What would you do? Go or No-Go?

[captlloyd]

Would love to have your situation. A 38 ft. Lagoon cat would be perfect for you, a good used for around $140,000. Oh yeah.

[gmakhs]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Seriously!?

You are recommending to a guy that has never sailed and is trying to decide what to do to go out and buy a very expensive big boat that he wouldn't have a clue how to handle?

As far as your single handing, it seems in all your videos you have crew.

You must be talking single handing at your home dock in zero wind right?

On a 27' boat, just walking from end to end to secure dock lines makes it simpler. And as a beginner, if you run aground you can jump in the water and push it off, but I doubt you can do that on your boat.

Looks like you are telling the OP everything NOT TO DO!

I would like to see you pushing my 26 feet by hand after I ground it .


I will share a little about myelf : I finish university at 22 and start working instantly with the nice salary of 6000 per month , back then I was dreaming how at my 30 I will be able to afford a big 40+ sailboat and be able to sail free of worries and if something happened I could always work in my promoted positions for 9 to 12.000 per month . That was the dream back then not so many years ago but I never achieved it. Finally at my 23 I decided to go sooner with a smaller boat I found the perfect boat for me bid on it and I was ready to travel to Spain to seal the deal .
But God had different plans , Greece went bankrupt bank closed and I couldn't pay for the boat because we weren't able to send money outside the country the first 4 months ,I personally was left in Spain with no money and no working credit cards , I had to beg my way back to my own country and you know what was the irony ??? I had money that I couldn't access .
After that I re thought a lot of things and spent the rest of my days moving money outside my own country and looking for a boat .
I found my 26 footer for salw in lefkas , originally I was looking for over 30 feet but the boat was ready , full of equipment and cost only 4.000 so o said what the hell I buy it even if it's crappy at least I can sell the equipment (3 autopilots, new radar ,aerogen wind generator ,new sails , new rigging , navtex gps, solar ) the only think this boat was missing and still doesn't was a water maker and few extra feet .
I purchased the boat and started sailing 1 month after and never stopped.
I have visit whole med ,West Africa , Cape Verde and now sailing in Caribbean.
Everytime I look back I am happy how things went and now I have my girlfriend sailing with me (so probably boat upgrade coming soon .)
Now about income .
Working full time in Greece now under 30 years old pays 450 euro per month, working in Martinique pays me 2500 per month or 70 a day depends on kind of work I do .
I am young and I can always go back to the rat race near my 30is if I need to which I doubt.

I share all this to show OP that he is in the best condition to start sailing he is young (40), he has the income and already paid his dues I really don't see why not .
I don't suggest he spent over 50k for a boat or go over 38 feet , but it's his money if he wants something bigger more fancy and can afford it I don't see why not anyway he will learn to handle the boat sooner or later .

OP don't listen to the nah sayers a lot of shitty situations wait for you in the ocean but a lot good too , don't be afraid to open your winds now .
I hope to join us out there.


PS I can do my 26 footer the shame way as I dock a 38 footer and actually the bigger the boat the easier it seems .

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by gmakhs

I would like to see you pushing my 26 feet by hand after I ground it .

Your boat?

That boat is an inshore or lake boat. Not recommended for sailing offshore

I'd have no problem getting it off if I grounded it, but I'd never buy such a boat. It's too lightly built

I've pushed mine off and it's like almost a ton heavier than yours. 1786 lbs to be exact

Your boat:
https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/first-26-beneteau

My boat:
https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/bristol-27

[gmakhs]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Your boat?

That boat is an inshore or lake boat.

I'd have no problem getting it off if I grounded it, but I'd never buy such a boat

I can assure you my boat if far from inshore or a lake boat and has a A category certificate to prove it , the same design but on 34 feet would be better but we can't have everything in life .
From your answer I believe you never sailed seriously a boat under 30 feet ???

Ps my draft is 1.70 I would like see you jump in the water and pushing her of the ground .
My boat is far away from the original design as well.

