Want to be a Sailor

[s/v Beth]

Here's some advice and out of the box thinking. Buy a 35 year old pickup with a camper. Spend two weeks fixing what you think is wrong with it, and install all the conveniences you think you will need. Then go on the road. If something breaks down you can either 1. Fix it with the materials you have on the camper or wait one week until you get into port. And no getting out of the camper to walk around and get a better angle at fixing it, or waving down people. If you can reach people by CB, then that will work for utter emergencies.
If you can do that for 3 months at a time, and do not get seasick...It just might work. The view is better out here, as is the fishing....

[Jimbo485]

Forget about being a sailor - just go for captain!

[MaryEllenCarter]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

Here's some advice and out of the box thinking. Buy a 35 year old pickup with a camper. Spend two weeks fixing what you think is wrong with it, and install all the conveniences you think you will need. Then go on the road. If something breaks down you can either 1. Fix it with the materials you have on the camper or wait one week until you get into port. And no getting out of the camper to walk around and get a better angle at fixing it, or waving down people. If you can reach people by CB, then that will work for utter emergencies.
If you can do that for 3 months at a time, and do not get seasick...It just might work. The view is better out here, as is the fishing....

That's good advice, but is somewhat lacking.

He should also take a bucket of water and throw it around the inside of the camper first.

[jkindredpdx]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

... it's not all 12 kt trade winds and exotic Islands. At time it can be a challenge to sail in heavy weather...

Good Point Martin... by way of example our two avatars What you can't see in mine is the rain dripping off my nose and the bill of my cap... my motto: there's no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear.

[JPA Cate]

No one has as yet mentioned that boats require constant proof that you love them: this is expressed by breaking things that you are expected to fix for her. This costs money. Eventually stuff fails and requires replacement. Sails, too. If you're picky, dacron sails, every 4 yrs. So you will not only need your income, but a plan for prepariing for large unexpected repairs, also, eventually, with age come medical problems. You'll have to work out how you're going to pay for treatment. It isn't just the cost of purchase of the boat that is at issue here. Cheap boats take money to fix up, too--plenty of CF threads about that. By the way, although ketches have their proponents, there are reasons why few are built these days.

Ann

[s/v Beth]

You know I didn't finish my post. In careful reading of your posts, it seems that you are planning to circumnavigate solo and your shake down cruise will be across the Atlantic. OK, take that pickup-camper we talked about, fill it with 3weeks of food. That should give you about enough room to lay down. Then drive it to a windy ridge. Roll the windows down and put your survival gear on. Tie yourself on to something sturdy, like the wheel or gearshift. You can only untie when you crawl through the back window in to the camper, and must tie in as soon as you enter the cab.

[s/v Beth]

It will rain. You cannot roll up the pickup windows. You set in the wet with your gear on trying to get sleep, because every 15 minutes or so you must scan the horizon for pickups. If you see the lights of one you must get on the hood of your car and turn your cb on. At the same time you need to shine a light on your camper. Hopefully you are not next to a freeway. You can nap, but only at the risk of getting run over, so you don't do it very much. If you get too tired and fall on the ground you drown.
You think I am exaggerating, I know. I have only soloed a couple of days. It is probably much worse across an ocean.

[rgscpat]

Tombs,

Greetings, and welcome. I sail in New Mexico and Arizona, and my son was working out of the USDA Forest Service Nogales ranger office on a fire crew this summer. He also teaches sailing on dinghies at Tempe Town Lake for the Arizona Sailing Foundation, which has inexpensive classes for youth and adults. Lake Pleasant is a good place to practice sailing, and I was just there doing mark-set boat duty this weekend for the racers. Also, down around Tucson and all around there are quite a few sailors who run down to San Carlos for sailing, and others who keep boats in San Diego and other SoCal locations.

What is your motivation for sailing and what assets and liabilities do you think you have. For example, if you've camped and lived in small spaces, or have an athletic, outdoorsy background, those would help with picking up sailing and sail cruising.

