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Old 01-11-2007, 08:02   #1
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Hi from S. Florida

Hi y'all...I am new to the forum and almost new to diving. I have come to pick your brains and hopefully hook up with some others who are presently doing what I intend to do in a few years.
I am thinking of retiring and buying a catamaran. You will all either laugh or shake your heads in acknowledgement when I tell you my quick story. When I was a kid, there was a young boy..sixteen I believe. An accomplished sailor even at that age..he decided he was going to circumnavigate the Earth solo. Even National Geographic got involved...the book was called The Voyage of the Dove.
Ever since then I have planned to do a similar thing...I want to retire to a CAt. I have some small sailing experience with Hobies and sunfish and 12-14 meter sailing dighies. Anyways just wanted to say "Hi" and any help or advice would be heartily accepted.
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Old 01-11-2007, 09:11   #2
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hi pygar, good luck with your plans.
many have been inspired by dove, including this adorable young german:
www.allein-auf-see.de
(i've linked to german page, but there is a way to switch to english through babel)
he has since sold the boat (for a song on ebay) and returned to germany as a college student, but his website appears to still be intact and he has written a book about his adventure.
thought you might enjoy his story.
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Old 01-11-2007, 10:10   #3
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Aloha Pygar,
Welcome aboard!! Hope you enjoy the forum. Graham was an inspiration to many and the story was great. Most the folks on this forum started a dream many years ago and some have carried it through.
Kind Regards,
JohnL
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Old 01-11-2007, 11:56   #4
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Welcome, Pygar62!

When we went Bahamas/Caribbean cruising a few years ago, I had a ‘fair’ amount of experience on sailboats of various sizes but it was mostly daysailing or tame yachtclub racing and mostly on other people's boats. My wife had zero. We read a lot, shopped around, bought a boat, and spent 4 months refitting and practicing. After 4 months we took a ‘practice’ cruise was from Tampabay to the Dry Tortugas and the Keys. As we were about to head back from Key West a weather window opened to cross to the Bahamas. Everyone else there was going, so ... we made a couple of phone calls and we went too. We didn’t come back for over 2 years.

We met plenty of people who had been sailing in one form or another for years before they decided to go cruising. But we met many others who didn’t have any experience at all until after they decided to go cruising. They usually didn’t just buy a boat and go - although these people did:
bumfuzzle chronicles.

The conventional view is take lessons/courses, and crew on other people’s boats, and charter, and buy small boats, and then bigger boats, etc. Most people we met did some of those things, but I don’t think we ever met anyone who had done all of the frequently recommended things. Most people who don’t have pre-decision sailing experience and actually wind up cruising, find a way to shortcut the learning curve. And, regardless of ‘sailing’ experience, all first time cruisers quickly discover that they still have lots to learn and the only way to do it is to just go cruising.
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Old 01-11-2007, 21:37   #5
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Hi Pygar and welcome. Nothing crazy about your dream at all. If you are anywhere near the water I would suggest you get started as soon as possible.

Similar young experience as you.

We bought a starter boat to test the waters and are learning a ton. Especially about how much it really costs to maintain a boat.

We are now on the hunt for boat #2...
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