So I bought a boat...

[redhead]

Congrats on your new boat - for the price of that boat you bought more than a boat. You'll learn, you'll grin, you'll tell stories, make loads of new friends.

Have a ball!

[MrReedatsea]

A lot can go wrong just staying at home, yes? Isn't it the "what ifs" that make it an adventure?

[Cadence]

Grats! Enjoy her. Get towing, sailing into a slip is a bitch or worse yet the towing if you didn't get insurance.

Oops. you said island does insurance exist there?

[Dave22q]

Originally Posted by Lizzy Belle

You can stay on / near shore for years, and still lots and lots can (and will) go wrong when you finally leave.

I know, we are supposed to prepare for so long we're lucky to be healthy enough by the time we have the perfect boat, all the bells and whistles and learned to sail the oceans while never leaving the marina

But that's not the only way, just one way of (not) doing it.

Problems don't care where your boat is located but you generally far better off if you are an hour from shore rather than half a day or more. They tend to come to light over time. A month of familiarization may not catch all issues but it will improve your odds by a lot over 10 days. Similarly repairs on the road are generally more expensive than in your home port where you know people. There is a world of difference between waiting for perfection and what I think is reasonable familiarization. I still believe that 10 days is not enough.

[Don C L]

OK, as a fellow middle school science and math teacher, who also has 25, no, actually 27 years into it, I say welcome to the club! Yeah something snapped in me too that I had to get back to the sea in my OWN boat. Yes we know... it's smarter to charter... but, well, I am sure you understand the difference now. Congratulations and by the way I am very jealous that you all get sabbaticals out there! And if Lizzy doesn't get your sails, let me know their dimensions! (But yes they will last a very long time if kept out of the sun so you are better off keeping them in storage.)

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Don C L

OK, as a fellow middle school science and math teacher, who also has 25, no, actually 27 years into it, I say welcome to the club! Yeah something snapped in me too that I had to get back to the sea in my OWN boat. Yes we know... it's smarter to charter... but, well, I am sure you understand the difference now. Congratulations and by the way I am very jealous that you all get sabbaticals out there! And if Lizzy doesn't get your sails, let me know their dimensions! (But yes they will last a very long time if kept out of the sun so you are better off keeping them in storage.)

How do you people put up with middle school brats that long?

[Lizzy Belle]

Originally Posted by Don C L

And if Lizzy doesn't get your sails

Hahaha!
I don't want them, it was a joke If at all possible, the OP needs to keep them - he'll be so happy he did only too soon.

[YachtBroker]

Congrats on your purchase. I know the Oday 322 really well. I've sold a bunch of those over the past 33 years and they were well decently built.

Just do not have the rig over tensioned because this boat was one of the first boats that Oday built like this that had rod stays (from the mast rigging attachments at the deck) inside the boat to a grid system inside. The grid was not a beefy as it could be or maybe it was too beefy because if you over tensioned the rig you could actually put dimples in the hull. Otherwise a nice boat and decent sailor. I would be concerned about getting towed in from a test sail. If the fuel is old I'd have it removed and replaced. I also agree with other posters here, I'd get down and spend a week on the boat sailing around marco first before just taking off for the bahamas. Then again Marathon is a long over night sail and you could do any repairs there.

We may may run into you on our trip down from Ft Myers where I keep my boat on our way to Dry Tortugas in late may as we plan to stop at Marco on the way down.

[MrReedatsea]

I actually enjoy the middle school aged kids. They are at such a wide range developmentally and that keeps things interesting. Teaching science is a big plus because let's face it, it's the most fun subject in school! It also helps that I've coached wrestling for the same 25 years I've been teaching. Ours is the smallest and poorest school in the county and I have the most wrestlers and when a large percentage of the boys are on the team, it cuts WAY down on discipline issues in class.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by MrReedatsea

I actually enjoy the middle school aged kids. They are at such a wide range developmentally and that keeps things interesting. Teaching science is a big plus because let's face it, it's the most fun subject in school! It also helps that I've coached wrestling for the same 25 years I've been teaching. Ours is the smallest and poorest school in the county and I have the most wrestlers and when a large percentage of the boys are on the team, it cuts WAY down on discipline issues in class.

Grats! You seem to have reached a connection with the kids. Coaching is probably a plus. It just seems like any type of respect is a thing on yore.

Don't decide to teach in SC.

[cp1]

I remember what another captain used to say...

The sea finds out everything you did wrong.

As others said take the time to learn about the boat, the waters, and yourself.

Cheers Mate,

[Kadukuguam]

Originally Posted by MrReedatsea

I posted previously that after 25 years as a middle school science teacher and wrestling coach, I've taken a year-long sabbatical to go sailing. Last weekend I traveled to Marco Island for a professional survey and sea trial on a 1989 O'Day 322.

There were a couple issues (including being towed back to the dock at one point) but long story short, we've reached an agreement and I'll close on March 28th. I'll then have 10 days or so to sail her around in preparation for heading to the islands in early June when school lets out.

Again, what could go wrong?

Uh, that's typhoon season here.

[SV. Gwenhidwy]

Congrats on your boat. Now go enjoy yourself. Who knows? Your year off may turn into an early retirement!

[Ribbit]

Originally Posted by MrReedatsea

A lot can go wrong just staying at home, yes? Isn't it the "what ifs" that make it an adventure?

That is so true! The day before yesterday, the borrowed time that an eye operation gave me, ran out, and I can now officially wear an eye patch (just waiting for some to be delivered, so I can get a leather one custom made - you can't even get semi proper ones from Chemists over here now - must be some quirky EU regulation or something).

All I need now, is my leg to fall off to be replaced by a pegleg, and a parrot, and I'm good to go!

You have to work really hard to get extra adventures fitted into a lifespan.

Conga rats on the boat! Well done.

[alansmith]

Mr Reed, happy 4 u. Please, sir, check that engine thing a little deeper. I hope they r telling u the truth. Check the engine oil and make sure u don't have water in your crankcase. Check the diesel filters and see what u r dealing with there. It could be more insidious than u r being given to believe. Who knows who this mechanic is related to? Look, I just don't want your sabbatical to be destroyed dealing with a messed up engine and lots of coins going perplunk. Be vigilant and u will have piece of mind that u gave it an honest look.