Pack It Up and Sail. Ambitious Undertaking?

[xdeeman]

I will just echo what 99% of members here, and Nike, have already said. Just do it. Some have rightfully identified that the Bumfuzzle crew has already proved that you don’t even know how to operate a winch to sail around the world. Hell, they ditched out of sailing school after the first day – but they also had deep pockets.

Anyhow, as others have also eluded to be VERY resourceful and creative when putting your plan together. There have been some good tips here already. Crewing cannot be emphasized enough. Aside from teaching you how to sail you will learn immediately what you like/dislike about the boat you crew on and will use this info when shopping. Also, if you bond well with the owner and other sailors you will have an invaluable network of friends to rely on. Need help rigging, tuning, repairing your new boat? No problem – you now have connections! Much more affordable than hiring a stranger to fix it for you.

Also – I’ll guess you’re familiar with couch surfing and the internet sites which support it. It’s not typically for month long stays (at least I don’t think so) but week to week should not be a problem. Pro tip – people LOVE to help young adults fulfill a dream! I think you’ll be amazed at the helpfulness and generosity of people if you have the right attitude – and it seems like you do. I would seriously consider couch surfing for a month in Florida after Hurricane season. Once you find a boat you’ll have a new home to stay in. I can’t imagine it will take much longer than a month to find and buy a boat.

Network like crazy in NZ to see what opportunities present themselves. Keep your eye on the goal and don’t get too overwhelmed by the continuous options/challenges/choices to get there.

[youmeandthed]

I just wrote a post on some of the challenges Jennie and I face as young cruisers, if I echo it here it will probably take this thread on a different direction. Once again, I say do it, and do it sooner rather than later.

[JerseyMermaid]

Originally Posted by youmeandthed

....if I echo it here it will probably take this thread on a different direction.

...mostly b/c it'll force us to go to your blog, realize you look like Prince Harry and THEN it'll lead right to Pandora's box.


Seriously, I think it's a GOOD thing to share challenges as WELL as perks for being young cruisers. I'm not in the 20 something set, more like the 30 something set, but my husband and I still think we're pretty young to wanna' take off on a sailboat/cat around the globe. We get a lot of feedback just on the idea alone, much less when we actually start executing the plan.

Don't censor your experiences..they help those of us bringing up the rear.


~D.

[youmeandthed]

The reality is young cruisers have to censor their experiences.... Otherwise they get belittled all the time by older (35 and up usually) cruisers because they are young. Read through these forums and read the BS that comes from people who you have no idea what their experiences are, or when they went cruising (the 70's??), or if they even sail regularly.

So linking the question asker to my blog is like saying "here's my opinion, and why it should carry weight." Most people are bored and like to argue here, I just want to provide advice to the OP and those with the same questions in mind.

Good luck JerseyMermaid on your plans, I bet you will find that those of us who take the time to write blogs will really help you decide on the path you chose to take; as so many did for me.

[Whispering Star]

I don't have really any words of knowledge for you other than if you want to do it. Just do it on the budget you have. The old adage applies here "If there is a will there is a way."

Our story in not so short form. We were sitting on the back porch or our home we just build 4 yrs prior on 10 acres in the beautiful hill country of Texas. Just finished 3 days of mowing and we decided we didn't want to spend our later years in life mowing grass and trimming tress.

Decided to sail off into the sunset. We had 0 experience between us. But we figured we could learn.

While our house was on the market we learned to sail (pretty much self taught) a 14' O'Day on Lake Travis, Austin TX. We became tacking experts. Day sailed twice with a friend on a 42' ketch. Prior to sailing on the ketch it was shipped from the west coast to TX and we had the honor of putting this boat back together. It was very enlightening. But, guess what, even after our first experience of being on the hard in the winter(for 4 weeks with minimal heat, cleaning, repacking this and that, a bottom job, rerigging, putting mast on and many other items, we still wanted to do it.

The house sold, lock stock and barrel to a friend. By the way to this point in time it is 3 yrs since our talk on the porch. We walked away with a couple of suit cases each, the car and a store room 2x8.

All during this 3 year wait we looked at every boat we could get on. We had a great great broker. This is must. It took us 1 month to find the perfect boat for us. We did have a larger budget than you have stated, but we could have done it on your budget.

Our cruising plans are different than yours but the cost is pretty much the same. If you anchor and cook on your boat and don't drink like a fish it can be done and can fix most things yourself. We started in Rockhall Maryland (that 's were we purchased) and now currently in Florida. We have taken 3 years so far to get here.

Not because of budget we wanted to stop and know the flavor of every place that interested us. Sometimes with the living part of an adventure can be planned to death.

What I can tell you is that you need to learn navigation/boathandling this to can be self taught and in the US there are free classes on this subject with Coast Guard Ax and just about all sailors are more than happy to share their knowledge. We have bent many an ear over dinner. All Sailors enjoy good food and company.

We have stopped along the way, because most areas have seasons that can help in the work need to replenish the cruising kitty. I have found that working for the Hilton Brand I can cruise the east coast and follow the seasons and be employed for a few months out of the year more if you need that.

Looking for a Boat in marina is great to find some real gems. It happens all the time. You just have to be in the right place at the right time. Walking the docks and talking with local boat owners is a great way to find those deals. Most of those deals are never listed.

We have stopped in Central Florida, by Cape Canaveral for the season and if you get to Florida email us and if we can help we will be glad to lend a hand.

[rtbates]

I forgot to add: Do NOT do what my macho green beret uncle did on his very first sail on a planned around the world cruise...

He left Fla for Bimini in Dec just as a Norther was about to blow through. He barely managed to make it to Bimini and literally gave the boat away. He was absolutely scared sh**less. This from a man who fought in bloody combat many times..

DO YOUR HOMEWORK and good luck

[Jimbo485]

Michael, Prepare a short list of boats from the internet that are in Florida, pre-book a decent-sized rental car in Miami (it is cheaper than renting on arrival), fly there, pick up some bread, ham and cheese from the supermarket and then go boat hunting. Sleep in the car each night, eat ham and cheese sandwiches, spend your days crawling around boats and driving from boatyard to marina to boatyard.

It shouldn't take more than a week or two to find the right boat if you have done your internet research before leaving NZ. We did exactly this in our late 20s with a smaller inflation-adjusted budget than you. It took us one week to search from Florida to N Carolina and another month to prep the boat. 5 weeks after arrival in Miami, we sailed away.

Spend your learning and shakedown time in the Bahamas for a couple of months. It is a great training ground for newbies. Then spend the next year either down the Caribbean chain or do Cuba and the western Caribbean.

Don't buy in NZ, Australia or Asia. It will take you too long to get to the USA. Buying in Florida puts you next to the great training grounds of the Bahamas, some great cruising in the Caribbean and close to your final destination. When the kids are old enough to do night watches, buy a bigger boat and sail home to kiwiland.

Good luck, mate!