What happens to all the wannabees?

[autumnbreeze27]

Makes you wonder if on the squirrel suit forums they get questions like "I want to sneak up the Empire State Building and base jump. When making my first wing suit, what material should I use? or should I buy second hand on ebay? How far do I have to jump and how long should I wait before pulling the ripcord?

[Rsmith3]

Well I posted a few weeks back about being a new wannabee and I'm still here! I'm attending the bareboat course in FT. Lauderdale in July and thats really my starting point. I have never sailed before but spent my life on boats and in the water. I reside on the Gulf Coast. I've already read the study materials for that course and I'm looking forward to it. I have 11 more years until retirement so I have some time. I've saved 30,000 and plan on saving a little more to purchase my boat. It's certainly a process but I'm looking forward to learning a new skill. Plan on spending my retirement years island hopping and living around marinas.

[Sailor_Jerry]

Well I'm new to the forum, but I did have some grandiose sailing plans busted. I saved up a bunch of money on deployment and said "F it, I'll get a sail boat". I lived aboard an old Ericson 29 for nearly a year. Most of that year was spent trying to fix the thing rather than actually sailing. I left the boat for a few months for another deployment and I came back to a cabin full of water and an EPA fine that equaled the sum of my savings and my available credit. That was definitely a horrible experience, but I took home a lot of hard learned lessons. Now I am married with a couple of kids and my wife is all like "blah blah blah, sea sick. blah blah blah, the Navy made me hate boats. blah blah blah". I live in Las Vegas, and I'm gonna get a little trailerable sloop for Lake Mead with my tax return. I figure that since I'm still in my 20's I have a while to convince the wife, empty the ol' nest, and overcome all of the financial hurtles. In my head I imagine starting in San Diego and spending a solid decade circling the world and seeing everything, ultimately ending in the Caribbean and then doing whatever the wife wants. However, I don't need all of you experts to tell me how my walter mitty style dreams will never happen...that's what my wife is for.

[Wannabe-007]

Lol... good luck Jerry!

[deckofficer]

Well Sailor_Jerry, welcome to CF and if cruising is what you want to do, save and go for it.

[DumnMad]

Good on you Jerry, you seem to have what it takes

Might take some time to get all the ducks in a row but its worth it.

No panic though, we bought our first boat after we reached our 70's, really enjoying the lifestyle and planning our 1st offshore trip.

[atoll]

better put this one in for the record, family all safe and sound , back on land,boat a total loss due to unforseen circumstanses.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...co-123774.html

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ty-124252.html

[Fishigan]

Life happens to people. I am in the beginning, with plans laid out and trying to sort out what is needed and what isn't. Fly fishing may not be the same as sailing but one thing is.... if you come into this sport never having done it you have to start somewhere and many people spend 5 times as much money to get going as they need. Sailing is more expensive and I do NOT want to spend 5 times more than I need to. I have thought about getting a sailboat for a long time. But career and family, other hobbies and fly fishing trips have kept it at bay. I always thought that owning a sailboat to go to the bahamas was unrealistic. With a child in Western Mi, one going to Mi State and a 3rd with 3 years left in High School I will have to wait 3 years. I may be able to get somewhere sooner. Perhaps after taking sailing lessons and learning what is really needed and what is a luxury item and then getting a boat I may be able to dock it on Lake Michigan for the summers with weekend jaunts. I will do everything I can to make it happen.
For fly fishing I was big on several forums for several years. Writing articles for magazines, sharing and giving advice and guiding. I don't do forums anymore for FF. Too many know it alls giving too much advice and far to many elitist twits that are all about branding. For classic cars, duck hunting etc.. etc.. I have found the same. I see it here already and haven't been a member for a week yet. Regardless of getting a boat and cruising to the bahamas like I want, like I will, I probably won't report back here every day, week or even month. Would I read and post to help pass along knowledge. Yes, absolutely. I firmly believe in giving back and paying it forward.
I have a great wife that is all on board with sailing too. I think that really helps make a plan come together. If my wife hated water, being on a boat and warm weather I would have to make a hard choice... boat or wife.
I can see one overspending on a sailboat and gear very easily. Especially if you can't do for yourself and have to have someone do it all. I am fortunate enough to be mechanically inclined, intelligent enough, and physically capable.
Part of my "3 year plan" is knowing what kind of cash flow I will need to make it for "x" years. Can I go the route of using my sailboat as a winter home? Instead of a condo or 5th wheel I would rather be on a sailboat. Or will it be home? Do I keep a car and a house in Michigan? Do I perhaps sell the house and get a condo?
There is a lot to this. Many variables here. If I were single..... I'd sell everything and hit the water. No doubt. But... too many variables now. It all has to come into line.
Perhaps in a year or 2 I'll have the boat on Lake Michigan. I'll be sure to let you know. AND if it all comes crashing down? Well, I don't know if I will. If I have made friends here, then yes. I would feel that I owe you that. If not, why should I then?

