Paying buddy boat to do repairs

[El Pinguino]

Cruising destinations are full of people who have the knowledge and skills needed to fix things. Often they are happy working for beer.

What isn't so simple is finding the bits needed to fix things.

Just carry lots of tools. I work on the principle - borrow once - then go out and buy one so you have it next time its needed.

Also carry lots of spares. Don't try and fix your water pump, just replace your water pump.

[RobAndSally]

So it looks like we misunderstood the OP's post. No confirmation other than reading through all the great responses.

We agree that the OP should go and do it. After 40 years they should absolutely know what their rig needs, and a thorough survey or other form of intense examination should reveal additional items to prep for the next 5 or so years of cruising.

That with spares, some updates to reduce labor/risk underway, and local along the way paid mechanical assistance, the world is their oyster.

Bon Voyage OP!

[MicHughV]

What...74 is old ????

Nobody told me...I thought 100 was old....at 74, you still got 26 good years... !!

Headed to the gym now. This time of the day, the average age of people in there must be 70....still pumping iron, etc....
I can't bench press 250 anymore, but can still bench press a 12 oz beer can...

[karkauai]

Thank you all for you thoughts, reality checks, and encouragement.
Iris and I don't think we'd be happy with full time onboard crew. We need some privacy. A buddy boat wouldn't help when doing passages, transferring from one boat to another at sea would just be looking for trouble. So we would take on crew for longer passages.

We have found other cruisers helpful on a couple of occasions where there is an active cruisers' net, but most of the time in remote locations help has been lacking. Maybe I'm not aggressive enough in asking. Local mechanics are notoriously hard to get to actually come to the boat, usually waiting a week or more to find they aren't as skilled as you'd hoped.

Soooo, finding the right couple with their own boat and s desire to travel in the same areas seems a daunting task, but potentially a great solution. We'd want the relationship to be mutually satisfying, with decisions where and when to go next a joint effort. We've had a couple of interested boats who would like to sail with more experienced boat. Not really about the money for them. So maybe there'll be a good match out there.
This is a newly hatched idea. Still happy to hear your thoughts on how to make it work and how to find our buddy boaters.
Thanks again
Kent & Iris

[ttex]

If my wife and I were further along on our sailboat journey (still in refit mode) this is something I would gladly work out with someone in your position. I would probably find ways to barter instead of money, however.

[karkauai]

Thanks. ttex,
Like what? Share all the tales of things I've done poorly over the years? That'd be an education, I guess. Wine. Rum. Beer? Dinner out twice a week? Give me some other bartering ideas

[donradcliffe]

By all means bring someone else along on the longer passages. I started doing that in my late 60's with my old friends and boat partners.

But first take them on some shorter trips to see if they work out. I remember a boat who took on another proven cruising couple as crew from Thailand up the Red Sea. The dinner discussion got around to abortion one night at Uligan in the Maldives. The wife said "I won't spend another night on this boat with those babykillers.", and she didn't.

I also remember a older dock neighbor in Spain, who had a really nice aluminum 50 footer that he and his wife wanted to get back to Marina Del Ray. He told me that prepping the boat was the hardest thing he had ever done, and wanted me to buddy boat. I turned him down because it seemed to me that he and the wife were losing it mentally. One of my friends agreed to buddy across the Atlantic. When my friends boat lost steering 2/3rds of the way across, the old guy said "I can't help you", and kept going.

[ttex]

Originally Posted by karkauai

Thanks. ttex,
Like what? Share all the tales of things I've done poorly over the years? That'd be an education, I guess. Wine. Rum. Beer? Dinner out twice a week? Give me some other bartering ideas

Freshwater, fuel, juice to my batteries from your generator, frozen meat, shirts, or a pair of unused shoes. Maybe I need one of your spare anchors for some reason. Fishing lures?

I'm sure you have something squirreled away in that boat.

[karkauai]

Thanks, ttex. Sure, we have a watermaker, freezer space, fishing tackle. If money would make folks uncomfortable, we'd be happy to help accommodate those kinds of needs.

[Happ]

Originally Posted by captmikem

Just go,
Deal with the repairs as needed when needed.
If you do not go now, you won't go at all.

Florida is full of people who wanted live an adventure, but wanted to wait until it was 'safe', or could 'afford' it... now it is too late for them.

Go now.

M

Not just in Florida! I made that mistake due to an elderly Mother. It was 6 years before I was needed.

[hpaabor]

I was in the same "boat". I had bad knees and gave up on the big boat. Last winter I spent 3 months getting both knees replaced. I'm back thinking I can do this thing now. Like others have said - don't give up - it ain't over till its over.

[lo2jones]

Not sure how high it ranks, but crew problems are up there in ratings of things that take the fun out of sailing. Who ever suggested starting small, and working your way to a trusted relationship hit the nail on the head. Lots of “experienced” crew, with a few or several thousand ocean miles can still be green, because that’s all they have, not years of sailing, making mistakes and learning from them.

[Cynara]

Buddy boating is a bad idea. Unless your boats are similar and so are your sailing style it just doesn't work . Boats sail at different speeds. As long as our windvane was steering we didn't care how fast we were going. We met many people that if they weren't doing 7 knots they motored

[Joe Okros]

With you, buddy and I'm only 61. Waiting for my old dog to die then I'm off.

[old pirate]

Don’t delay. Get yourself ready and go now ! The cruising community out there are generally very helpful. Many “lifelong” friendships are established. Chances are you will find buddies who will want to be sailing to your destination with you but on their boats. I repeat, don’t delay.