Old broad introducing herself...

[Wendy Ann]

Originally Posted by In Training

Went to water sailing">Blue Water Sailing School in St. Thomas, 2 years ago. Had a female instructor that was just awful. Learned everything from one of the other students there that raced boats. All four of us couldn't figure out if she was drunk or bipolar. Learned a lot though, thanks to the other student that helped me. Had a blast with the other couple on the boat. The instructor just took a lot for granted, assuming we had some base of knowledge. I had no previous experience and knew nothing. Had read all the books and studied everything prior to the trip, so it wasn't from lack of trying. Definitely worth doing - enjoyed being on the boat immensely, just be careful of who the instructor is. Ask people on the forum if any of them are familiar with whoever you end up going with.

Thanks for the information on the sailing school. Good to hear you did learn from one of the other students and had a blast though the instructor was questionable. My first two-day small boat sailing class (local, on a large lake here in the area) was also an 'experience' - instructor, male, had issues, self-confessed to having Tourette's syndrome, ADHD and bi-polar disorder with an emphasis towards the manic rather than the depressive side. He was a "character," boat was a 19' Flying Scott a little the worse for the wear. He forgot the mainsail battens on day 1, we had 12knott winds (weekend of Irma), but managed. Second day he went with storm sails (still too much wind for a beginners class) but managed, though it was an excruciating day. Managed to get ASA 110 in the end. Exhausting day, sailed from 8am till 6pm with not a single break.

School I'm thinking of is the Nautilus Sailing school - they do several locations, but the one I have my sights on is in the Sea of Cortez (Baha peninsula). Haven't heard any bad reviews but from their website the recent course descriptions appear to point to their using a charter outfit for the boats (that they once owned). Will have to post a question in the appropriate forum about them here soon, before I sign up. If they'd had any spots open in December this year, I'd have already signed up.

Life, apparently, is a never ending adventure - why let dire possibilities stop the fun...

[Wendy Ann]

Originally Posted by In Training

Have only been on monohulls, but I've even thought about one of the smaller catamarans. 36 ft. or 38 ft. Like the galley up.

I'm a diehard mono hull person. Never been on a catamaran but would still not consider owning one - call me biased but nope. I hear mooring at a marina for boats with the extra width of a catamaran can be expensive too. There are some that wouldn't own anything other than a catamaran though - reasons of space and so on, like the galley up you mention.

[BandB]

Wifey B: Wendy Ann

I know sailors love sail boats. However, I also know people age. A famous Poet Laureate by the name of Charles Barkley said when referring to people like Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki, "Father Time is Undefeated." Now we have older people here still sailing. Even some singles. Half the people are healthier than the other half.

I do believe in following dreams but I also believe in planning and being realistic. You're talking about putting everything you have in a boat. What are your plans when you can't boat anymore if that day ever comes? You're doing this and you've never lived on a boat. You can read and listen but you can't no how it will feel to you and yet this is a point of no return undertaking.

Your health will diminish. I don't know when or why.

I'd suggest you go visit Trawler Forum. There you will find dozens of former sailboaters who went over to the dark side. Not because they didn't love sailing, because they didn't love the physicality of it anymore. It was their way to continue boating and the vast majority are very happy they made that move.

Please consider both sides and listen to multiple people including those who have changed. Jim and Ann Cate are amazing, but for every one of them there are just as many who were forced to give up sailing because of health or physical problems.

[a64pilot]

I discovered an amazing fact.
A sailboat motors just as well as a powerboat, really. In fact I’d bet we are a motorboat as much as we are a sailboat.
One significant difference is that it takes so little power to drive a sailboat hull, that fuel burn is almost insignificant, instead of a fuel burn in tens of gallons an hour, it’s a half a gl an hour or less.

One day we may go to a trawler, but it will be for ease of getting on and off of the boat and maybe no companionway steps and more room.

[Carat]

Originally Posted by Wendy Ann

Finances: are an issue. I have to sell all I own to buy a sailboat in good condition (time factor again - were I 10 years younger I might be willing to deal with a fixer upper). Can't live on land and own a sailboat (or so my logic currently tells me).

Liveaboard: yes that's my intention, though of course I would like to set sail as often as possible, and when experienced enough, hopefully on a longer cruise.

Wendy

Welcome! Peops here are nice. You'll learn a lot.

I had to sell my house to get on a boat. Close date is December and I'm anxious to get my liveaboard. Don't take a basket case unless you have the means to make the repairs needed. I'm tired of fixing cars and houses, so I need something that won't need much work to get going. But that's me ( and yes I understand there will be repairs always). Think about what you need and what you are willing to live with or live without.

Best of luck to you in your journey.

