New to the Cruiser's Forum

[tropicala]

I just joined this group and although I don't own a boat, I'm putting the house up for sale and will soon be in the market for a boat to live a lifelong dream.

A little about me.... I'm a photographer living in the midwest, I have been a PADI certified diver since 1990, love the ocean and traveling so this is a natural fit for me.

I guess my biggest question at this point is what kind of questions should I be asking those who are trying to sell their boats?

I know zilch about sailing yachts so I'm going to need a lot of guidance. I'll be interested in a boat that I can handle myself while cruising the coastal waters of the Gulf and Caribbean.

[Lizzy Belle]

Welcome to CF!

There are plenty of topics here worth reading

Pretty much all well built and maintained boats can take you anywhere you want to go. Which one is best for you depends on what type of boats you like, what your wants & needs are and, most of all, your budget. Those are all things you need to figure out for yourself

My advise: see if you can join people who own boats you like for a day of sailing. Learn about boats and sailing before you start looking for a boat to buy. You need to know your (dis)likes & needs before you can start selecting, and you can't work that out by just looking at pictures on the net.

[Curious Sailor]

Welcome! You came to the right place...


http://curioussailor.blogspot.com/

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, tropicala.

[HappyMdRSailor]

Welcome to CF Tropicala !

There's a mountain of reading available of the topic posted... There are many different searching options...

[tropicala]

Thanks everyone. Looking forward to learning as much as I can.

[Don C L]

Little more info needed. Do you have sailing experience or are you looking for a power yacht?
BTW welcome here!

[tropicala]

Originally Posted by Don C L

Little more info needed. Do you have sailing experience or are you looking for a power yacht?
BTW welcome here!

Here's a little about myself. I'm currently living in Kansas City, Missouri. I have no sailing experience at all but think with time and practice I can become proficient enough to enjoy it.

I've always considered myself a landlocked marine biologist. I love the tropical oceans, diving (PADI certified since 90), tropical marine life, etc. and lived in South Beach for a while doing real estate photography in all of south Florida from Boynton Beach to the Keys and from the Atlantic coast to the Gulf coast. I'd like to end up in SW Florida somewhere.

I just turned 63 years old in January and work as a photographer. I had to have open heart surgery 3 years ago to remove blockage. There was no heart muscle damage and I feel pretty good right now but as we age, we never know for sure. I'm not even sure if I could single-hand a boat myself and that's what I'd be doing.

I have friends that bought a 51' boat and taught themselves how to sail and lived aboard for about 10 years before moving back on land. I think with a little time cruising around the IC's and slip living, I can figure it all out and maybe make a trip over to the Bahamas. I'm not really interested in any long offshore excursions but who knows?

I want to keep my expenses down so I'm looking to sell my house and pick up a boat in the $20k to $30k range and something that a single guy can live aboard alone. I'm guessing I need something around 32' but would consider a shorter vessel (26' to 28') if it was comfortable enough and able to make trips into the Caribbean, Bahamas and keys.

I don't mind making repairs and having spent 35 years as a machinist, I can 'fix' things. I have also considered a motor yacht but not sure that I could afford to feed it. I'd like to keep my living expenses under $1000 a month. I can live pretty minimally.

[Don C L]

For me, it starts off with, do you want a boat that happens to have a sail on it, or do you want a sailboat that you want to travel with? Since I started off as falling in love with sailing first, I happen to think that is a good path to happy cruising. I will happily put up with what others may consider discomfort for a boat that sails well. But first, since you don't have plans to cross oceans, your choices are a little easier. My advice is always the same though, start off with a really fun little sailboat and take it out everyday that there is a breeze. Make it go as fast as you can. Go all directions, push it hard, capsize it, right it and do it a gain, for fun. Everything learned will apply to a boat up to a Gloucester schooner. Then, me, I'd shop for an older , well-built, well cared for, boat in the 30 to 32 foot range with a fresh diesel (there are good ones to be found in your budget) perhaps in New England and then poke along the coast and ICW down to Florida. Check bluewaterboats.org for some good boat possibilities. Then search threads here too, there are a lot of folks like yourself with similar dreams!

[tropicala]

Originally Posted by Don C L

For me, it starts off with, do you want a boat that happens to have a sail on it, or do you want a sailboat that you want to travel with? Since I started off as falling in love with sailing first, I happen to think that is a good path to happy cruising. I will happily put up with what others may consider discomfort for a boat that sails well. But first, since you don't have plans to cross oceans, your choices are a little easier. My advice is always the same though, start off with a really fun little sailboat and take it out everyday that there is a breeze. Make it go as fast as you can. Go all directions, push it hard, capsize it, right it and do it a gain, for fun. Everything learned will apply to a boat up to a Gloucester schooner. Then, me, I'd shop for an older , well-built, well cared for, boat in the 30 to 32 foot range with a fresh diesel (there are good ones to be found in your budget) perhaps in New England and then poke along the coast and ICW down to Florida. Check bluewaterboats.org for some good boat possibilities. Then search threads here too, there are a lot of folks like yourself with similar dreams!

Since I want to travel I want a boat that I will enjoy sailing and not just something to get me from A to B. If 5 or 10 years down the road, body willing, and I want to journey a little further, I'd like to know that it will take me there safely as long as I do my part.

What do you consider a good size for a fun, little boat?

[Don C L]

The boat that really got me started was a Laser. It's fast, fun and safe. It only has one sail to deal with and the feedback is instantaneous. It is quick and easy to set up so you can go after work everyday and have a great time. When you get good at it you'll be able to capsize it and right it without getting wet! A Capri or Lido 14 is a little bigger, fun too and has a jib (second sail in front of the main sail) you can experiment with. When you feel like you want a little more speed and more of a challenge, try a Hobie cat or, better yet a NACRA catamaran. Then, one I have not tried but would love to is called a "moth." For fun google that one.. if you get good at that one, it's time for bigger hydrofoils! Now once you feel ready, are there "starter" boats that are affordable and can safely cross oceans too? yes. If I had to shoot for a 32 footer right off the bat, I'd probably head for a boat called a Contessa 32, but there are many other good possibilities depending on your sailing preferences.

[tropicala]

Thanks, Don. I appreciate the info.