27ft cruising reality

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by OldManMirage

As far as personal appearance onboard, I'm a buzz cut guy and I like my electric razor. Should be pretty easy to stay well groomed. Keep a decent set of dockers and a button up shirt for dealing with officials and it ought to all work out ok !

Why would you worry about being groomed while sailing?

I deal with officials in whatever shorts and flip flops I happen to be wearing

Are you exmilitary and thinking you might get inspected?

I was at an anchorage recently and saw this couple get off their sailboat and into their dinghy. The guy had his shirt tucked in, a belt on, and maybe dock shoes and I was thinking what the hell?

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Why would you worry about being groomed while sailing?

I deal with officials in whatever shorts and flip flops I happen to be wearing

Are you exmilitary and thinking you might get inspected?

I was at an anchorage recently and saw this couple get off their sailboat and into their dinghy. The guy had his shirt tucked in, a belt on, and maybe dock shoes and I was thinking what the hell?

Its one thing in your own country.. don't matter if you wipe your boots on the doormat or not.. but other folks homes deserve the courtesy.

[Jim Cate]

Why would you worry about being groomed while sailing?

I deal with officials in whatever shorts and flip flops I happen to be wearing

You may get away with this disrespect when dealing with the local cops in the Chessie, but when dealing with customs and immigration in other countries (yes, some cruisers actually go to other countries and need to deal with those powerful chaps) you will not fare as well as the clean and tidy skipper will. This is common knowledge amongst experienced voyagers.

Jim

[toddster8]

It has been my experience that if you show up at customs and immigration wearing a collared shirt and closed shoes, you spend a lot more time going about your day and a lot less time having all your gear searched and your toiletries emptied out, and all your stuff spread out for the dogs to inspect.

Cutting off the pony tail seems to have helped some in that regard as well...

[Jim Cate]

You need to price into your budget air conditioning and marina time to run it,

No he doesn't NEED to do this at all. Never had air conditioning in over 30 years of cruising, including many years in the tropics, never wanted to have it.

Silly advice.

Jim

[boatman61]

My clean up starts 4hrs from port after a long hop.. pick out what I intend to wear.. wipe down my shore footwear,
Shave.. sponge bath or shower.. depending whats available.. trim nails and a white sugar and liquid soap hand scrub to get rid of any ingrained grime.
Nothing beats arriving solo in say the Azores or Marquesas looking fresh as a daisy.. rather than something thats just survived 20 days at sea in a liferaft..
Pisses off the other cruisers no end..

Thats if arriving before last orders..

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by alaskaflyfish

The trailer is very handy. It has afforded me the ability move the boat to any location I choose. Refitting was made much easier with the boat in my backyard. I have considered trailering it to SoCal. It would be convenient thing to do, except for truck and trailer storage.

There may be someone on here with a backyard you could store them in for a while.

[seandepagnier]

Originally Posted by toddster8

It has been my experience that if you show up at customs and immigration wearing a collared shirt and closed shoes, you spend a lot more time going

It's my experience that snobby cruisers intend to spread this nonsense in an effort to justify the way they look down on anyone who doesn't paint their boat every year. It is typical "yacht club" attitude and does not reflect reality. In fact, with few exceptions, the officials find me much more interesting than the average cruiser and are usually very friendly.

Collars are a waste of fabric and look terrible the same way anything wasteful does, like engines. Closed shoes hurt my feet so I don't wear them, not in winter, not walking in snow and ice, never.

[toddster8]

ex·pe·ri·ence
ˌikˈspirēəns
noun
1.
practical contact with and observation of facts or events.
"he had already learned his lesson by painful experience"
synonyms: involvement in, participation in, contact with, acquaintance with, exposure to, observation of, awareness of, insight into
"his first experience of business"


BTW: I am normally quite feral in daily appearance

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by boat_alexandra

It's my experience that snobby cruisers intend to spread this nonsense in an effort to justify the way they look down on anyone who doesn't paint their boat every year. It is typical "yacht club" attitude and does not reflect reality. In fact, with few exceptions, the officials find me much more interesting than the average cruiser and are usually very friendly.

