Hello everyone! New couple!

[Aceoftrade]

So my wife and I are looking to escape our day to day grind and go cruising for a few years.
I work in the oilfield in Canada, she is a full time mom with our daughter.
We really aren't looking to just jump right in, more of get a good grasp of what the whole life is about, and lots and lots of preparation and planning.
I am looking into buying a 40+ Cat, maybe out of the Caribbean. We live inland in British Columbia, I have done quite a bit of sailing on smaller Mono hulls on the lakes around here.
I was wondering what your thoughts of were, buying over there, and learning on a bigger boat where we can be around fellow cruisers.
Any input and advice on courses I could take or maybe just any friendly advice would be much appreciated. Thanks for your time
Cheers, Evan

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Evan.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Aceoftrade

So my wife and I are looking to escape our day to do grind and go cruising for a few years.
I work in the oilfield in Canada, she is a full time mom with our daughter.
We really aren't looking to just jump right in, more of get a good grasp of what the whole life is about, and lots and lots of preparation and planning.
I am looking into buying a 40+ Cat, maybe out of the Caribbean. We leave inland in British Columbia, I have done quite a bit of sailing on smaller Mono hulls on the lakes around here.
I was wondering what your thoughts of were, buying over there, and learning on a bigger boat where we can be around fellow cruisers.
Any input and advice on courses I could take or maybe just any friendly advice would be much appreciated. Thanks for your time
Cheers, Evan

Hi Evan..
You don't say if you have any previous experience on boats...
I would suggest you contact someone like these folk Bahamas Out Island Sailing official website and work out a deal that ties in with you and your wife/family to spend a week or two on a boat the size/type you want... it may seem a lot of cash but believe me if you get a good skipper its worth it...
Offshore/Ocean Yachtmaster or equivilant...
I feel one man trying to instruct upto six people is inadequate... can't devote enough one on one time for long enough.. competing for attention is a slow expensive way to learn... the dream boat is likely an expensive one... make sure you invest well in the schooling for you and your wife... its a bad world out here..

Welcome to CF folks....

[shorebird]

Welcome to the forum. You should consider booking a "Cruise and Learn" vacation aboard a Cat here in Vancouver before buying and sailing one in the far off tropics. Cooper has a Lagoon 40 in their charter fleet, and you and your spouse would cruise the Gulf Islands for 6 days learning coastal navigation, handling under power, emergencies, and much more. This would give you far more information and skill in making further decisions about your dream to cruise the tropics on a cat. BTW, I often make this same recommendation to people, so I should mention I have no affiliation with Cooper beyond having taken the same course with them. good luck, and keep that dream going through the long winter.

[Aceoftrade]

thanks for all the feedback and support.
I think we will try a catamaran out at Coopers in Van, do there week trip and see what its all about.
I'm gonna be articling all of our progress (from finding out about cruising, to living the dream)
post it somewhere ao orhers can have a rough guide and some helpful hints.

ps. im on my way back to roll around in -40 and deep snow for 21 days.
someone have some drinks and sun for me

[boatman61]

That'll do ya just fine... not so far to travel...

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!
Good to have you here and posting on the forum.
kind regards,

[Celestialsailor]

Welcome to the forum...I use to work in the NWT, outside in the oil fields as a surveyor in my younger days. -40F with the wind-chill-factor...Brrrr
...and I'm complaining now with the 35F temps here at night.

[Captain Grandpa]

Ahoy Aceoftrade. Welcome to CF from Southern California.