Or Die Tryin'

[Mnbear]

Good Luck to you on what ever you decide. What ever happens in your adventure it will beat dying in a nursing home

[MarcStAug]

I think it's awesome that you want to undertake this. There are lots of folks here who offer great advice.. and some only seem like jerks but I think their heart is in the right place.

Rock on man. I am only ten years behind you.

[Foolish]

Cacalac, my very best wishes for your adventure. There is one thing, and only one thing, that you need to do right now - buy a boat and start sailing. It sounds like you have selected one that has the capability to do what you want, so go ahead and buy it. Don't wait and sure as heck don't start asking other people's advice on which boat to buy.

Someone else in this discussion has pointed you to my singlehanded tips book. The one thing that I say in the book that is applicable to your situation is that right now you are a dreamer, and I have met many dreamers who spend their time researching every boat and everything else to do with sailing, but they never actually get out on the water. So stop being a dreamer and start being a doer.

It's Monday morning right now. My greatest hope is that by Friday afternoon you will be reporting that you have made your first clumsy 1 hour voyage. My greatest fear is that at the end of May you are still dreaming.

[Terra Nova]

Originally Posted by Foolish

...There is one thing, and only one thing, that you need to do right now - buy a boat...

This would be very foolish indeed, buying a sailboat with no sailing experience whatsoever.

[Foolish]

This would be very foolish indeed, buying a sailboat with no sailing experience whatsoever.

His entire adventure is foolish. In fact 99.9% of the people in the world would say that singlehanding across the Atlantic, without years of transoceanic experience, starting at age 70, is a crazy idea from the get-go. And they are absolutely right. The whole thing is foolish.

But guess what, some of us take foolish risks. Some of us don't wait until we are ready, we just do it.

So if he wants to undertake this great adventure, he has to start - now. If he doesn't get very significant singlehanded experience right now, when he is 70, then the whole thing will be nothing more than a nice dream.

[Terra Nova]

Rushing into the purchase of the wrong boat will not help him in the least.

[Foolish]

Rushing into the purchase of the wrong boat will not help him in the least.

I believe you are completely wrong. He will get substantial singlehanded experience, even if it is with the "wrong boat". And singlehanded experience is what he needs right now. No one is going to lend him a boat to take out singlehanded with his lack of sailing skills. So there is no way for him to get any experience unless he owns a boat. Because of his tight timeline, getting singlehanded experience is the only thing that matters right now. He needs to get out there and bash himself and his boat up a bit to get an understanding of what this is all about.

It is very possible that after a few afternoons on the water - alone, he might find out that voyaging alone across an ocean is not for him at all. And that is just fine. But if he is going to wait until he has enough experience to start this adventure, then it will never get done.

One other thing, as I wrote in my book, the right boat for singlehanding is the one you own today. The wrong boat is the one you own tomorrow.

[MarkSF]

Have you considered a third option which might be enjoyable? Learn to sail, take some lessons, if you like it buy a boat in a convenient marina (I understand the coast where you live has some excellent sailing) and keep learning to sail while doing some enjoyable trips. This would be a more typical process. And who knows, you might still want to cross the Atlantic, by which time you might be able to enjoy it with a better than 50% chance of not dying on the way.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

This would be very foolish indeed, buying a sailboat with no sailing experience whatsoever.

I would agree with you if the purchase was an attempt to buy the boat for the ocean passage, but a choice, at this stage, to buy a small (10' to 20') inexpensive daysailor would be a fine idea.

[Foolish]

He's 70. The number 1 factor that could derail this trip is age. A bad ticker, bad eyes, bad knees, bad back, an ulcer in his stomach or a bit of cancer appears in his bowels. Something like this is more likely to derail this project than anything else.

If he buys a boat and doesn't like it, or can't do it, then he can sell it again. If he doesn't buy a boat and start getting substantial singlehanded experience soon, this adventure will not occur. There are a thousand reasons not to undertake this adventure, and only one reason to do it. But one thing I know, if he doesn't commit fully, he isn't committed at all. At 70 he doesn't have time to second guess.

The Nike ad doesn't say "Just Try It", or "Just Think About It", it says "Just Do It"

[MarkSF]

Another suggestion : Do a basic course, like Basic Keelboat, at a good school. By the end of that, if you still want to sail, buy a daysailer, as suggested.

[cacalack]

Thanks, Hudson Force. I too think Sailorboy1's advice is sound, but I'm constrained by my current situation (as are we all, right?): I'm going to be in southwest Kansas for another couple of months helping with a family matter. So I figure I ought at least read. Learn a bit of the terminology. But I'm also getting myself in some semblance of shape. I suffered an "adrenal crisis" two years back that damn near killed me, and I've nowhere near fully recovered yet. But I'm thinking if I push myself I can recover some strength and endurance. Plus, I called a couple of fellows I know back in SC and they want to GIVE me sailboats. They're got their old boats sitting in storage apparently. So I've got to go check them out as soon as possible. I'm thinking to get one in shape enough to use for learning, not to cross the Atlantic. Anyway, thanks again.

[Terra Nova]

Attaboy, learning to sail on a free boat sounds like a good start.

[cacalack]

Thank you, Barnakiel, for the post, and the good advice. I have begun working out (got a LONG way to go there), and I believe I've enlisted someone who will help me learn sailing. In addition, I've been offered two sailboats for free. They've apparently been sitting for several years, but I figure if I can make them sailable for not much money, I might be able to use one or the other for learning (I'm not thinking either is likely ocean-worthy). I looked at the boat you mentioned - the Contessa 26 - and fell in LOVE with it. Thanks for that, too.

[sailorboy1]

Don't waste your time on a "free" boat!!!! You aren't going to learn to sail working on the "free" boat. That's one the biggest time wasters known to boaters.

You need to sail! Get a copy of something like the ASA books, read them, and then go find a way to sail. Don't be reading the storm survival, best boat design etc. and other books that have no bearing on you till you get onto the water a while.