[BandB]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I discovered an amazing fact.
A sailboat motors just as well as a powerboat, really. In fact I’d bet we are a motorboat as much as we are a sailboat.
One significant difference is that it takes so little power to drive a sailboat hull, that fuel burn is almost insignificant, instead of a fuel burn in tens of gallons an hour, it’s a half a gl an hour or less.

One day we may go to a trawler, but it will be for ease of getting on and off of the boat and maybe no companionway steps and more room.

You're right about sailboat motoring. Most sailboats seen on a daily basis are motoring. However, there are a lot of trawlers that don't even approach tens of gallons an hour.

There are more factors though on people moving to trawlers. Space is a huge one. Ability to get around the boat. Traveling without exposure to the elements. Eliminating the effort of the sails (unless sails and mast are removed). Getting in and out, up and down.

The leading reason older sailboat owners move to power is health. The leading reason older boat owners, power or sail, leave boat ownership all together is health. My wife was advising not to ignore these realities and make sure there is a workable Plan B.

[sailorchic34]

I will note that at nearly 62 years of age, I tend to motorsail or motor more then sail. I have an old islander 34. It's old and slow, like me. But it has simple sail plan for easy handling. Plus it's more then big enough to liveaboard and take a guest or two out for days. I've liveaboard the Rose for 11 years now and 2-1/2 years before on the Tayana.

Actually what I like about it most is it's steep shear (deck slope). While the bow is nearly 4 -1/2 feet above water, the cockpit is only 22" or so above the water. What that means is I don't need steps to step from the boat to a floating dock as there are at best only inches of difference. With age I find that a very nice feature. They are pretty rare though.

Anchoring. For years I did it without a windlass by using a rope with chain hook lead back to a jib winch. It works but really hard when the winds up.

This year I installed a windlass and that makes it soooo easy to retreave. Of course you still have to have a plan for when the windlass packs it in. Luckily my Ideal windlass is very stout, unlike some of the newer ones.

Having sailing on a tayana 37 for a few years, I found the islander to be LOTS easier to dock and sail. The tayana is twice the boat in weight and 1/2 again more in sail area, but only 3 feet longer and 1-1/2 feet wider then the islander. A bit much to single hand, least I found it so.

A 30-34 Catalina would be nice. Far more modern then the islander. Lots of inside space and storage and Easy to sail and motor.

A motorboat will give Great gobs more living space, but they tend to burn fuel at 1.5 miles per gallon. Trawlers are single engine motor yacht with 4-5 mpg, though slow like a sailboat.

Welcome aboard.

[robert sailor]

Hi Wendy, welcome aboard. There is lots to learn and one of the best ways to learn to sail is to find a beer can racer and get on as crew.. It won't teach you anything about cruising because that's a different skill set but you'll learn more about sailing than most sailors ever learn. This training is free and it's also fun and a great way to meet and make some new friends. Sure you'll be the old one but it sounds like your more than capable of making a go of anything you put your mind to. Once you can actually sail the cruising skills can be learned over time both by reading and lots of practice. Crewing allows you to learn at no cost and that's important when your on a fixed income. We have run into a couple of older ladies in our travels that are single handers and they seem to be doing just fine so nothing wrong with your dreams and goals. Good luck and I hope it all comes together for you. R

[Wendy Ann]

Originally Posted by BandB

Wifey B: Wendy Ann

I know sailors love sail boats. However, I also know people age. A famous Poet Laureate by the name of Charles Barkley said when referring to people like Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki, "Father Time is Undefeated." Now we have older people here still sailing. Even some singles. Half the people are healthier than the other half.

I do believe in following dreams but I also believe in planning and being realistic. You're talking about putting everything you have in a boat. What are your plans when you can't boat anymore if that day ever comes? You're doing this and you've never lived on a boat. You can read and listen but you can't no how it will feel to you and yet this is a point of no return undertaking.

Your health will diminish. I don't know when or why.

I'd suggest you go visit Trawler Forum. There you will find dozens of former sailboaters who went over to the dark side. Not because they didn't love sailing, because they didn't love the physicality of it anymore. It was their way to continue boating and the vast majority are very happy they made that move.

Please consider both sides and listen to multiple people including those who have changed. Jim and Ann Cate are amazing, but for every one of them there are just as many who were forced to give up sailing because of health or physical problems.

Wifey B: you're right of course - being realistic is indeed important. Growing old and possibly incapable of maintaining a - as yet theoretical - sailing lifestyle is not something I wish to abandon my future self to. I shall take a look at the trawler forum, and see where it takes me. At this point I've just taken the first plunge though, by joining this forum in order to trade discussions and opinions with anyone with the expertise and experience who will listen (such as yourself, as well as Jim and Ann Kate) - my final decision on giving up everything I have and putting it into a boat has not reached the 'do or die' stage. There are still so many questions to be asked and answered; so many variables to be taken into consideration.

