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Engine_Ear · 30-05-2011, 15:26

Hello all,

Up here on beautiful Orcas Island, and thought I'd join up. I'm relatively new to the sailboat world, but have spent years at sea first as a Sonarman aboard submarines, now as an Engineer aboard research vessels 'n' such. I lived aboard in Ballard for a few years, sold my last boat, a 101' Ex-Navy tug, and moved to Orcas. Currently sick of living on land (again) and am saving for a new-to-me boat. I wanted to get a good taste of big boat sailing, so I'm heading to Nova Scotia in June to work as Assisstant Engineer aboard Picton Castle for a leg of their summer cruise before pounding some pier to get a paying job. Glad to be aboard, and looking forward to meeting and learning from a great community!

Phisher · 30-05-2011, 15:30

Welcome Aboard!

Brian

**James S** · 31-05-2011, 09:59

Hey Engine...welcome to Cruisers Forum.
I did a search on the Picton Castle....wow cool boat, I'm thinkin you'll have a blast.

captain58sailin · 31-05-2011, 10:12

Welcome to the forum Engine Ear, always good to have some more of us from the PNW around.

jkindredpdx · 31-05-2011, 10:15

Welcome Engine, you certainly live in a beautiful place, hope you enjoy CF.

Unicorn Dreams · 31-05-2011, 11:01

Welcome Aboard CF and enjoy...

Engine_Ear · 31-05-2011, 21:43

Thanks for the warm welcome! Lots of great info, here. Cap58, I'm jealous of your Skookum. One of my instructors, Mike Beemer has a Skookum, and it's effin' awesome. My short list of dream boats is a Skookum or preferably a Tom Colvin schooner, since I'm better at working in steel. In the meantime, I'm saving for a 32' Westsail.

capnorv · 31-05-2011, 22:06

Welcome aboard! Westsail 32 is a great vessel, seems a lot to choose from at good prices now. Fair Winds and great adventures on your summer cruise. My wife got a cruise on SV Zodiac last summer and still gets that faraway look...Caution great boats fuel great dreams.

captain58sailin · 31-05-2011, 22:25

Thanks Engine, I am in the middle of a repower/refit right now so things are in a bit of disarray, but in the end I think she is a beauty.

Engine_Ear · 31-05-2011, 22:58

Capnorv,

I'd be open to suggestions as to similar boats. Looking for a double-ended brick sh*t-house of a < 35' full-displacement boat. One that's comfortable for a liveaboard, yet solid enough for someone who dislikes composite work. Westsail fits all of those, plus comes with a great rep. I'm finishing up my ABYC Diesel and Electrical certs, as well as NMEA Electronics with Skagit Valley College, so I'm looking for a boat that I can improve and resell when the time comes to go bigger.

Ironhorse74 · 31-05-2011, 23:03

Welcome neighbor!

capnorv · 01-06-2011, 07:18

Improve and resell sounds good, just don't expect to make money on the deal unless you get a forlorn megayacht. The general public just doesn't seem to have much money these days. We sold our Hans Christian 34t two weeks ago, first looker, but thats rare these days. If you find a boat think of it as a learning tool and you'll be fine.

Engine_Ear · 01-06-2011, 07:27

Thanks, Ironhorse!

CapNorv, I know better than to expect to make money. I got what I paid for my last boat, (only out for time, labor, parts...) and that's the best I expect. I'm in little boats for boating, and make my money on the big boats. I just want something that will have a good chance of selling quickly so that I can minimize the amount of time that I'm responsible for more than one...