What happens to all the wannabees?

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Enrique100

I'm both a wannabe and a noob when it comes to sailing. I was bitten by the bug over 10 years ago when my wife and I first set sail on a little Hobie cat, and we did some self-taught sailing of small cats for a few years on and off in Chicago on Lake Michigan and anytime we were on vacation. Lack of opportunity and other interests prevailed for a few years and sailing took a backseat for a while until I ran across this forum and started reading all the posts earlier this year. It got me wanting to sail again - and this time on larger boats.

I guess in my long term plan I have an idea for my wife and I to buy a catamaran and cruise the caribbean - but that's years if not decades away. First step we did was sign up with a local school in Chicago and get as much training and seatime as possible. I'm fortunate that my school doesn't just stop with a quick 1 week course that makes you think you can sail, but you really can't. Rather my tuition pays for a whole season of sailing whenever I can and encourages me to keep coming back. In 4 months I've had the opportunity to sail in both light winds and a 46 knot gale. I've now sailed on 5 different vessels ranging in size from 27' to 36'. And I'm hooked for another year already... too bad this year's sailing is coming to an end here.

Once I get enough experience, my next step will probably be to buy our own boat and do some daysailing and short-term cruising of the Great Lakes with my family in a couple years or so when my daughter is older. Then after a few years of that we may have larger and grander plans to cruise more exotic locations.

But thanks in no small part to this forum, it got me back into sailing in a big way, even by just lurking here (this is my first post in the few months since I started reading these forums). So from this wannabe, thanks to everyone here and hopefully in time I will move up the ranks and I will keep enjoying and looking forward to the next thing.

well i'm impressed
thanks for making this your first post on cruisers forum!

[Mr Mac]

I first joined back in July and posted a couple of times since then, but not much. We are still on track to retire sooner than later though we have modified our plans just a bit. Instead of three years we are looking at a more realistic six years to get it all taken care of.

The location may change from the PacNW to our old stomping grounds, NW Florida where we will probably pick up our "forever" boat (36' minimum) and start with the BVI and USVI.

Since we're still novices we do need training and that began, informally, this past Sunday when our instructor, a family friend, took us out on their boat at Carlyle Lake in Illinois. We learned the basics on boat parts, watching the wind and sails and how to trim the sails for optimal performance and the difference between a tack and a jib.

We will start formal training next year when the sailing season starts back up here in the Midwest.

Until that time, we do plan on going to see some family in Pensacola and Mobile and looking at a few boats while we're down there. Who knows, maybe we'll find what we're looking for early!

Mac

[oldragbaggers]

Originally Posted by CaptForce

Excellent thought! Your place is exotic for all those far away.

How true this is. This is the view that greeted me when I was pulling out of my driveway to go to work this morning. Obviously a cruising boat, dinghy and other equipment lashed to the deck. I let my mind run free for a few minutes, on his way from where...to where???? But there he was, and he had chosen to languish right in front of my house.

Maybe I can't retire and "go" just yet. But I have to feel very blessed to be right where I am at the moment.

[ctl411]

Enrique 100. You don't have to wait for your daughter to get older. I bought a cheap 30 footer out of Chicago years back and sailed with my 18 month old twins. Younger is easier in some ways. They stay where you put them and they sleep more. Mine just turned 7 this week and now can sail their little boat themselves. Boats are way cheap now and if you keep a couple hours away from Chicago it's not that much to keep them.

[youmeandthed]

I learned the transition from wannabe to be is when you focus on your actions and not your dreams and destinations.... To deep?

[Kiwi303]

Whats the old maths saw?

10% who say hey will, do buy a boat.

10% of those that buy one, use it.

10% of those that use it, cruise.

10% of those that cruise, leave their own countries waters.

10% of those that go overseas go round the world.

???


