Everyone Thinks I'm Nuts - Help!

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by twisty

I am really warming up to the catamaran idea though, if it wasn't going to freaking snow tomorrow I would be headed up the island to talk to a friend of a friend who has one and get a good look at it. Damn snow. I can't wait to get on my boat and get away from this crap!

Good plan.

Snow? What's that. Here is last Saturday's twilight race. 17 knots and 26 DegC.

My partner is sailing with the genny well furled as he had some new members on board including thier 5 and 2 year olds. It is still smokin' along for our little boat.

I was crewing for another couple.

[Jolly Roger]

The best advice so far is to get some sailing in. But I would caution that messing about in twenty five footers from a school is not the same as owning a fifty something footer, and looking after it yourself. I’m not a doom sayer, I did what you want to do at your age, but I’m a strong six foot sailor with years of experience, and seen a lot of it. For instance, you talk glibly about “staying on the hook” most of the time. Well, a fifty foot motor boat needs some heavy ground tackle and is not an easy thing to anchor securely. What will you do when the wind pipes up at 3am and the rain is horizontal, and she starts to drag? Then the winch quits because the batteries are low? Within minutes you could be in very serious trouble, even in the ICW, and you can’t motor around all night dragging your anchor. You definitely need to get something, which is manageable for your strength, sail or power, but a 50 odd foot motor boat ain’t it!

[Tourmaline]

Here's some information on Biodiesel from Robert Rapier's weblog R Squared: Robert has a Masters in Chemical Engineering and has worked in both conventional oil industry and the alternate energy segments.


What is Biodiesel?

"Biodiesel is defined as the mono-alkyl ester product derived from lipid feedstock like Straight Vegetable Oil (SVO) or animal fats (Knothe 2001). The chemical structure is distinctly different from petroleum diesel, and biodiesel has somewhat different physical and chemical properties from petroleum diesel...

More at:
http://i-r-squared.blogspot.com/

[twisty]

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger

The best advice so far is to get some sailing in. But I would caution that messing about in twenty five footers from a school is not the same as owning a fifty something footer, and looking after it yourself. I’m not a doom sayer, I did what you want to do at your age, but I’m a strong six foot sailor with years of experience, and seen a lot of it. For instance, you talk glibly about “staying on the hook” most of the time. Well, a fifty foot motor boat needs some heavy ground tackle and is not an easy thing to anchor securely. What will you do when the wind pipes up at 3am and the rain is horizontal, and she starts to drag? Then the winch quits because the batteries are low? Within minutes you could be in very serious trouble, even in the ICW, and you can’t motor around all night dragging your anchor. You definitely need to get something, which is manageable for your strength, sail or power, but a 50 odd foot motor boat ain’t it!

I heif around hundred lb boxes of fish all day remember.. LOL But I get what you are saying.


Well first of all I don't know yet, I have a funny feeling I will surely be in a simular situation at some point or another to find out though. second if I am out there with a low battery knowing that pulling the anchor, heat(its snowing here for the first time in six year, its the first thing that came to mind) or any other essentials are dependent on it for my safety I prolly should rethink the lifestyle in general.

Would you jump in a race car having never driven one before and hit speeds of 150 or better without a harness? Helmet? Some kind of idea of what you need to do to ensure your safety? No. Neither would I. But thats not to say I don't see people do it everyday, so I get what your saying.

[Mark424]

Pick up a copy of Pascoe's book - "Mid Sized Power Boats"
Book: Mid Size Power Boats - ISBN: 0965649636 - by David Pascoe, Marine Surveyor

He's very opinionated and you might not agree with everything, but it's a must read for anyone in the market - I'd even argue there is value for those looking at sailboats as well.

