Hello from Massachusetts

[Galroc]

Hi everyone,

I am investigating full-time cruising currently, with a possibility of cruising in about 23-24 months (earliest). My wife and I will initially stick to the US east coast (+ICW), and maybe the Bahamas..depending on how it goes.

I am using the next year researching everything possible and taking a few basic refresher sailing courses. I have sailed before..

My biggest hurdle is convincing the misses. She would rather RV. She thinks we will drown, and/or be hit by a hurricane. It would be great to find some statistics... but it will be a slow education process..

Financially, we will be probably looking at a used 37-47' boat in the $150,000 range (negotiate down to $125K with $25K left over for immediate repairs/upgrades).

In two years, we will have retirement income to last, and not worry about working again. This is assuming we can get total expenses below $45,000/year, but we could go as high as $80,000/year, but would rather not. The difference will be used to save for a better boat down the road.

Decent monohulls appear to be in that $150,000 range, while Cats are way more expensive. Catalina (400,440,470) and Hunter are two major brands that I am looking at. I am not looking for a project, but I am extremely handy. I rather be cruising and not renovating, but if something needs replacing/repairing, I can do that.

So, I will be in lurk mode for a while...this forum has been educating and fun to read.

[JPA Cate]

Welcome aboard Galroc.

I apologize for writing something that may be uncomfortable to take in, but with a couple, retirement age, is really late to start a serious cruising program, especially with a partner who would rather be doing something else. It is the interpersonal dynamics that may be the most difficult.

The other part that is difficult is that there hasn't been sailing for her in the intervening years. As a couple, you haven't spent enough time on the water to have developed the routines that get you through the difficult spots, that people who've been cruising together for years worked out in their 30's and 40's. Some of it can be adequately addressed through classes, and often, women prefer classes of women taught by women, which eliminate the husband/wife emotional dynamics from the learning experience. If your good lady is interested enough to do a class, that would be a good harbinger.

Cruising is a lifestyle that can be very rewarding, but it's not for everyone, and many cruisers only cruise part time, or spend part time, say summer in Europe, and another season somewhere else where they like the climate.

It is important that sailing and cruising be fun for her, as well as you. That is what will keep her interested. Taking her out, getting her seasick, cold, wet and miserable generally will not be her idea of fun. At any rate, good luck with it, for both your sakes.

Ann

[Kenomac]

Sounds like a good plan with enough financial backing to get a good start. Also, nice realistic boat choices to get you started, we previously owned a Hunter 450 in Southern California. We presently live in Massachusetts for part of the year, so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you need some assistance. We’ll be there for two months beginning Sept 8th getting our boat ready to sail down to the Bahamas if you maybe wanna stop by.

Don’t let the naysayers on this forum get you down.

Ken

[Kenomac]

Two more recommendations:

1. Be sure to attend the Newport, RI boat show in early Sept and don’t forget to check out the used boat offerings which are at a different dock, there’s usually a free water taxi to take you over to it. That’s how we found our Oyster while looking for a Tayana.

2. Look up Sailorboy1 on this forum, he and his wife travel up and down the east coast on their Hunter 41; he lists all of his expenses on a monthly thread.

There are other ways to cruise which we will be happy to share with you, such as why not get a small RV and spend the summer months cruising on land, and purchase a 41ft Hunter like sailorboy and cruise the Carbbean during the winter months?

It doesn’t have to be an all-in one or the other choice.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Two more recommendations:

1. Be sure to attend the Newport, RI boat show in early Sept and don’t forget to check out the used boat offerings which are at a different dock, there’s usually a free water taxi to take you over to it. That’s how we found our Oyster while looking for a Tayana.

2. Look up Sailorboy1 on this forum, he and his wife travel up and down the east coast on their Hunter 41; he lists all of his expenses on a monthly thread.

There are other ways to cruise which we will be happy to share with you, such as why not get a small RV and spend the summer months cruising on land, and purchase a 41ft Hunter like sailorboy and cruise the Carbbean during the winter months?