I first joined Cruiserlog and Crew.org.nz when planning to buy a cheap 20-30 footer local boat back in NZ, planning to work up to cruising offshore when experienced enugh to do it safely in a smaller boat (Not enough money to buy a big stable cat, bumfuzzle style, for a first boat) and trade up and onwards as years go by.

Still in the 90% that talks currently, spent the saved boat purchase price on going to China, still here 11 months later with a chinese girlfriend.


But at only 32, theres still time to get there eventually.

[Enrique100]

Originally Posted by ctl411

Enrique 100. You don't have to wait for your daughter to get older. I bought a cheap 30 footer out of Chicago years back and sailed with my 18 month old twins. Younger is easier in some ways. They stay where you put them and they sleep more. Mine just turned 7 this week and now can sail their little boat themselves. Boats are way cheap now and if you keep a couple hours away from Chicago it's not that much to keep them.

Thanks for the encouragement. Unfortunately for that there is my wife's point of view. She believes a boat is too dangerous a place for a 3-year old. And that boats are too expensive. Plus, I used up any points I may have had when I unilaterally decided to buy a motorcycle last year. So no boat, right now. Rather than try to strong arm her on this one, I'm happy with our decision to get unlimited sailing lessons/sessions through a local school for the next couple years. It gets me out there as often as I want and still teaches me what to do in every imaginable situation before I have to do it on my own boat.

[zeehag]

a guy i know named mark was sailing his own sabot at age 3(lessons)....tried to take it to catalina from harbor island west when he was 7 yrs old--packed a sammish, bottle of milk, and a cookie and left the slip of his folks's cruising ketch....his mom saw him and saved him from ultimate loss.....

boats are wonderful places to have kids grow. my cousins were on board their dad's boat when they were 6 months old.....start em young.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Enrique100

Thanks for the encouragement. Unfortunately for that there is my wife's point of view. She believes a boat is too dangerous a place for a 3-year old. And that boats are too expensive. I used up any points I may have had when I unilaterally decided to buy a motorcycle last year. So no boat, right now. Rather than try to strong arm her on this one, I'm happy with our decision to get unlimited sailing lessons/sessions through a local school for the next couple years. It gets me out there as often as I want and still teaches me what to do in every imaginable situation before I have to do it on my own boat.

sounds like momma is the one with the problem!
my daughter sailed halfway round australia by the time she was 5 months old!
both my kids had done a circumnavigation by 7 years old,it is actually harder as they get older,needing more stimulation and outside peer group influences.

[Housed]

Hi all firstly thanks everyone on here for many hours of infotainment . Personally I was lurking on here all the time as a wannabe never needed to post as my questions had been asked a hundred times. This post is my first as I feel I have a little to add . I read this for three yearsish while I worked to save for a boat ( 30ft and 25yrs old)then never from buying the boat and the one month refit ( too busy) and one year sailing half way around the world ( way to busy I should have done half the distance but that was the plan)
Now I am back home and have a new family mortgage etc and am reading this forum.

My point is twofold and I hope my Aussie
Sense of humour dos'nt offend
Firstly I read this forum only as a wannabe
And a hasbeen. so is this forum full of hasbeens and wannabes with the currently doings too busy doing ? I say this in jest and am sure lots of you are cruising right now but it may hopefully explain where some of those wannabes are.

Secondly if you want to cruise now and far buy your boat on the opposite side of the world leaves you with few other options ; )

[DeepwaterRegime]

Here's a retro-follow-up.

I recently started cramming everything-sailing back into my head. I grew up on recreational boats (not sailing, however) with father, uncle, and brother. Last year I was aboard R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer for 64 days around the Southern Ocean, which meant a free trip to New Zealand, Antarctica, then Chile (for work, of course). I was not involved in sailing/navigation, but a member of the scientific crew. It revived my need to be on the water. Every time I am near a lake or the gulf, I ask myself why I'm not out there....

Now, I'll be sailing with an old timer to Dominican Republic (Nov 1). He's given me the responsibility to collect and manage navigation charts, and a fair share of logistics--customs/clearance, etc. It has been nerve racking, because I have OCD, and knowing every aspect of the trip seems important to me.

