Back To The Islands

[Messing About]

Latest updates on my quest to get back to the Gulf Islands and beyond:

The Sailing Charter company in SoCal wanted much to much, in my opinion, for me to rent boats from them. Not that I can't afford it, I just object to excessive fees. The choices they gave were:
Non-members can't reserve boats more than 2 weeks out (being out of state, this doesn't work for me) and non-members pay an extra $150 per day on top of the 500-700 daily charter fees for 35-38' sloops.
or
Members pay a $345 initiation fee plus quarterly $200 membership dues; so nearly $1200 in fees on top of charter/rentals. I'd probably break a block or other items in my learning curve and have pay more non-value added fees. Not going for it.
I will continue to wait for my own boat and pay my own way.

My ASA 101, 111, 103 & 104 were all worth what I paid for the initial experience and training on my move from power to sail. I can still join the local sailing club at my deert resevoir (Lake Pleasant) for $1450 per year and get unlimited use of the school's Catalina 22 Capri's.

Wishlist update: The 2022 IP349 I was watching in Florida sold. There's a 2003 IP350 for sail at the exact marina (Burnt Store) I plan to return to when I get back to FL (someday). I'm a year into their 3 year waiting list but if I were to buy this boat, I would have first option to assume the 40' wet slip (since the seller is retiring from sailing). But, like all of the others, this boat will sell before I'm ready to go. But I'm starting to think that the $100k boat would be a better start than a $400k boat. Especially if I plan on liability only insurance.

I know some may think it futile to even be looking at boats at this stage, with no time frame window for my purchase, but it keeps my dream alive and I am a thorough planner.

Wife update: Last bloodwork was good but oncologist ordered a CT scan of the throat/neck region. Results will be share on a tele-med conference call this week. She continues to smoke a half pack a day (plus). She eats only oatmeal, ice cream and dark chocolate and is still around 80 pounds. I made the mistake of sharing my growing desire to get back to FL and on the water again. That pretty much turned into a "if you want to go, then go." Need to limit my sharing of my dreams to this forum and the few close friends who understand. It would be so nice to have a partner who shared my passion but that's not in the cards. I do talk to the dogs about my plans though. They seem quite enthusiastic. The shedding will be a challenge (especially my male) but there's no one I'd rather have on my crew than those two. At home, I only groom them on Sundays and the big house here only seems limited shedding. On the boat, I figure I will have to brush them in the cockpit one day and vactuum the cabin the next, repeating this cycle over and over. The marina won't take kind to me grooming them outside (it's like snowing with my male) so we will go for boat rides, anchor down in the harbor and do our work out there.

I only plan the marina life for the first year, as I get used to the boat and work out any kinks I need to discover while close to parts/service centers. Once we set sail from Florida, we will spend most nights on the hook (near beaches we can run on). Days will be for sailing & fishing, weather watching, boat cleaning/maintaining and teaching them how to do their business on the wet head floor. (solids in the holding tank, liquids washed down the shower drain). This is a trick that will make crossings much easier on all of us. They are Australian Shepherds and are smarter than many humans I know.
Have I ever mentioned that the dogs and I (along with our clubmates) were 4 time K9 Frisbee Toss & Fetch World Champions? My male was honored by the league by being one of only 7 dogs each calendar year to be featured on the commemorative season patch. But we have completely retired from the dog sports world and are ready for a life of living aboard and at sea.

While they haven't been on boats, they love pools, lakes and river swimming. They have years of experience in my 40' 5th wheel trailer and have done very well on road trips in the cab of my truck for 12-15 hour days. As long as it involves me, they are up for anything.

I checked back on my two year old to-do list and saw I don't have enough done yet. Today I filled up about half of my home trash can with garage junk. I need to commit to making that can full every week so that I have less and less belongings to sell or give away when my time comes. Thinking all I need to keep are:
Dog leashes & dog food
7 sets cold weather clothing
14 sets warm weather clothing
Foulies (which I have yet to acquire)
Blankets, sheets, pillows
Hand and small power tools
Fishing gear (gonna be hard to pare down but grandkids will gladly take all I give)
Twin Honda EU2000 inverter generators
Gas & diesel jerry cans
Deck/cockpit safety gear (I have a ton of barely used fall protection gear from when I was a construction safety guy)
Type 5 PFDs
Sailing reference books, Chapman, ASA, etc (plan on ordering Jimmy Cornell's Cruising, Route Planning and World Oceans Atlas)
Insulated cooler (probably bring my cheap coolers too, until I get settled on boat)
Computer, iPad, iPhone, AirPods, chargers, 3 GoPros, Gimbal arm, DJI pocket cam
Portable hard drive with my life's digital pictures and files
Music CDs (although there are over 400 songs on my iphone)
TRX exercise straps and resistance bands for stretching
ID, passport (which needs renewing) and credit cards (which get paid off every month, thank God)
Charting tools, office supplys (pens, pencils, tape, stapler, paper clips, maybe a corkboard & dry erase board, if there's room on the boat walls).
Toiletries, vitamins/supplements (I'm on no prescription meds)
Ninja electric Air Fryer, coffee maker, blender, (maybe my Blackstone 17" cast iron griddle, which I love cooking on when camping)
Limited pots/pans/dishes/cups/glasses/knives/utensils
Cleaning supplies? (broom/dustpan, vacuum, robotvac?) If I don't bring, I will have to buy new stuff
First aid stuff

