New liveaboard (newly single)

[jimking100]

Hello everyone,
My wife decided to leave me three months ago so I decided to retire, buy a boat and become a liveaboard. I bought a Cal 39 (which the literature said could be "retrofitted" for bluewater cruising) and am located in Deltaville, Virginia. Can anyone tell me what "retrofit" really means .
I've been on board for two whole days (boats sure are small) so I am now a veteran.
I want to say hello to Paul Blais as I understand from your profile, we are near neighbors. Perhaps you can give me some pointers later on.
Hello to all and I'll see ya on other forums.
JimKing

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by jimking100

I decided to retire, buy a boat and become a liveaboard.....I've been on board for two whole days ....so I am now a veteran.

Congrats!!!! Now you've done all the hard stuff the rest is, as they say, plain sailing!

Good luck!


I'm sure Paul will be able too offer good advice.


Mark

[roverhi]

Your in a palace, take a look at a Contessa 26 if you want to know what small is.

Retro-fitting a former race boat for cruising is largely a matter of altering the deck layout and sail inventory so it can be easily sailed short handed, installing self steering, adding proper ground tackle, and altering the interior to maximize storage. Finding another Cal 39 that has been cruised and picking their brains is the best source of what and what not to do.

If you are just going to live aboard, the storage is the big issue.

Aloha
Peter O.

[Pblais]

Jim,

I sure hope you are not living aboard in Deltaville now. There may be worst places but this one is pretty bad in the winter. The town is closed up tight and it's cold. I just rescued friends living aboard there. They are in Little Creek now. I may not be sure Hampton vs. Deltaville hmm .... .

"retrofit" seems an inaccurate term. "Refit" would be accurate. Boats don't last forever though there is no real accurate estimate on the hulls. All the stuff attached has a lifespan. Some of it is longer than others. Some needs constant fixing others just plain wear out. The bad news is you may have more than some, but the good news is we all have at least a little.

I think you will find lots of help with all your future projects here. If needs to be fixed we have fixed it, if it's broke we have broken one, fixed one, bought a new one or know where one is. We sometimes sleep and we never close.

[mickmul]

Welcome Jim! Way to first post! Hopefully the worst is behind you, and that the new found independence, though cramped, will be fulfilling! You're doing what I would do in the circumstances, just need to "fit" the new home to your new plans - one thing you're not here, is alone. . . "whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now". best wishes. . .

[hellosailor]

Hi Jim. I suppose "retrofit" could mean "the hull is strong enough and everything else can be replaced with heavier gear" <G> .

There's much debate about what "bluewater" capable must or should mean. Given the right skipper (either lucky or skilled) you can sail around the world and never have a bad day. Or, if you read "Fastnet, Force 10" you can get an idea of how many strong wellfounded yachts, with professional crews, can be broken and sunk by one surprise storm--while others ride it through undamaged.

I think most would agree a 39'er is big enough to go offshore. Some of the races (i.e. to bermuda) ban boats under 36(32?) feet now, in the considered opinion that they are simply too small to withstand an ocean storm and carry sufficient provisions and crew. If you have experienced "small craft warning" weather with 2-4' waves in a 28-foot boat, versus a 40' boat, you can appreciate the difference. In blue water--you must expect larger waves more often, so the small craft will get pounded.

Then there are more complicated issues, how well the mast is chosen, how sturdy the rigging is, weather the hatches, companionway, and portlights are all strong enough and small enough to take that same pounding. Whether the rudderstock can take it. Whether you have neough fuel tankage for offshore use, i.e a minimum of 48 hours running time on the engine is required for many races, while someone daysailing might take only 10-20 gallons to keep the boat lighter. And the same for water tankage, a bluewater boat would need more tankage, and multiple tanks in case one leaks or is tainted.

An awful lot depends on what you want to do, and what you want to prepare for, and how good (or lucky) you are about making sure you don't step into deep kimchee while offshore.

[Celestialsailor]

Hey Jim...Been there done that...2 wives actually. I always said "A good boat is hard to find, a good wife...impossible". I know I'm going to catch flack for that one. When you take your Cal 39 out for the first time on your own and encounter heavy weather or perhaps some handeling problems...the boat is going to seem too big. Just take life a day at a time. When I first began living on one of my boats, I just walked the docks, made friends and asked questions.

[Boracay]

As on who has a boat that goes from total mess to ordered chaos when we want to use it I would suggest that you plan to do any internal "retrofit" while living in other accommodation.

[hellosailor]

Hey Celestial, let me take some heat off you. How does the saying go?

The happiest days in a sailor's life are when he buys his first wife, and when he sells her again? <GD&R>

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Hey Celestial, let me take some heat off you. How does the saying go?

The happiest days in a sailor's life are when he buys his first wife, and when he sells her again? <GD&R>

Well...Now I'm not alone at the bottom of the list,,,

[pogo]

Originally Posted by jimking100

Hello everyone,
My wife decided to leave me three months ago so I decided to retire, buy a boat and become a liveaboard. I bought a Cal 39 (which the literature said could be "retrofitted" for bluewater cruising) and am located in Deltaville, Virginia. Can anyone tell me what "retrofit" really means .
I've been on board for two whole days (boats sure are small) so I am now a veteran.
I want to say hello to Paul Blais as I understand from your profile, we are near neighbors. Perhaps you can give me some pointers later on.
Hello to all and I'll see ya on other forums.
JimKing

Hello Jim and welcome.

I am still a forum "newbie" myself, but have 25+ yrs, on the water.

You definately have come to the right place for free advice and numerous opinions! It is a great bunch. If there is anything water or boat related, you can find it here!

Pogo

[High Cotton]

Congratulations on your new found "staus"...........

SINGLE is NOT a bad thing!

A sailor once told me "The more I understand women, the more I LOVE my BOAT!"

[jimking100]

Thanks for the welcome and advice. Yes Paul, I am in Deltaville right now and it is snowing like mad. The agent here is leaving for South Africa on 1-19 and she was out there taking photos of the snow to show her family what she just left.
The boat is well equipped and in excellent shape (not so the ex). My plan is to equip it for bluewater cruising, possibly around the world. I think she is a sturdy boat but I don't like the fact that it has an unsupported rudder. The rest of the stuff can be managed.
I'm going to look at the snow.
Thanks all,
Jim

[Morgan Paul]

Good luck man and MORE POWER TO YOU.

[OldSarg]

Originally Posted by jimking100

Hello everyone,
My wife decided to leave me three months ago so I decided to retire, buy a boat and become a liveaboard. I bought a Cal 39 (which the literature said could be "retrofitted" for bluewater cruising) and am located in Deltaville, Virginia. Can anyone tell me what "retrofit" really means .
I've been on board for two whole days (boats sure are small) so I am now a veteran.
I want to say hello to Paul Blais as I understand from your profile, we are near neighbors. Perhaps you can give me some pointers later on.
Hello to all and I'll see ya on other forums.
JimKing

Lets see some pictures of the new pad.