How big is too big for a first boat novice sailor? And my little dreams

[justshane]

I dismissed the 83. Went through it and it was decent but I lifted up the Hull panels and there was about 30gallons of diesel in there.
The 91 I checked out was solid and imo has more appeal than the 07 460. Dropped an offer, waiting to hear back.

[justshane]

Okay guys this is what it is down to, 1991 tayana 52 in good condition or a 1974 Hudson force 50 in very well maintained condition, the Hudson belongs to a member here that has used it and circumnavigated many times. From what I can tell it's been meticulously cared for and the owner seems like a decent stand up guy which goes a long way in my book.
Hudson is asking 98
Tayana will sell for 180

[justshane]

Decided on... None of the above. I'm going to just wait it out for the year and get some sail time in with my friends and go from there. I don't want to be stuck with either a loan or a lot of issues

[SailingFan]

Originally Posted by justshane

Decided on... None of the above. I'm going to just wait it out for the year and get some sail time in with my friends and go from there. I don't want to be stuck with either a loan or a lot of issues

That is an EXCELLENT decision. Having a loan on a boat can be troubling to be sure. They depreciate so rapidly that the boat may expire before the loan does!

When I took delivery of my Hunter, a man on the same dock was telling me that he took a loan on his 70+ foot boat that he was cruising back and forth between Daytona and his home grounds in the Northeast US and just paying interest on the loan until he died. He had retired, and figured that when he died the bank would get the boat back and he was clean. I don't know why he thought I would think that was a great idea, but you never know about people. He seemed an ok guy to me until he told me that was his sailing plan and how he was going to afford to keep and maintain the vessel. I think he even had a maintenance plan that worked through his bank, or maybe through the cost he "paid" for the vessel from the selling organization, so that he did not have to do the maintenance himself and the note covered it.

I just though..."wow"... and continued jury rigging my sails up and checking the motor...

[jmac9365]

Originally Posted by justshane

And by novice I mean I've been on a boat once or twice and I still giggle at poop deck.
Now that my extensive resume is out of the way here's what I'm looking at.
I'm in the market for a live aboard boat that I can circumnavigate around the world. I plan on living in it full time.
I'm in an expensive area right now and it's either I spend 30k on rent for the next 9 months or I invest into motor sail and live on that while I'm here and learn to sail in the mean time. I know, it's a big task going from a know nothing to trying to sail across the globe but I'm up for the challenge. I plan on leaving when the time is right.

So the size question, I'm 6'2 and I like a little space, especially if I'll be living on board with a S/O. I'm looking at a nice Hudson Force 50, it has the space and the style. From what I understand it has had extensive work done to it, in the 400k range, so it obviously wasn't always a gem, I've followed some of the work done on their blog. I've read a lot of the love/hate regarding the teaks and leaks, I would get a survey done before hand obviously but I'm wondering if this is TOO big in the experts opinions for a first time sailor? I'm looking at this like anything else, I don't like to buy on a budget just to upgrade later. I'd like to grow with this. It's 35 years old but I see much older boats out there still kicking it with the kids.
The boat is pretty much everything I want at a glance, just needs a water maker, some solar and a little interior refurbishing to make it perfect.
As for the large space, I have equipment that I need to move with me, mountain bikes, boards, scuba gear and about 2 pairs of pants and some flip flops, as well as a S.O and a son that I would love to take on trips in the future.

I've never sailed but I will take a few courses and spend the next 8 or 9 months working on my knowledge/skill as well as with friends who are avid sailors to help me learn what I need to.

If you want space..for that price you could get e nice size catamaran...check out lagoon 440

[danielamartindm]

Learn to walk before you try to run. Live-aboard, or even sailing, is a learning curve that each of us crafts to fit who we are and what we want. Move toward your dream in steps. Learn to sail. Decide where you WANT to sail, buy a boat that will take you there, and then go. It's a process that you can't map out in its entirety from the get-go because YOU will age and change as it plays out. Fair winds, and following seas.

[Tetepare]

How big is too big for a novice? Anything bigger than a Sunfish.

Back in my auto racing days at driving schools there was nothing scarier than the neophyte with a new 450hp Corvette or Porsche GT3.

Boats are the same. Nothing worse than a tyro with a new, big boat. "But my first boat was a 50 footer!" is a common boast. Great. It's generally the novices with big boats that bounce them off other boats while docking, drag anchor, can't spring to a dock properly, take the whole 100' dock for a 40' boat, anchor too close, run aground, motor dies, have to call USCG or BoatUS in light winds because they can't adjust sails properly, etc. And that's the sailboats- power boats are far worse.

My first boat had oars. I was so excited to get a 4.5hp; the later 9.5hp could actually get the boat on plane. Meanwhile, I spent every weekend on small sailboats, crammed in with two parents, four kids, and two dogs. My first sailboat of my own was 16' and was without engine.

There's more to sailing than starting the motor and raising sails. One should be able to read weather (meaning look at clouds, wind and wave, not read the internet report), use paper charts (hey, BTW, what's the magnetic declination where you are now?), use the friggin' VHF properly, keep lines out of the water (and prop), launch and land a boat from a dock in the wind using lines to swing the boat, bleed the diesel, where and how to set an anchor (for fun I sometimes approach a mooring area, stop, literally throw a Fortress and watch reactions), reef the main (sure, just run the line through all those little eyelets), know what colors on buoys mean, etc.

The above doesn't have to be accomplished at once, in fact it's impossible. But starting small and working up ensures that it will be learned as needed so that one does go to a larger boat, one is truly prepared.

A few years ago I was in a crowded anchorage when a 35' sailboat came in with two mid-aged males onboard. The dropped anchor smack in the middle, and were told to move. So they moved maybe 10'. Over the next hour they re-anchored no fewer than a half dozen times....then left. Ten minutes later another 35' shows up, single male of about 22 years old. He glided up to the same spot the previous gents tried to use, and anchored. His calmness, his movements gave away that he was well experienced. Nobody batted an eye. Later I inquired about him, and was told he'd inherited the boat, and that he'd grown up on it. Now the two guys- who clearly had little experience- probably chalked up their experience to unfriendly neighbors and bad bottom...wasn't their fault. But those with experience can see the difference.

Powerboats? Anything more than a 12' fishing boat with a 10hp is too big. I am no fan of government oversight, but damn, everyone who wants to buy a powerboat over 12' should take the USCG Captain's course (or equivalent.) Nothing worse than a successful C level exec who decides to spend a half million on his first boat.

[daysgoneby]

Originally Posted by dkroar

Check out this website: Marine Survey 101
Marine Survey 101, Do your own marine survey

This will help with what you should be looking for on an older sailboat. In addition to gaining knowledge, a competent surveyor/survey is always a must before buying.

I'll add to this
Basic Marine Electrical - Part 1 of 6

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHZtYFH-0Pc

[lesterbutch]

Somewhere along the line, someone told me I should buy the boat I wanted to sail, regardless of size, and learn on that boat! I did that, I bought a 37' Irwin ketch, and sailed it out of the yard in Md. right to Ct. arriving three days later in the Mystic river. Not one of the five people aboard had ever sailed before. It's called on the job training! That was 45 years and a whole lot of water under the keel ago. I now have a 35' Pearson sloop the same age as the Irwin! While the Irwin made 42 crossings between S.Fl. and the Bahamas, we are yet to cross in the Pearson.