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Tolvstad · 10-12-2015, 07:29

Greetings!!

My wife and I have been interested in sailing for several years now. We are landlocked up here in South Dakota but are planning a trip around the first of the year to head down to Florida and check out a few boats and hopefully meet people that live aboard and sail. If you would be interested in having a cup of coffee or a beverage with a couple of green horns trying to learn, please give us a shout! We are anxious to learn more and meet new friends.

Randy and Joni

Privleoplag · 10-12-2015, 08:21

Good for you, neighbor. We're in N Dakota. Sounds like my wife and I talking about 6 years ago. Drove all over looking at boats. For the last 4 years during the winters we've been sailing all over. It's been good. Maybe I can help you with your questions. I'd be happy to.

exMaggieDrum · 10-12-2015, 08:32

If you are ever in Anacortes, WA, get in touch. Good luck.

Tolvstad · 10-12-2015, 09:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Privleoplag

Good for you, neighbor. We're in N Dakota. Sounds like my wife and I talking about 6 years ago. Drove all over looking at boats. For the last 4 years during the winters we've been sailing all over. It's been good. Maybe I can help you with your questions. I'd be happy to.

I am glad to hear someone else has been down this path. Do you live on your boat full time or just when the snow starts blowing around North Dakota? Where are you sailing now?

Tolvstad · 10-12-2015, 09:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by exMaggieDrum

If you are ever in Anacortes, WA, get in touch. Good luck.

Thanks, matter of fact we are contemplating a charter for a week or so out of Bellingham next June or July. If we go I will give you a shout!

EmilyClar · 10-12-2015, 09:27

You are so brave guys! I'm really impressed. I have no courage to do something like this but keep my fingers crossed.

Privleoplag · 10-12-2015, 11:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tolvstad

I am glad to hear someone else has been down this path. Do you live on your boat full time or just when the snow starts blowing around North Dakota? Where are you sailing now?

I purchased a boat with the charter company Moorings.. so we live on the boat anywhere from 6 weeks to a few weeks at a time. The Moorings says up to 12 weeks of use a year, but it's difficult to make that work, we usually do about 8, maybe 10 weeks, not always on our boat but usually a boat identical to ours, and not always where ours is located. Lot's of places to use Moorings boats. We have upsized and used some larger catamarans a few times. Hey, now if you end up buying a boat with the Moorings, put us down as a reference

.

Our boat comes out of charter service this summer (the end of a 5 year contract) and then the plan is to take full possession of it and use it as our winter home.

Back before we bought in with the Moorings, I drove 10's of 1000's of miles looking at used boats, of all the boats I saw only one met my expectations as far as the shape it was in but it was not the boat I was looking for, all the other boats were junk, poorly cared for, and needed a lot of work. So, even after swearing I would not buy a charter boat or sign in with a charter company, I felt it was the best way to get a boat as new as I would like, and in the shape I would like (not needing any work to bring it up to snuff), and that would meet my budget. Plus, I was looking for an owners version in the 37-42' range and the Moorings had just the ticket.. a leopard 39. I was leaning towards the smaller cats in that range too to keep mooring and haul out fees, paints, and repair costs lower.

It's a little late now.. but if you had time to go sailing, I have owners time that I can't use up this year.. would have sold it real reasonable or taken folks along for a bit of cost sharing. We did just get back before Thanksgiving from a month on the boat, but after coming home last year Dec. 16th my wife has said never again on being gone that close to Christmas.

Going with the Moorings has worked out real well for us.. it's not for everyone but sure was good for us, especially coming from a non-sailing, non-cruising background. I'm a bit nervous about taking it out of charter, but it's time to go a bit more full time cruising during the winters.

Fred

tdh1849 · 11-12-2015, 10:15

Just a suggestion, but look up " Hillsborough Inlet Sailing Club" located in Ft. Lauderdale and drop them a line. I am a former member of 15 years standing and know that they will welcome you to a meeting and gladly help you any way they can.

captstu · 11-12-2015, 10:58

If you get to the Pslm Beach/Ft. Lauderdale area, drop me a PM - lived on board for years and can share some experiences.

Tolvstad · 11-12-2015, 21:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdh1849

Just a suggestion, but look up " Hillsborough Inlet Sailing Club" located in Ft. Lauderdale and drop them a line. I am a former member of 15 years standing and know that they will welcome you to a meeting and gladly help you any way they can.

Thanks, I will check them out.

Canibul · 12-12-2015, 05:05

second owner of our boat was from Spearfish SD. He bought the boat to sail across the Atlantic. Something on his lifetime bucket list, I guess. From what I can tell doing repair forensics, he was a machinist rather than a woodworker, electrician, or plumber. But he wanted to sail across the ocean, Which he did, over to Ireland, and back. Then sold the boat to the third owner, who sold it to us.

Good luck!

redhead · 12-12-2015, 06:47

When you get to Bellingham drop us a line. We're always there for the chandleries. Coffee at the Web Locker's on us!

goat · 12-12-2015, 07:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by EmilyClar

You are so brave guys! I'm really impressed. I have no courage to do something like this but keep my fingers crossed.

They're just going on a vacation to feel the waters, try out a few boats, see if the life is for them. I bet you could do that.

goat

Tolvstad · 13-12-2015, 20:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canibul

second owner of our boat was from Spearfish SD. He bought the boat to sail across the Atlantic. Something on his lifetime bucket list, I guess. From what I can tell doing repair forensics, he was a machinist rather than a woodworker, electrician, or plumber. But he wanted to sail across the ocean, Which he did, over to Ireland, and back. Then sold the boat to the third owner, who sold it to us.

Good luck!

Small world I guess!! What kind of boat was it?