Hi Ya'll

[Mule]

Greetings from Fort Worth, I just signed up here to 'git learned up' on rag boating. I have been an ignition key sailor for years and even took basic sailing on a 21 Colgate. I currently have a 22ft Bennignton tritoon on Lake Joe Poole, on a lift.

I am a retired 'phone man' and am looking to get a 35-40ft boat when the wife retires from teaching. Sail has a lot of appeal after seeng $4.+ fuel. I will be looking for suggestions about purchases and stay-aways. Must have in mast furling with all lines to cockpit. Will have b4 leaving dock, air conditioning and a generator.

The word on the street is that it is much easier and cheaper to do a real estate (home) refinace to buy the boat with ccash to take advantage of the low rates. I have not looked into that yet.

All advice for this neophite will be appreciated.

Da Mule

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Mule,
I personally would look at 32 to 36 foot boats and not have in mast furling. Maybe where you sail you'll need air conditioning but I don't need it in Hawaii and rather hate the noise of a generator (or engine) running.
Anyway, walk the docks and talk with cruising folk about their boats and start reading about sailing and cruising. Ragtop = sailboat. Stinkpot = powerboat. Never heard of an ignition key sailor. New term?
Good luck in your search for your right boat.
Kind regards,
JohnL

[Celestialsailor]

Aloha Mule and welcome to the forum... I concur with SkiprJohn's suggestion about "gittin" a smaller boat. But ultimately that will be your choice. There are many threads here covering any topic you can imagine.

[Mule]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

Aloha Mule,
I personally would look at 32 to 36 foot boats and not have in mast furling. Maybe where you sail you'll need air conditioning but I don't need it in Hawaii and rather hate the noise of a generator (or engine) running.
Anyway, walk the docks and talk with cruising folk about their boats and start reading about sailing and cruising. Ragtop = sailboat. Stinkpot = powerboat. Never heard of an ignition key sailor. New term?
Good luck in your search for your right boat.
Kind regards,
JohnL

I am a disciple of George Buheler. He is the Diesel Duck guy. Just cannot afford his stuff. I have done a 28 ft Camano bare boat out of Victoria...really neat. Did a 2x engine diesel 37 ft power catamaran out Ft Lauderdale down to Key West. and then there is my 22 ft Bennington, all of em had an ignition key, so I tagged them ignition key sailing. The motor whale boat I looked for pilots that missed the Ranger was so long ago I cannot remember if it had a key or not.

Last year spent a week in Maui, you sure picked a pretty place to live.

[SkiprJohn]

Nope, Motor whaleboats didn't have a key, just a selector switch. One of our forum members has one over here in Hawaii. I've followed carriers (plane guard) while stationed aboard destroyers as a lookout for just that purpose. Really sad when they hit the water. Ranger was out of San Diego? All my old ships have been decommissioned as is the Ranger as far as I know.
I've owned a few sailboats that had ignition keys but small powered dinghies usually just have pull cords.
Kind regards,
JohnL