Collars are a waste of fabric and look terrible the same way anything wasteful does, like engines. Closed shoes hurt my feet so I don't wear them, not in winter, not walking in snow and ice, never.

All sorts of folk say all sorts of things to justify themselves.. I just like clean clothes.. and body.
Yottie I am not

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by boatman61

All sorts of folk say all sorts of things to justify themselves.. I just like clean clothes.. and body.
Yottie I am not

A sugar bath and you are not a Yottie?

[alaskaflyfish]

Originally Posted by boat_alexandra

It's my experience that snobby cruisers intend to spread this nonsense in an effort to justify the way they look down on anyone who doesn't paint their boat every year. It is typical "yacht club" attitude and does not reflect reality. In fact, with few exceptions, the officials find me much more interesting than the average cruiser and are usually very friendly.

Collars are a waste of fabric and look terrible the same way anything wasteful does, like engines. Closed shoes hurt my feet so I don't wear them, not in winter, not walking in snow and ice, never.

I must say you are an exception to the rule. Good on you. In most cases I also dont care what people think of me except when they have the power to make my life miserable, i.e. state and government officials, wife, as well as individuals who I require goods and services. They can be put-off by poor personal appearance and slovenly attitudes of uncaring. The saying "you cant ALWAYS judge a book by it cover" means most of the time you CAN judge it by its cover, getting it wrong on a rare occasion. I think you might be this rare occasion. You must have a debonair about you that penetrates your outward appearance. Cheers.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Don C L

A sugar bath and you are not a Yottie?

Some folks use Swarfega or other commercial product to shift ingrainded oil and grease from their hands.. I find granulated sugar and washing up liquid to be just as efficient.. with a pleasant lemon aroma after rinsing off.
Plus its cheap and everyday stuff I use.

[alaskaflyfish]

Alaska is an interesting place. It is the land of the old hippie and down and outs. I have met other peoples downwind before I ever shook their hand or began a conversation. Their stink is distracting and can even stick to you. On one occasion I had to rinse my nasal passages just to get the stink out. There is no excuse for this in a cabin, tent or boat. Just my opinion, feel free to disagree.

[james247]

Originally Posted by alaskaflyfish

Thanks for the funny story. My current proposed route is AK to BC, then direct to Hilo. I could go down the California coast if needed. "Camping out" is the best way to describe living conditions on the boat. I still spend weekends on my boat in Homer Boat Harbor even though the nite temps get to below zero. I have heaters plugged in. My boat is currently frozen in. Camping is nothing new to me living here in AK. I once slept in my Ford Festiva for 3 weeks cause I had no money. Then, when I started a business and was trying to save money, I slept in my Cherokee 180 for 4 weeks at the Juneau Airport waiting to get it back to Fairbanks. Not to mention every time I salvaged a wrecked plane and slept at the crash site for weeks on end getting the plane ready to fly out. Now that I have some money to spend, I kind of like to have a change of scenery other than camping.

I like two things sailing/cruising and renovating boats. I've owners boats from 16 feet to 65 feet. My current love affair is 24 feet. Whilst length isn't everything two things happen the larger one goes - speed and bulk.
Both of these add to the safety of sailing. The speed has you at sea for less time. This gives you better ability to dodge weather and generally puts you more in control of your like. The bulk has no end of benefits. The most important in my experience is the ability to be dry. Extra clothes distance between bed and cockpit. More and better food options. Safety gear and life quality equipment.
For me small boats are great for a couple of days. To cruise the world my ideal single handed boat is a ketch of 45 to 55 feet crew are an optional benefit and one is plenty.
35 feet is a nice size. Can carry good sails with options a good sized motor, a galley capable of preparing healthy quality food, a berth that is not a storage area but a clean tidy welcoming space. Then there all those other things that are not essential but are greatly comforting like gps,ais, wind instruments, pressure cooker, a second set of bed sheets need I go on. O let's not forget the mirror scissors comb and razor soap and even a shower. And bless it a dedicated toilet not a converted berth or a bucket in the cockpit.
All boats are a cork in bad weather the bigger they are the more controllable they are
It's simple it's all about quality of life - your life. [emoji274][emoji943][emoji285][emoji276]