Never sailed

[kmksunfire]

Hello all!
I too am hooked on the idea of live-aboard. I know it's not all glamorous, but should keep me plenty busy, and next to wind, waves, and sun. and this desk is making me fat.

tenative plan. once layed off, find a boat to crew via crew finder or something similar. then buy a boat. live. rinse and repeat.

-I know I can make it alot more complicated, but I'd rather not.

Set off with the right crew, for a couple months, etc. working for no pay, learning the ropes of sailing, and seeing if the experience is something that I want to continue. (other option I see hear would be to set up on an island some place till I find the right boat/crew" (i'm i wisconsin)

so one way or another, after I'm sailing/crewing on someone's boat, and I say, yeah, this is it. Lets do this. Then I have a few options:

If so, then I continue on, or stop in a setting ideal for buying my boat?Here are where I see a lot of options, but knowing nothing, some info might be helpful here logistically(opportunity/location/etc)

I hear an island like bimi is full of sailors etc and a great place to fix up your boat. Would a place like this be a great place or not ideal (being an island) to hunker down for the right boat deal?

boat I would be looking for 30ft give or take. (5k-20k)(liveable and cruisable. I've ready pleanty of the advise and not looking for particulars on that, just incase one area of mexico, or or say carribean is condusive to certain boats coming up for a steal.

[DefinitelyMe]

Sounds like you have a reasonable plan. You will be able to get on a boat somewhere if you aren't too picky (and they're not either). It also doesn't hurt to have a more long-term plan, but i guarantee it will change once you've got a bit more experience. Have fun learning. Maybe one day i'll see you out there. Cheers!

[Mark Stillwell]

I'm probably missing something, so help me...you are from Wisconsin and never sailed. What skills do you have that would be an asset as a crew member?

[kmksunfire]

skills? i have sweet skills. nun-chucking, bowhunting, and computer hacking skills...lol

no i don't think your missing much.

I read in these forums and others that it is possible to find a place on crew with no knowledge, if your willing to work hard with out monetary compensation. If this isn't the case I will have to revise my plan.

i can cook and clean like most can. not really skills. I could design a sweet logo, or help someone fix a website so it isn't hurt the eyes to read... I could shoot, cut, and promote a sweet lil' video or documentary, or make some other fun creative stuff. But I'm not confident those skills will be as helpful as good ole sweat, tears and blood, in this case.

[Sondor]

Sounds like a great match for somebody looking to get a sailing website (blog) off the ground -

As to a location to gain experience and search for a boat - (assuming you wish to stay in the US) you can't beat Florida or the Chesapeake Bay.

Cheers!

[kmksunfire]

Thanks for the response.
(assuming you wish to stay in the US) -not wishing to stay in US.
i see two general situations:

Assuming I can find a crew.
1. I will at some point find a boat for sale while crewing.
2. Have an ideal destination in mind, while crewing that is ideal to find a good deal on boat when one comes up. and crew till I arrive.

so, say, i'm sailing, months go by, i meet many people. board many boats, get a feel for them, and finally one day someone says yeah, she's for sale! and I say, yeah? i'll take her.

I would like to avoid flying out of wisco, crew, fly back to wisco, buy boat, get boat working, sail to the coast, and then down to carribean(or wherever).

I want to fly out of wisco, crew, buy boat, live...I don't imagine/plan on taking boat back to states, though not out of question eventually.

[tbodine88]

Depending on when the layoff is coming and once it warms up, you could try crewing on local races with the Yacht clubs nearby.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by kmksunfire

.................................................. ...
....................
-I know I can make it alot more complicated, but I'd rather not.
................ some info might be helpful here logistically(opportunity/location/etc)

I hear an island like bimi is full of sailors etc and a great place to fix up your boat. Would a place like this be a great place or not ideal (being an island) to hunker down for the right boat deal? ............

I assume that the island "Bimi" that you refer to is "Bimini". It's close enough to the US, but still a foreign country and a little island without much in the way of a used boat opportunity.

If you are true to your words,- That is, you don't want to make it complicated and you want logical opportunity and location information; then, do follow Sondor's advice and look for your boat in Florida or the Chesapeake.

You may wish to get away soon and you can gain some experience in a crew position, but you'll find more opportunity finding your boat closer to home.

[fjwiley1]

As has been referenced, layoff. If this doesn't occur soon so you can depart particularly from Florida, more cruisers will be coming back from the Bahamas and fewer opportunities will be available. Granted people are heading over regularly but not a lot. Hopefully we'll have another good Hurricane Season and boats will continue to go across...
Good Luck and don't get frustrated if things don't happen as soon as you prefer.




Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[zbay]

Sounds about how I got my start into sailing, my first time on a sail boat was because I posted on this forum and was lucky enough to get picked up for a delivery from Tortola to Annapolis. After that I was pretty over sailing until about a year later I started getting the bug again and was able to find a position on a trip returning from Bermuda to Annapolis which I enjoyed much more. After gaining some experience and networking you should be able to find plenty of opportunities to crew if your not picky about the boat.

[kmksunfire]

Thanks for everybody responding. To simplify.

If you were going to buy a sail-boat for island cruising, and anchor/moor in that location, where would be a good spot/island area outside of USA condusive to a good deal on a boat, with good beaches for kitesurfing, surfing, and cheap water.

Slowly most obvious and worse scenario is becoming, buy a sweet 30k boat instead of one for 10k before i crew, while i have a job and can still get a loan.(1/2 down maybe) and then once i am free, i can fly down, and start learning....But that sounds not smart on many levels, i am trying to figure out a smarter situation.

maybe start a boat business for the tax write off, while I still have taxable income from full time employment? lol jk

the problem I see buying close to home is logistics.
I would have to spend months to a year outfitting/learning before I could start enjoying my time and surroundings. I won't be seasoned to sail to bahamas by end 2015. and i would not want to cross gulf stream alone before mastering the boat.

the way i look at it, is i can buy a boat in that location, and slowly and comfortably learn the ropes. Because (in my head) i could stay where I bought the boat and anchor, no? seems simple

[alctel]

I'd never sailed in my life and the first sailboat I stepped onto I bought last year.

I'm not suggesting you do that (it's worked out well for me but I was really lucky), but there is something to be said about just (safely!!) jumping in and teaching yourself, while having the security of a full time job.

Most of the first couple of years will be refitting stuff anyway while you live onboard, and having the income from a steady day job is enormously helpful for that transition period.