[Juho]

Hello Magic1st,

I'm in the camp "yes, it looks like you want and should go".

A smaller and cheaper boat could be better for a start. Your boat need not be very young, but it should be well maintained and ready to go. You probably have to upgrade some things anyway. You will have more reserve funds, and they might also grow while you sail your first boat.

After you sail for a while you will know what kind of a boat you really need and like. You will also learn if you want to continue sailing or not. When you know all this, it might be time to upgrade (or alternatively to keep the first boat, or continue with another boat of the same size).

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by gmakhs

I can assure you my boat if far from inshore or a lake boat and has a A category certificate to prove it , the same design but on 34 feet would be better but we can't have everything in life .
From your answer I believe you never sailed seriously a boat under 30 feet ???

Ps my draft is 1.70 I would like see you jump in the water and pushing her of the ground .
My boat is far away from the original design as well.

You said you didn't get a boat until age 23 or so. I've been driving boats since age 7 and swimming in the ocean before that. I bought my first boat at 16.

I'm 6' tall. No problem jumping in and pushing but that's a last resort.

I can usually bounce my boat off the bottom to get it off a grounding (using the engine, waves, and wind) .....but I'd never attempt that with a lightly built, bolted on keel boat like yours because it would probably break

I'd stay away from the shallows on a boat like that

Also, don't take that boat too far offshore in bad weather because it has a low Bal/Disp ratio and could never roll backup after a severe knockdown

[gmakhs]

Originally Posted by thomm225

You said you didn't get a boat until age 23 or so. I've been driving boats since age 7 and swimming in the ocean before that. I bought my first boat at 16.

I'm 6' tall. No problem jumping in and pushing but that's a last resort.

I can usually bounce my boat off the bottom (using the engine, waves, and wind) .....but I'd never attempt that with a lightly built bolted on keel boat like yours because it would probably break

Indeed the strength is not the same but the keel won't break off , from.your attitude I imagine that you never went offshore with your boat even through you have experience as you say .

You should study and reconsider about what makes a boat safe offshore .

BTW my boat is 2900 kilos same as yours and a fractional sloop not masthead don't relay only on sailboat data to make your assumptions .

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by gmakhs

Indeed the strength is not the same but the keel won't break off , from.your attitude I imagine that you never went offshore with your boat even through you have experience as you say .

You should study and reconsider about what makes a boat safe offshore .

BTW my boat is 2900 kilos same as yours and a fractional sloop not masthead don't relay only on sailboat data to make your assumptions .

Well, I've been 15 miles offshore on my F-17 Nacra many times. On this boat is not a problem sailing offshore.

It's rated for that and a few have circumnavigated.

Offshore sailing is not recommended for a boat like yours

I had rev 1 of this boat. (in 2001) It was my 4th Beach Cat for racing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4emdfoTvNKk

[gmakhs]

15 miles offshore is not offshore .... As I see you don't read.my posts at full length about the boat having changes from the original design .
You are judging out of fear and without real experience from the ocean.
My boat is not perfect but it's safe ,I wouldn't foolishly risk my life .
I don't know how old.are you but maybe is time to get your boat to some real sailing and see for.yourself ?

PS even before the changes in the structure of the boat , the boat had certification up to 60 miles.offshore .

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by gmakhs

15 miles offshore is not offshore .... As I see you don't read.my posts at full length about the boat having changes from the original design .
You are judging out of fear and without real experience from the ocean.
My boat is not perfect but it's safe ,I wouldn't foolishly risk my life .
I don't know how old.are you but maybe is time to get your boat to some real sailing and see for.yourself ?

PS even before the changes in the structure of the boat , the boat had certification up to 60 miles.offshore .

