It's my island (Packet)

[Gilled]

I get an idea in my head, and that's that. I am going to sail around the world. I am going to do it in an Island Packet. Now this is where I need a little advice. Should I learn how to sail first or buy the boat first? . Definitely buy the boat first. That way if you find out you hate sailing, you have a water front cabin with the high cost of moorage in Tacoma. Definitely buy the boat first. Island Packets are made on the flat side of the country. Ya, I know. There are very few for sale out here. Ya, I know. I will pay out the *SS to have one shipped out here! Smart. Now you're thinking. What year? Oh, I definitely want one I have to change the chain plates in. 1997? Perfect!!!!. Might as well get new rigging while the mast is down. Yep!!!! You know this is the same thing as when you completely restored the 1986 Vanagon Synchro, right? Not the same. You put in 1000s of hours to meticulously restore the van. This is different. How? Well, I will get to put in 1000s of hours to meticulously restore a boat. See the van can't go on the water, the boat can. Not the same. You could have retired at 40 if you didn't have these, "ideas". BORING!!! Step 1, buy a boat. Step 2, learn how to sail. Step 3 sail off to the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea, cross over the top of the Aleutian Islands and then head for the equator. Why? Not sure. Sounds fun.
I am sorry you all have to listen to me argue with myself. They will tell you the same thing. Buy a local boat capable of blue water sailing. NOPE. You're dumb! Okay.

[5BTM]

What are you smoking?

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by Gilled

Step 1, buy a boat. Step 2, learn how to sail. Step 3 sail off to the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea, cross over the top of the Aleutian Islands and then head for the equator. Why? Not sure. Sounds fun.
.

Read "Island of the Blue Foxes."

[bgallinger]

Gilled; Can I have some of what you're having?

[gonesail]

island packets are boring.

[CrispyCringle]

I highly recommend buying something in the 25' range first, and just sail a simple boat. If your handy, learn to work on the boat, all of it. If your not handy be prepared to spend a fortune on maintenance. Or, get handy. Boats big and small need a list of repairs and adjustments ALL the time. I assume you are thinking of something in the 35-45'+ range for voyage. Thats a lot of boat. And you dont even know if you like it yet. You wont make money on a boat, so why not curb your potential loss. A smaller starter boat can be just that- a starter boat. Its not the last (hopefully) boat you will buy. But if you dont like it you only loose a couple of thousand, not 10's of thousands.

I started out on a 24' Hunter and went to a 44' IP (on the west coast). Its daunting. Felt like driving an aircraft carrier at first. But the experience I got from sailing the crap out of that Hunter was invaluable. Also, you may have trouble getting insurance if you have no experience. That will require a lot of training by a licenced captain to sign you off to the satisfaction of the insurer. Not cheap at all. My 0.02

[shrspeedblade]

I 2nd what CrispyCringle wrote: learning on a smaller, simpler boat will be far less stressful and more fun, and you want to have fun doing this, right???

When you do start shopping for "the" boat, don't fixate on one manufacturer or model, but try to get enough experience on various boats (no better way to learn sometimes than sailing with other people) to develop your own preferences. Rig, keel, rudder, layout, material, are all important considerations. Every sailor you talk to will "know" what's best.

[leecea]

I've watched a few videos from a YouTube channel called TimBatSea, run by a tug captain with a lot of professional experience. Then he started SV Paquita describing how he bought an Island Packet 420 and learnt to sail. Reminds me of this!

[RaymondR]

There's nothing complicated about an older IP, and from a hull integrity viewpoint they are as solid as a rock. Heavy and slow but there is a lot of room and they are a very comfortable live aboard boat.

[kendrickwallace]

Nearing retirement and having a similar, albeit less schizophrenic, internal conversation. I'm landing here: Year 1: sail on other people's boats (join sailing club, crew for friends who are boat owners, charter in the BVIs, take an offshore class, etc.), take on-line classes from NauticEd to learn about navigation, weather, boat systems, etc.), read everything possible, Year 2: Buy boat (currently the Pacific Seacraft Crealock 37 is the boat I think I want, that might change), spend a year sailing it in local waters or slightly longer 1-2 week trips while upgrading and adding systems as necessary for long distance cruising, Year 3: Take off for Mexico (I'm in So Cal) and cruise there until I'm ready to leave, then head to the South Pacific and beyond. Thinking of starting with a Pacific circumnavigation, then maybe go down through the Panama Canal West to East cruise the Caribbean and the Bahamas, the East Coast of the US, then make an Atlantic crossing to Europe. It all may change.

