What happens to all the wannabees?

[tradrockrat]

I'm a WASABEE... I bought a cheap sailboat at 25 years old, moved aboard, sailed to Catalina Island, and pretty much sailed from Mexico to (almostnotquite)San Francisco solo with a literal bare minimum required to sail without sinking for three years.

Then I sold the boat, moved back ashore, and dreamed of sailing off into the sunset forever in a true Bluewater cruiser. I was almost there and then made that wrong turn at Alberque. So I already know all about those "experienced" sailors that only tell you the worst and I also know the great people who can't wait to welcome you to the club.

The wife and I stopped dreaming 5 years ago and started acting on the plan. That plan has changed and evolved constantly. BUT...We're down to counting months until we sell the house, move aboard the Tayana 37, and sail to Maryland to get out of the Gulf before hurricane season 2021.

[NedX]

Originally Posted by KelseyB

There are so many pages on this that I obviously didn't bother to read all 80 of them, so forgive me if this has already been said, but I think a major problem might be there are two kinds of wannabes: the ones that want to keep a boat nearby and go on day sails and do some weekends at anchor, and those who want to drop it all and sail off into the sunset. The daysailers/weekenders may find that it's a lot more time and money than they thought for just a "hobby" and they may end up being the type to invest a lot in a boat that spends the majority of its time at the dock, and those who want to sail away into the sunset may find that they actually can't just cut all their ties from shore. I think the medicine for both of these might be starting young, which isn't particularly helpful if you've already crossed that bridge. I'm very lucky in that I grew up sailing and that I'm planning my first long-term trip while still in college, so I don't have that many ties on land to even sever in the first place- I don't have a career to put on pause, and I can send mail to my parents' house, for example. And I didn't have to spend 3 years taking sailing lessons before I started planning this trip because I already had that covered. But yea I think that's the main problem for the "sail away into the sunset" dreamers- it's obviously possible, but you simply can't do it if you've never set foot on a boat before, or at least you can't do it safely and comfortably. And realizing that you actually need to take serious time to go out on other people's boats, hang around marinas, pick up odd jobs, read a lot of books, etc, really makes the whole thing seem a lot harder and it's hard to have that sort of patience when all you want to do is sail away. It suddenly looks a lot easier to just get a van and do a big road trip instead. This isn't to say that the "jumping off the cliff" method always fails- I certainly jumped off a bit of a cliff in getting my boat- but if you're gonna jump off the cliff you should at least have some idea of how to work the parachute or be mentally prepared to learn how to do it on your way down, which is a rare kind of person.

I think there's something in all that. But at the end of the day, the term "wannabe" misses a huge swath of the population that prefers to learn by doing, build on previous knowledge, learn from mistakes, learn from more experienced people, and slowly expand their horizons, until those horizons become the endless ones...and that can take years, depending on your means, learning styles, and exactly what are who is keeping you close to shore.

So, I propose we add to "newbie" and "wannabe" a third term that probably includes a lot of people: "gonnabe"

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by KelseyB

... This isn't to say that the "jumping off the cliff" method always fails- I certainly jumped off a bit of a cliff in getting my boat- but if you're gonna jump off the cliff you should at least have some idea of how to work the parachute or be mentally prepared to learn how to do it on your way down, which is a rare kind of person.

Indeed.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by redhead

I had to laugh at this Gord. I worked the midnight shift in aviation and studied The Annapolis Book of Seamanship during the slow nights. I had made hundreds of theoretical bowline knots and was sure I was proficient. Later when standing on deck in choppy seas when I needed a quick knot I was sure it would "come to me". I couldn't figure out where the damn rabbit came up and ran around what for the life of me! Laughing now, not laughing then.

I learned to tie it one handed. Pretty cool and you get to hang on (for dear life) with the other hand.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by ksuderman

I am still a wannabe, but my experience here so far has been exactly the opposite. When I first started researching I expected the same attitude from the old timers, but the advice I've seen most often is, "just do it, you won't regret it.".

So, I'm going to stop over-thinking everything, get a boat (hopefully this spring), and jump of that cliff.

This is my experience also.

"which is not to go until you have all the knowledge and all the cash and none of the fears."
I really don't know how the OP ended up with this. For over 5 years I read almost every. single. post.

I kinda wonder about how poor is poor. OP had rental properties? That must have been uncollectable crack houses?

[boatman61]

I'm a Wannabe.. Again..