Actually 15 miles offshore on a 17' beach cat without comms sailing singlehanded IS Offshore

There's no fear here except during bad weather. When you see a Cat 3/4 Hurricane close up you will know fear. Thank God I had moved from my beach side apartment when it (Hurricane Ivan ) came in Pensacola in 2004. It got 8' of water in it

Just you be careful on that little boat

I'm old and have been on the water for many years

[gmakhs]

I hope not , hurricanes are something to avoid .
I have sail up to 40 knots of winds and 5 meters (reported above 7 meters on navtex) and the boat handled it really well .
Not fun but I never questioned my safety .

The problem of most sailors is not the weather neither the boat , is that they can't judge well during bad moments, fear takes over when you have to just stay calm and feel the boat .

[hpeer]

Re: health insurance. Answer presumes you are American?

We are 66 and 68 American citizens and have international health coverage, $2,000,000 cap, that costs us about $3,800/ year. That is for BOTH of us. Or about 1/3 of what you are paying. The only stipulation is to be outside USA 10 months a year.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by hpeer

Re: health insurance. Answer presumes you are American?

We are 66 and 68 American citizens and have international health coverage, $2,000,000 cap, that costs us about $3,800/ year. That is for BOTH of us. Or about 1/3 of what you are paying. The only stipulation is to be outside USA 10 months a year.

Just be careful that you read these types of policies contracts closely. Many have unrealistic pre-existing conditions exclusions and some have unrealistically low per-incident or life time caps.

[JPA Cate]

Hello, there, I have a different take on this. What I have to say may be really hard to hear. What I'm seeing is a competent man, who is going through a post-divorce process, and is content to basically cut off his third daughter, assuming that his ex-wife will take care of her university education. Is your ex-wife's financing of her part of the requirements of the divorce? If not, just running away from your former life could have really sad consequences for that daughter. That daughter is becoming a woman with what input from you? The choices you make now do affect your progeny, and you may regret it if you fail to honor your responsibilities. What do you think she would think of "one out of three isn't bad"?

Please try and see this from her point of view, no one here seems to be thinking of her, just yet, and adolescence is the time the girls learn from their fathers about men.

Fwiw, I do think Adelie's suggestion of a small learner boat first makes a whole lot of sense, both financially, and practically. It really is better to have more experience of cruising before committing to a life of full time cruising. It is not a lifestyle that is suitable for everyone, and for most people, it is a 7-10 year deal, and then they get drawn to another pursuit. Just my opinion here, and we all know what they are worth, but I do think you're "glorifying" cruising, and minimizing the inconveniences. There's a whole lot of systems maintenance involved with owning and keeping up a competent sailboat. If you have to pay others for it, it can be quite costly.

If you meant it about the rock star lifestyle, then you may have serious health issues coming up due to illicit drug use. You will need health care later on, if you live long, in any event, almost all of us do. You do need a feasible plan for health care coverage, unless, as someone suggested above, you are content to face living your last days as a derelict up a creek somewhere.

The point of all the foregoing is to try and help you see your situation. In no way is it intended as a personal attack. Good luck with it all.

Ann

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by thomm225

You said you didn't get a boat until age 23 or so. I've been driving boats since age 7 and swimming in the ocean before that. I bought my first boat at 16.

I'm 6' tall. No problem jumping in and pushing but that's a last resort.

I can usually bounce my boat off the bottom to get it off a grounding (using the engine, waves, and wind) .....but I'd never attempt that with a lightly built, bolted on keel boat like yours because it would probably break

I'd stay away from the shallows on a boat like that

Also, don't take that boat too far offshore in bad weather because it has a low Bal/Disp ratio and could never roll backup after a severe knockdown

Maybe you wouldn't have to keep pushing your boat off grounding situations if you stopped using 30-40 year old charts along with a handheld compass.

Now maybe we can get this thread back on track, or do you intend to derail it with another bunch of your personal musings about how everyone should hand steer a 27 foot, 50 year old boat inside the safety of a bay just like you?

I wish the OP well in whatever decision he makes, adventure awaits him outside the bay.