Buy Big (and Cheap) - Go Now ?

[Feral Cement]

Originally Posted by tonforty

Ok Feral...You are on fire with the big perfect questions.

Ya wanna know how I learned which questions to ask? By not asking them, then dealing with the results of my tunnel vision when things didn't go they way I wanted.

John

[tonforty]

We are always ,in general, happy together as a family regardless of any situations thus far.
It's already been a long haul starting kinda over within the same company 3 times.

Through all that torturous business drama the kids just kept getting older and we get more whipped.

They actually like us and hang around no matter what were doing. (Big difference in the way I grew up.)

Bec is always in. She's sorta ALWAYS indecisive on everything but don't get me wrong...it's in her genes. Ha Ha

We have a solid marriage and she loved the adventure that I always bring to the table.We talk about everything in a brainstorming sorta way.She's in totally.

She's like the perfect wife now that I really think about it.

My daughter informed her boyfriend "Just wanna let you know if my Dad gets a sailboat in Florida to escape to the Caribbean ...I'm there!" ....So shes in.

Now...the son...hmmmm..1 year left to graduate.

There are options on that. 1.Homeschool 2.Last year at the same school I graduated 3.New school in Florida for last year.

He acts like he doesn't like the boat idea at all but thats how he kinda is before ANY experience.
I have to be cool and careful with his situation. I don't want to screw him up.
He could hang at the boat in the summer.

[tonforty]

I know what you mean about I and Me and My...and It IS...but the family digs it on this.

[boatman61]

Well..... seems you think its viable for your family to live this life... no you've the next hard bit... finding a boat that'll fit you needs thats big enough for 4 of you to live on with the minimal chance of you all hating each other in 6 months...
The selections pretty limited and scattered all over the country....

[Doodles]

Here's something to look at. It's close to your price range and has 3 cabins which I think you are going to want with the older kids. And its in FL.

1979 Endeavour Sloop Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

[Wand]

Originally Posted by Doodles

Here's something to look at. It's close to your price range and has 3 cabins which I think you are going to want with the older kids. And its in FL.

1979 Endeavour Sloop Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

Perfect for he and the bride, but add two adolescents...sheesh! Could get a bit fruity. After a little while, selling insurance won't look so bad...

[Doodles]

Originally Posted by At sea

Perfect for he and the bride, but add two adolescents...sheesh! Could get a bit fruity. After a little while, selling insurance won't look so bad...

I agree ... just trying to be helpful.

Remember he's looking for adventure and everyone (almost) is on board with the idea.

[boatman61]

Maybe the best soloution would be a big old Wharram Cat.... the kids have their own aptment in the stbd hull... Mom n Pop in the port hull....

[Liam Wald]

Tonforty,
Yes, you can do this. You won't be the first. Others have gone before you. A few haven't done not so well, but mostly it has worked out. You won't know how it will work out for you until you go there.
Sounds to me like you have nothing really to loose by trying... you only loose if you don't try.
Most of us weren't really made to work monday through friday 9-5. Some of us are able to find a life outside of it. Fear and insecurity causes a lot of people to focus on all the things that will go wrong while overlooking everything that could go right.
If someone told you you only had a year to live, what would you do?

[boatman61]

Others have done it yes.... I've seen family's of 4-5-6 people living on boats between 30-40ft for long periods... 17yrs in one case with the two youngest born on the boat.... but..
These were all Europeans where it seems close quarters living is more normal and acceptable than it is for Americans who 'need their space'...
Its gonna be a case of not so much whether you like sailing and the life style but more can you adapt to the restricted space and all that you, your wife and kids are gonna have to leave behind...
Rig up one of your bedrooms with curtains/screens whatever into a semblance of a boats interior... and live in there for a week... no other rooms except toilet and kitchen... all dressing changing in company.. not in bathroom/kitchen... not gonna be able to do it that privately on a boat...lol... see how you get on in that kind of intimacy...

[zeehag]

friends of mine lived on a 45 ft combined rig beauty-- was a cutter with a yardarm.. awesome boat named winsome, as she was .. and they had 2 teenaged daughters who were raised on board-- the best kids i have met in looong time-- these daughters are now 30 ish and married-- they survived to become normalish beautiful and well balanced kids/grownups-- i dont know what better way to raise teens-- but then these 2 girls were raised on board from very young. most teen aged kids are most concerned with separation from their friends and locale in which they were mostly raised--if ye can overcome htis, then all is realllllly good....
boatman has a really good idea--- cat--- or a formosa 51 or force 50 or other 2 SEPARATE enclosed cabin with ensuite head style heavy boat with potential for ye.. gooodluck.

[Noname1]

Having just reread this thread I offer this.
Let the son finish HS while you aquire some sailing experience. My parents moved me around a lot AT the wrong times in my youth and I think your son would find this the wrong time. But yes the hammer can drop on any one of us at any time. I'm King of the A.D.D. and I made a lot of bad choices BUT I have a lot of interesting memories to sustain me.

Look up Bumfuzzle.

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by michaeldsusa

Having just reread this thread I offer this.
Let the son finish HS while you aquire some sailing experience. My parents moved me around a lot AT the wrong times in my youth and I think your son would find this the wrong time. But yes the hammer can drop on any one of us at any time. I'm King of the A.D.D. and I made a lot of bad choices BUT I have a lot of interesting memories to sustain me.

Look up Bumfuzzle.

gooood ---- ADD is us..lol.... makes life interesting.. new people and new memories everywhere even without going anywhere......and new adventures realllly rock!!!!!
my sis was uprooted at age 13-- turned into a creep--- didnt turn ok until 3-4 yrs of pouting and adverse behavior---took a long time to make her a decent human sister. but i am oldest and i dont approve of siblings.....

[SouthernHiker]

Originally Posted by zeehag

gooood ---- ADD is us..lol.... makes life interesting.. new people and new memories everywhere even without going anywhere......and new adventures realllly rock!!!!!
my sis was uprooted at age 13-- turned into a creep--- didnt turn ok until 3-4 yrs of pouting and adverse behavior---took a long time to make her a decent human sister. but i am oldest and i dont approve of siblings.....

This is just my two cents, but...
I have to agree with zeehag and michael d about the son. Senior year is a big one for teenagers, full of memories and friendships that may or may not last for sure.

Sure, boating will provide its own kind of memories, but being uprooted right before graduation will probably not be a positive experience for the son, and therefore, not for you either. That may be an avoidable regret that gets held against you for a very long time.

As hard as it is to wait it out one year for him to graduate, or two years for both of them too. When kids enter the picture, I think there's a different kind of patience required, as I'm sure you already know. Besides you can use that year to sail on lakes, get some experience, and save some money for more fun on the boat.

[SouthernHiker]

IF you get real desperate for the sea, and just can't take it anymore. Get some funds, and go crew for a week or two on a long delivery, with lots of watches in rough seas. That should cure the bug for at least a year.

The family can keep their day to day while you get an escape.