What do you think of our "start cruising" plan?

[MidwestRefugee]

Why not?
It is the things if life you did not do that you regret the most.
Be sure to let us know how it goes!

[hamburking]

I don't see anything wrong with your plan, except that it includes so much flying. Back and forth, you and your family. I thought you were supposed to be on a sailing trip? Thats why you start from home, and finish at home. You go on a trip by boat! Not a plane trip. I know its a really a slight variation, but to me, IMHO, its the difference between an adventure and a vacation.

[fursoc]

Originally Posted by Nikki S

We almost did that very thing..... in 2014 we headed to France with our 6 and 9 year olds to an awesome boat that we had had surveyed and had a deposit on. Then we spent 3 months fixing things that the surveyor had missed and the owner had lied about, re-negotiated the price, only to walk away as our shengen visa was running out and we discovered a problem that needed time to investigate (luckily we managed to get our deposit back - after learning some French consumer law).

Hi Nikki, Thanks for that story. Is there anything you could've done different to prevent what happened?

[fursoc]

Originally Posted by Chalifour

Hi, this is what we precisely did. Canadian citizens, we bought our ship in the Med (Croatia) in 2011 and are sailing there since then every year between April and September for a maximum of 180 days. Your plan is quite realistic. A few advices based on our own experience: get a good agent to help you find your ship. Adrian Nicolle & associates, Back Yachting and SK-Yachting.com in Turkey are reliable company we know. Countries to look for good deals are Croatia and Turkey. Make absolutely sure to conduct a survey on the boat before you buy her. Ex charter boats are sold at attractive prices but you need to enquire on the quality of the maintenance provided by the charter operator and in any event put aside 25% of the purchase price for further repairs and upgrades. Turkey and Greece are incredible sailing grounds with rich cultures and history. The whole famely will love it! Those two countries offer each 90 days out of 180 days therefore allowing you to sail 180 consecutive days each year by google ng from one country to the other. Yacht marina in Turkey is one of the largest marina in the Med with all the resources you need to decommission you boat and yet one of the cheapest! So go for it and good luck!

Thanks for the great advice! When you say get a good agent, do you mean a buyers broker? Where do you store your boat in the Med and approximately how much does it cost?

[fursoc]

Originally Posted by akprb

My two cents buy the boat in the Med with an eye to cross the Atlantic that season (sooner rather than later so your 10 year old can enjoy the Caribbean season one and onto the Pacific season two. Saint Martin has all you need to repair/upgrade/restock. It is a magic part of the world for kids, great anchorages and more kid friendly than the med (but I may be wrong on that point). You'll still have a month or so in the Med shaking things down before arriving in Gibraltar.

Ok, we have definitely been debating this aspect of the journey. Where is the best place for kid boats?
I even started a thread about that, but didn't get many responses. We are sort of assuming that there will be plenty of kid boats in the Med since it is such a popular cruising ground. Percentage wise there must be plenty of kid boats right?

The other thing about planning to only do one season in the Med, then come back for the second before going to the Caribbean is that our experience and confidence will have doubled before taking on the Atlantic. Not to mention, we will keep our house for that year as a plan B

[fursoc]

Originally Posted by yachtgemini

Trust and confidence in each other is critical to a happy and safe family adventure. A big contributing factor in this is not doing dumb things beyond your skill level and scaring the hell out of everyone. Building confidence through a series of incrementally bigger adventures is a great way to grow.

Thanks for the excellent advice! This is definitely the plan.

[barnakiel]

It's just a plan. Go get it and see how it works.

Unless you get lost into details during purchase and teething (the most common excuse for NOT going sailing), there is nothing ban a direct thunderbolt hit, sinking and seasickness than can stop you ;-)

Buy in the spring, sail the summer, reload and sail again next late summer. Yep.

Good luck.

b.

[fursoc]

I like your light attitude barnakiel! It is that simple isn't it.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by fursoc

I like your light attitude barnakiel! It is that simple isn't it.

Not always.

I spend three weeks each May getting the boat ready for five months of continuous Med cruising. Have you allowed for this necessary task?

For example: Yesterday I went to use the washing machine which has always been 100% reliable, only to find it completely filled with sea water WTFrig? After an hour of tinkering, I figured out the controller has gone bad, so now I need to wait until my wife can bring a new controller from the US. A simple repair but complicated logistically because I'm on a boat. If the washer had broken at home, we'd simply buy a new one, but because I'm on a boat, the fancy new washer probably won't fit the cabinet space... so I need to fix what I have... a model no longer manufactured. Plus there's lots of maintenance which needs to be done while the boat is stationary.

You're going to need to be very handy, or you'll need lot's of patience and money.

A side note: People in the Med have children, plan three seasons... not much will happen the first other than sorting out the boat for three months.

[fursoc]

I have been reading and reading about the challenges of maintenance on boats, and to be honest it doesn't worry me too much. I am someone who needs a project even when on holidays. As long as it's not taking up the majority of my time I will be able to make it work.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by fursoc

I have been reading and reading about the challenges of maintenance on boats, and to be honest it doesn't worry me too much. I am someone who needs a project even when on holidays. As long as it's not taking up the majority of my time I will be able to make it work.

It may not worry you, but it does take up more time than you think.

Try to picture your wife and kids with several days of dirty clothes in the same situation I find myself in today. How much patience will she have?

[fursoc]

Does anyone know any brokers that would be worth contacting to help with the purchase?

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by fursoc

Does anyone know any brokers that would be worth contacting to help with the purchase?

I don't know a local buyer's broker, but I will be in Italy for the next thirty days and then on to Croatia and Montenegro for the next four months if you need any help. Just drop me a PM.

Cheers

Ken

[Chalifour]

Yes I recommend a buyer's agent. We used Adrian Nicolle from Nicolle &Associates as our agent and believe me it paid of to do so. He saw problems that even the surveyor did not pick up. A mistake on boat serial number could have caused us serious problems as well as a 4000 Euros defect at the mast base fixed and paid for by the previous owner. As far as where to leave your boat in the Med, Marmaris Yacht Marina is a large well organized and resourceful place probably the cheapest in the Med. Our 13 meter monohull cost us 4000 euros per year extendable at no extra cost to 16 months if you leave the marina during your annual contract for 4 months or more, haul in haul out included, 10 months in the water, 2 months on the hard, with a 10% discount as a member of the cruising Association.

[Chalifour]

Try Adrian Nicolle from Nicolle & Associates. Operates worldwide from the U.K. He was our agent when we purchased Dance Me in Croatia. We rate him 5 stars for his knowledge, involvement and integrity.