What is your risk tolerance? Do you jump in to a new interest area head first or do you like to do research and dip your toe in the water first?
Sailing, and boat ownership are new enough experiences that the realities of the life may come as a surprise. And your interests in sailing and cruising may evolve with experience. And there is no one perfect boat for everyone. So, if you want to minimize the risk of making a decision that might turn out wrong for you, and get on a fast-track to knowing what will make you happy, hang around a bunch of sailors and try to get aboard and get rides on all sorts of different boats in different locales, seasons, and sea conditions. One good thing is that sailing clubs in AZ are cheap to join, and some of them have ties with the SoCal clubs.

Also, how tight or loose are your ties to land (family, etc.)? If you sail into the sunset, do you have skills that might be marketable abroad?

PS, next week the Arizona Yacht Club is having a talk by a fellow who's sailed some 300,000 miles... three times around the world and 51 trips to Hawaii. John Jourdane might know a thing about cruising. That's Tuesday, Nov. 12 near where Tempe, Phoenix, and Scottsdale meet:

<<John Jourdane will offer some of those stories for our next monthly meeting. The meeting is Tuesday, November 12, beginning at 7pm (but arrive early for dinner). Monthly meetings are held at the Caddy Shack @ Rolling Hills Golf Course, 1415 North Mill Avenue, Tempe, AZ 85281-1205 (map) and both members and non-members are welcome to attend.>>
Sailing News | Arizona Yacht Club

[tombstone220]

Thank you all for your replies
I am a Marine Corps combat veteran and have been to sea (in troop transports). I am committed to life at sea. I grew up on the coast (FL)and have a love of the ocean. I know what I am going to do. I'm just asking for advise. Not questions about if I'm up to this. I'm sure.

[s/v Beth]

Originally Posted by tombstone220

Thank you all for your replies
I am a Marine Corps combat veteran and have been to sea (in troop transports). I am committed to life at sea. I grew up on the coast (FL)and have a love of the ocean. I know what I am going to do. I'm just asking for advise. Not questions about if I'm up to this. I'm sure.

Cool.
Do what they said then. If you are still this hot to go next spring, come with me out on the ocean for 3-4 days. (Yes that is a invite) If you can do the North Pacific swells you are ready for the Atlantic.

[jkindredpdx]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

... So you will not only need your income, but a plan for prepariing for large unexpected repairs... It isn't just the cost of purchase of the boat that is at issue here. Cheap boats take money to fix up... Ann

Gotta say, it's been my observation that buying a fixer upper costs much more in the long run. I've enjoyed my time at old but well cared for cabin and boat, while some neighbors were focused on expensive and time consuming repairs. Mine require normal maintenance, but few surprises.

[chuckr]

have to agree with ann cate also -- we did not know a lot about boats when we bought a new jeanneau ds40 in 2003 -- 10 years later and a thousands of miles under her keel it was a great decision -- about 25% of our expenses go to maintaining the boat and doing one major upgrade a year - Some more upgrades than one - if we had gotten an older boat it would have been a lot more and delayed our departure a lot --
when we were getting ready to leave some other folks had older boats and kinda made fun of us for getting a new boat as we were not real boaters - we ignored them and cut the dock lines while they were still rebuilding their boats and were running short of money -

just our thoughts and opinions
chuck patty and svsoulmates
in port yasmine hammamet tunisia for the winter

[tombstone220]

newt
If you're serious, i'd love to come with you! email me at homebrewb312@yahoo.com I'm up for it!

[chuckr]

Tombstone -- i did a tiger cruise with my US Marine son when he came back from iraq from his 1st tour -- if i may - the difference is like a tricycle compared to a formula 1 race car when comparing troop transports with sailboats

but both my sons were US Marines - one with 2 iraq tours -- saying that - i for one know you are up for it -- it is just getting the necessary prep to make sure it is reasonably safe and you are properly prepared

any specific questions please pm me and we will help as much as we can

just our opinions and thoughts
chuck patty and svsoulmates
in port yasmine hammamet tunisia for the winter