What happens to all the wannabees?

[Danosimp3]

Wannabee Reporting:
3 years ago I wanted to be a sailor. I purchased a $750 22' Reinell that was in sailable condition, I taught my self to sail her with the aid or books and errors. I repaired the interior, replaced the mast step, purchased a new main, installed or repaired railings, fabricated a new main hatch cover, replaced all running rigging, and many other things. All this over the course of 2 years. I knew nothing of boat maintenance or repair, and most of it I leared here. I decided I wanted a bigger boat, so I purchased a 26' Reinell for $700. 14 monts of my labor and $8,000 dollars worth of resin, fiberglass, and core material, and all the other stuff a boat needs, the 26' is is 99% ready for launch. The hull was gutted, and every scrap of original interior was recreated with new material using the old rotten wood as templates. I replaced 100% of the hull core and about 50% of the deck core, added additional bulkheads and stringers, reinforced all hardware mount areas. Basically, she is brand new. The ammount of experience i gained is priceless. So, thanks Cruisers Forum! I imagine I will continue this restoration cycle with yet a bigger boat in the not to distant future. Am I still a Wannabee? I sure am, I wanna be retired and chasing the horizon. But, I'm gonna need a bigger boat.

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by Danosimp3

Wannabee Reporting:
3 years ago I wanted to be a sailor. I purchased a $750 22' Reinell that was in sailable condition, I taught my self to sail her with the aid or books and errors. I repaired the interior, replaced the mast step, purchased a new main, installed or repaired railings, fabricated a new main hatch cover, replaced all running rigging, and many other things. All this over the course of 2 years. I knew nothing of boat maintenance or repair, and most of it I leared here. I decided I wanted a bigger boat, so I purchased a 26' Reinell for $700. 14 monts of my labor and $8,000 dollars worth of resin, fiberglass, and core material, and all the other stuff a boat needs, the 26' is is 99% ready for launch. The hull was gutted, and every scrap of original interior was recreated with new material using the old rotten wood as templates. I replaced 100% of the hull core and about 50% of the deck core, added additional bulkheads and stringers, reinforced all hardware mount areas. Basically, she is brand new. The ammount of experience i gained is priceless. So, thanks Cruisers Forum! I imagine I will continue this restoration cycle with yet a bigger boat in the not to distant future. Am I still a Wannabee? I sure am, I wanna be retired and chasing the horizon. But, I'm gonna need a bigger boat.

Thats what this thread is all about, good one mate, top stuff,

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by SurferShane

While I can see the OP meant it harmlessly I do agree that the strict definition of the term is derogatory. As I have stated above, my experience is that many of the so-called "wannabes" are more likely to have "fallen in battle" and therefore deserve a bit more respect.

Sure. Or maybe you just give it a try and discover that you actually get seasick a lot more than you realized, and you can't find a solution for it.

How many people try golf and find that chasing a little white ball over acres of land while carrying a heavy bag of sticks on your back just isn't your kind of fun? How many people tried learning a musical instrument and then decided it wasn't for them?

I think people who try new things are a lot more interesting than people who don't.

[SvLetitgo]

What do we do, we cut the line and go sailing, rather simple.

That what we did anyway, in part with the knowledge we got from here. Thank too some of the expert.

And then don't have the time to come back here and read thread. Because we live the "dream" and not a fantasy.

[sailorboy1]

When I joined CF I had never sailed. I think I read and researched for 2 years before I finally even took lessons and sailed for the first time.

Now I'm on my second boat and sail more often than anyone else at the marina.

But I'm still just a wannabee, just a more knowledgeable and experienced one.

So nothing wrong with being a wannabee with a dream etc. The only problem is if a wannabee really is an idiot, in which case nothing that gets posted on CF is going to matter to begin with.

[mr-canada]

I can relate to both sides. I bought a boat four months ago and I was really excited. The magic of going as far as you want without burning gas, the quiet.

But I knew I needed to learn how to sail... And that would be a big job.

Longest cruise I've done is 65nm away from my slip (all 65nm in a single day both ways) and marina hopped in the area (Howe Sound), then back after 9 days, picking up our kid from summer camp along the way.

