Hello all,
New to this forum so I'm hoping this is appropriate place for this post...
My wife and I are mid forties, no
kids, who own a 30ft semi-custom
fiberglass diesel express cruiser. We have been weekend commuters to our
family ocean front
cabin for the last 20 years (12 months of the year). We have done many summer time cruises from days to multi weeks up the BC coast increasing our time each year. We are interested in
renting or perhaps formally sharing a
displacement hull power boat in the 40-50ft range for most, if not all, of July & August. We are about 10 years away from
retirement and want to experience a
trawler type capable
boat while exploring the coastline up to and through
Alaska. As we only have the weekends and July & August (and still need and want to commute) our present
boat is too perfect to consider letting go and we couldn't justify having an expensive 'slow' boat sitting around for 6-8 weeks of use. We are looking to see if there is anyone that we would be the right fit for us.
Sharing our respective boats with each other,
renting your boat, helping with upkeep on your boat (if you perhaps live out of town) or even maybe (eventually) a buy in / buy out of your boat would all be up for discussion. Having us aboard as crew (sharing expenses) would seem the best way to judge each other should we get to that point. I believe I would be judged by most as very capable in the handy man,
mechanic &
maintenance departments when it comes to boats (or yachts if we must). My wife and I are healthy, in shape types that don't smoke. We do not have
pets.
We have limited experience on board a
displacement boat but our desire would generally be towards the higher end likes of
Nordic Tug, Nordhavn, Selene, Northwest,
Diesel Ducks or any designs by Kaston, Seaton, Neville, Bray or J.Simpson. We are not interested (and with the utmost of respect to everyone and their choices) the more common production type boats which are typically semi-displacement.
Features that are a must have for us: swim grid (like to swim and launch the
dinghy without trying to hang a ladder over the side),
water maker or large
water tanks (like the option to stay away from
marinas when they're busy), robust
electronics (we know how to read a paper chart and look out the front window but are much happier embracing technology), good
heating system (we know very well how damp & cool the
weather can be above the top of
Vancouver Island).
I would be happy to discuss this further if you feel we might be a fit with your situation and boat.
Thank you.