Our First Boat at Age 50

[KCee]

Thank you for the update, and I am glad you dreamed it, put it out there, and did it!
Still curious - did you get the Amel Maramu? How did whatever you bought hold up for you? Any other ideas if you could do it over?
Thank you for your update, I am finding it stimulating and encouraging!
KCee

[waterworldly]

Originally Posted by KCee

Thank you for the update, and I am glad you dreamed it, put it out there, and did it!
Still curious - did you get the Amel Maramu? How did whatever you bought hold up for you? Any other ideas if you could do it over?
Thank you for your update, I am finding it stimulating and encouraging!
KCee

SO, here we are in 2014, a full seven years since I started this thread. We have spent 6 years doing the NYC to Bahamas stuff, spending one full winter in NYC on Oceanaire while we traveled the Trans Siberian Railway from Paris to Beijing. We are now firmly part of the community in Bimini, where we have been for the last few years due to the continued issues in NYC with our marina there, but to Sandy. We always spend our NYC time at Chelsea Piers, it is the best location, but has wakes 24 hours a day. Our Irwin is in excellent condition, and the systems on board have been very reliable, not the "constant repair" mantra that you hear so often. The longer on the boat hte more proficient we have become on repairs etc. We now travel mainly the Bahamas and South Florida. While we don't do long distance on our boat, we do travel extensively on trains/planes, while living aboard. That's how it is seven years out We still wouldn't trade it for anything!

[Jolly Roger]

A question I can’t find asked on this long thread, or offered by the poster is:
How adept and handy are they at ship repairs? 50 years old is nothing on a boat, unless you can’t bleed a dead engine or generator, unclog a head, seal a leaking sea cock, all in ten foot seas in the middle of nowhere. In which case they might as well be 90.
If you don’t have the aptitude or inclination to learn to be a plumber, electrician, carpenter, diver, mechanical and hydraulic engineer, mountaineer, (that one will have newbie’s baffled, but not real yachties), then I would advise anyone to keep well away from the “live aboard” sailboat cruisers life.
And it’s no good having piles of money in the bank either, when you can’t get to the bank, or someone to repair the multitude of things which break down on a boat at sea. And if you are unable to become self sufficient in all these things, it’s certain you won’t have piles of money in the bank for long.

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger

A question I can’t find asked on this long thread, or offered by the poster is:
How adept and handy are they at ship repairs? 50 years old is nothing on a boat, unless you can’t bleed a dead engine or generator, unclog a head, seal a leaking sea cock, all in ten foot seas in the middle of nowhere. In which case they might as well be 90.
If you don’t have the aptitude or inclination to learn to be a plumber, electrician, carpenter, diver, mechanical and hydraulic engineer, mountaineer, (that one will have newbie’s baffled, but not real yachties), then I would advise anyone to keep well away from the “live aboard” sailboat cruisers life.
And it’s no good having piles of money in the bank either, when you can’t get to the bank, or someone to repair the multitude of things which break down on a boat at sea. And if you are unable to become self sufficient in all these things, it’s certain you won’t have piles of money in the bank for long.

Hence the "Port of Broken Dreams" mentioned in the posts above, from 2007.

Ann

[settlednomad]

An old thread but still so very apt today.

I am in a similar position, though no business to sell to net me a fortune. My house has just sold, I have bought a '94 Moody 336 in Greece at a decent price and will move aboard in March of next year.

Interesting to read people's comments about learning to sail on smaller craft, dinghies and the like. I have never used one or messed about on one. My sailing experience started on a Jeanneau 37 back in 2004. After completing a week of competent crew I went on to the 'crewseekers' website and got myself on a 15-day sail from Scotland to the Azores. Several courses and a Trans-Atlantic crossing later and here I am. I still wouldn't have a clue in a little dinghy! I am also mid-forties, fit as a fiddle and looking for the life-long adventure (and to fulfil my dream which started the day I set foot on that Jeanneau!).

As with most things, if you've the drive and determination there isn't an awful lot we can't achieve...

