New to the Board, Never Been in a Boat in my Life, Want to Sail the World

[SurferShane]

Originally Posted by Capt Phil

i'm with you Ocean Girl... reading this thread from the beginning dredged up feelings I had from almost 60 years ago when I rescued a sunken dinghy off Spanish Banks in Vancouver, Canada. She was only 10 feet long but caulking her so she could stay afloat for over an hour..., Capt Phil

Ahoy, that’s not far off how as a kid I rescued my first “boat” from the mangroves. Turned out it belonged to the marina across the way, but after the effort I had put into her I called salvage rights. The mate who took care of her had a sabot so we never bothered rigging a sail and she was just for rowing around fishing. Couldn’t have been too bad a boat because eventually someone pinched her (or maybe it was “recovered” by the "rightful" owner?).

Disclaimer: while some incredibly experienced seamen like Ernest Shackleton might have completed incredible voyages in the same I definitely would not recommend rowing around the world in a 10’ open dingy.

[SurferShane]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

There is a reason that 50-60k is spent. Wooden boats are a crime of passion.

Maintenance has been described as starting a refit of the wood at the stern and proceeding to the bow. When you reach the bow go back and start at the stern again.

I love the look of well cared for wood but I definitely do not have the passion for it.

Exactly why I recommended “Eight” go out and buy Pardey’s Self Sufficient Sailor http://www.amazon.com/Self-Sufficient-Sailor-Larry-Pardey/dp/0964603675 before departing with any of his precious cash. The Pardey’s put up a good argument why wooden boats are perfect for low budget cruisers. Not everyone will agree with the same, but they seem to have successfully circumnavigated enough times applying their proven philosophy?

I have also worked on wooden trawlers and have never found them to be anymore a drama than any other construction of boat I have been involved with. The other bizarre thing is that I always expected to buy a glass yacht and ended up with steel. Have not looked back; sometimes you just need to find a good buy and learn to live with it?

Opps – forgot to mention that I have also noticed some very good value little steel boats for sale in Holland. I just like to eye off the interior and sail plans of some of these boats to get ideas for my own old girl. Nevertheless, the Dutch are apparently renown for there steel workmanship? Then again maybe I should shut up before I mention the terrific value you can often get out of buying one of those utterly ridiculed ferro concrete things? Not that I would touch one with a 40’ pole unless it represented the usual $100 k + saving on a similar cruising yacht.

Even worse I could find the old Cruising Helmsman magazine I have floating around somewhere with this story about this utter nutter also named Shane (strange coincidence?) who was longing to see his girlfriend back in Australia so bought one of those little 20’ or so Bluebirds, a road atlas and sailed it back from the UK. I note the story also came with a disclaimer that the magazine did not recommend his low budget means of passage making!

Real point is that if we were all perfectly sane and rational per DSM IV standards and/or recognised societal marketing influenced values no-one would go to sea on a budget less than $500,000 US?

[Mike43]

Congratulations 8. You already have the 1st requirement. You're mad.
You are in the same boat as I am. I've already done the "around the world in a Land Rover" thing. Also a Kombi, a Ford, a Chevy, a Land Cruiser and a KTM950. Some were owned by someone else. It's not as easy now as it once was. I'm ready to have my terror bits in smaller increments, hence the boat thingy. Who knows? we may bump into one another some time some where. The madder one picks up the tab.

[Mike43]

I mention the terrific value you can often get out of buying one of those utterly ridiculed ferro concrete things? Not that I would touch one with a 40’ pole unless it represented the usual $100 k + saving on a similar cruising yacht.

Gudday Surfershane. Don't knock the old ferrocement too much. In another life I used to build them in the UK. The only hangups I have is the resale. Well built (and well inspected) a $100k discount would be a good buy

[annasails23]

Wow! Well done!

Originally Posted by rgscpat

What maybe could be done is an FAQ which guides the would be sailors to provide some information and things to think about that could help guide the responses to their questions.

Something like...

