New to Sailing, any info will be helpful

[Usmc_]

Hi guys, my wife and I before long are selling our home and all of our belongings, buying a sailboat and hitting the ocean. I know exactly nothing about sailing except that wind pushes the sails on a sailboat. Extremely entry level novice.

We will have about a 15k spending limit on a sailboat and I've personally been looking at O'Days, Hunters, an Catalinas, but would love to hear what you guys think. I'd love to buy a sailboat for 8k and put 8k in upgrades in to it.

We think we prefer fiberglass boats.

I personally like the 80-83 30 foot Catalinas I've found. What do you guys think? And hat is a tall rig, what's its purpose? More sail, catches more wind and travels faster?

Is a 83 Catalina sea worthy for Florida to the USVI? Obviously I'll only be around Florida for half a year learning how to sail and will slowly progress to the Bahamas and maybe in a year or so make the voyage to USVI.

Is a 30 footer a decent size for my wife and I, or would it be just a fast and efficient a little more roomier to get a 33-35 footer?

One or two sails?

[Usmc_]

I also just realized there was another section this thread would have been a little better suited for. I'm new as of 10 minutes ago and headed for the first thread section it fit without scrolling further down and seeing some of the other sections.

[gamayun]

Welcome! You might also do a search on "new to sailing" on this forum. There's been lots of advice (harsh and helpful both) for others who've had the same dream.

[Geek_Guy]

Not sure where you are located. BUT, you should go look at boats - with your mate. Talk with owners, brokers, and anyone that will give you a minute.

Generally 30 foot is pretty small to be on all day every day for the foreseeable future. Also it's pretty unlikely that you can find a seaworthy boat for 8K. Or can upgrade for that amount. Though there are bargains around.

2 sails.......? Maybe you mean the difference between a sloop(and variants) rig and a ketch. The ketch has two masts. Far the most common is the single mast with a jib in front and Mainsail behind.

Agree with gamayun that there is lots of info on this site for you.

[FSMike]

A tall rig has, as you surmised, a taller mast, which results in more sail area. This results in a boat that will sail faster in light air, but will require reefing more often when the breeze gets stronger. For a novice I'd recommend the standard rig, unless the boat in question had a reputation for being unusually slow.

[thomm225]

You might want to sail a bit first to see if you even like it........

[grantmc]

Originally Posted by Usmc_

Hi guys, my wife and I before long are selling our home and all of our belongings, buying a sailboat and hitting the ocean. I know exactly nothing about sailing except that wind pushes the sails on a sailboat. Extremely entry level novice.

We will have about a 15k spending limit on a sailboat and I've personally been looking at O'Days, Hunters, an Catalinas, but would love to hear what you guys think. I'd love to buy a sailboat for 8k and put 8k in upgrades in to it.

We think we prefer fiberglass boats.

One or two sails?

Originally Posted by thomm225

You might want to sail a bit first to see if you even like it........

You took the words right from my keyboard Thom. Why would you want to give up your entire life when you don’t even know if you’ll like sailing? But there are so many people that come to this forum that express the same sentiment. It strikes me as very strange.

One sail or two? Why not 3 or 4 or 5 or more?

And the OP posts preferences for fibreglass boats, as well as some specific sizes and brands. I don’t want to knock your aspiration USMC but what are your preferences based on? Certainly not experience, training or education.

Please, please, before you commit your life to this plan go and learn to sail and get some miles under your belt. Do a few overnight cruises so that you know what it’s like just trying to make a coffee on a sail boat when you’re bashing into a seaway. Find out how bad you suffer from sea sickness. Volunteer to crew on a few offshore trips.

And especially find out how you feel when you’re cold and wet, have hardly slept for the last 3-4 days, there’s a huge, howling wind and you’re looking up at huge waves as they crash towards you. Cos it’s not like a car, you can’t just stop at the next hotel for the night.

Dude a lot of people find that they hate the actual sailing, (or their partners hate it, or their kids hate it) and so never leave the dock.

[gulfbreez]

Originally Posted by thomm225

You might want to sail a bit first to see if you even like it........

Very true

[tuffr2]

I for one hate sailing on small sailboats. You could not give me a 30' sailboat.

At about 35' they start to make sense to me. The boom is high enough not to knock anyone into the water as the boat sails on. There is enough floor room for your feet without stepping on the lines.

Those small sailboats heel over way too much and way too easy for me.

You really need to join a sailing club and try it 1st.

Sent from my SM-G360V using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[wristwister]

Originally Posted by Usmc_

I know exactly nothing about sailing except that wind pushes the sails on a sailboat.

I just gotta be a smartass and chime in here.

Sorry USMC, but you got that one wrong. If that were true, then how could a sailboat sail into the wind (which they do)? And how do some sailboats sail faster than the speed of the wind? This actually all makes sense once you understand how sailboats work.

[grantmc]

Originally Posted by wristwister

Sorry USMC, but you got that one wrong. If that were true, then how could a sailboat sail into the wind (which they do)? And how do some sailboats sail faster than the speed of the wind? This actually all makes sense once you understand how sailboats work.

I expect most noticed that little error too.

[snort]

Well, apart from craigslist, this sampling from yachtworld should get you started on some boats to look at: (Sail) Boats For Sale Florida FL

Hopefully that link works.
The Dufours and the Cape Nebe available in FL might be interesting.

[JPA Cate]

Hi, usmc,

I see the larger boat folks are involved. A 30 ft. boat is okay for two people, Jim and I sailed a Yankee 30 from San Francisco to Hawaii and back in 1983. We found it to be a little tender for extended passage making, and chose a 36 footer to come away in. The Catalinas were not built as strong as the Yankee, and Jim actually had had to modify it before doing offshore work. [What I'm suggesting here is you investigate the Catalina owners forum, and learn what issues you would need to address before taking one offshore. However, since much of the world's sailing is light airs, I'd keep the tall mast idea, reefing's not a big deal.]

Just for your information, even 20 and 22 ft. boats have circumnavigated with couples aboard. After a sound hull, rig, sails, and motor, your main concerns are water storage, and food storage.

I think your budget is a little low.

However, being seasick is no fun at all, and even life threatening (due to dehydration), so I really want to re-enforce that you and your good lady do some sailing first. See if you think it's enough fun to warrant spending a large portion of your life doing it. A lot of cruising is fixing your boat in foreign ports, it's not all mai tais in the sunset. Your first gale can be pretty scary.

Ann

[Usmc_]

Hey guys just got a chance to get on here. Looking forward to reading all your replies. Thanks

[Usmc_]

We just upped our limit to 20k after further research last night and today. I'm still learning the ropes on this forum. I guess there is no reason for a forum if everything has already been answered lol. More like a sailing Wikipedia site.

In your opinion what type of sailboats would be decent for 15-20k? And thanks for the clarification on tbe mast and jibs, that does explain a lot.