Hello from Virginia, USA

[Mksmn]

Hi!

I'm new to the forums so this can serve as introduction.

Here's my problem: I have seawater in my veins. My grandfather and his father and grandfather have all owned various boats and yachts up to 60' in length. My ancestors before that were sailors, sea captains (some of dubious repute), and shipbuilders. I've lived in landlocked states and hated it because I need water like a drug fix, but due to a recent change in my career I am much more location-flexible than I've been able to be before.

I had spent some time on various powered boats and loved it, but a few years ago got to sail in Hawaii and got bit by the bug hard. I'm seriously (VERY seriously) considering buying a sail yacht in the future. I am an analyst by nature, and an exhaustive researcher, so I hope I can find some answers here from those with a wealth of knowledge who are generous enough to share!

I'll be asking some questions about sail yachts, liveaboard cruising, offshore sailing, passagemaking, etc. Mostly, I need to know whether I can make this work within the requirements of the lady of the house. She is used to a certain level of comfort, and her standard of living has been quite high. I foresee that she will be more interested in comfort, and I will be more interested in seaworthiness and safety of the (hopefully!) eventual purchase. Fortunately, while I am not going to be buying any 30M Perini Navi or Alloy yachts, price is not a primary concern. I can definitely afford to buy. As an investment geek, I would like to make sure that the hole in the water into which I throw money is not a faster drain than it needs to be.

Will post threads asking detailed questions in the near future. Thanks for your time!

[Don C L]

Welcome aboard! May I suggest going down to the Caribbean and chartering a boat or two, something very comfortable and fun, for your wife to try out? Also try some sailing lessons for her separately so she might get a chance to get bitten by the same bug. If she does you both will be loving life sailing together! If you get two little fun boats like Lasers or something, then you can race each other!

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Mksmm.

[Mksmn]

Originally Posted by Don C L

Welcome aboard! May I suggest going down to the Caribbean and chartering a boat or two, something very comfortable and fun, for your wife to try out? Also try some sailing lessons for her separately so she might get a chance to get bitten by the same bug. If she does you both will be loving life sailing together! If you get two little fun boats like Lasers or something, then you can race each other!

Thanks Don!

I do plan to take her chartering in the Caribbean. I'm looking at moving there anyway, and we'll probably charter there for a couple years before moving and buying anything. (Thank god for work that can be done from home, right?) She has actually got kind of into the idea lately, and is asking questions. She loves travel and adventure, and although she doesn't have the sea bug like me, she absolutely loved a day cruising Phang Nga bay in Thailand. She doesn't want to go for lessons alone, so I figure a set of lessons with me, where someone ELSE is teaching, will be good. (IMO, it helps when the instructor isn't the spouse...)