Back To The Islands

[Messing About]

Thank you for you sharing your experiences and perspectives. I truly appreciate it. I’m glad you got a second chance and now perhaps a third, after the quad bypass. Congratulations on continuing to enjoy life to your best.

I’m also interested to hear about your boating/cruising experiences and desired future aboard. What sort of boats have you had and now have? Any ocean crossings in your past?

[Messing About]

My boat desires have now moved back to monohulls. While the cat does fit many wants, sailing performance is getting higher on my list of priorities. Not that want a racer, by any means, but I do want the ability to sail closer into the wind than fifty degrees, which seems to be the limitation reported by Island Packet Cat owners. I would become quickly frustrated if I regularly have to limit my daily distance to 30-40 miles. So I’m still planning an Island Packet, due to stability, safety and solid construction, but I’m back on the mono train. My favorite model/floor plan is the IP370. I’m still 6-12 months from making offers but enjoying window shopping while watching online sailing vlogs.
I finished Adventures of an Old Seadog, and await new episodes, and am in Season 2 of White Spot Pirates, Untie the Lines.

No new news on my patient at home. Same behaviors, same habits, still shrinking away, but thankfully no pain for her.

[thesaltytar]

Hello Messing About. Thank you for sharing so much of your personal journey with us; I'm sorry you're at such a difficult point right now. I lost my father to cancer many years ago, and also dealt with some depression at times, and know how important it was for me to have goals and dreams and, more importantly for me, to see effort put in the direction of their realization. So thank you again.

I don't know if your previous question was a direct or an open one, so I hope I'm not stepping in the middle of things by interpreting it as open in the interest of seeing the thread conversation continue.

Almost all of my boats tended to be wood. I don't intend them to be it just happens. I work as a marine engineer (oh the irony) and have almost no complicated systems on my boats. I downsized significantly from a 57' to a 36' and love it.

So, cruising plans? Well, not full time live aboard (have done this for many years and enjoyed all of them) but do plan on extended expedition style cruising: go for some months, explore, come back, luxuriate in a bathtub and air conditioning. I'm trying to balance this by living modestly in my land dwelling and living modestly in my water dwelling.

What are the places you look forward to going the most?

[Messing About]

Thesaltytar,
Thanks for your supportive reply. I am appreciative and open to the thoughtful replies received so far. Also open the perspectives and opinions for and against my cruising plans.

Initially, I look forward to my triumphant return to the Sunshine State and Charlotte Harbor. I loved living there so much. It was 9 great years of boating, fishing, storm tracking and my professional career hit a pinnacle during those 9 years. When the promotion and relocation was offered to me in 2007, I remember my now departed Dad saying, “you don’t turn this down son. They’ll never ask again, if you turn this down”.

The move led from being a Manager, to a Regional Manager, then later I became the Director and even after returning to my native Arizona, I became a VP. All of this without a college degree. But I digress. . . Yes, I love Florida.

My plan is to spend at least Oct-Apr of the first year in and around Charlotte Harbor, sailing and fishing as often as I can. I will be retired so sailing and maintaining the boat will be my full time job. A labor of love, I hope. (Remind me of that when things go wrong, please).

I’ll likely return to AZ that first summer to see my Mom, who’s 90 and doing great. I will live in my 5th wheel trailer at the 7,500’ level, in the beautiful Coconino National Forest. When I return to the boat, the goal will be to cruise from Port Charlotte, around the Keys, out to the West End of the Bahamas. I will stay and fish there for at least a month or more, depending on how it goes.

Long term goal is to Island hop down the Bahamas to T&C then to Puerto Rico. Anchorage will be near Ponce. I have friends who will visit me and take me to town to re-provision. Later, Culebra and the USVI’s thereafter. Once I get that far, I will continue south, exploring La Caribe and all of the wonderful islands. By cruise ship, I’ve been to Nassau, St Thomas, St Martin. Would like to spend time on smaller islands, with a regular focus on fishing and snorkeling.

After that . . . I will re-asses my plans. How’s that for ambition?

[JPA Cate]

imho, that is as much plans as you need, really. It is life that gets in the way of plans, so that keeping them loose really helps.

Ann

[Messing About]

Checking in. Got evaluated for Lasik corrective eye surgery this week. Not only am I a good candidate, I can also opt for mono-vision, meaning they only have to do the laser procedure on my dominant eye. This means I won’t need reading glasses either. I’ve spent the last 48 hours with one lens removed from my current glasses. Looks silly but I’m doing fine using one eye for distance and the other for reading. This is important to me because I don’t want to depend on expensive prescription eyewear while cruising, reading instruments in rain, or tying fishing knots. I will be able to just have several pair of cheap polarized sunglasses or clear safety glasses for darkness hours in bad weather. Very exciting prospect to me.

Continuing to window shop boats online. I’m 99% sure I want an Island Packet Yacht. I’m draw to their being made in Florida, and their reputation as being strong Ocean crossing vessels, despite being slower at sail. Safety and durability matter far more to me than speed. My favorite models are the 370, 380 and Estero. I only need one head and definitely want the sugar scoop transom.

Now a question for others:
When comparing two boats, same manufacturer, similar features, similar hours on engines, assume similar condition on surveys. If one is 6 years newer and has been used 16 years in salt water but the older model, 22 years old but has only been in fresh water and used only half each year of its life, do you give more value to the older model in this case?
Again, assume both have been nicely maintained by original owners and updated as needed.
Thoughts?

[JPA Cate]

You're still wanting to look at and probably replace the chainplates. They are known for developing crevice corrosion (oxygen deprivation corrosion), and have to be dug out. One of our members did his in titanium for little additional cost. Use the CF Custom Google Search, the author was A64pilot.

