advice on preparing for a life at sea

[kkais]

That's seriously good advice! Thank you--and I really mean that.
A plan is taking shape:


1. Dinghy sailing course in Athens in Jan-Feb
2. RYA tidal course this summer or next summer in the UK
3. Get small boat for Greece, moor it in the village harbour.
4. Get on the water as often as possible with my daughter (and wife if she can be persuaded).
5. Worry about retirement later... and get my life off of 'hold'.



Michael

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by kkais

That's seriously good advice! Thank you--and I really mean that.
A plan is taking shape:


1. Dinghy sailing course in Athens in Jan-Feb
2. RYA tidal course this summer or next summer in the UK
3. Get small boat for Greece, moor it in the village harbour.
4. Get on the water as often as possible with my daughter (and wife if she can be persuaded).
5. Worry about retirement later... and get my life off of 'hold'.



Michael

Sounds a reasonable plan. I hope your good lady wife enjoys being included. And, heaps of good luck with the plan!

[Amnesia II]

If you have spare time to sail on other people’s boats check out Crewbay site, lots of owners seeking crew for short trips or even day sailing.

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by moctrams

Forget it. The sea robs you of close friends and is very lonely.

You make new friends with different interests from the ones back home. There's no shortage of comrades IMHO.

You can definitely be alone but not necessarily lonely. Different personalities respond differently to different environments, I'm naturally a vagabond that likes meeting people in different ports while enjoying the space a boat and water provides.

It's a great life.

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by boatman61

No.. it allows you to regulate who can be close friends..
If contact is lost either they were not that close as to be bothered.. or you were not as close as you thought.
They dont visit coz we're not worth the hassle of more than a 15min drive.. or unlless they want something.
Sailing is for the Un-Needy.. [emoji3]

Yep!!!

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by Dennis Clarke

Just received my RYA online training package last week...it's a combination of Day Skipper/Yachtmaster (from Ocean Training)...and have to say that the course is everything I would have expected and more. If you purchase - be prepared for a very detailed course outline but the knowledge I'm gaining through this is irreplaceable...

I'm going to be the nay sayer here, personally I feel I learnt very little that was relevant to real cruising doing my RYA courses.

You have to start somewhere, I get this BUT in all honesty I'm not sure what prepares you for real world cruising other than doing it.

[danielamartindm]

Originally Posted by moctrams

Forget it. The sea robs you of close friends and is very lonely.

You're fortunate to have HAD close friends.

[mikeyboards]

Originally Posted by Amnesia II

If you have spare time to sail on other people’s boats check out Crewbay site, lots of owners seeking crew for short trips or even day sailing.

hi Michael.

i have the old boat and am trying to get it and myself ready to leave South Africa in a year from now if all goes according to plan..i still have a lot to do and would offer the invitation to assist me when sailing around europe ie. france-spain- portugal-morrocco..it fits with your 8yr plan..the sv is 30ft steel cutter colin archer design and i am sure quite slow too 7tonns ..so stay tuned and we can see how it pans out...not a skipper but i have done a 7months sailing journey 1998.from SA to Pacific..
regards
mike.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by daletournier

I'm going to be the nay sayer here, personally I feel I learnt very little that was relevant to real cruising doing my RYA courses.

You have to start somewhere, I get this BUT in all honesty I'm not sure what prepares you for real world cruising other than doing it.

One benefit I can think of straight away is the Certificate of Competence to whatever level he choses to rise too that he will gain and another is the right way to do old fashioned Coastal and tidal navigation.
Others may chunter about online CoC's and courses however to my mind this does niether himself nor any future crew be it family or friends any favours.
It is in my mind more important to be a good seaman when cruising rather than a 'good sailor'.

[rickwest]

Get on as many sailboats and sailing trips as you can in the next 8 years...read..read..sailing books....talk to liveaboard sailors...often the first boat people buy needs 1000 projects never buy a boat that.has been sitting on a dock or in a yard for years..you will spend $50,000 fixing it...

[kkais]

I will need some hands-on training first, which I can then build on with reading and experience--I know that's how I learn. Hopefully, will be going to Harwich in the summer: I chose it because it's on an estuary with biggish tides, I suppose: which is to say everything I won't get here in the Med.

And as for going on as many trips as I can over the next few years--absolutely! Hopefully the dinghy course Trentepieds turned me on to here in Athens will introduce me to sailors who will need crew in summers to come.

Thanks again for all the input!

Michael

[PortClydeMe]

Originally Posted by kkais

I will need some hands-on training first, which I can then build on with reading and experience--I know that's how I learn. Hopefully, will be going to Harwich in the summer: I chose it because it's on an estuary with biggish tides, I suppose: which is to say everything I won't get here in the Med.

And as for going on as many trips as I can over the next few years--absolutely! Hopefully the dinghy course Trentepieds turned me on to here in Athens will introduce me to sailors who will need crew in summers to come.

Thanks again for all the input!

Michael

Ela, pithaki-mou. I have a house in Ano Glyfada (El Venizelou). Currently in Japan.

1) Yup! Learn to sail. It takes time.
2) "Moor it in the village harbor" ??? Where? Zakynthos?
3) Did you know that it can snow in Ano Glyfada in the winter months?

You might want to think some things through in more detail. Good luck!

[kkais]

Ano Glyfada--I remember eating in the Stani up there many years ago when everything was white and we had to walk up the last bit because the car was slipping and sliding all over the place!


It's the outline of a long-term plan: and it's far more detailed than it was a week ago! We're definitely heading int he right direction.


The village is Arkitsa (opposite Aedipso). Nice little harbour, and it's where we spend our summers.


Enjoy Nippon!





Michael

[Suijin]

I agree that getting practical on the water experience is key when it comes to learning how to sail and general seamanship. Get out in the water as much as possible.

I don’t agree that you want a race boat like a 420. An optimist is almost too small for your daughter and would be impossibly small for the two of you. A 420 is unstable and relatively complicated for your needs. You’ll be better off with a family day sailor, around 17’ or so with a nice sized cockpit. I don’t know what are prevalent in Greece but something like a Flying Scot would be perfect.

There is a lot you can start to study now like navigation and weather. Yes on the water experience will provide necessary context for all that knowledge but being familiar with basic coastal navigation before you set out will be helpful.

Get in shape. Life on a boat benefits and at times requires a basic level of fitness and anything more than that helps. There are a lot of motions and things that you’ll be asking your body to do and if you’re not in shape, at the age of 60 you may find yourself learning by way of injuring yourself which is never fun. Flexibility is also important when you start cramming yourself into lockers or contorting to fix stuff.

I would be careful about selling your flat to buy a boat and if possible explore other ways of financing it. A boat is a depreciating asset. If you can rent out the flat you’ll maintain that capital instead of watching it slowly vanish as the value of your boat slides into oblivion. And you’ll likely move ashore again someday.

[PortClydeMe]

Originally Posted by kkais

Ano Glyfada--I remember eating in the Stani up there many years ago when everything was white and we had to walk up the last bit because the car was slipping and sliding all over the place!


It's the outline of a long-term plan: and it's far more detailed than it was a week ago! We're definitely heading int he right direction.


The village is Arkitsa (opposite Aedipso). Nice little harbour, and it's where we spend our summers.


Enjoy Nippon!





Michael

Oh, OK. Got it. You're on the other side. I thought you were talking about the Athens area. Spent a ton of time in Skiathos, Skopelos, etc.

By the way, the car shouldn't be slipping in Ano Glyfada. It's not that steep. maybe you are thinking about somewhere else.

Anyway, enjoy.