Sailing can be many different experiences. You have a choice of a huge variety of boats, destinations, people to meet, styles of sailing, and skills to learn.

To answer your questions about sailing better, it would help if we know a little bit more about your background and interest in sailing. Please complete at least a few of the following statements:

Experience
My experience with sailing, boats, and water is ____________________
________________________ _________________________________ _____

I want to go sailing to ___ get away from it all, ___ for thrills and excitement, ____ to be part of a team, ____ to experience different cultures, ___ to win races, ___ to be close to nature, ___ to learn a new skill, ___ to escape the rat race, ___ to live cheaper, or __________________________

Boats
I think I would be more comfortable in a ___ small dinghy, ___ athletic high-performance dinghy or ___ catamaran, ____ small trailerable cruiser, ___ racing boat, ___ traditional looking old time cruising boat, ___ live aboard cruising boat, ___ luxury ocean liner, or _______________________

People
I want to ____ be more or less a hermit and get away from people / crowds / government / cities, ___ explore different cultures, ___ be part of a winning team, ___ sail alone but in company with others, ___ sail with my friend(s)/spouse/family/youth, ___ be part of a casual group of sailors, ___ be part of an organized club, ___ sail into the sunset with a special someone, ___ find a sailing partner

Budget
My budget in dollars is ___ hundreds, ___ thousands, ___ tens of "boat dollars", ___ hundreds of thousands, ____ millions,

Risk
I prefer to ______ start slowly, be very careful, and minimize any risk of damage to me, my crew, or boat, ________ don't mind having a few thrills and leaving some bruises, cuts and scrapes, and boat dings behind, or _________

I am more worried about
____ pirates or ____ tax collectors
____ hurricanes or ____ doldrums
____ contaminated diesel or ____ poorly coordinated window accents


I want to go sailing because
__ the ocean is in my blood and I will die if I don't get back out on the water,
__ it sounds kind of romantic
__ I want people to follow my blog, FaceBook page, journal, articles, discussion groups and support my voyage, boost the ratings of my media empire, buy my daddy's merchandise, and make me a famous sailor
__ it might be our last chance to patch up our relationship
__ I want to become a better sailor
__ I want to work in a marine business
__ sailing is my life
______________________________

___ It is important to have everything on my boat in tip-top order or
___ I can make do with stuff that breaks

When something breaks,
__ nothing is allowed to break in my life
__ I call in the experts and expect them to do it right the first time
__ I ignore whatever is broken
__ I maintain things so thoroughly that things almost never break
__ I use baling wire, duct tape, odds and ends to jury rig a fix
__ I have fun seeing whether I can fix something by myself and keep plugging away until I get it more or less right
__ I look at books and ask friends to help me with things I don't know how to fix, or
__ _____________________ _____________________

My level of comfort is ____ primitive camping and third-world accommodations are A-OK with me for life or
____ Most 5-star luxury hotels and resorts are still lacking important comforts and need improvement in their service standards or
__ I can settle for maybe half of the comforts of home and know that I can make some compromises, or
__ I think sailboat cruising is supposed to be brutal and primitive, or
__________________________

My health status is ______________

My tolerance for people who disagree with me or have different values is ______________

My ability to take criticism is ____________

___ I ___ adore ___ like ___ don't mind ___ dislike ___ abominate people paying attention to me and following my adventures.

My feelings about people who don't speak my language are ________-

[SurferShane]

Originally Posted by Mike43

I mention the terrific value you can often get out of buying one of those utterly ridiculed ferro concrete things? Not that I would touch one with a 40’ pole unless it represented the usual $100 k + saving on a similar cruising yacht.

Gudday Surfershane. Don't knock the old ferrocement too much. In another life I used to build them in the UK. The only hangups I have is the resale. Well built (and well inspected) a $100k discount would be a good buy

Hey Mike – I am with you and I was just being sarcastic though totally serious about the excellent value the professionally built and well fited ones represent.

