Born again sailor.

[JasperinTexas]

Hi All,

I spent a few years on Chesapeake Bay back in the last century. My front lawn ended where the bay started. As a keen board and dingy sailor with a little crewing experience on larger vessels in Europe, I decided to purchase a trailer sailor and kept it for the most part in the water in front of my home and sailed most weekends and evenings. Then I decided to become a landlubber and moved west to the Rockies. A few years later I ended up in Texas. I now find myself drawn to the briny again. I am thinking that it will soon be time to purchase a sailboat and spend the next few years cruising the intercoastal waterway and the Caribbean. I am thinking a ketch or schooner around 50'.

I would be interested to hear from anyone that has already embarked on such an adventure. What challenges have had to be overcome? Do I look for a crew member?

I would be happy to receive and advice.

Jasper.

[Capt Clark]

Jasper, Welcome to the forum. You’ll find a wealth of knowledge here.

Capt Clark

[tkeithlu]

Welcome to the forum. It's the Intracoastal Waterway. I used to use that example "Are any of you familiar with the Intercoastal waterway?" Hands go up. "Nope,it's the INTRAcoastal Waterway, because it's within the coast, and intracellular means within the cell while intercellular means between them."

Enough pedantry for now. Question: Do you want to stay in the ICW? If so, power is more practical than sail, because some sections are just one damn bridge after another.

Second question. What crew do you have on hand? a 50' sailboat is BIG for one person to handle. It's pretty big for two. Usual is the 36-40 foot range. Remember that the volume of a boat and size of the sails increases with the third power. A boat twice as long is roughly eight times the size.

Go for your dream.

[Retirement home]

Hi.
Best luck.

I'm looking for a 40-43foot solo although preferably trips with mates.

Sailed alot.

Headsails have my interest at moment.
They name them headsails as sail is a head, leach to direct thrust and foot to establish rhythm of dance.
Also known as a fixed luff sail.
Know luff really just the tack eye and modern sailors refer headsail head edge as luff because tack spears wind and then has to force head through luff.
Thus head is luff.
This creates drag and is a main force of why boat heals.

Sails behind such; main and missen are semi protected from winds direct brute force and free to encourage sail set systems thrust.

Square sails are more efficient because they have a much longer luff to work torque of wind with but lack pointing ability in soft winds and take some crew and courage to build momentum in strong winds: Much like a stabilised jet turbine; stable when going.

50' quite large.
I will probably find a 40-44' ketch with furling headsail and lazy jack main and missen soonish. Next month to 3 years.
But I'd like to replace system with Junk system sailing set.
Self reefs with instructions of a single hand line even when screaming on fast reach.
Always reaches even when on point.
Flexible luff is safer when winds are stronger than a fixed luff system.

If real about solo, maybe look that way sir.
Other pluses..

Squares like truck engines, triangles like racing car engines; both high maintenance in a way.
Junk really easy going like a car used for shopping.
If sail tears can keep sailing without self destruction.
Never flogs.
Can get high mileage on light materials.
Don't have to be on deck to raise, lower, sheet.
Can repair easy.

Just saying because that's my research and intentions.

I skippered a racing keel boat after crewing years on a cruising boat.
Worst happens when wind is heavy like finding your feet on a wet bouncy bow to lash reefs into the storm jib.

Best luck anyway you go.
Ahoy

[Retirement home]

Rest and repair schedules??

Down here a 44' yacht is approaching maximum on club slip for annual maintenance.
I don't know if true or not, I can't remember but under 45 ' on shipwright slip for long term hard is a pretty decent rate.

Berths are same. 45' worked out really cheap but when purchasing and asking about 47' berth that was more difficult to access too, maintenance cost if owned were considerably higher. I considered.

In December I went for a sail aboard a 52' along deck twin mast gaff. She would be 3-4 times the size of the 44' along deck ketch I looked at last week.
44 footer has 3 cabins plus 2 quarter cabins plus sleepout on upper story and is a midget compared to 52 footer.
Some slip might charge tonnage??

I figure by tonnage is easier.
Extra 8 feet but 4 times the budget and less access to safe havens.

Down our way a budget to keep a 40 footer clean and seaworthy with a marina berth was fifty fifty recently. $50 for berth regardless if owned or leased.
$50 for seaworthiness.

Pretty lucky with berth. Into wind momentum reduction. If blown off plenty of room to spin a full keel around and go again.
If wind reverses, a Lee anchorage that is always vacant exists and a simple wind direction alarm would suffice. Otherwise I wouldn't have bothered because sailing can be physically exhausting and when exhausted is when precision is required.

Apologies if I typed too much..
I just want a junk rig. Throttle body type luff sail. Unlike a truck that develops torque during 1600-1900 rpm, will work light and hold heavy. Won't point until heavy though.
Lol

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Jasper.