[Mr B]

I jumped off the cliff with out a parachute,

I woke up the day after I left Fiji, In my new boat,
No land in sight any where,
The thought that went through my head at the time,

Ive done it this time, My ambitions have exceeded my capabilities,
Well, Im Here, Totally Alone, in the middle of the Pacific, ,
No communication with any one, The way I like it,

Australia is that way to the west,
Its 3000 miles long, I cant miss it if I head West,

Rank Novice as a sailor, But fifty years experience on motor boats,
If I cant sail it, I will drive it home on the diesel at 7 knots,
Island hopping for fuel, I had 750 Nmiles of diesel on board, Plan B,

21 days later, I arrived at Bundaberg, It was a great trip,
I was reported as missing 10 days after I left Vanuatu,
They had no idea on where I was,
I asked the woman at the Bundberg Yacht club,
Did you ask the woman that reported me missing for my position,
She said, NO,
The woman who reported me missing had my position written down four times on paper, Because I made her write it down, Just in case,
Telephone call from Vanuatu,
They were looking for me 1000 miles away from where I was,

Just about to leave for an 18000 mile trip around Australia,
Have a co pilot this time around,

sailing in Bass Strait has certainly proven the capability of my Gemini 105 MC Sailing Catamaran in well over 40 knots of wind,
Loving it,

Cheers, Brian,

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Mr B

I jumped off the cliff with out a parachute,

I woke up the day after I left Fiji, In my new boat,
No land in sight any where,
The thought that went through my head at the time,

Ive done it this time, My ambitions have exceeded my capabilities,
Well, Im Here, Totally Alone, in the middle of the Pacific, ,
No communication with any one, The way I like it,

Australia is that way to the west,
Its 3000 miles long, I cant miss it if I head West,

Rank Novice as a sailor, But fifty years experience on motor boats,
If I cant sail it, I will drive it home on the diesel at 7 knots,
Island hopping for fuel, I had 750 Nmiles of diesel on board, Plan B,

21 days later, I arrived at Bundaberg, It was a great trip,
I was reported as missing 10 days after I left Vanuatu,
They had no idea on where I was,
I asked the woman at the Bundberg Yacht club,
Did you ask the woman that reported me missing for my position,
She said, NO,
The woman who reported me missing had my position written down four times on paper, Because I made her write it down, Just in case,
Telephone call from Vanuatu,
They were looking for me 1000 miles away from where I was,

Just about to leave for an 18000 mile trip around Australia,
Have a co pilot this time around,

sailing in Bass Strait has certainly proven the capability of my Gemini 105 MC Sailing Catamaran in well over 40 knots of wind,
Loving it,

Cheers, Brian,

Brian,
You got it all rebuilt and everything?
I missed that.
Congrats!!

[MicHughV]

to progress from "wannabee" to " sailor"....first requires that you enter the school of hard knocks...this is a curriculum that may span several years, probably many boats and several 1,000 sea miles and there is no guarantee you'll make the passing grade....in the school of hard knocks will be courses such as running aground on a falling tide.....lotsa hard earned money down the drain......engine failure while transiting a pass thru' a reef....torn sails.....leaking hoses, stubborn engines, dead batteries, storms....more storms...divorce....running out of beer....getting lost....massive yard bills...high marina fees.....noisy neighbors....leaky deck lights....leaking dinghies....sunburn.....seasickness....hours spent varnishing...changing engine oil in 10' seas.....and much, much more...

many students opt out of this course after the first semester....some make past the first year....and only a few pass the final exam in several years time.

so there you have it....the school of hard knocks is open to all dreamers...wannabee's....and generally lost souls...

[Jim Cate]

changing engine oil in 10' seas

In my school of hard knocks that course was eliminated if you took the seminar about common sense. One of the lectures in that seminar suggested scheduling oil changes for times in port.

Jim

[MicHughV]

Jim,
Might be true if you were near a port....but not so much on a high seas passage....
I missed that common sense course, must have played hooky that day...too late to go back and learn it now..

[sailorboy1]

That is silly

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

Jim,
Might be true if you were near a port....but not so much on a high seas passage....
I missed that common sense course, must have played hooky that day...too late to go back and learn it now..

Well, we've done a few "high seas passages" and, since we did get the lecture, did an oil change before leaving, and have not yet needed to motor more than 200 hours in the crossing. And, of course, common sense says that even if the recommended interval has been reached, one may with little shame run a bit longer, say until the seas flatten a bit.

Just sayin'.

And I bet your mom told you that you would regret playing hooky when you were older!

Jim

[MicHughV]

I could fill several journals with school of hard knock events in my sailing life....it was a long curriculum for me....had to take several courses over and over again....but.....made it...I think...

[Lazy1]

I'll throw my story out there and maybe I'll get lucky and get some advice! I didn't start with a dream post because I find that skillet a little too hot.

I started last summer after getting wrapped up in the alternative lifestyle presented by the YT channels and having at least some experience on sail and motor craft I was enamored. I started last summer (2019) with a Catalina 22 on trailer trying to be cheap as possible. It took till August of this year to surrender to a marina slip to make things easier.

I have done some local overnights and really enjoy the time on the boat but now I want to venture out more.
I sail out of Erie PA and cruising seems to require about 35 mile legs to reach protected anchorages, this is a reach for a 22 ft boat in mostly mild Summer winds where I might average 4 kts at best over 6-8 hours.
My concern is the wisdom in "going for it" or am I reaching?
I single hand and really enjoy the day long solo sails, but I always end up where I started if not a very local anchorage over night.