Can Someone Give Me a Reality Check?

[briancromwell11]

Have you considered a Pearson?

[DangerCell]

You got the right idea brother. Your logic is perfectly sound. I will be right behind you or ahead of you depending on how things shake out....maybe we'll cross paths.

I too will go on less experience than most recommend...doing roughly the same as you, staying coastal until my boat and I are one. I might have a slight edge in that I have had one compressed sailing course already. It came in the form of a trip moving my uncles 32 british vancouver from east coast of fla to new orleans. A 16 day journey that had a bit of everything from a haulout, to racing the light in heavy seas and **** weather to get into a difficult anchorage for the night, along with a multi day legs that involved large snotty stern quartering seas (very uncomfortable). So I learned I can do it, I like it, and I do not barf no matter what! Believe me knowing that is a good thing before dropping 40-60k. By the end of it I felt I could do it again alone if I had to. I highly recommend doing that (prolly find someone here you could crew with I would think).

Ok as for the people thinking you are friggin nuts? Well, join the club. I have since learned to just keep my mouth shut if I don't want to hear it. I say, they are nuts. You cannot expect sheep to understand (insert lone majestic creature of your choice). This my friend you can take to the bank. Don't wait, don't listen to sheep, don't need 10 years practice to cruise. Just start at the beginning and don't stop.

We are at basically the same budget for the boat and outfitting. Though we will depend on rental income to fund the actual operating/cruising costs once boat is set.

I think you could stay well under your stated per year cruising budget. I have spent a lot of time looking at that and well, as it turns out it is less than living on land (barring any reef ramming or hurricane surfing etc...)....good place to learn about the budgets involved is by following blogs....many have kindly posted their expenses online.

Here is one that is near and dear to me at this point. Surprised no one posted this here. But I warn you it is HIGHLY ADDICTIVE. I ended up reading the damned thing. Lot to learn here though. Not the least of which is the power of your own will and a little balls!
Besides being very entertaining it has good no BS info on many pacific sailing locations, including budget info.

cast and crew

Cheers m8!

[Randyonr3]

Putting it in prospective.. OPs origional question.......
So you are going out to purchase a 1947 ford 2 and 1/2 ton flatbead truck to cruise around the US for a couple years.. Its underpowered, its got bud wheels, and you want to sleep out on the bed at night, or under it when it rains.. Top speed is around 45 mph, the steering is slopy, the brakes are bad, and it dosent have enough power to get out of its own way..
But who cares, because if it runs off the road and hits a tree, we can just pull it back on the road and continue as it is built solid and wont be hurt..
No horn but you can also yell really loud..
and the money you plan to spend to upgrade, well, you still have a 1947 ford 2 and 1/2 ton truck..
I hope you get the picture..

[DangerCell]

Martin Bird & Associates Inc. (Annapolis, MD)

[MarkJ]

I should never post in these sort of discussions LOL

Shall I go?


Hmmm.

I can just delete this and go back and check the new posts...

I want to say: Hey! Your 26 and 27 and you want to by a Granny and Grandpa boat? Go have a look at a Beneteau 361 ex-charter for about $50k. at lest you will feel like you are still alive much better for a couple of kids like you.

And sailing isn't that difficult!!!!!!! Vikings could even do it thousands of years ago! Even Americans can sail! (OK sometimes they need to change the rules of Sailing so they can win their own cups... but...)

A boat is just a couple of big white floppy things strung up to a big pole with a dunny, kitchen and small off-road auto engine and associated bits of string to pull it all together.

Buy one that works and off you go. When was the last time your bought a car that says in the ad: "Work Needed"?

Its not rocket science! What can happen between Texas and the Carib? Providing you don't hit an oil rig (lit up at night like WalMart on christmas eve) or a Hurricane (only in summer).


Mark

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Its not rocket science! What can happen between Texas and the Carib? Providing you don't hit an oil rig (lit up at night like WalMart on christmas eve) or a Hurricane (only in summer).


Mark

It's not the rigs that are the problem........it the wells that they leave behind

[mstrom]

Just buy a boat Now it doesn't mater what condition as long as it floats and has a mast, sail(s) and a trailer. Then sail it every chance you get if there is no wind learn how to tie knots until it picks up. You should be able to pick something up around 20' for $1500 to no more than $2000 and do not put any money into it except maybe a can of paint and NOT
marine paint (its too expensive)it should do you until you get your cruiser.

[ShareMyYacht]

You might want to look at the following site. It's a blog about two people in our marina who took two years to travel the world.

Kosmos Travel Log

[mintyspilot]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

A boat is just a couple of big white floppy things strung up to a big pole with a dunny, kitchen and small off-road auto engine and associated bits of string to pull it all together.

They say that an aircraft is 10,000 rivets flying in formation hoping that none of them pop out...

All forms of transport are scary if you look close enough....

[YourOldNemesis]

Yes, good plan, go for it, although don't think that if you have kids you can't go, we met lots of families doing it and they were all well-educated and very happy kids. I actually think it would be better with them than without - would you rather grow up with parents who did some cool stuff in the past, or who took you along on their cool-stuff while you were growing up?