[NotQuiteLost]

Originally Posted by SurferShane

Hey Mike – I am with you and I was just being sarcastic though totally serious about the excellent value the professionally built and well fited ones represent.

Yeah, a professionally built FC boat is a wonderful thing. Makes my steel-loving self envious, for the lower maintenance if nothing else.

But those backyard jobs cast such a shadow on the entire style, which is a real shame. People using low-grade metals...yuck. It's too bad.

[swagman]

We've got pals who left Australia 25 years back and in my view, unprepared. They are still cruising today. There are others who almost left by default - if you get the chance read this book - The Unlikely Voyage of Jack De Crow: A Mirror Odyssey from North Wales to the Black Sea

It's a great read about a UK teacher who took a break to learn how to sail a dinghy - and kind of never returned. He ended up 'cruising' from the UK to Turkey overland. Remarkable but shows what can be done - and the fun one can have on the way.

The point I make is that any boat actually will do - it is more about you than the boat. IMHO the trick is to balance out your needs against your time frame, and not leave too early and unprepared, or become one of those who just dreams about it and and never goes 'cos ones never ready..........

Good luck.
Enjoy
JOHN

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Ocean Girl

This thread really captures the essence of that single spark, that catalyst, that moment of turning towards, the beginning of a life well lived.

I wonder if the spark has kindled or flurped into gloop. He aint posted for a week...
Last Activity: 26-09-2010 01:11

[Chiefiredog]

I have seen this quote several different times throughout these forum pages and have used it as my email signature for many years. I think it will help you with your decision.
cfiredog

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do.
So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor.
Catch the trade winds in your sails.Explore. Dream. Discover." - [IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/crushin/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-4.jpg[/IMG]Mark Twain-.[IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/crushin/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-5.jpg[/IMG]<img alt="">

[Ocean Girl]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

I wonder if the spark has kindled or flurped into gloop. He aint posted for a week...
Last Activity: 26-09-2010 01:11

Hey you wisenhiemer! you the posting police? I miss his eloquent writing, while you use..flurped?
E

[Sjadows]

Yo, 8!

Your fans want you back and writing some more. C'mon, get back into to the writing with the wow and amazing, dance the words to the dream just a little bit. It's easy to get shocked and amused, but if we can capture these moments, feelings, images as if in amber then we should do it, should we not? Spin the yarns and take off your mask, let the wandering soul show through.

[barnakiel]

OMG another Pardey's thread ?

"Go out buy Pardey's boat"

Wake up, they built the boat and they are the only owners from new. The sailed the boat and maintained her - as a home, a floating home when often the nearest land was not the one you want to quickly arrive at.

Wooden boats are beautiful and some of them are quite good (and all of them are high maintenance items).

But most are heavy, slow and leaking, with peeling varnish and mouldy decks.

If one loves wood and knows how to work it - sure. Otherwise - give wooden boats a clear berth.

b.

[JustThinking]

Originally Posted by Mike43

Don't knock the old ferrocement too much. In another life I used to build them in the UK.

*aaaarrrrgh*!!
Would your really & seriously trust your life to a concrete slab someone claims to be capable of floating?
...... I mean: 120' @ 700K (not yet negotiated) sounds like a lot of "boat" (1977 J Monroe Custom Ketch sailboat for sale in Outside United States ) but I just cant picture me cruise on one like these without *constant fear* that concrete will do in water exactly what concrete is designed to do in water: sink.
I seriously wish someone could educate me on these "things" - because obviously I am aware that I am not being rational here....... (or am I?)

[Ex-Calif]

Don't knock ferro until you've tried it - LOL...

This is Withy Windle. She is 51 feet and belongs to a friend of mine. He built her himself and launched in 1981 in Australia.

He's lived aboard ever since then. His son was "born" on the boat and didn't live in a landed house until he was 15.

She is an absolute tank, has sailed all over Asia/Pacific and I wouldn't hesitate going anywhere on her.

And as far as I know this is how you are supposed to rig a "hammock" on a boat - LOL...