But I did enough research to know that I wont be sailing around the world next summer, single handed, while eating homemade pasta primavera with $25 to my name.

I'm pretty green, but it is a bit humorous even for me seeing people's first post be, "Hey, Im going to sail around the world this summer, I've never sailed, what stuff do you think I need?"

I know people like this from the docks. Theres a guy who rides his bike to the yacht club, seemingly every hour and a half twenty four seven, always looking at boats, wanting to buy it, lowballing the owner so bad the owner said, ok, get off my boat, have a great day - and has crazy ideas about circumnavigation and buying scrap hulls and stripping them to put the winches, etc. on his boat to save money....

Like just buy a boat, pretty well the best boat you can find for half the money you're willing to spend, dink around with it and get on the water. Circumnavigation is WAY out there in time. Just handling a three foot chop can be terrifying as a new sailor; in circumnavigation you could be in *fifteen foot swells WITH a three foot chop*. I know I sure as hell dont have the experience for that sort of thing.

[mr-canada]

Originally Posted by Land Cruiser

Someday I will have my Tripp design...once I sell my business....

Wise choice. I have a Col 26 Mk II , it's a Tripp design, and it is stable like a rock. Hobbyhorses under motor in waves, but pop up sail - its incredible how well the boat takes the water

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Danosimp3

Wannabee Reporting:
3 years ago I wanted to be a sailor. I purchased a $750 22' Reinell that was in sailable condition, I taught my self to sail her with the aid or books and errors. I repaired the interior, replaced the mast step, purchased a new main, installed or repaired railings, fabricated a new main hatch cover, replaced all running rigging, and many other things. All this over the course of 2 years. I knew nothing of boat maintenance or repair, and most of it I leared here. I decided I wanted a bigger boat, so I purchased a 26' Reinell for $700. 14 monts of my labor and $8,000 dollars worth of resin, fiberglass, and core material, and all the other stuff a boat needs, the 26' is is 99% ready for launch. The hull was gutted, and every scrap of original interior was recreated with new material using the old rotten wood as templates. I replaced 100% of the hull core and about 50% of the deck core, added additional bulkheads and stringers, reinforced all hardware mount areas. Basically, she is brand new. The ammount of experience i gained is priceless. So, thanks Cruisers Forum! I imagine I will continue this restoration cycle with yet a bigger boat in the not to distant future. Am I still a Wannabee? I sure am, I wanna be retired and chasing the horizon. But, I'm gonna need a bigger boat.

i bet you got some great photos as well!
way to go
thanks for posting

[atoll]

Originally Posted by mr-canada

I can relate to both sides. I bought a boat four months ago and I was really excited. The magic of going as far as you want without burning gas, the quiet.

But I knew I needed to learn how to sail... And that would be a big job.

Longest cruise I've done is 65nm away from my slip (all 65nm in a single day both ways) and marina hopped in the area (Howe Sound), then back after 9 days, picking up our kid from summer camp along the way.

But I did enough research to know that I wont be sailing around the world next summer, single handed, while eating homemade pasta primavera with $25 to my name.

I'm pretty green, but it is a bit humorous even for me seeing people's first post be, "Hey, Im going to sail around the world this summer, I've never sailed, what stuff do you think I need?"

I know people like this from the docks. Theres a guy who rides his bike to the yacht club, seemingly every hour and a half twenty four seven, always looking at boats, wanting to buy it, lowballing the owner so bad the owner said, ok, get off my boat, have a great day - and has crazy ideas about circumnavigation and buying scrap hulls and stripping them to put the winches, etc. on his boat to save money....

Like just buy a boat, pretty well the best boat you can find for half the money you're willing to spend, dink around with it and get on the water. Circumnavigation is WAY out there in time. Just handling a three foot chop can be terrifying as a new sailor; in circumnavigation you could be in *fifteen foot swells WITH a three foot chop*. I know I sure as hell dont have the experience for that sort of thing.

good advice!

a day on the boat is better than any day in the office!

knowing your limitations is the best way of learning to overcome them!

thanks for posting

[Capn Morgan]

Originally Posted by atoll

good advice!

a day on the boat is better than any day in the office!

knowing your limitations is the best way of learning to overcome them!

thanks for posting

Super thread Atoll, thanks.