[Ballenxj]

Originally Posted by Sailor_Jerry

However, I don't need all of you experts to tell me how my walter mitty style dreams will never happen...that's what my wife is for.

Hahaha! At the very least, that's a great line.
Good luck to you.

[Cap Erict3]

Originally Posted by Fishigan

Life happens to people. I am in the beginning, with plans laid out and trying to sort out what is needed and what isn't. Fly fishing may not be the same as sailing but one thing is.... .

Too many know it alls giving too much advice and far to many elitist twits that are all about branding. For classic cars, duck hunting etc.. etc.. I have found the same. I see it here already and haven't been a member for a week yet. Regardless of getting a boat and cruising to the bahamas like I want, like I will, I probably won't report back here every day, week or even month. Would I read and post to help pass along knowledge. Yes, absolutely. I firmly believe in giving back and paying it forward.
.....
Perhaps in a year or 2 I'll have the boat on Lake Michigan. I'll be sure to let you know. AND if it all comes crashing down? Well, I don't know if I will. If I have made friends here, then yes. I would feel that I owe you that. If not, why should I then?

Welcome .

I too am a frugal fly fisher. Have been living aboard and sailing an old Morgan O/I 41 for a couple of years.

[Fishigan]

Originally Posted by Cap Erict3

Welcome .

I too am a frugal fly fisher. Have been living aboard and sailing an old Morgan O/I 41 for a couple of years.

Nice. That is a nice looking boat too. I would love to do that.
Fred

[VirtualVagabond]

[QUOTE= However, I don't need all of you experts to tell me how my walter mitty style dreams will never happen...that's what my wife is for.[/QUOTE]

That's a funny line
I've got a few ex-wives like that too!

Vic

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by atoll

better put this one in for the record, family all safe and sound , back on land,boat a total loss due to unforseen circumstanses.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...co-123774.html

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ty-124252.html

You're a very funny man, Alex

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by Don1500

Here's another story; I haven't posted for a while but I started posting about three years ago. Two years ago (Dec 16, 2011) I moved on to my boat, The Nomad. Since then I have been up and down the East Coast from Annapolis to Stewart and have only left the boat occasionally, while on the hard. I don't for see ever moving back ashore on a permanent basis.

Don, I remember your boat hunt and being envious as hell when you bought it and started sailing.
We were a bit behind you but eventually bought and have been living aboard and sailing for a couple of years.

Vic

[ambloplites]

As the song goes ... "Kemosabi, kiss my ass, I bought a boat, I'm going off to sea."

Bought my boat after searching and researching for a few years ... she's everything I didn't want, but everything I needed. She fits my needs and is just enough to almost get me into trouble, while still enough to take me anywhere I want to go.

A lot of folks would curse her, and many would say, "why that boat"? But she's mine, and she sails like a goddess ... slow and stately.

She leaks a bit around the edges, and she's got a bit of rough edges here and there ... things that need to be updated for safety ... but she's sound, and solid, and beautiful.

I've still got a little over a year before I'm ready to cast off for places far and wide. But in the meantime, I'm taking my time to get to know her intimately. And I kinda think she likes me.

She's berthed outside of Seattle, and I live in Boise ... a long distance relationship. But I get over to her and let her know I haven't forgotten her about once a month.

And while I continue to get a lot of excellent info from these forums, I don't particularly like to write ... much.

So, as Papillon said, "I'm still here, you bastards!"

Phil