Starting my journey soon

[Alicia Sails]

Hi. I just wanted to introduce myself. I went to sign up for this community and found that I had actually signed up years ago and forgotten. I have had a dream to sail (cruise) for many years. As long as I can remember but it wasn't really practical as a single mom. I'm finally in a spot where I'm starting to look at boats for sale. Specifically a catamaran and I have worked hard for many years to save up for one. Preferable one of the smallest I can find so it's easier to manage since it's just me. My son just graduated high school last year and I have a remote job that I could do on a boat while sailing. Are there many solo cruisers? I figure if I can raise two boys by myself while going to college I can learn to do this by myself too. I try to have the courage that I can realize my dreams and learn as much as I can about sailing. Any advise you have for me at my stage would be appreciated. Especially in the learning aspect such as good books to read about sailing. I'm interested in coastal sailing for now and sailing the Bahamas but some day after a few years of experience I hope to do a pacific crossing.

[Adelie]

Welcome to CruisersForum!

I would suggest updating your profile with your general location and your boat make & model or “Looking” in the "Boat" category. This info shows up under your UserName in every post in the web view. Many questions are boat and/or location dependent and having these tidbits under your UserName saves answering those questions repeatedly. If you need help setting up your profile then click on this link: https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ml#post3308797

I would happily help more if the link above is not enough.

[Renegde_Sailor]

Howdy Alicia,

Yes, you can go it alone, but honestly sailing with friends is so much more fun.

What I would suggest is before buying a boat of your own, see if you can get out on other peoples boats, perhaps with a sailing/racing club in your area, and by taking some lessons, even looking into small boat sailing as it is much easier to learn to sail a dinghy than it is a much larger cruising boat.

By spending time on others boats you will begin to learn what you do and do not like about them before you have paid out a bunch of money for a boat of your own, that you may not wind up loving after you have signed on the dotted line.

You also may look at joining a yacht club in your area as an associate member, this gets you in the club door and it is a great way to get access to a lot of boats via other club members and to begin to make friendships that will help you get down the boating path.