[chris_gee]

Sometimes life throws curved balls. Good luck souljah.

[sparau]

Originally Posted by atoll

even big ships get a wake up call
Cruise Ship In Storm – Cruise Ship Balmoral Hits Rough Seas

i've been on the old abel tasman in similar conditions in bass strait (although they weren't trying to beat directly into the waves, it was a quartering sea, abeam sometimes) 40-50k, no idea on wave size but they were smashing most of the way up the hull then flying free.

so much fun, we spent ages on deck marvelling at such a cold wild world, had a few drinks and a dance then thoroughly enjoyed the rocking motion for much of the night... i'd sign up for a cruise that had some heavy weather in it any day

(ah, excluding those ships that have xx,000 ton 40 metres above water line and capsize)

[K_V_B]

Another wannabee reporting...

As I posted on the forum a while a go I was rather fed up with about everything in my life, with a few exceptions.
I really like being on the water. I've been sailing all my life, but never done any serious long time cruising.
I thus decided that I would quit my job, accept my GFs offer to move in with here (and save a bundle in the process), and look for a way to a) make a living doing something I like, and b) do more sailing.

I'm now in to my second month of "freedom".
In the last month I've taken part in a sailing trip that involved 7 days at sea. I learned quite a few things.
- I do get seriously seasick if we're beating in a strong wind against a strong tide. But as I told the skipper: If it'd been my boat, and me not in a hurry I would have waited three days for the winds to turn east. As it was we were on a schedule, so ended up beating against the wind for the first day.
- I got quite used to the rythm. By the 5th day I couldn't care less if the trip was going to last another day or another week. A good thing too, as the engine wasn't working and we spend a whole day floating in no wind in sight of our destination.

But I also learned I still have a lot to learn. I'm pretty good at pilotage, and planning a trip taking the weather in to account is no mystery to me either. But planning provisions, water use etc. is still something I need to gain more experience in. And my boat (when I get around to getting one) is going to have a heated oilskin locker...

So this might actually happen. Once I've sold my apartment I'll even have enough money to buy a boat...

[atoll]

Originally Posted by K_V_B

Another wannabee reporting...

As I posted on the forum a while a go I was rather fed up with about everything in my life, with a few exceptions.
I really like being on the water. I've been sailing all my life, but never done any serious long time cruising.
I thus decided that I would quit my job, accept my GFs offer to move in with here (and save a bundle in the process), and look for a way to a) make a living doing something I like, and b) do more sailing.

I'm now in to my second month of "freedom".
In the last month I've taken part in a sailing trip that involved 7 days at sea. I learned quite a few things.
- I do get seriously seasick if we're beating in a strong wind against a strong tide. But as I told the skipper: If it'd been my boat, and me not in a hurry I would have waited three days for the winds to turn east. As it was we were on a schedule, so ended up beating against the wind for the first day.
- I got quite used to the rythm. By the 5th day I couldn't care less if the trip was going to last another day or another week. A good thing too, as the engine wasn't working and we spend a whole day floating in no wind in sight of our destination.

But I also learned I still have a lot to learn. I'm pretty good at pilotage, and planning a trip taking the weather in to account is no mystery to me either. But planning provisions, water use etc. is still something I need to gain more experience in. And my boat (when I get around to getting one) is going to have a heated oilskin locker...

So this might actually happen. Once I've sold my apartment I'll even have enough money to buy a boat...

good to hear you have got out there!
you can read the many great threads on the forum,but this in no way is equal to actually getting out there!
baby steps!
thanks for the update

[thomm225]

I know what happens to some wannabees. They buy a boat and park it next to the other boats at the marina and start a garden growing on the hull.

This is my second year of monohull ownership, and I have never seen so many awesome boats that never leave their slips. We're talking Contessa 32, Vega 27, Pacific Seacraft 37, Cape Dory 30/31, several CSY's, and many others I can't name...........