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Old 26-07-2020, 08:10   #1
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Location: Northern Rockies for now, trading Pine trees for Palm Trees
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Retiring.......To a Sailboat

Hey All
I am new to the Forum.
I ask your forgiveness in advance if my post is one that has been posted many times before.
I am not an accomplished sailor by any means. I grew up in the SF Bay area and had a few friends that had sailboats from 26 to 41'. So I am not a complete newb at sailing.
I have long looked at living on a boat and I am now in the position to do so.
I have always been a person who seeks info from those that have gone before.

I would like to get a used boat that can handle blue water just in case we wanted to make a crossing.
I have been looking at both coasts and there are pros and cons of each, as well as the Caribbean and the South Pacific

I am a very accomplished woodworker and very good with my hands.
We both enjoy scuba diving and snorkeling as well as fishing from a boat.

We currently live in the northern Rockies so I have only been looking for boats online at present. I will work my last full time day of work on July 31, 2020.

I invite all who have gone before to share you incite with us (both positive and negative)
Thank you in advance for any and all reply's.
Mike and Susan
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Old 26-07-2020, 08:22   #2
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Re: Retiring.......To a Sailboat

Welcome to CF! I was in your spot nine years ago although I didn't know much about sailing. Bought a Freedom 38 because it was easy with a self-tacking jib and had a platform for diving. These were some of the few criteria I had decided I needed. I have found all the weaknesses and failing parts over the years by sailing her in relatively big wind conditions on San Francisco Bay and offshore. She'll never be fully capable, in my opinion, of rounding Cape Horn, but I can singlehand her and be off the slip in 20 minutes to go for a sail whenever I want, which was more important to me than a "proven blue water" boat although I did sail her to Hawaii and back two years ago. I believe it is more important to find something you love with good bones that is fun to sail. Most anything used will need to be upgraded anyway and would likely be perfectly fine in 90% of the conditions expected offshore. That other 10% of the time would then be better spent at the dock or hove to....
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Old 26-07-2020, 08:57   #3
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Re: Retiring.......To a Sailboat

There are boat which make great live-aboards and there are boats which sail great but there are very few which do both well. Especially in the 40 ft range - it's fundamentally camping although some might take offense to that. It's always a compromise. Your biggest problem is figuring out which one you want to compromise on.
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Old 03-08-2020, 23:25   #4
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Re: Retiring.......To a Sailboat

We’re both setting out in the same way (retiring). My last day (nite) is tomorrow. House closes friday the 7th. load up the truck, head from wa state to the sunshine state and look for a floating home. I’ll try to check your progress, looks like we need an update.
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Old 03-08-2020, 23:44   #5
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Re: Retiring.......To a Sailboat

Quote:
Originally Posted by S/V Illusion View Post
There are boat which make great live-aboards and there are boats which sail great but there are very few which do both well. Especially in the 40 ft range - it's fundamentally camping although some might take offense to that. It's always a compromise. Your biggest problem is figuring out which one you want to compromise on.

I think this leads to a great point on the liveaboard front.

For me I’ve had homes over 5000sqft and homes around 2500sqft, for me a house was a just base of operations, I would sleep, do some computer work, brush my teeth and keep my clothes, watches, some other hobby items, but most of my life was “out there”.

I didn’t use half of my 2500sqft home

For me a 30-40’ boat is plenty.

That said, if you were a home body, outside of a super yacht, liveaboard might not be a good fit.
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Old 04-08-2020, 08:02   #6
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Re: Retiring.......To a Sailboat

Hey All
ChrisK, Congratulations on retiring. I must admit, it feels pretty darn good.
It sounds like you are way more prepared than I. I have loose ends to tie up here in MT. I won't be able to head south for at least 6 weeks. I have been looking for boats mostly on the East coast, down and around as far west as Texas in the gulf.
I am looking at 36 to 45' boats, and it is a little overwhelming with all that are for sale.

S/V Illusion, I have found in my search that it is a compromise and like camping but I, like IslandInfedel found the smaller the accommodations the more efficient I become. I don't use most of my house at present and in the past.
Over the years (Until moving to MT) I have researched liveaboard but never made the jump.
Chris, please keep me posted on your progress either on this post or by PM
I will keeping posting as I progress
Thanks to all for your replies!!
Mike
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Old 05-08-2020, 09:17   #7
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Re: Retiring.......To a Sailboat

Take a look at some of the very livable Bob Perry designs - Tayana 37, Baba 35, Passport 40. We bought a Beneteau 423 as a compromise boat because we needed a/c on the dock while I still worked. Now she is both bigger than we need and doesn't have enough strorage space. She does well offshore, but slams and is a bit rolly. She does have a swim platform, which is nice.

Cheers, RickG
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