From start-to-finish @ 1nmi.

[getahfix]

Howdy liveabaord community. I'm new here, please don't hurt me. My post will be rather long and full of hot-air, but you boater types enjoy a long read, so I'm told...

I'm posting for some advise, nothing explicit or defined, just some general scuttlebutt neither here nor there. On open debate of sorts.

First my history:
I'm 44 years old and reside in Vancouver BC. Great sailing region.
Now I grew up in Navy and Sea Cadets so do have a theoretical understanding of whats-what and have been on sailboats. So we can forego any of the "well you should get on a boat first to see if it's for you" retorts. It's been done. However I haven't been active in sailing since I was aroudn 15 years old. (excluding my recent crew - we're getting to that)

I know I have to get back on my knots, flag signals and buoy types and such, currents, tides, jibs, halyards and all of that nomenclature. So let's skip that type of advice as well. I know I have to review all this and am.

Which brings me to my current position...
I have recently joined up with a Racing crew here in Vancouver, we're sailing a 52' Santa Cruz. She's a beauty. I've also just signed up for a complete "Competent Crew" training Certifications program with an esteemed Yacht Club in town in order to get back up to speed on sailing and from a perspective I am use to being from Cadets in my youth. I'm, just not impressed with all these 1-Day Learn-to-Sail programs floating about. Can't see how any of those 1-Day programs are good for anyone except the Bank Account of the school offering it. (yes I use the term 'school' loosely).

So with all that being said, I'm actively moving forward on getting properly back up to speed for my life on the high seas in the coming years.

I plan to purchase a liveaboard sail vessel in summer 2016 (36' to 46' range). So that gives me a full year to prepare.

What I want to scrape you scurvy pirates for is any helpful advise you would think you would have enjoyed being privy to when you started to migrate from landlubber to fulltime liveaboard pirate.

I've watched quite a few youtube video's on repair, lifestyle adjustments and the like. Some videos were useful, others painful to watch. I'm looking for some advise on things you didn't think of before hand, laws, insurance, amp powered electrics or propane, to windvane or not to windvane, ect ect. what mistakes have you made and wish someone told you "no" before hand.

So I'll start with a simply easy question and go from there.
With the knowledge of my situation, what would be the first thing you would do in regards to outfitting and rigging a liveaboard boat? With the expectation in mind that I may have to solo it from time to time whilst trying to live off the grid 99.99999% of the time.