Waterman Going Insane in Newcastle Australia ?

[SurferShane]

Ok – I am an insanely keen ocean sports person who has almost got some cash to make the big move. For the last eight years have been either studying or sitting in an office in front of a computer and it has driven me absolutely batty. Consequently, I am buying a cruising yacht. (Please note this affirmative statement – the real question is just how big/much!).

If the sale on a 26.5 ft boat in Queensland Australia falls through, I am seriously thinking of flying to Mexico and buying a real Bluewater boat to sail home (slowly!). This would probably require that I sell up most of what I own, but I would then be able to afford something seaworthy and liveable (which is a lot more than I can say about the Hunter 19 that I currently have a share in!)

So am I mad or have I just made a move I will never regret? Are there even more people like me who I can expect to meet at sea?

My brain is going back to this professional fisherman I worked for off the Far North Coast NSW, who used to tell me that once you feel the boards of a boat moving under your feet you will always want to return to sea.

Then I have spent most of my life surfing and spear fishing. I suppose the biggest problem is that I have minimal sailing experience. However, I have done a few years offshore professional fishing and worked a season as a chef on a day cruise whale/dolphin tour boat.

(So am I in the right place?)

Yours, Shane

[Ocean Girl]

You are among your own kind. Go for it, there will be obstacles, jump them, and get your buttocks out there.
Cheers,
Erika

[SurferShane]

Erika,

Thanks - for the sake of my mental health I am thinking this is great advice!

I also uploaded a photo taken a few years back of me with a mulloway/jewfish (equivalent of a white sea bass). It is not so much the trophy fish thing (not really my style) as the fact the back ground in the photo is exactly where the Pasha Bulker ran aground in Newcastle a couple of years back.

[Boracay]

One of out members, Markj, did what you're proposing, that is buy an ex charter boat in the Caribbean and sail it back, except they kept on going...

I do feel that it's important to have enough financial resources to cover some upgrades, a few serious setbacks, say major engine trouble or losing a mast, not to mention giving Customs their pound of flesh to bring the boat into Oz.

I found a 2005 34' Beneteau Oceanus 343 for $US75,000 listed with the Moorings Brokerage. I assume you're thinking of something like that.

[SurferShane]

I was actually hoping to pick up something half that price in the classic 70’s – 80’s American cruising style yacht. Commonsense is telling me that I need to be careful and get something recently refurbished with good survey report, sails and engine.

The things that are pushing me this way (other than going half crazy like a lizard stuck on a rock) is the fact I am paying rent so at the end of the day living on a boat will incur about the same costs back here (If I even decide to come back!).

The smaller boat is the most sensible option if I decide to hang around my current address and for its size it is a capable offshore cruiser. However, I can see myself eventually wanting to cross oceans on the thing and it is really a bit small for a long-term live-aboard.

There is also a personal reason for me wanting to get out of here. I am getting a very modest inheritance from my deceased grandmother that will just get me there to buy the thing. On her death bed said I should basically get out of here and see the world, which is something she did not have an opportunity to do. She mentioned six weeks, but really all a tourist holiday of that duration would do is basically burn the cash with nothing to show at the end of the day? I am also still waiting for the solicitors to finalise the matter, so have it looks like I have a bit of time to weigh up various options.

No doubt the whole thing is all a real conundrum (and could turn bad), but hopefully this forum is going to be a good way to work out the kind of decisions to make?

[Ocean Girl]

Sorry about your grandmother, she sounds like she was a neat person to give that kind of advice to you.

Check out the smaller beneteaus, the 28.1 are good boats with great space for its size, probably find one for around 35,000. The Tartan 34 are great. Good idea about avoiding a fixer upper, especially since you will need to liveaboard and sail right away.
Lots of good boats out there, be patient and you will find the right one. Remember, you are already on your adventure, breath deep and enjoy.

Erika

[SurferShane]

Erika,

Thanks – the Grandmother made her 79th year and it was good that she did not suffer too much. She grew up around the water and was always pretty cool about me surfing and diving. I kind of also get the feeling that she could see it was getting frustrating for me to be caught around here basically always seeming to be going backwards.

Coincidentally, the Tartans are actually one of the makes of boat that I have been drooling over for a fair while and the 34 seems like an excellent boat. At the moment I have seen a few similar boats like the Morgan’s and a Bristol Yawl that I could almost afford. Hopefully all are in the classic cruiser bracket, although I do accept that some would obviously be better for blue water purposes.