[Cheechako]

If you want to take lessons then sure take them.
-If you need lessons then you are no way near ready to consider if you should go cruising.
-Get a starter boat, go sailing locally, go cruising locally.
-Learn.
-Decide if you even like it very well.
-Sell the starter boat and get your dream boat if you want to do it.

[kendrickwallace]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

If you want to take lessons then sure take them.
-If you need lessons then you are no way near ready to consider if you should go cruising.

The lessons are included as part of the sailing club I'm joining (Fairwind Yacht Club), and cost nothing extra. The club itself only costs $1400/year, which includes use of all their boats, which range from 22' to 39'. It's a member-run club that requires volunteer maintenance work, which IMO is a great way to learn about the upkeep of a boat. The ASA 101 and 103 certification is required (likely for insurance reasons). It's a great way to get in a lot of sailing without having to immediately purchase a boat. Even a starter boat, in Southern California, becomes a big expense given the costs of marina slips.

[SomeGuyInaShirt]

Originally Posted by Gilled

I get an idea in my head, and that's that. I am going to sail around the world. I am going to do it in an Island Packet. Now this is where I need a little advice. Should I learn how to sail first or buy the boat first? . Definitely buy the boat first. That way if you find out you hate sailing, you have a water front cabin with the high cost of moorage in Tacoma. Definitely buy the boat first. Island Packets are made on the flat side of the country. Ya, I know. There are very few for sale out here. Ya, I know. I will pay out the *SS to have one shipped out here! Smart. Now you're thinking. What year? Oh, I definitely want one I have to change the chain plates in. 1997? Perfect!!!!. Might as well get new rigging while the mast is down. Yep!!!! You know this is the same thing as when you completely restored the 1986 Vanagon Synchro, right? Not the same. You put in 1000s of hours to meticulously restore the van. This is different. How? Well, I will get to put in 1000s of hours to meticulously restore a boat. See the van can't go on the water, the boat can. Not the same. You could have retired at 40 if you didn't have these, "ideas". BORING!!! Step 1, buy a boat. Step 2, learn how to sail. Step 3 sail off to the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea, cross over the top of the Aleutian Islands and then head for the equator. Why? Not sure. Sounds fun.
I am sorry you all have to listen to me argue with myself. They will tell you the same thing. Buy a local boat capable of blue water sailing. NOPE. You're dumb! Okay.

I'm not reading all of that.

Don't buy a boat thinking you're going to sail around the world. Go sailing first, go offshore first find out what it's really like . You PROBABLY won't like it. Just imagine doing everything you normally do while being slammed into the walls constantly and having the Sword of Damocles perpetually over your head. Any number of things can fail and kill or strand you or make what would have been a nice day a hellish nightmare. Rushing into this is plain stupid.

[grantmc]

Originally Posted by kendrickwallace

Nearing retirement and having a similar, albeit less schizophrenic, internal conversation. I'm landing here:
Year 1: sail on other people's boats (join sailing club, crew for friends with boats, charter, take an offshore class, etc.), take on-line classes to learn about navigation, weather, boat systems, etc.), read everything possible,
Year 2: Buy boat, spend a year sailing weekends in local waters and 1-2 week trips while upgrading and adding systems as necessary for long distance cruising,
Year 3: Take off for somewhere, perhaps just as crew on an ocean passage

I agree (well except about chartering), learn to sail first and decide if you like it. Many people spend a great deal of money and time to end up disappointed and/or disillusioned. And I have to say you Americans are a strange bunch of drug takers.

[kendrickwallace]

Originally Posted by grantmc

I agree (well except about chartering), learn to sail first and decide if you like it. Many people spend a great deal of money and time to end up disappointed and/or disillusioned. And I have to say you Americans are a strange bunch of drug takers.

Yes, I put chartering in there, but honestly I think I will have all the sailing I can handle locally without chartering. The ONLY reason I could see chartering would be to experience an extended time in a distant location, as the types of boats that are available for charter aren't really boats I would want to purchase. It would be more about the place than the boat, and maybe that's not really necessary.

No drugs for this American. An occasional Mai Tai, but that's about as strong as it gets.