First Ever Post on CF! intro // marina fees // on the hard

[SillyCs]

Howdy folks! Trying to type this as my 3 yr old girl is doing front somersaults across me between my upperbody and the laptop! Hence the screen name (Silly C's), and possible future SV name! The 3 yr old's name is Sailor, and her sister Landy is 4. Landy is filling a cup with rain water coming from the down tube of our home gutter system and using it to fill a large bucket - a future rain water collector on a boat! My wife is the sweetest thing (When we are friends ) and supports the notion of why I am posting this first CF post.

As a bit of background:
I am an aviation guy. Own an aviation management and broker company of around 20 aircraft in the Central Texas region. I am current on the captain level flying several times a week (the fun part of the job ), typically light jets and turbo props, I am a flight instructor as well (have taught way more than I'd like to admit on angles of attack and navigation), have owned all sorts of boats to include a Cheoy Lee in grade school, a nacra cat back in college, currently a wakeboard boat (who am I kidding - it's a surf boat), currently belong to Texas Sailing in Austin (access to several modern mid 30 foot Beneteau's) which we use once a month or so, once a year 6-8 days bareboating chartering with Sail Caribe out of Fajardo, PR (mid 40 foot Jeanneau's and mid 40 foot Lagoons) to tool around the SVI, USVI and BVI. I do not have any ASA certs, albeit may someday if insurance requires, and I love to learn so may tackle these regardless. I do believe my wife would benefit greatly from all of the ASA certs as she will ultimately become first mate.

So now it appears I am writing a bit of a book here, but I wanted to communicate a bit for those who will chime in. My hope is this is met with encouraging and educational posts.

The 5 year plan
So as I am starting this process during this epic slow period in business due to the Covid 19 crisis, I also wanted to communicate thoughts on "the 5 year plan". in 5 years the girls will be 8 and 9. We aim to homeschool starting at home and flowing into living aboard. The live aboard plan is to buy a preowned cat in the $500k (ish) (in today's dollars) range from a seller in North America. I would like to "learn the ropes" and gain my experience in 3-6 month increments. We would have a home in Colorado and/or Texas to split our time. The plan would be to spend those 3-6 month initial live aboard experiences in the bahamas, PR, VI's and the leewards. Ultimately, after building the sailing experience, confidence and competence (supporting safety and insurability) we may opt to circumnavigate westward.

The boat
I am thumbing around on all the usual sites. Getting an idea of what our planned budget (which could change in 5 years too) can purchase. Wife and I agree we want something stable for the girls and our own comfort, and the teenage boy in me wants something with SOME performance. I LOVE the layout and on-paper specs of the Privilege 495 three cabin version. We are open to suggestions on this topic. Perhaps the Privilege Series 5 in 5 years will be in the 500k range

Couple Questions
1) what would I expect to pay when NOT using the boat? What are costs to leave the boat in a boat yard on jacks? Thinking Florida, PR... or further South during hurricane season.
2) what are marina costs if we leave it in the water on extended periods?

OK so thank you thank you thank you for all of the posts I have already read!... and in advance for any insight you all provide.

OK back to entertaining the little ladies!

Coy C

[tkeithlu]

Welcome, Coy. I'll substitute because Gord May, our official greeter, is off today.

[tkeithlu]

Here (Carrabelle, FL) a slip will cost about $400 a month, more if you are liveaboard. Much less (more like $30/month) on blocks in the local yard, but lifting out and back in runs $20 a foot. Nothing on blocks got hurt in Hurricane Michael, but it was worse a bit west of here. The docks and boats in the harbor itself took a beating. My dock is up stream (under 35' bridge); the boat went 9 1/2' up and 9 1/2' down from the surge (worst here), with the only damage being water forced into the radar antenna.

Figure on insurance cost. That varies with how much risk you are willing to take and where you want to go.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Coy.

[canyonbat]

Originally Posted by tkeithlu

Here (Carrabelle, FL) a slip will cost about $400 a month, more if you are liveaboard. Much less (more like $30/month) on blocks in the local yard, but lifting out and back in runs $20 a foot. Nothing on blocks got hurt in Hurricane Michael, but it was worse a bit west of here. The docks and boats in the harbor itself took a beating. My dock is up stream (under 35' bridge); the boat went 9 1/2' up and 9 1/2' down from the surge (worst here), with the only damage being water forced into the radar antenna.

Figure on insurance cost. That varies with how much risk you are willing to take and where you want to go.

That seems low, especially the cost for on the hard. In Anacortes, WA, our 40 ft monohull was $540 a month in a slip or $260 per month on the hard plus $125 each way for launch and retrieve.

[jmschmidt]

When the FAA told me I was too old and two stupid to fly airplanes at age 60 and kicked my ass out, I went and got a Coast Guard master's ticket for sail and power. Since I already had power and sail for since the age of fourteen I had well over 1,000 days of sea time to qualify. I'm on my third renewal of the master's ticket right now.

Officially in the Med you "must have" one of the hoity-toity "certificates of competency" (which by the way are not "Captains Licenses") to charter. A former partner of mine on a Moorings boat and fellow retired airline captain spent a bunch of money to travel to get the ASA designation. He said the instructor had little real-world, open-ocean experience (just like me and my flying time on my first flight instructor job) and would argue with my friend of procedures that real sailors had used for decades.

Also I have it on good authority that those with USCG tickets and significant charter and boat owner experience are rarely turned down for charters in the Med. ASA and CYA designations have been pushed in the EU as a means of control over their citizens and a way to push them to the for-profit businesses that bestow these designations. When push comes to shove charter companies and charter boat owners like me just want to make money.

[garychurch]

I would proffer a suggestion that cruising boats do not to like being laid up and abandoned for extended periods. Inexplicably some boat systems and components which worked well when the boat was last used, no longer function as expected when the boat is recommissioned and launched. Whether in the water (in my perspective a bad idea) or dry docked, conditions will introduce a degree of dirt, dust, pollen and general wear and tear (oxidized fiberglass, faded cloth, bird droppings, etc.). In many cases that I am aware of the recommissioning of a laid up boat can cost more and take longer than an owner may have imagined. You may need to take this into consideration.

Good luck.

[SillyCs]

I love all of this! Thank you all.

Thank you for the multiple welcomes.

Thank you for the rough numbers I was asking for.

Mr Schmidt - shot a full day of hard ifr 35 knot xwind landings and circle to lands to avoid CBs yesterday! Miss it?

Gary - great point and I’d assume this definitely. Park a car, plane or boat for too long and they cost more to maintain than regular use.

Really looking forward to learning more from you guys and gals - and updating as we progress. Someday I’ll look back at these posts and think to myself “oh did you ever think...”