Choosing a catamaran to live aboard with family

[Southern Star]

smj, you have shown incredible restraint. And for what it is worth (because he won't give a ----- what I think either), I'm with you. What is necessary for one person is clearly not for another.

Brad

[boatman61]

Your all wrong...
2 Corribees, a garden shed and some telegraph poles is the only way..
Oh.. and don't forget the Bucket..

[Dulcesuenos]

On second thought, I think you do need sonar, how else are you going to avoid whale collisions😏

Sent from my LG-LS980 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[smj]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Your all wrong...
2 Corribees, a garden shed and some telegraph poles is the only way..
Oh.. and don't forget the Bucket..

Sounds like a poor mans Wharram!

[smj]

Originally Posted by Dulcesuenos

On second thought, I think you do need sonar, how else are you going to avoid whale collisions[emoji57]

Sent from my LG-LS980 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

I thought boats had right of way over whales :-)

[FollowingCs]

So... back to trying to help the original post, he has probably headed for the hills already. Or he is a troll asking the standard drive-by question: 'what's the best ....'

Won't he have difficulty getting insurance on whatever boat he ends up with? I have zero experience also. The insurance broker I am working with seems to think I need about 40 to 50 hours of training with a USCG captain, and to get his proficiency sign off. If I end up purchasing a catamaran without the 'training', I'd need to have a waiver saying I can't use the boat without a captain on board, until I demonstrate the necessary proficiency. Not sure if this is normal, but the owner of the boat I might be buying is going to train me, so I don't have to pay for any of it, but it might affect this guy's budget.

I'm spending time on-board training with the owner in May for about 2 weeks and again in October for about 2 weeks. I'm not sure if this is getting me a better insurance rate, or if it is a necessity - I didn't ask because I'm spending time on the boat regardless.

~ Following Cs ~

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by FollowingCs

SNIP

The insurance broker I am working with seems to think I need about 40 to 50 hours of training

SNIP

Insurance is always a hot topic. I still don't understand how insurance companies determine a person's level of insurance. Just as an aside simply living on a boat at anchor/mooring ball counts towards the time aboard you need for USCG licenses, you never have to do anything to get the boat moving.

I am still of the opinion that sailing is the easy part. Figuring out where to go with whom and when to leave is the hard part. Lets keep in mind the recent GB dismasting happened with what by all accounts was a first rate capt. and crew.

Not sure who your insurance broker is but they may be simply trying to assess just how capable you are. Florida has an online course/test you can take and once you pass it you get a card insurance companies will accept and lower your insurance rate. Not saying it is the ultimate solution but it does confirm you know fore from aft, or at least are smart enough to cheat on an online test and pass it.

Bottom line is passing a course and getting a piece of paper does not mean you are a good captain.

[FollowingCs]

Thanks tomfl for the input.

Just for more info for the original poster, I'm not going for my USCG captains license, not initially anyways. Bruce, the owner of the boat I might buy is already one. He gave me the name of his insurance broker in Annapolis, and his broker said "Bruce is a USCG captain, have Bruce train you up." Bruce has taught me so much about cruising already just through emails and phone calls, but now he is willing to teach me on his boat, that I might be entrusted with purchasing if things work out. I can't go wrong with that, I don't think! So I'm good, I think, I have a plan to get my 'experience', or at least my 'I'm not an idiot' certificate for insurance purposes. I just don't know if this is a requirement or a discount situation - Bruce is willing to train me either way, so I never asked.

~ Following Cs ~

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by smj

Sounds like a poor mans Wharram!

Crap at Carpentry but Great with knots...

[jamestholtzinge]

Tomfl,


Am I suppose to be impressed with your 1,275 posts? How do I know they weren't 1,275 questions? Wooooo

[travellerw]

jamestholtzinge - Please stop and allow this thread to go back on track. Some people are actually here for information and help.. If you want to needle at someone, do it through PM.

[Sea Frog]

Originally Posted by smj

I thought boats had right of way over whales :-)

Speaking of whales, I wonder if anybody tried so-called "shale pingers"? They are widely used by commecrial fishermen to protect nets, why not install one on boat?

[smj]

Originally Posted by travellerw

jamestholtzinge - Please stop and allow this thread to go back on track. Some people are actually here for information and help.. If you want to needle at someone, do it through PM.

Your right, this thread has gone way of topic and I'm one of the people guilty for that, for which I apologize. My question to the op is how much of that 200k is for living and how much to be invested in the boat?

[Therapy]

I am going to drop this one because it does seem it is a "drive by".

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by jamestholtzinge

Tomfl,


Am I suppose to be impressed with your 1,275 posts? How do I know they weren't 1,275 questions? Wooooo

You can place other forum members on an ignore list so that you can't read their posts and they cannot use the PM system to contact you.

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This is useful for those members that really push your buttons, or whos' posts consistently annoy the heck out you (or if your ex posts here)

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