[Wendy Ann]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

Hi Wendy, welcome aboard. There is lots to learn and one of the best ways to learn to sail is to find a beer can racer and get on as crew.. It won't teach you anything about cruising because that's a different skill set but you'll learn more about sailing than most sailors ever learn. This training is free and it's also fun and a great way to meet and make some new friends. Sure you'll be the old one but it sounds like your more than capable of making a go of anything you put your mind to. Once you can actually sail the cruising skills can be learned over time both by reading and lots of practice. Crewing allows you to learn at no cost and that's important when your on a fixed income. We have run into a couple of older ladies in our travels that are single handers and they seem to be doing just fine so nothing wrong with your dreams and goals. Good luck and I hope it all comes together for you. R

Hi Robert, thank you for the welcome, and the confidence in my capabilities (I still find it hard to see 66 as 'old' though I have referred to myself as 'old broad' - I'm 66 on the outside yet still 25 on the inside - a common experience among the aging I believe: we don't see ourselves as the young onlookers out there do). I shall have to go in search of a beer can racer and see if they'll accept this 'old broad' on as crew. Reading stories of real life older ladies doing fine as single handers is encouraging. Thanks for wishing me luck - if this scheme ever gets off the ground I shall need it I'm sure.

[Wendy Ann]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

I will note that at nearly 62 years of age, I tend to motorsail or motor more then sail. I have an old islander 34. It's old and slow, like me. But it has simple sail plan for easy handling. Plus it's more then big enough to liveaboard and take a guest or two out for days. I've liveaboard the Rose for 11 years now and 2-1/2 years before on the Tayana.

Actually what I like about it most is it's steep shear (deck slope). While the bow is nearly 4 -1/2 feet above water, the cockpit is only 22" or so above the water. What that means is I don't need steps to step from the boat to a floating dock as there are at best only inches of difference. With age I find that a very nice feature. They are pretty rare though.

Anchoring. For years I did it without a windlass by using a rope with chain hook lead back to a jib winch. It works but really hard when the winds up.

This year I installed a windlass and that makes it soooo easy to retreave. Of course you still have to have a plan for when the windlass packs it in. Luckily my Ideal windlass is very stout, unlike some of the newer ones.

Having sailing on a tayana 37 for a few years, I found the islander to be LOTS easier to dock and sail. The tayana is twice the boat in weight and 1/2 again more in sail area, but only 3 feet longer and 1-1/2 feet wider then the islander. A bit much to single hand, least I found it so.

A 30-34 Catalina would be nice. Far more modern then the islander. Lots of inside space and storage and Easy to sail and motor.

A motorboat will give Great gobs more living space, but they tend to burn fuel at 1.5 miles per gallon. Trawlers are single engine motor yacht with 4-5 mpg, though slow like a sailboat.

Welcome aboard.

Thanks for your response - plenty of good advice and many useful details. I've been following many of your posts and comments and find myself encouraged and intrigued by much of what you've written, and your approach to issues that might seem daunting to others. One thing in particular caught my attention and interest - that you anchor in the Bay Area. My daughter lives there (Berkekey) and one of my first thoughts was - if you can do it, perhaps I could too (went so far as to zoom in on Google maps and take a look at some of the marinas there). Perhaps the next time I visit her there you wouldn't mind catching up over a cup of tea, or coffee, or wine, or beer - and have a good chat?

[Wendy Ann]

Originally Posted by Carat

Welcome! Peops here are nice. You'll learn a lot.

I had to sell my house to get on a boat. Close date is December and I'm anxious to get my liveaboard. Don't take a basket case unless you have the means to make the repairs needed. I'm tired of fixing cars and houses, so I need something that won't need much work to get going. But that's me ( and yes I understand there will be repairs always). Think about what you need and what you are willing to live with or live without.

Best of luck to you in your journey.

Thanks Carat - you sound much like me - good luck with the house closing in December and with getting your live aboard. Yes, definitely no basket case boat for me. Still have a lot of thinking to do - am at the stage of mentally detaching myself from several lifetimes' worth of possessions.
I've noticed peeps here are nice, and have much valuable information and advice to share (learned that from a few months lurking).
Again - good luck with your move - fair winds.

[Wendy Ann]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I discovered an amazing fact.
A sailboat motors just as well as a powerboat, really. In fact I’d bet we are a motorboat as much as we are a sailboat.
One significant difference is that it takes so little power to drive a sailboat hull, that fuel burn is almost insignificant, instead of a fuel burn in tens of gallons an hour, it’s a half a gl an hour or less.