It doesn’t have to be an all-in one or the other choice.

All this advice from Ken is excellent.


But pay attention to Ann as well -- "happy wife, happy life". Make sure to treat her as a full partner in the decision making process, and not merely as someone who needs to be "educated". If she does not fully buy into the idea, it will never work.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

All this advice from Ken is excellent.


But pay attention to Ann as well -- "happy wife, happy life". Make sure to treat her as a full partner in the decision making process, and not merely as someone who needs to be "educated". If she does not fully buy into the idea, it will never work.

Actually.... yes it can work with a little creativity added into the dynamics.

The spouse half doesn’t have to be onboard the boat or onboard with the cruising idea at all times, there’s no reason that the other half can’t meet the boat at specified locations to enjoy the placid solitude nice marinas and tranquil anchorages have to offer. My wife doesn’t particularly enjoy passage making although she’s certainly capable, so I schedule our passages to be done with crewmate friends onboard or make them solo, then meet Oninoco Flo at prearranged locations.

The OP can do the same, with each partner getting something different out of the arrangement.

I really don’t know where this forum idea came from or why it gets so often repeated that the whole cruising idea needs to be an all or nothing thing... sell the house, sell everything we’re all-in sort of nonsense. Most people in real life do this part-time leading up slowly to increased time on the water. The all-in, we’re both equally onboard stuff is probably from youtube videos where most seem to crash and burnout.

I encouage the OP to contact me via pm if he likes.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Galroc.

[Ivanvet]

Hi, I see you are in the Mass area and are looking at boats similar to what we have. We’ve been living aboard full time for over a year and we love it. My wife, which wasn’t a boat person before has embraced this life style fully, and does as much as I do in the boat, sailing or maintenance. Not to brag, but we have a couple of couples that were on the fence of moving a board (wives were more reluctant), and after talking to my wife they became really interested and moved to the boat. She’s even thinking about offering this as a service!

Jokes aside, if you are in the Boston area and want to chat about it and see the boat, you are welcome to visit.

Fair winds,
Ivan

[Galroc]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

Welcome aboard Galroc.

I apologize for writing something that may be uncomfortable to take in, but with a couple, retirement age, is really late to start a serious cruising program, especially with a partner who would rather be doing something else. It is the interpersonal dynamics that may be the most difficult.

The other part that is difficult is that there hasn't been sailing for her in the intervening years. As a couple, you haven't spent enough time on the water to have developed the routines that get you through the difficult spots, that people who've been cruising together for years worked out in their 30's and 40's. Some of it can be adequately addressed through classes, and often, women prefer classes of women taught by women, which eliminate the husband/wife emotional dynamics from the learning experience. If your good lady is interested enough to do a class, that would be a good harbinger.

Cruising is a lifestyle that can be very rewarding, but it's not for everyone, and many cruisers only cruise part time, or spend part time, say summer in Europe, and another season somewhere else where they like the climate.

It is important that sailing and cruising be fun for her, as well as you. That is what will keep her interested. Taking her out, getting her seasick, cold, wet and miserable generally will not be her idea of fun. At any rate, good luck with it, for both your sakes.

Ann

Good advice. I will be 56 and she will be 51 at the time we potentially do this. We are extremely active currently. We do the gym as a couple and we do 5K routinely.

I do realize there is an age window, and if we did wait until traditional retirement age, then it could be much more difficult to make the transition, if at all.

I plan on taking her to a boat show, probably annapolis, this year. Baby steps...

[Galroc]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Two more recommendations:

1. Be sure to attend the Newport, RI boat show in early Sept and don’t forget to check out the used boat offerings which are at a different dock, there’s usually a free water taxi to take you over to it. That’s how we found our Oyster while looking for a Tayana.

2. Look up Sailorboy1 on this forum, he and his wife travel up and down the east coast on their Hunter 41; he lists all of his expenses on a monthly thread.