Ann

[Messing About]

Yes, thanks Ann. I’ve read about this issue and would investigate to verify they were modified or I would adjust any offer down to account for the needed enhancement.
Any thought on added value for a 22 year old boat that’s never seen salt water?

[thesaltytar]

....this question is oddly specific!

If this is directly related to an Island Packet, then I don't know. If it is a general question, I remain on the fence; partly because my boats are wood and I trust saltwater in the bilges more than freshwater.

When it comes to other hull materials I tend to suspect that by the time we get to 15-25 years the boat's trajectory of health will be showing the effects of good or poor maintenance more than which water it's been sitting in. There are a lot of other variables; sit one of two identical boats in a "hot" marina without zincs and this will create a very abrupt issue again regardless of the water's salinity. I see why freshwater may be a good selling point but hopefully not at the exclusion of good maintenance documentation and pictures (of course leading up to an inspection and survey).

[Messing About]

Yes, although I’m focused on IPY’s the question was meant to be general toward all sail boats. Thanks for answering. I am hoping when I’m ready to buy, there will be one similar to some of the one owner boats I’ve seen on the market lately. There are some on the market now that look to be really well maintained. I joined an IP Owners forum and it’s easy to search sellers historical posts since they bought and see their maintenance projects, in some cases.

There’s one in particular, I would be on a plane to go see tomorrow, if I were closer to pulling the trigger. But I’m not, so I continue to research, learn, hope, and dream. And every month I continue working, allow me to save more money. I feel like I have enough but . . . the cruising life seems to be filled with more expenses than many thought it would.

[MicHughV]

As one who has had lens replacement done on both eyes, due to cataracts, I can but only make this comment.
Amazing, stunningly amazing. I can now count the hairs on a fly's butt at a 100 yards. I have to wear readers for real close up work, but can buy these by the dozen at any dollar store. When I say close up, I'm talking 12" or less.

The procedure is quick, painless and effortless.

Likewise, I've had a few other challenging health issues, but am going strong today like I was in my 20's.

A good attitude can carry you a lo-o-o-o-o-g ways.

[Messing About]

Thanks MicHughV. By the way, I’m a huge fan of your posts throughout this forum. My cataracts aren’t developed enough for insurance to pay for lens replacement so, while that would have been one and done surgery, I’m not willing to fork out $10k per eye for that as an elective procedure. So I will do $2k for one eyes Lasik, at age 57, then see if Medicare is still around to pay for my cateracts in about 7-10 years. Will enjoy no readers for that time being but I know they will be a part of the deal when both lenses get changed out, ala the Bionic Man. 🤣

What’s your opinion on, added value of a 20 year old fresh water boat vs the same maintained, few years newer salt water boat?

[MicHughV]

In my lifetime, I've looked at 1,000's of boats, and quite frankly, see little difference.

Boat maintenance is an owner's personal thing. It's his or her's personal devotion and attention to their craft.
Some owners are meticulous about maintaining their boat, while other's...not so much.

Whether the boat is fresh or salt water kept is mostly irrelevant.
The sun sees little difference. Moisture and condensation can happen anywhere.
Most boat owner's keeping their boat in a salt water environment, typically hose the boat off after a day's sail, etc. Electronics are susceptible to moisture, regardless of source.

I would not let location be a determining factor. These days, fiberglass boats last forever.

Get the boat that tugs on your heartstring. You'll know when that moment arrives. Odds are you will be spending some $$$ to fix or upgrade this, that or the other anyway.

As the long as the boat is basically sound. it's up to you.

Me, personally, I would not buy a fresh water boat and truck it or otherwise move it to a salt water location or vice versa.

Back to the eye lens replacement. You can really get this done at anytime. For me, I had two choices, (a) scalpel removal and insertion of new lens or (b) laser removal, etc.
(a) could be done for free under medicare, but (b) required out-of-pocket $$$, about $1,500 per eye. I also had a choice of a multi-focus lens or fixed focus lens. The multi-focus lens has different " range" rings, enabling a person to see up close, but overall lens quality is somewhat diminished. I opted for the fixed focus, as 99% of the time, it covers all my needs. Reading glasses cover the remaining 1%.

My wife had the lasik surgery done on one eye, but still wears glasses, but I had the lens replacement done.
I could not be happier. They've got the technology down pat. My vision is eagle eyed. It's amazing. It's all done as an out-patient procedure. The actual " surgery" takes about 15-20 minutes and you're done.

[Messing About]

Thanks McHughV. Valuable perspective. I’m likely going to buy a 15-23 year old boat and I really like the idea of a one owner vessel with great records and where pride of ownership shows thru. There are a number of these in my target boat and price range right now but I’m 6-18 months away from pulling the trigger. It’s possible, in this uncertain market, some of these may actually still be around. Not likely though, as I’ve seen a few in this criteria go pending the day after they go for sale. Wish it was like homes, where we can see the sales price after the deal closes.

Glad to hear the eye surgery has worked out well for you. Im looking forward to the end result. Cash price for LASIK is now $2,000 per eye. Glad I only have to do one.

Time for a new photo. I shot this laying on the bow of my flats boat, coming out of the El Jobean ramp around 2012. Charlotte Harbor, FL, near the Myaka River.

[JPA Cate]

Hi, Messing About,

I should have made it clearer before. I have never even seen a freshwater sailboat that spent 20 yrs. only on/near fresh water! Therefore I cannot make a knowledgeable c omment about that aspect.

If you find a well cared for example of what you want, my guess is that good care trumps poor care every time, and that fresh vs. salt goes out with the noise. Only a guess, mind you.

Ann