NY to Houston: Time and Timing

[Cap Erict3]

Originally Posted by Paul Annapolis

GROAN.......yes you were right you can hear the groans already. Brand new sailor on West Coast finds a specific boat on East coast he might buy..yes might buy. Everyone jumps onboard to be helpful and offer advice yet look at this trip...a slow trip on a small, heavy slow boat as OJT. Really? On the job training? And then spending many thousands to truck a boat that is probably worth what, under $25k?? So here is my advice. Get lessons. Take your time. Buy the right boat on the west coast. The CD is a great boat, but heavy, slow, small inside and how is it that you have your eye on a specific make and model when you are so new to sailing??? You are going down the waterway so do you need a full keel boat, assuming you know the difference between that and a fin keel or modified keel...You asked for advice as a new sailor? Anyone who is planning to do what you are doing is either real gutsy and bold and really self reliant and self assured or just lain old inexperienced and careless. I will get a lot of grief from people here but this is another one of those now common and stereotypical posts from woefully inexperienced folks who are not even really sure what question to ask but want to take on a serious challenge in which they really have no business doing and so many jump in offering all kinds of advice and then pooh pooh anyone who says WAIT..NOT A GOOD IDEA by saying we are naysayers, timid or too cautious. Slow down. Get lessons, Try different boats, take your time and buy one where you will be sailing. Go ahead and pursue your dream but your castle in the air needs to grow a foundation down to the earth. Anything else is foolhardy and asking for trouble...AND SINGLEHANDING TOO????????? Remember that only a fool learns from experience...the wise learn from the experience of others and therefore this forum is only one way to learn from the experience of others but this has its limitations and all we can offer really are opinions and mine are offered to keep you from running into serious trouble on what I can assure you is not a well conceived plan. And I can hear the groans already too....

Don't be so hard on yourself. You took the time to lay out the facts. If he follows your advice he'll save himself grief, money and time.


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Looking for another pretty place to work on the boat.

[Hard Alee]

Thanks, TacomaSailor:

SO - you can fall in love and be happy and sometimes you can learn to love and be happy.

Very true. and based on this and your last post, with a sigh, I am looking at West Coast boats now. (I think I'm in love. Again.)

And PaulAnnapolis -

...all we can offer really are opinions and mine are offered to keep you from running into serious trouble on what I can assure you is not a well conceived plan.

Thanks for the tough love. I am prone to taking on challenges with a trademark naivete, that's why I was asking the advice of you learned hands. I'm a Civil Engineer/Project manager, (retired) and I tend to build the castle from the top and the bottom at the same time. I am already signed up for the ASA series for later this month, and admittedly strayed a little future-ward exploring the boat relocation idea. Like many first loves, it's the one that got away, and I probably dodged a bullet.

...this is another one of those now common and stereotypical posts from woefully inexperienced folks who are not even really sure what question to ask

I agree - As I read through the archived posts, the same questions seem to keep on coming. And the miracle is, they keep getting answered patiently, although with a lot of friendly disagreement! Then those new folks learn, and eventually are helping the next crop of newer folks.

...so many jump in offering all kinds of advice and then pooh pooh anyone who says WAIT..NOT A GOOD IDEA by saying we are naysayers

The loyal opposition. And you're both right. Having raised kids, I believe you have to encourage the dream, even the impossible one, but always with an awareness of the potential consequences of failure. Some dreams, like sailing, could result in disaster if undertaken in an ill-prepared manner.

And I know I could make the relocation thing happen, but maybe heroics are not what is needed here. In my 30's or 40's, sure, OK, but in my 60's... Nah. Thanks again everyone. (Till the next greenhorn question...)

[Paul Annapolis]

Thanks for your thoughtful and helpful response. So...now what? Keep us informed of your progress and thoughts. I have often found that trained engineers figure out how to frame and solve and approach problems and challenges in careful and systematic ways. If you are the bold, self-assured type then go for it! But which way are you headed now?

[ddavis4464]

If you are thinking about this as a delivery less than a month should work. If you want actually enjoy some of the best cruising in the world, plan on two years. Winter in Marathon on the hook the first year. If you have to go back to the West Coast leave the boat and come back to it. Second year go north up the West Coast of Florida and then follow the ICW back to Clear Lake, near Houston. You can motor the ICW most of the trip. Don't do the northern part in the winter and don't do the Gulf Coast in the winter. Late summer and fall you have to watch the weather for hurricanes in the south.
You have to pay to tie-up the boat somewhere my as well see the sights and just leave the boat when you have to go back. At the next opportunity come back and cruise some more... learning all the while.
Have Fun
Danny