There are other ways to cruise which we will be happy to share with you, such as why not get a small RV and spend the summer months cruising on land, and purchase a 41ft Hunter like sailorboy and cruise the Carbbean during the winter months?

It doesn’t have to be an all-in one or the other choice.

Thank you for the information about the RI boat show. I was planning on the Annapolis boat show in October, but the RI show is great idea. I looked up Boston's boat show, but never even thought about RI, despite knowing RI is huge into sailing.

I have checked out Sailorboy1 budgets. It is awesome that he is doing that. Very helpful.

If we did get a boat, I plan on pulling the boat out of the water in Maine, where my wife has family. This will allow her to have family time, and I can work on the boat and/or we could RV travel as you suggested.

[tkeithlu]

Consider the possibility that as a couple you may do better in a trawler than in a monohull. Trawlers are far more like living in an RV, and they go where you want without the cold wet exhausting stuff. Yes, they are not a seaworthy as monohulls, but you are a long way from cruising that does not let you avoid weather.

Oh, and indeed, always take Ann's advice seriously.

[Galroc]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Actually.... yes it can work with a little creativity added into the dynamics.

The spouse half doesn’t have to be onboard the boat or onboard with the cruising idea at all times, there’s no reason that the other half can’t meet the boat at specified locations to enjoy the placid solitude nice marinas and tranquil anchorages have to offer. My wife doesn’t particularly enjoy passage making although she’s certainly capable, so I schedule our passages to be done with crewmate friends onboard or make them solo, then meet Oninoco Flo at prearranged locations.

The OP can do the same, with each partner getting something different out of the arrangement.

I really don’t know where this forum idea came from or why it gets so often repeated that the whole cruising idea needs to be an all or nothing thing... sell the house, sell everything we’re all-in sort of nonsense. Most people in real life do this part-time leading up slowly to increased time on the water. The all-in, we’re both equally onboard stuff is probably from youtube videos where most seem to crash and burnout.

I encouage the OP to contact me via pm if he likes.

You made some key points. I have suggested to her that she could fly into where ever the boat is moored and enjoy the location. This will be a long and slow process.

We have done canal boating, just her and I. She had anxiety about it about it first, especially the locks, but came through like a champ and had a great time.

We will try to attend the RI boat show and see how it goes. Thanks everyone!

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by tkeithlu

Consider the possibility that as a couple you may do better in a trawler than in a monohull. Trawlers are far more like living in an RV, and they go where you want without the cold wet exhausting stuff. Yes, they are not a seaworthy as monohulls, but you are a long way from cruising that does not let you avoid weather.

Oh, and indeed, always take Ann's advice seriously.

If his wife is scared of boating or has any possible issues with seasickness, trying out a trawler first is a sure way to scare her with the rockin and rollin and make her vomit.

[Galroc]

This is my wife on the canal boat. She loved it.

[a64pilot]

You sound pretty much were we were about five years ago. I’m 60 and we have been on the boat for two years full time.
What you describe may be better in a trawler, but in open water they will roll your guts out, a “real” trawler is better though than what is often sold as trawlers now.
If it has twin big engines and will plane, to me it’s not a trawler, to me a trawler is single engine and a keel so you can run aground and not hurt the prop, it has a big rudder sort of like a sailboat for good slow speed handling and is a pure displacement hull.
But trawler is about as descriptive a name as blue water, if we go Trawler I like the looks of a Kady Krogen 42 myself.
However a good sailboat can do pretty much anything a Trawler can and is much more stable in open water.

Anyway nothing wrong with the boats your looking at, but if you don’t mind a few years older you can for the same or less money get a boat that may be better suited for full time liveabord and traveling the ICW and scooting over to the Bahamas etc.

When you start out, do a lot of time in the ICW etc. and let the wife acclimate, then slowly start easing out into rougher water, but do so slowly.
Nothing kills the dream like a good severe case of seasickness, avoid that like the plague.