Hello All

[BeOur3rd]

Originally Posted by skipmac

If I may offer a mild criticism with the sincere wish that it will help you achieve you dream, it just seems to me you're trying to run before you walk. Not saying spend ten years taking baby steps but just back up a little and do some study on your own to learn the basics and then start working towards the big goal.

yeah im not sure why i put off that, im not retarded and would have to be to think i can just take a 40 foot boat and go.
but i have grown up on a farm and driven just about every peice of machinery you can imagine and the only way to learn is to sit in it..and when you feel comfortable you go a little farther..etc

i dont know where i misled people here but currently im looking at a boat in malaysia, so if i bought this, i would fly out, quit my job, and take whatever time i need to learn, and until then ill be reading books im not sure what else i can do?

Originally Posted by skipmac

I have seen a number of good books recommended. I mentioned a couple in one of my first replies. Log on to Amazon, buy a couple and get going. Never too soon to get started with the plan.

already on that and ill start with the ones you recomended and im gonna try to buy a kindle so i can pile books on and take it with me when i go(just how much power do solar panels provide?)

[BeOur3rd]

Originally Posted by brookiesailor

Considering you are planning a family...might I suggest that you look up the blog sailingtotem.com it is a young family of five sailing with three kids, the choice of boat they made and why and much more. Worth a look.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

super helpful thank you!

[BeOur3rd]

Originally Posted by skiggy

PS: Reading is fine and should be done when you are not sailing, but it is no substitute for 'Hands On' experience.

thanks much, i agree with all your points although the crew will be myself and the wife for now ill probably have her steer;]. and.. yeah i just need to read to get the basics you know? once i have the terms and such down then i can be taught! before that ill stand there when im told "make a __ Knot" or "grab the ____ Line" with my head up my ____.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by BeOur3rd

yeah im not sure why i put off that, im not retarded and would have to be to think i can just take a 40 foot boat and go.
but i have grown up on a farm and driven just about every peice of machinery you can imagine and the only way to learn is to sit in it..and when you feel comfortable you go a little farther..etc

i dont know where i misled people here but currently im looking at a boat in malaysia, so if i bought this, i would fly out, quit my job, and take whatever time i need to learn, and until then ill be reading books im not sure what else i can do?



already on that and ill start with the ones you recomended and im gonna try to buy a kindle so i can pile books on and take it with me when i go(just how much power do solar panels provide?)

In my case I got lucky in my initial learning process and got to go out on a couple of deliveries as crew with experience sailors. When I got to do hands on all the stuff I had been reading immediately clicked and became much more clear. Made a world of difference and when I went back and reread a lot of the stuff it made a lot more sense.

How much power from solar will be limited only by how much room you have to put in panels. In very, very approximate numbers figure about 15 watts per square foot of panel. So a panel 2'X4' would give you about 120 Watts or roughly 67-9 amps charging current at peak sunlight. A cruising boat with fridge, lights, electronics, stereo etc can easily use 200 amp hours per day. Double that for boats with a bigger fridge and less efficient lighting etc. Under sail if you have an electric autopilot that could increase by 30-50%.

Marine electric is something you either need to learn how to do or pay a lot to a pro to do it for you or do without. Another subject you can start reading up on.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by BeOur3rd

yeah im not sure why i put off that, im not retarded and would have to be to think i can just take a 40 foot boat and go.
but i have grown up on a farm and driven just about every peice of machinery you can imagine and the only way to learn is to sit in it..and when you feel comfortable you go a little farther..etc

i dont know where i misled people here but currently im looking at a boat in malaysia, so if i bought this, i would fly out, quit my job, and take whatever time i need to learn, and until then ill be reading books im not sure what else i can do?



already on that and ill start with the ones you recomended and im gonna try to buy a kindle so i can pile books on and take it with me when i go(just how much power do solar panels provide?)

Wow, well you are either bold and daring or off your rocker. I'll go with bold and daring for now. Before you quit your job for a boat in Maylaysia, ask around for what it's like to sail around Maylaysia first I'd say. And it is not such a good idea to buy a boat without seeing it and sailing it yourself first, unless you already know it very well. OF COURSE you will have it surveyed too. My only experience in that part of the world was sailing from Sri Lanka to Singapore and I remember it as being very hot, having very little wind, a threat of pirates and not very interesting coastline to explore. (Sorry Maylaysia!) BUT that was just the Strait of Malacca and it was 30 years ago. Are you looking at a big catamaran over there? I have no experience in cruising big cats but there is a whole section of threads here devoted to multihulls. If you are looking WORLDWIDE for a boat to buy, maybe pick a place you REALLY want to visit and possibly live for a while, right? Or perhaps I have read you wrong and you are FROM Maylaysia!

[BeOur3rd]

Originally Posted by skipmac

In my case I got lucky in my initial learning process and got to go out on a couple of deliveries as crew with experience sailors. When I got to do hands on all the stuff I had been reading immediately clicked and became much more clear. Made a world of difference and when I went back and reread a lot of the stuff it made a lot more sense.

How much power from solar will be limited only by how much room you have to put in panels. In very, very approximate numbers figure about 15 watts per square foot of panel. So a panel 2'X4' would give you about 120 Watts or roughly 67-9 amps charging current at peak sunlight. A cruising boat with fridge, lights, electronics, stereo etc can easily use 200 amp hours per day. Double that for boats with a bigger fridge and less efficient lighting etc. Under sail if you have an electric autopilot that could increase by 30-50%.

Marine electric is something you either need to learn how to do or pay a lot to a pro to do it for you or do without. Another subject you can start reading up on.

thanks for those figures very helpful! and yes thats how ill be i think once i go onthe boat and come back to read everything will click much better

Originally Posted by Don C L

Wow, well you are either bold and daring or off your rocker. I'll go with bold and daring for now. Before you quit your job for a boat in Maylaysia, ask around for what it's like to sail around Maylaysia first I'd say. And it is not such a good idea to buy a boat without seeing it and sailing it yourself first, unless you already know it very well. OF COURSE you will have it surveyed too. My only experience in that part of the world was sailing from Sri Lanka to Singapore and I remember it as being very hot, having very little wind, a threat of pirates and not very interesting coastline to explore. (Sorry Maylaysia!) BUT that was just the Strait of Malacca and it was 30 years ago. Are you looking at a big catamaran over there? I have no experience in cruising big cats but there is a whole section of threads here devoted to multihulls. If you are looking WORLDWIDE for a boat to buy, maybe pick a place you REALLY want to visit and possibly live for a while, right? Or perhaps I have read you wrong and you are FROM Maylaysia!

pirates? in mayday-sia? lol ill live in the boat i want to see many places, starting in maydasia is fine by me. or anywhere else.. its a 40 foot cat, and it's in very good order it looks like.. yes i would fly out and see it.. and also fly a survey guy from florida with me, and once there see what its like.. i wanted aluminium but now i'm wondering if fibreglass is better, aluminium seems to be more maintenance, even if i like the very "tank" ish alumnium boat ive been looking at, you can lock it and its a hatch basically! (i think i look at it 5 times a day..okok maybe it's 10 times)

lately ive been debating buying one closer. but i look online and i just go back to that one.