One day we may go to a trawler, but it will be for ease of getting on and off of the boat and maybe no companionway steps and more room.

Pilot: interesting - I've read that about fuel burn in sailboats being almost insignificant compared to power boats. Though if what BandB says about trawlers holds true... But still, those sails!

[JPA Cate]

Hi again, Wendy,

CF has a member, ZenGirl (not sure the capitals are right), who did as you're contemplating. We haven't heard a lot from her recently, she's somewhere on the east coast US. If she felt like sharing, a chat with her might really help inform your choices, a PM is where to start.

From what you have written, you want at least a 2 cabin, possibly a 3 cabin boat, and it sounds like it will be 38-40 ft, to have those accommodations. Now, the problem is that your budget may not run to a boat in good condition that is that size. If you don't spend enough, you'll be working on the boat instead of sailing. No shame in that, if you have the time...otherwise could be setting up for a disappointment.

I think the suggestion to put the kids up in a motel for a couple of nights, and keep your boat small is really a good one--thanks, A64pilot. If you are a person of small stature, a 30 footer or even a 27 could be just the ticket for you. [On our 36 footer, our first "Insatiable," I could do all the sailing jobs. I could attach the main halyard, I could set and take down the pole, etc. At 5'2"of height, I cannot attach our main halyard on this boat, nor can I set the pole easily. Just be sure you can reach everything. For getting aboard from the dock, I use a step that hangs from our perforated toe rail. When you're looking at boats, think about boarding ladders, and getting aboard from being in the water. Wifey B may be right: a trawler type yacht might suit your needs better.] The smaller the boat, the easier it will be for you to sail it and maintain it. The guy mentioned above with the 48 footer has had years of experience that make that big boat easy for him to handle. You haven't yet docked in cross wind or tide conditions, you can't know what you haven't had time to learn.

I don't know if you've even considered this, but you could start with a one year commitment to a 22 foot trailer sailer, and sail the dickens out of it, and learn heaps, and be in a way better position, sell it for about what you put in it, and let your new-won knowledge inform your choices of forever boat. It is one way to keep the financial risk down, yet make progress. It also allows you to postpone the sale of the house.

Ann

[Wendy Ann]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

Hi again, Wendy,

CF has a member, ZenGirl (not sure the capitals are right), who did as you're contemplating. We haven't heard a lot from her recently, she's somewhere on the east coast US. If she felt like sharing, a chat with her might really help inform your choices, a PM is where to start.

From what you have written, you want at least a 2 cabin, possibly a 3 cabin boat, and it sounds like it will be 38-40 ft, to have those accommodations. Now, the problem is that your budget may not run to a boat in good condition that is that size. If you don't spend enough, you'll be working on the boat instead of sailing. No shame in that, if you have the time...otherwise could be setting up for a disappointment.

I think the suggestion to put the kids up in a motel for a couple of nights, and keep your boat small is really a good one--thanks, A64pilot. If you are a person of small stature, a 30 footer or even a 27 could be just the ticket for you. [On our 36 footer, our first "Insatiable," I could do all the sailing jobs. I could attach the main halyard, I could set and take down the pole, etc. At 5'2"of height, I cannot attach our main halyard on this boat, nor can I set the pole easily. Just be sure you can reach everything. For getting aboard from the dock, I use a step that hangs from our perforated toe rail. When you're looking at boats, think about boarding ladders, and getting aboard from being in the water. Wifey B may be right: a trawler type yacht might suit your needs better.] The smaller the boat, the easier it will be for you to sail it and maintain it. The guy mentioned above with the 48 footer has had years of experience that make that big boat easy for him to handle. You haven't yet docked in cross wind or tide conditions, you can't know what you haven't had time to learn.

I don't know if you've even considered this, but you could start with a one year commitment to a 22 foot trailer sailer, and sail the dickens out of it, and learn heaps, and be in a way better position, sell it for about what you put in it, and let your new-won knowledge inform your choices of forever boat. It is one way to keep the financial risk down, yet make progress. It also allows you to postpone the sale of the house.

Ann

Thanks Ann - lots of very good advice to take into account. Thanks for the suggestion of striking up a conversation with ZenGirl - will see if I can find her on the forum, though I'm really more interested in the West Coast than the East, for various reasons. I did think about the possibility of acquiring a trailer sailor in the beginning (when this bee first got into my bonnet) but have put that thought aside for the moment for numerous reasons, among them, wrong car, finances, etc. Yes it did occur to me that that 76 year old sailor had probably been sailing for much of his life - still, the technology is appealing.
Thanks again for taking the time to respond to my (possibly mad) dreams and aspirations and to put the practicalities first and foremost. I shall continue to mull over this whole idea and certainly won't take drastic action until I'm certain I'm doing the right thing. - Wendy