[waterworldly]

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger

A question I can’t find asked on this long thread, or offered by the poster is:
How adept and handy are they at ship repairs? 50 years old is nothing on a boat, unless you can’t bleed a dead engine or generator, unclog a head, seal a leaking sea cock, all in ten foot seas in the middle of nowhere. In which case they might as well be 90.
If you don’t have the aptitude or inclination to learn to be a plumber, electrician, carpenter, diver, mechanical and hydraulic engineer, mountaineer, (that one will have newbie’s baffled, but not real yachties), then I would advise anyone to keep well away from the “live aboard” sailboat cruisers life.
And it’s no good having piles of money in the bank either, when you can’t get to the bank, or someone to repair the multitude of things which break down on a boat at sea. And if you are unable to become self sufficient in all these things, it’s certain you won’t have piles of money in the bank for long.

One thing is for sure, cheap fixes are just that, cheap. WE found that if we repair at the highest quality, that repair will not reappear. I see many that patch and hope, that is a formula for frustration and failure.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger

A question I can’t find asked on this long thread, or offered by the poster is:
How adept and handy are they at ship repairs? 50 years old is nothing on a boat, unless you can’t bleed a dead engine or generator, unclog a head, seal a leaking sea cock, all in ten foot seas in the middle of nowhere. In which case they might as well be 90.
If you don’t have the aptitude or inclination to learn to be a plumber, electrician, carpenter, diver, mechanical and hydraulic engineer, mountaineer, (that one will have newbie’s baffled, but not real yachties), then I would advise anyone to keep well away from the “live aboard” sailboat cruisers life.
And it’s no good having piles of money in the bank either, when you can’t get to the bank, or someone to repair the multitude of things which break down on a boat at sea. And if you are unable to become self sufficient in all these things, it’s certain you won’t have piles of money in the bank for long.

So very true... unfortunate but real. You can buy a used car and travel around the whole country with likely no issues at all. But it isnt like that on a boat.
I've met people who weren't mechanically inclined who tried to cruise. One family bought a boat, was out only a few months, anchored in the least logical spot, was exposed to wind waves all night, lost their primary anchor and chain etc. We went to help early the next am. Snorkeled for an hour and finally found their gear for them. The chain was all rusty, the shackle was really bad. He asked about other things on the boat, when we looked the wiring was a rats nest... everything was that way. he believed everything the seller told him. He just didn't get how to maintain or improve things ... "a stitch in time saves nine" comes to mind.
The really weird thing is he was a high school industrial arts teacher!
They went back to the US shortly after that incident.

[jobberone]

Go while you can but go safely. Really experienced sailors can sail a 50 footer by themselves if equipped for it but most people need 2. And you might consider 3 or more for a long passage. Take some courses and spend some time on the sea before making a purchase.

[waterworldly]

Well, kids, lets fast forward 3 more years.

After a heartbreaking decision, but one that had to be made, we have put our lovely yacht up for sale. She is listed at Denison Yachts under 52' Irwin in Fort Lauderdale (we still live aboard), her name is Oceanaire. We will be moving full time to Budapest, yes Budapest. But that is another story . . . .

We have taken extremely good care of her, and sailed her over 25000 miles. The choice had nothing to do with the boat. If you have any questions, please leave PM me here. For our money, it would be hard to find a better cruiser/liveaboard, from our dual refrigeration to ample generator, to bow thruster, watermaker and non clogable (yes!) toilets, this is a superior cruising yacht, fully equipped and in excellent condition throughout. Reduced asking price is $350,000. She is ready to sail away, and I know people say this, but it is really true!

We also own a wonderful floating concrete t-head dock in Bimini that is for sale.

[Suijin]

Originally Posted by waterworldly

Well, kids, lets fast forward 3 more years.

After a heartbreaking decision, but one that had to be made, we have put our lovely yacht up for sale. She is listed at Denison Yachts under 52' Irwin in Fort Lauderdale (we still live aboard), her name is Oceanaire. We will be moving full time to Budapest, yes Budapest. But that is another story . . . .

We have taken extremely good care of her, and sailed her over 25000 miles. The choice had nothing to do with the boat. If you have any questions, please leave PM me here. For our money, it would be hard to find a better cruiser/liveaboard, from our dual refrigeration to ample generator, to bow thruster, watermaker and non clogable (yes!) toilets, this is a superior cruising yacht, fully equipped and in excellent condition throughout. Reduced asking price is $350,000. She is ready to sail away, and I know people say this, but it is really true!

We also own a wonderful floating concrete t-head dock in Bimini that is for sale.

Gorgeous looking boat! Where do you stow the buddha and the jaguar when you're under way?

The price raised my eyebrows for a 1980 boat but I guess it does not hurt to ask. She certainly looks to be in amazing condition. Best of luck for quick and painless sale.