I need a sailboat

[Rock Knocker]

Hey Dan. If you are still reading this post I'd like to chime in. Please understand that I am new to sailing also and you should give serious consideration from the more experienced. That being said, I don't agree with some of the advice.
I have had limited prior sailing experience. I took an introductory sailing lesson. Bought a boat and sailed it. I do not have any interest in sailing dinghy's but love sailing my cruiser.
I think a good boat for you would be something not more than 30ft. You need to do a lot of reading to see what will meet your needs. What kind of sailing you plan to do. Single hand or with friends. Do you have a mentor of any kind? etc. etc.
I found the best resource to find available boats was Kijiji. I personally started looking around $5,000 but ended up spending $10,500. The reason is that you can get a lot of value that way. i.e. buy for $5,000 then spend another $5,000 and you won't (probably get half the boat I have for the $10,500.
In Canada I'd give a hard look at the Tanzer 8.5, C&C 27 (The MKI and II where actually designed for the ocean) I like the MKII the best. On a tight budget, I'd give a hard look at a Grampian 26.
There are a lot of very good old boats out there so don't limit it to these. I just think you will find these readily available in your area and I think they are pretty good boats.
Good Luck

[ozskipper]

I hope this guy hasnt bought his boat and died.


.. " i wanna buy a boat and sail away over the ocean, but i dont want to pay for lessons" Thats the stuff that kills people ffs. Sigh!

I think i might buy a plane and not get lessons but still go flying.

[jgbrown]

Originally Posted by Canada_Dan

Awesome, this really helps. I would totally do the sailing dinghy thing, but as a guy with no car (just my honda 1980 cx500) I have no way of transporting it, otherwise I would rock the dinghy all day, everyday. Thanks guys!

Weird. I'm in Vancouver, grew up on the island. I started on the boat thing with the same goal in mind. Rode my cx500 all over central America down to Panama a couple years ago (1979cx 500 custom).
On the boat front: a dinghy can be cheaply stored at a marina which you can ride to to sail at. Or join a sailing club. Then go along as crew on other people's boats.

With the budget you've listed and skills available it just isn't realistic to do what you are after.
I started down a similar path, with a slightly higher budget and thought living aboard would save me money. Rent being double to triple what it was on the island.

Bought a 30'alberg, ended up in the marine repair trades for a couple years meaning i got better price on parts in some cases and had a lot of tools I bought for work to use on my boat and still the refit cost me more than I could afford and the boat wasn't ready for such a trip. Cost more than rent in the end too.

I know one guy who pulled it off on your budget here. He did it on an engineless cal 20. Hard way to live though he swam to shore for his commute!

[Rock Knocker]

Ozskipper

Re: "I hope this guy hasn't bought his boat and died."

I should have tempered my response with, I had some limited dinghy sailing experience and have significant power boating experience.

I also started with all the help I could get from other sailor's and started sailing in very nice weather conditions close to shore.

I don't think it's very realistic to compare sailing with flying a plane but you are quite right that if you are not careful in assessing your own skills you will likely get yourself into a great deal of trouble of the serious kind.

That being said I bought my boat n Kingston, un-stepped the mast myself. Then motored up the Trent through 44 locks unscathed. I did have a shifter linkage break in a lock but was able to fix that on the spot. I then sailed on an almost daily basis learning on my own over the past year.

I still have a lot to learn and never turn down advice. I am very carful picking my weather window as I still have much learning to do.

The truth is although I'm not recommending or advocating this approach, it can be done as long as you take baby steps to acquire your skill set and don't get cocky.

Finally, I'll probably take some lessons next year as I like to learn. I didn't take them this year because I spent a lot of cash on the boat, the survey relocation, initiation fees. I'm a man of modest means and don't have unlimited funds.

[s/v Beth]

I think he kept moving on the net and is now at another sailing site, asking the same question. I have seen a lot of people just learning to sail out by the strait of Georgia. I guess I'm not too worried. Just another transient. (they seem alot more durable than people give them credit for)

[ozskipper]

Originally Posted by Rock Knocker

Ozskipper

Re: "I hope this guy hasn't bought his boat and died."

I should have tempered my response with, I had some limited dinghy sailing experience and have significant power boating experience.

I also started with all the help I could get from other sailor's and started sailing in very nice weather conditions close to shore.

I don't think it's very realistic to compare sailing with flying a plane but you are quite right that if you are not careful in assessing your own skills you will likely get yourself into a great deal of trouble of the serious kind.

That being said I bought my boat n Kingston, un-stepped the mast myself. Then motored up the Trent through 44 locks unscathed. I did have a shifter linkage break in a lock but was able to fix that on the spot. I then sailed on an almost daily basis learning on my own over the past year.

I still have a lot to learn and never turn down advice. I am very carful picking my weather window as I still have much learning to do.

The truth is although I'm not recommending or advocating this approach, it can be done as long as you take baby steps to acquire your skill set and don't get cocky.

Finally, I'll probably take some lessons next year as I like to learn. I didn't take them this year because I spent a lot of cash on the boat, the survey relocation, initiation fees. I'm a man of modest means and don't have unlimited funds.

-------

I am pleased you havent died. And yes my comparison to flying was a little extreme. The thing is that we read a lot of posts like that here and none of us want to hear about people being killed. Especially due to a lack of knowledge.

One thing that is constant is "we dont know, What we dont know" . So many people have no knowledge of so many facets of the sport/lifestyle and lead themselves into disaster, simply because they didnt know how to reef properly or what a catenary curve is, let alone the complexities of it for example.

Lessons are insurance in many cases. Insurance against breaking the boat and saving lives. I remember when I did my Emergency Course some time ago. Prior to it, i had read all the books and thought I was some kind of expert. After completing the course I realized how much wasn't in the books. Especially when it comes to life-rafts- using flares- unconscious bodies etc.

Having sailed for over 30 years, internationally, competitively and commercially, I know that I still have a vacuum of information that needs to be filled. And I get filled with fear and frustration on behalf of any inexperienced person that wants to sail offshore without lessons. Hence my mix of Dismay and Sarcasm. We dont want you dead!

On a much lighter note. Congratulations on the boat and your journey so far. :-D

[Rock Knocker]

Hi Oz.

Nice to chat with you.

You'll get no argument out of me. I have been sailing on Lake Simcoe and will again next year at the very least as I've not gained the skills needed even for the North Channel never mind venturing off shore.

I advocated the OP get his feet wet, and begin the journey. I definitely did not mean to suggest that journey begin by going off shore. I think that would indeed be foolish.

Actually one of the things that attracted me to sailing over power boating was that most of the sailing community has taken the time to become knowledgeable and competent. This is something that is less universal amongst power boaters.

Anyways there is no denying that you gave very good advice. Just don't forget. The only way to gain experience is by experiencing it.

Fair Winds.
John