Living aboard a Cargo Schooner

[topmast]

P&J Great story about the Sprit of Chemainus I had been almost contracted to tow her to Victoria but insurance required pump and hands on board her and it just got too complicated Last saw her in Cabo doing the day tourist thing She was pretty slight in the body to carry the weight and sails comfortably I think.SALTS replaced her with Pacific Swift ,built at Expo86 She and Pacific Grace sail out of Victoria as I did on Thane .Maybe we met??

[topmast]

Aground, check out An angel on my shoulder .Old fart builds steel pipe Kon tiki type and sails alone in Thor's wake.

[picklesandjesse]

Originally Posted by topmast

P&J Great story about the Sprit of Chemainus I had been almost contracted to tow her to Victoria but insurance required pump and hands on board her and it just got too complicated Last saw her in Cabo doing the day tourist thing She was pretty slight in the body to carry the weight and sails comfortably I think.SALTS replaced her with Pacific Swift ,built at Expo86 She and Pacific Grace sail out of Victoria as I did on Thane .Maybe we met??

When I bought her she had last sailed in Vancouver under charter. The charterer rented a truck and pulled out 2 tons of internal ballast and sold it. My "friend" was too cheap to put more lead back in and I believe she was still that way in Mexico when doing daysails. I lived with my wife and son on Ruxton Island BC for 19 years, total population of 8. Our son never went to school. No power or water etc. Managed to stay alive building dinghies and cabins etc. Happiest days of my life. John

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by atoll

in 21 years time you might be better off with an armed raider,with,biological chemical and radiation suits for outdoor use when sailing in fallout areas

In 21 years I think we'll all have electric foilers with hydrogen fuel cells. And don't forget the soylent green...mmmm soylent green.

[hamburking]

Do you mean like these guys: annemarieblog

[PhiSig1071]

I worked and lived (briefly) aboard a steel schooner that had been refitted from a working cargo delivery schooner to a live-aboard dive boat. Her name is "Conch Pearl" and she sails out of Key West. (During the summer she runs charters for the Boy Scout Base on Islamorada, I worked on her as a Divemaster very briefly).


I loved it. Go for it.

[MarkusK]

Originally Posted by Aground

Thanks for all the kind words. I personally believe anything one puts his heart and soul into he can achieve. To many people focused on the reasons why it cant or shouldn't be done rather than focusing on how to do it.
On my last trip out one of the books in my company to read was " Kon-Tiki". I would highly recommend it if you get the chance to read it. Any ways, it was about a scientist that set out on a raft constructed of 9 logs and a sail to cross the pacific. not a single person thought he would make it. well, he proved them all wrong.

Anyways keep the photos of the schooners coming, they are wonderful. Hopefully sooner than later yall can follow along as I start to lay steel on a boat of a life time.

You might be interested in:
https://www.youtube.com/user/sujules
This couple built their steel 38 ft gaff rigged cutter. Their story is very uplifting and compelling.

[buzzstar]

Originally Posted by Aground

Thanks for all the kind words. I personally believe anything one puts his heart and soul into he can achieve. To many people focused on the reasons why it cant or shouldn't be done rather than focusing on how to do it.
On my last trip out one of the books in my company to read was " Kon-Tiki". I would highly recommend it if you get the chance to read it. Any ways, it was about a scientist that set out on a raft constructed of 9 logs and a sail to cross the pacific. not a single person thought he would make it. well, he proved them all wrong.

Anyways keep the photos of the schooners coming, they are wonderful. Hopefully sooner than later yall can follow along as I start to lay steel on a boat of a life time.

Go for it, it is your dream, do not let anyone take it from you.*For accuracy, the guys that went with Thor Heyerdahl also believed they would make it.

[Simi 60]

Google 72ft schooner Vietnam.
Luc was building one in VungTau but passed away before finishing it.
Great looking boat.

[topmast]

Anne Marie made it to Mexico blown engine and chunk of rotten stem gone .Hove to for days off Oregon .Amazing trip. Emerald Steel is too small to carry motercycles so may not fit the criteria but sure a pretty vessel. My own Spray replica in yellow cedar was tops'l ketch rigged and at 40 on deck also couldn't carry more than mountain bikes .. P&J.. dropped into Ruxton once .Met a guy building on the beach .Dat yu?? Find '3 hour sail' if curious.

[Aground]

Originally Posted by MarkusK

You might be interested in:
https://www.youtube.com/user/sujules
This couple built their steel 38 ft gaff rigged cutter. Their story is very uplifting and compelling.

They said in their intro video it took them a year and a half to complete. I'm hoping to have mine done in under 20. Clearly i need to try harder!
Thanks for the link, now i have another you tube Channel to keep me occupied on my trips out.

[hafa]

Since you're building the boat custom, I wonder about the feasibility of making it RORO. It sure would make getting your motorcycles on and off much easier. Alternatively, maybe a freight elevator and ramp?

[Aground]

Originally Posted by hafa

Since you're building the boat custom, I wonder about the feasibility of making it RORO. It sure would make getting your motorcycles on an off much easier. Alternatively, maybe a freight elevator and ramp?

I'm still designing the cargo hold in my mind. I want it to be big enough to hold two motorcycles, or two snowmobiles at the same time along with scuba, hiking and similar gear. I'm an adventure nut, and I love the idea of sailing to Africa, then riding my Motorcycle across Africa, then over to Australia ect. I also want to travel around Antarctica before I die, so it would be nice to leave the motorcycles some where and put a couple snow mobiles on board and have an expedition of a life time. The boat plan I'm leaning toward has a cargo hold that is 16' by 10'. I personally think that is to large and would rather turn some of that space into living quarters. I'm thinking about maybe a small to medium hydraulic davit style boom or crane. The hydraulics could be driven by attaching a hydraulic pump to the main engine. And would only need to be used when loading/unloading gear. The other idea is some short of scissor lift at the bottom of the cargo hold that could raise one small section of the floor up level with the deck, then the equipment could be ridden off a gangway or small ramp. At this point I am keeping my mind open to most ideas until i settle on something the is practical and doesn't look hideous. After all, one would hate to wake up one day and realize he is sailing on an ugly boat.

[Cabo Jim]

Schooners are my favorite boat. Your plan is a good one, financial planning is very important. I retired at 53 bought a boat and have been sailing for 8 yrs. I highly recommend taking a weeks vacation in September and going to the Port Townsend wooden boat festival in Washington. There are many owners who have built their own boats and are a wealth of knowledge. The festival is amazing and fun.
Dream on
Cabo Jim

[mako]

Aground, that's a nice dream and I hope you make it a reality. BTW, why would you need a hydraulic davit or scissor lift? Your boom is your cargo hoist. Size it accordingly.