If I get serious about a particular boat I will probably post in the appropriate forum. Regardless, I have already been going through the old posts and links.

Happy sailing!

[SurferShane]

Well Guys & Girls – I have to admit that even just having a quick look around this site and reading about other people’s journeys and disasters is both motivating and scary. Maybe my problem too is that I spend that much time around the ocean that I almost take her a bit for granted, while noting I do respect her and have seen the dark side of what she can throw at you.

It kind of looks to me that if I did decide to do the Mexico thing it might be sensible to hang around for a year or so and get some experience and make sure the boat is together before attempting anything like a return to Australia, which again might be subject to delays due seasonal weather. Anyway, the thought of getting permanently stuck in some South American paradise where I have to earn peanuts running a small bar is not that distressing. However, I do I have young daughter who would miss me.

The whole thing makes me feel that getting a coastal cruiser and mooring it down the road somewhere in Newcastle harbour might be the go after all. It is a nice deep harbour and easy to get in and out of in most weather. At least this way I will be joining the cruising community and giving myself the chance to get some more skills up with the eventual aim of getting that real blue water boat.

So hopefully these funds are going to clear before this little offshore boat I am so keen on in Queensland is bought out from under me. If it does all happen it is going to be a nice (and slow) cruise home in familiar waters hopefully with a nice side trip north to the bottom of the Great Barrier Reef. (I should adhere to the six week wish; although I might have to discount a few days I took to walk the overland track a couple of months ago in Tasmania).

Anyway, I will be reading more and I am sure I will post about my initiation into the offshore sailing world when it all come together, which will hopefully be very soon!

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and Welcome aboard!
Hope you can find your dream and follow it.
regards,

[scook1]

Whatever path you take Shane, is going to be incredible. Especially for a waterman like yourself, just being on the ocean is a treat. I thought you meant Newcastle, Indiana. A small land-locked agricultural community not too far from me. You should take your daughter sailing sometime. Keep us posted,
Spencer

[SurferShane]

Spencer,

She loves sailing and has taken too it naturally - check my photos where she has to play with the ropes and often demands to take the helm. For the same reasons, I don't think she will freak if dad decides to live on a boat!

The only person who has really freaked is my mate who owned the bigger boat in the photos. She feels so confident at sea (ok – in this instance on Lake Macquarie NSW AUSTRALIA, our largest sea lake) and just would not sit still, always running around to check things out smiling.

Noting the life jacket, half the reason my mate was getting frustrated was because I spent half the day running after her when he thought we could relax and have a decent conversation. I am sure I am going to benefit from some of the tips in the sailing with kids forum!

[Jmolan]

Shane, waterman myself, probably old enough to be your dad.

I got a super deal for you (to dream about)

As a surfer I cannot imagine anything other than a multihull. I have a 34' Searunner Tri myself. I know of a GREAT 31' Searunner in La Paz Mexico. That is at the south end of the Sea of Cortez. You can spend you learning time in the Sea (fantastic cruising) and if you want to split for a while, we can haul and store it on dry ground in San Carlos.....no problema'

I am prejiduce, but Searunners were designed by a waterman, for watermen. It was never built with any marketing design in mind. The good ones are the best boat a cruiser can get for the money....

The link is here for the 31', there is a lot of photos of my 34' in the lower links....you have to get through about 20 pics of another boat on my link......Dream on.....

My wife and I moved on a boat with our first kid. I now have a daughter in China, a daughter in New Zealand, and a son who works in the Bering Sea.....

1978 Brown Searunner Trimaran Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

[SurferShane]

@ Jmolan,

Have you seen those old 60’s American surfing movies where they ride the Hobbie Cats in the surf breaks? It looks like incredible fun. I can only imagine that the tri is the next step with some serious accommodations?

Kind of also been lucky enough to find a run of good mono-hulls over here.; not so much a bias as what the local market has to offer. I would love to do the Mexico thing, but am realising I can’t just abandon kids etc with a plan of maybe not returning.

Pretty cool also that I have been showing my daughter some potential boats and she is stoked they have a decent cabin! All a bit luxurious compared to the cramped Hunter 19 and the mates boat I took her out on a few weeks back that still need an interior refit.