That being said, I feel comfortable today thinking about the trip. I have charts, a general chart plotted, and a number of other references to keep with me. I think my father is even going to gift an EPIRB to me before I go. My notebook is quickly being filled with knowledge that I now know, and other facts that I'm still learning. The rest must be done on the water--away from my desk.

It has recently dawned on me that I want to pursue a career on the water. If all goes well during this trip, i.e. I return alive , then I hope to get crew experience and pursue certifications of confidence.

I'll post again when I get back. Promise! So your knowledge was not usurped in vain.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by DeepwaterRegime

Now, I'll be sailing with an old timer to Dominican Republic (Nov 1). He's given me the responsibility to collect and manage navigation charts, and a fair share of logistics--customs/clearance, etc. It has been nerve racking, because I have OCD, and knowing every aspect of the trip seems important to me.


I'll post again when I get back. Promise! So your knowledge was not usurped in vain.

I look forward to your trip report - sounds like a blast!

[Kettlewell]

Most of the folks who make it work take baby steps. They say to themselves that cruising looks like it might be interesting, but they realize that the first thing to do is get familiar with sailing, being around boats, what is involved. So, they purchase a small daysailer, or maybe a small older boat with a cabin and try it out, get used to things, begin to work their way up. A lot of folks find at this stage that it isn't right for them: too much work, too uncomfortable at times, some find it too scary, too costly, etc. I think a high percentage of the people who come on here and want to buy their first big boat to sail around the world or liveaboard find that they have bitten off more than they can chew. The tasks are too overwhelming, the costs too high, the learning curve too steep. Sure, some people clear those hurdles, but I suspect the majority who make it start off small, local, and work their way up over the course of many years.

Now, we will hear from all the ones who bought a big boat as their first boat and set off knowing nothing and loved it. But, I believe you are in the tiny minority. Think about other things in life that you love: Did you go to the top of the mountain the first time you went skiing? Was the first place you lived a 12-room house with a three-car garage? When you started paddling did you seek out and tackle the first Class 5 whitewater you could find? Is the first girl you dated now your wife? Some will answer yes, but I don't think many.

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by woodymr

Atoll, I commend your question on this post. It obviously has folks turn on to reply! I must be safe at sea and also sleep! Therefore the wind vane and the radar for guard zone alarm. I am after all single handed. I like this game of life and death at sea, the fear, the intelligence needed and used to out fit the boat for the conditions expected, the years and I mean years of arm chair sailing! I am fortunate to have 13yrs. of working tugs under my belt but new to sailing and minimal offshore work. I think that if you can feel it all the way to your toes then you are living life to the fullest. WARNING.....I have left the work force and the monetary religion as much as possible and hope my money comes in before it is truly worthless., time is at hand for the false Gods of fear and money to fall hard and a lot of folks will be left Godless...../)......

"A lot of folks will be left godless" ha ha ha...you got that right!

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Housed

Hi all firstly thanks everyone on here for many hours of infotainment . Personally I was lurking on here all the time as a wannabe never needed to post as my questions had been asked a hundred times. This post is my first as I feel I have a little to add . I read this for three yearsish while I worked to save for a boat ( 30ft and 25yrs old)then never from buying the boat and the one month refit ( too busy) and one year sailing half way around the world ( way to busy I should have done half the distance but that was the plan)
Now I am back home and have a new family mortgage etc and am reading this forum.

My point is twofold and I hope my Aussie
Sense of humour dos'nt offend
Firstly I read this forum only as a wannabe
And a hasbeen. so is this forum full of hasbeens and wannabes with the currently doings too busy doing ? I say this in jest and am sure lots of you are cruising right now but it may hopefully explain where some of those wannabes are.

Secondly if you want to cruise now and far buy your boat on the opposite side of the world leaves you with few other options ; )

Welcome aboard Housed, nice first post