Things you will need:

1. SSB radio or satphone and modem - EVERYONE uses these for getting weather reports - there really is no other way in lots of the islands of the South Pac
2. Laptop to interface with it
3. GPS
4. Good snorkelling gear
5. Kayak is a good idea - I'd recommend a hard-dinghy too that can take a small sailing rig.
6. One of the biggest issues that people have when cruising through the SP is power. The fewer power drains you have and the more solar panels, tow generators and wind generators you have, the better. Think also about if you can fit LED masthead lights and cabin lights. This will make a big difference.
7. Make sure you have a backup autopilot
8. Backup rudder (not just a backup tiller) - I would not do another ocean crossing without this.
9. Liferaft
10. EPIRB
11. Guitar & harmonicas (really)
12. A very good library of books you have always wanted to read - you get a LOT of time for this.
13. Fishing gear for trolling
14. Really good tools and service items - filters, oil, fibreglass, SPARE SHACKLES, SPARE RUNNING RIGGING - lots of them you won't get parts in most of the places you're going
15. Super-powerful directional wifi antenna - you will thank me for this one!
16. Distress flares
17. Egg-timer for night-watches


Keep the kerosene stove and get some diesel jets for it. When everyone else runs out of propane and is messing about trying to transfer it from bottle to bottle just so they can make a cup of tea or cook their supper, you'll be laughing. The supply chain through the islands for LPG often runs out during yachtie season.

If you have space, take some bikes.

Booze: strictly speaking, when you arrive somewhere with booze, you either pay tax on it and drink it, or it is bonded and checked when you leave. I think you're allowed a little for personal use, but not much. Boats with massive amounts of booze on board can have it all confiscated or bonded etc... most people don't drink much through Polynesia at least because the beer & wine is a) **** and b) stupidly expensive.

One of the most intelligent approaches to this was to home-brew on board, or smoke weed instead, if you can't find where to score just ask a boat with a maple-leaf hanging off the back!!


There really aren't any marinas to speak of, you will spend most, if not all of your time on the hook.

[Randyonr3]

Originally Posted by YourOldNemesis

Yes, good plan, go for it, although don't think that if you have kids you can't go, we met lots of families doing it and they were all well-educated and very happy kids. I actually think it would be better with them than without - would you rather grow up with parents who did some cool stuff in the past, or who took you along on their cool-stuff while you were growing up?

Things you will need:

1. SSB radio or satphone and modem - EVERYONE uses these for getting weather reports - there really is no other way in lots of the islands of the South Pac
2. Laptop to interface with it
3. GPS
4. Good snorkelling gear
5. Kayak is a good idea - I'd recommend a hard-dinghy too that can take a small sailing rig.
6. One of the biggest issues that people have when cruising through the SP is power. The fewer power drains you have and the more solar panels, tow generators and wind generators you have, the better. Think also about if you can fit LED masthead lights and cabin lights. This will make a big difference.
7. Make sure you have a backup autopilot
8. Backup rudder (not just a backup tiller) - I would not do another ocean crossing without this.
9. Liferaft
10. EPIRB
11. Guitar & harmonicas (really)
12. A very good library of books you have always wanted to read - you get a LOT of time for this.
13. Fishing gear for trolling
14. Really good tools and service items - filters, oil, fibreglass, SPARE SHACKLES, SPARE RUNNING RIGGING - lots of them you won't get parts in most of the places you're going
15. Super-powerful directional wifi antenna - you will thank me for this one!
16. Distress flares
17. Egg-timer for night-watches


Keep the kerosene stove and get some diesel jets for it. When everyone else runs out of propane and is messing about trying to transfer it from bottle to bottle just so they can make a cup of tea or cook their supper, you'll be laughing. The supply chain through the islands for LPG often runs out during yachtie season.

If you have space, take some bikes.

Booze: strictly speaking, when you arrive somewhere with booze, you either pay tax on it and drink it, or it is bonded and checked when you leave. I think you're allowed a little for personal use, but not much. Boats with massive amounts of booze on board can have it all confiscated or bonded etc... most people don't drink much through Polynesia at least because the beer & wine is a) **** and b) stupidly expensive.

One of the most intelligent approaches to this was to home-brew on board, or smoke weed instead, if you can't find where to score just ask a boat with a maple-leaf hanging off the back!!


There really aren't any marinas to speak of, you will spend most, if not all of your time on the hook.

You might also concider having a trailer built for your boat to haul all the crap listed above.........

[YourOldNemesis]

Originally Posted by Randyonr3

You might also concider having a trailer built for your boat to haul all the crap listed above.........

I crossed the South Pacific in 2008. I was on 6 different 40ish ft boats along the way. The only things I've mentioned above that weren't present on EVERY boat I sailed on are the kayak, the bicycles and the sailing rig for the dinghy. The last 3 months from Rarotonga to NZ were spent with 6 people on board a 44ft Beneteau, 2 dinghies (one with a sailing rig) and everything above except the bicycles and the kayak. You can get good folding bikes, and they really do make the trip more fun as you can do more exploring. Most people had more other stuff too - kites & kite boards, wakeboards, surf boards, selections of fishing rods, wetsuits, stereos, TVs, welders, dive compressors & bottles, mountains of spare sail material, sumbrella is almost a currency, brewing equipment, rock-climbing gear, spare winches, sewing machines, kids games, video games, deep freezes, washing machines, dishwashers, wood-burning stoves etc...

[luckypaul]

Electric windlasses waste valuable electricity
and can go wrong
at fifty I still quite enjoy the exercise of hauling in my anchor, and I'm doing it pretty much every day here in Mallorca

The bigger the boat the more expensive everything is, in a kind of exponential way, mooring, painting, parts, repairs

The smaller and shallower the boat the more interesting places it can get to, just takes longer getting there

luckypaul

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by luckypaul

at fifty I still quite enjoy the exercise of hauling in my anchor, and I'm doing it pretty much every day here in Mallorca

At 50 I feel 75 and if I had to try and pull my chain I'd feel 95 in 10 seconds....

I love the 'leccy windlass... or any lass.

[wildebeest3]

40K is a great budget for a boat. Just research and keep eyes open, lots of people over buy on their dream and leave it to waste away at a dock.

Be reasonable on loading up with all the goodies. Keep simple so you can repair. Someone said on the CF, "We are all one lightning strike from sailing in the 1830's".

Just get to having fun soon!