New to sailing

[billm4113]

I’m in negotiations to purchase a Pearson 424. I have boating experience but not as much on sailboats. What would be a good insurance company I can reach out to.

[gonesail]

boat US.

[Tetepare]

Originally Posted by gonesail

boat US.

Rubbish. Not any more since they were taken over by geico. Policy for old boats has immense depreciation. Do a search there’s a long thread on this.

[billm4113]

Originally Posted by Tetepare

Rubbish. Not any more since they were taken over by geico. Policy for old boats has immense depreciation. Do a search there’s a long thread on this.

Thanks for the info. I did find a good company. Doing the survey in two weeks.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Bill.

[Captain Graham]

Being new to sailing and sailboats please be careful of your diesel fuel filter plugging.

The scenario is as follows
1. Diesel fuel is very much like natural crude oil, so there are natural bacteria and fungus that will eat diesel fuel.
2. The new boat owner keeps the old Diesel fuel in the tanks are the bacteria and fungus floats on the top of the oil.
3. The new boat owner goes out ona nice day uses the engine to get out into open water, turn of the engine, starts sailing and every thing is great.
4. Then the weather turn ruff and they drop the sails turns on the engine to get back.
5. The fuel tanks are being shaked about and the bacteria and fungus gets sucked into the fuel filter and just when he needs the engine the most is dies.

This happened this year in Cleveland OH see the link.

So please get your diesel fuel cleaned before going out.
It is called fuel polishing.

https://fox8.com/2018/06/02/sailboat...ear-edgewater/

[billm4113]

Originally Posted by Captain Graham

Being new to sailing and sailboats please be careful of your diesel fuel filter plugging.



The scenario is as follows

1. Diesel fuel is very much like natural crude oil, so there are natural bacteria and fungus that will eat diesel fuel.

2. The new boat owner keeps the old Diesel fuel in the tanks are the bacteria and fungus floats on the top of the oil.

3. The new boat owner goes out ona nice day uses the engine to get out into open water, turn of the engine, starts sailing and every thing is great.

4. Then the weather turn ruff and they drop the sails turns on the engine to get back.

5. The fuel tanks are being shaked about and the bacteria and fungus gets sucked into the fuel filter and just when he needs the engine the most is dies.



This happened this year in Cleveland OH see the link.



So please get your diesel fuel cleaned before going out.

It is called fuel polishing.



https://fox8.com/2018/06/02/sailboat...ear-edgewater/

Thank you for this information. I will definitely clean the fuel. I am open to any suggestions regarding sailing and sailboats.

[billm4113]

Originally Posted by billm4113

Thank you for this information. I will definitely clean the fuel. I am open to any suggestions regarding sailing and sailboats.

Is a Westerbeke Diesel engine considered a good engine with parts available?

[Captain Graham]

Originally Posted by billm4113

Thank you for this information. I will definitely clean the fuel. I am open to any suggestions regarding sailing and sailboats.

Suggestions about what sailboat you should get.

Well I think it is very hard to give you suggestions without having a real long conversation about your wants and desires.

1. Where do you plan on sailing?
Lake, Bay or Ocean
2. How long do you plan for each sailing trip?
Day sailing, overnight, weekend or more.
3. What kind of sailing would you like to do?
Racing, short local trips or longer passages.
4. Do you want to sail the same area or do you want to trailer a boat to different areas?
5. Have you ever been on a sailboat and if yes how long was your longest trip?

I normally recommend people who are new to anything to start cheap so if you do not like it then you have not spent a lot of money.

A good reference book is "A Field Guide to Sailboats of North America"

[billm4113]

Originally Posted by Captain Graham

Suggestions about what sailboat you should get.



Well I think it is very hard to give you suggestions without having a real long conversation about your wants and desires.



1. Where do you plan on sailing?

Lake, Bay or Ocean

2. How long do you plan for each sailing trip?

Day sailing, overnight, weekend or more.

3. What kind of sailing would you like to do?

Racing, short local trips or longer passages.

4. Do you want to sail the same area or do you want to trailer a boat to different areas?

5. Have you ever been on a sailboat and if yes how long was your longest trip?



I normally recommend people who are new to anything to start cheap so if you do not like it then you have not spent a lot of money.



A good reference book is "A Field Guide to Sailboats of North America"

Thank you for your comments.

I’m doing Survey and sea trial this Friday on a ‘82 Pearson 424. I don’t have a lot of sailing experience but I do on offshore fishing boats. Privately owned.
Will be live aboard in 3 years. Travel east coast for a few years then to SE Asia for full retirement.

[Don C L]

Welcome to the club, Bill! I always recommend folks get a boat like a Laser; it's small, fast, fun, super simple, and in no time you'll have the feel for how a sail works well established in your gut! Good luck !

[billm4113]

Thank you sir.

[Steve Bean]

Good advice from DonCL. Learn to sail before getting a big boat. On a big boat you can be sailing along doing several things wrong and still keep moving pretty well. On a small boat you get instant feedback. Doing the same things wrong will have you swimming.

[billm4113]

Thank you for the advice. I know there is a lot to learn. I am hiring a Captain for training. I’m sure it will be for weeks before I’m comfortable. Hopefully it will be like getting my pilots certificate, a good instructor and a lot of time

[Captain Graham]

Originally Posted by billm4113

Thank you for your comments.

I’m doing Survey and sea trial this Friday on a ‘82 Pearson 424. I don’t have a lot of sailing experience but I do on offshore fishing boats. Privately owned.
Will be live aboard in 3 years. Travel east coast for a few years then to SE Asia for full retirement.

Thanks for the background.
Since you have been into boating for some time, you show know what you want in a boat.

But as your thread title stated you are new to sailing.

Since you are about to buy a big boat, I would recommend you get a sailing tender and learn to sail it.