For winter sailing in the Caribbean, you can base yourself just about anywhere. If instead you are going to live aboard year round at anchor, you have to beware of hurricane season. In the summer you want to be in or near a natural hurricane hole or somewhere that you can get quick, safe, protected haul out. For this reason many transient cruisers simply choose to spend the summer in the southern Caribbean.

There are no guarantees, but hurricanes are relatively rare below about 12 degrees north latitude. So, you might want to consider such places for a liveaboard base. Your choices are basically: Trinidad/Tobago, Grenada, Puerto La Cruz (not sure you can anchor there, but slips used to be cheap) and Margarita island in VZ, the ABCs, Cartagena, and Panama.

Also, sailing east in the southern Caribbean is not fun. The farther west you are based, the less likely you are to sail directly to the Leeward/Windward chain. The preferred route is clockwise where you head east after passing through the Yucatan straits into the Gulf of Mexico. So western based cruisers tend to concentrate on Central American islands and Mexico. Eastern based cruisers do the chain. Then they decide to do something new and change places for awhile.
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Old 29-01-2008, 12:21   #26
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Thanks slomotion, I am thinking in spending a few weeks on each island and for the hurricane season I am thinking in locating myself in Cartagena that is my home country.

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Old 29-01-2008, 13:55   #27
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JC, Columbia would be perfect for hurricane season and it would allow you to continue to cruise from July - November through the various islands off the neighbouring coast of Venezuela, as has already been recommended in another post. From there, of course, you'll likely be sailing upwind to and through the Windwards ( Grenada, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, St. Lucia and Martinique) if departing from Venezuela/Columbia, but once you have reached Grenada the remaining islands are only daylight sails apart. And of course, you'll likely be reaching in the prevailing trades on the way back for the next hurricane season.

I would recommend that you spend your first season going no further afield (or north) than the Windwards. There will be plenty of great destinations/harbours in this chain - really, more than enough for one season, especially if you are planning on doing this for years to come. It will keep you close to home and yet allow you to get some passages under your belt that will increase both your competence and confidence.

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Old 29-01-2008, 14:06   #28
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Brad, thanks very much for your advice, can you help me designing a theorethical routing starting in Oct. Nov this year, terrific, I will be all by myself during this first seasons as I dont want to carry any passengers until I am fully confident of my performance sailing the selected boat and routes, I am planning to stay within the Caribbean for 2 to 3 years before I think in sailing somewhere else.

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Old 29-01-2008, 17:04   #29
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I would sail a variety of boats before you set your heart on any boat in particular. Boats are a compromise of many many different factors. You may find something that you like better than a Beneteau 40.
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Old 29-01-2008, 18:34   #30
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You are right David, I am going to try to make it to the upcoming Miami Boat Show however I am not sure if a purely commercial boat show will bring enough information to make a wise criteria to purchase.

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