What am I forgetting?

Once again, thanks to those who always read my posts. If you can't tell, I'm really down today, wanting to go like yesterday. I believe my time will come but everyday I'm a little bit older. In about 90 days, I will hit 59. I know that's still young enough but if I don't get started by about 65, it will probably be too late to start real world cruising. I'd think one would want to be hitting their stride by then, not just starting out. My son-in-law (who lost his wife, our daughter way too early) told me yesterday: "It's a great plan you have. But what if she (my wife) is still with you another 10 years?" I replied, "Then I won't get to go. All I can do is hope there's something better in the afterlife."

But I really hope I get to go do this.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Messing About

..........
Once again, thanks to those who always read my posts. If you can't tell, I'm really down today, wanting to go like yesterday. ...................

But I really hope I get to go do this.

I really hope you get to do this (when the time is right)!

And I read your long posts with interest of the details of the journey so far.

[flpaoli]

Originally Posted by Messing About

Latest updates on my quest to get back to the Gulf Islands and beyond:

The Sailing Charter company in SoCal wanted much to much, in my opinion, for me to rent boats from them. Not that I can't afford it, I just object to excessive fees.

Have you ever checked out SailTime? I'm sailing with them to gain experience, and I'm pretty satisfied. I use the Burnt Store marina base (which I see you know) but they have bases closer to you in California. Worth taking a look: https://sailtime.com/locations/ .

Originally Posted by Messing About

My ASA 101, 111, 103 & 104 were all worth what I paid for the initial experience and training on my move from power to sail. I can still join the local sailing club at my deert resevoir (Lake Pleasant) for $1450 per year and get unlimited use of the school's Catalina 22 Capri's.

Sounds like a good way to train your sailing skill in low and changing winds. Sailing in reservoirs requires constant adaptation to the changing winds, I did a lot of that when I was younger on a 15ft day sailer.

Originally Posted by Messing About

Wishlist update: The 2022 IP349 I was watching in Florida sold. There's a 2003 IP350 for sail at the exact marina (Burnt Store) I plan to return to when I get back to FL (someday). I'm a year into their 3 year waiting list but if I were to buy this boat, I would have first option to assume the 40' wet slip (since the seller is retiring from sailing).

That's where I sail from once or twice in a month. If you ever decide to stop by to look at that IP350, let me know via PM, if it's during a weekend I might be able to go meet you and chat, depending on the SailTime reservations we might even be able to day sail.

About IPY's, they seem to have a loyal following, but I'm not attracted. I see the quality, but I dunno, I think I tend more towards speed than stability. But I'm not planning to circumnavigate.

Originally Posted by Messing About

I know some may think it futile to even be looking at boats at this stage, with no time frame window for my purchase, but it keeps my dream alive and I am a thorough planner.

I think that is valuable, at least for your mental health. Everyone has hobbies they like to read and plan about, even if they're not able to act on them as much as they want. It's not bad to continue to do so. You're learning a ton, starting to form your own opinion based on what you read from others.

Originally Posted by Messing About

I made the mistake of sharing my growing desire to get back to FL and on the water again. That pretty much turned into a "if you want to go, then go." Need to limit my sharing of my dreams to this forum and the few close friends who understand.

Agree there brother. She probably can't process it well or with the reason she used to have.

Originally Posted by Messing About

it's like snowing with my male

Oh my.... I can only imagine that on a boat. You're definitely courageous LOL

Originally Posted by Messing About

Have I ever mentioned that the dogs and I (along with our clubmates) were 4 time K9 Frisbee Toss & Fetch World Champions? My male was honored by the league by being one of only 7 dogs each calendar year to be featured on the commemorative season patch.

WOW!!!

Originally Posted by Messing About

Once again, thanks to those who always read my posts. If you can't tell, I'm really down today, wanting to go like yesterday.

I subscribe to this thread and it is always good to follow your story. You're an example of persistence and faithfulness, brother!

Fair winds

[Messing About]

Thank you both for your thoughtful and kinds replies.