Hello from Miami! Just Moved 3000miles

[Alpinist]

Hi folks. Been lurking around the forum for awhile now. Recently as in this week I moved to the Miami area to pursue my cruising dream. In the next 9 to 15 months I plan to purchase my sailboat and head out for a year or two.

My total experience sailing is one day in Puerto Rico on a friends 37' Beneteau and 100s or thousands of hours on Youtube and forums and other resources.

Yeah one day of sailing! haha. But that was enough to know I really want to do this.

Enough that I just moved 3000 miles from Reno NV this month to be near a big sailing community and look for a great deal on the boat I need.

I would love any advice on meeting sailors, are there clubs? I would be glad to help as crew on a day out. As new as I am I'm not sure how helpful I will be at first but I do follow directions well. I have a decent beer fund for such activities.

So anyway.. Hi There!

[CSY Man]

Originally Posted by Alpinist

Hi folks. Been lurking around the forum for awhile now. Recently as in this week I moved to the Miami area to pursue my cruising dream. In the next 9 to 15 months I plan to purchase my sailboat and head out for a year or two.

My total experience sailing is one day in Puerto Rico on a friends 37' Beneteau and 100s or thousands of hours on Youtube and forums and other resources.

Yeah one day of sailing! haha. But that was enough to know I really want to do this.

Enough that I just moved 3000 miles from Reno NV this month to be near a big sailing community and look for a great deal on the boat I need.

I would love any advice on meeting sailors, are there clubs? I would be glad to help as crew on a day out. As new as I am I'm not sure how helpful I will be at first but I do follow directions well. I have a decent beer fund for such activities.

So anyway.. Hi There!

Hi Alpinist.
It does not take 9 to 15 months to purchase a sailboat.
A few days at the most if you know what you are looking for:
Easy math really: Look for a well maintained, well equipped boat with a good pedigree. Small is okay, don't blow the budget on a "big" boat, no extra points for sailing and maintaining a cheap "big" boat, it gets very expensive in the long run.
Been there, done that.
My first boat was 44', 30 years old and high maintenance. Almost killed me financially. (Mast, rigging, anchors, sails, etc, twice the price of a smaller boat, say 33'.)

Next boat 33', much better and easy to equip, maintain and sail. (csy33)
Bigger boats are faster under sail and of course more room, but much more drain on the bank account.
If you want to go fast, buy a plane ticket. Want more room? buy a 3/2 condo.

My advice, go small, go now.
You are in a good place, buyers market in Florida and the Bahamas next door.

[Alpinist]

Thanks CSY. The reason for the delay is that I only have enough to purchase a boat right now.. Barely. I want to have enough to take off for a year or two within a couple months of purchase. (I assume I will need to do some work and refit a bit before heading out)

I moved a bit early in order to be in the right place at the right time. I will be putting away money while gaining some experience and keeping an eye out for a great deal.

Thanks for the advice on going small. For so many reason it seems like a good idea from everything I have been able to research. Benefits of smaller vessels I have read about are Repairs, time scraping hulls, less cost of sails, inherent strength (ie less forces endured on shorter hull). My thought is to find something older (mid 70s to mid 80s) in the 27 to 35 foot range. Ive gone through the idea of heavy full keels to lighter cruiser racers. Currently thinking the lighter cruiser racers might have better benefits in general. Nimbleness and handling seem like at least as important safety features as the classic bluewater full keel idea does. Not really worried about speed but being able to save a bit of fuel cost in light air conditions seems worthwhile. Smaller sail areas and less stress on rigging. Is my line of thinking on this sound? Seems like there are a lot of ways to skin the sailing cat.

I am a good mechanic and fixer..Right now I just want to be around boats and absorb knowledge, make some friends. If anyone needs a hand on repairs you are doing or crew or whatever kick me a PM I would love to meet up!

[maxingout]

It sounds like you are on the right track.

Not spending everything on the boat is a good idea. If the boat sucks your finances dry, it won't be long before you dislike the boat.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Alpinist.

[chuckr]

one day -- hum -- go take a couple of ASA sailing courses and charter a couple of times - then try to figure it out - we lived in Miami for a while before we set out and Biscayne Bay is a great place to learn and you can sail there a lot - but lessons really get you the idea - and if I were you I would work with a good broker - they have forgotten more about boats than you know and many have been full time cruisers and know what it takes - - Dave Dodgen is one who I know and he and his wife spent a lot of time going around the Carib and he really knows boats and sailing - and no I get nothing I just know Dave
and don't get in a hurry on a boat as the dockage there is expensive -