[Hudson Force]

Twisty, I'm on a sailboat and sailing is great, but if you're not "into" it, it may not be part of your dream. What concerns me is the "I need my space" requirements and the 50+ length boat. I propose that you find out just what this space is that you need. Much of what we require as space is a physical separation and not necessarily cubic feet. When my wife and I bought our first liveaboard boat in 1971 I thought we could not survive on anything less than 45', but we spent six months living in a blocked off portion of a small trailer to test our capabilities. We had two chilkdren to ages 7 and 9 n a 33' boat and kept them as teenagers on our 41' ketch. A smaller living space does not mean fewer separate compartments. Look at where you live now and discount all those areas that you only pass through to get from one location to another or those places that you only go to to dust and clean. Choose well, because it can be a choice that gives you the freedom that comes with living far beneath your means! 'take care and joy, Aythya crew

[bastonjock]

Hi Twisty

There are a few drawbacks to Bio diesel,firstly its viscocity is greater than diesel so it can blow rubber seals on fuel pumps,some of the older fuel pumps just cant take the extra pressure.

If you can secure a supply of used veggy oil then bio diesel is a green fuel,its not difficult to make but you will need somewhere to store 25 gallon drums of the stuff as it takes a day or three to make.

As to using off the shelf never been cooked in veggy oil then bio looses its Green tag,the reasons are that Certain governments are forcing native tribes out of their rain forrests in order to clear the land so that they can plant Palm nut trees to make veggy oil,so if you are okay with making folks homeless then off the shelf can be used,i stopped running my truck on bio for that option

The price of veggy oil is pegged with the price of diesel,when diesel hit $13.00 a gallon over here,veggy oil went up to about $40.00 for 3.8 gallons,when it went down,veggy oil dropped to $30.00,when you add all of the hassle of making the stuff and the cost of ethanol unless you can get free used oil,the financial gain is minimal

Cheapest and greenest are sails

best of luck on your dreams,i am envious

[highseas]

You need two fuel tanks and a 2 way valve ,to start on regular diesel, when engine is warm you switch valve over to biodiesel,then before shutting engine off you turn back valve to fill fuel intake system with reg. diesel.

[swabbmob]

I am changing my view - don't try sailing. You won't like it. It will be a miserable experience.

[Whimsical]

Originally Posted by twisty

It an idea definitely!
As for dropping boat units I am not your average woman, I don't come into the dock crying that I need a mechanic, I fix it myself. If you don't believe me you should talk to the parts manager at my local marine supply store and ask him about me rebuilding the Johnson 50 spl outboard last summer.

I am the queen of innovation, love working on motors, I know my way around a toolbox, plumbed the bathroom of our current residence, even passed inspections first time around. I have built a race car on my own, that means started with a bare chassis wired it, plumbed it, rebuilt the motor that went into it, tore the rearend out of it when I blew it up, all of this by myself, and then I raced it for two years, successfully. I managed an auto parts store for many years, even built houses at one point. Now being only 5'3" and 110lbs soaking wet I have a few limitations which is where you should revert to the line about being the queen of innovation.
Any questions?

I think I am in love
Only one question are you any good with epoxy

No your not nuts go for it
I would second the cat

Mike

[twisty]

Originally Posted by highseas

You need two fuel tanks and a 2 way valve ,to start on regular diesel, when engine is warm you switch valve over to biodiesel,then before shutting engine off you turn back valve to fill fuel intake system with reg. diesel.

That is correct. I believe what my head boat friend is doing is he has a 50 gal "starter tank" that he uses exactly as you described.

[twisty]

Originally Posted by Whimsical

I think I am in love
Only one question are you any good with epoxy

No your not nuts go for it
I would second the cat

Mike

I have to leave a few things to the imagination... I am, after all still a woman

[forsailbyowner]

If cruising the ditch , I just wonder the need for two large diesels for propulsion. I was working on a thompson 44 that had 2 cummins sixes , his cruising speed was around eight knots. My 33 has a single perkins 50 that cruises at 7 knots. It would seem Ideal to find a boat or customize it so it was taking full advantage of the fuel it uses, especially when on a limited budget. At $1200 a month wed be living high on the hog with our setup. We spend way less than that. Only using marinas once a month, being frugal and eating out seldom we usually arent lacking anything on half that. As for needing room its all a matter of perspective. When we first moved out of the house my wife brought a truckload down everytime we went to the boat. Most of it ended up in the dumpster or given away after a while when reality set in. Weve learned not to be a slave to our "stuff" and found out theres plenty of room for us in our 33' boat and that includes carrying around a complete canvas shop with inventory. After you move around and try to store the stuff over and over its a relief to finally get rid of it.

[Pblais]

If cruising the ditch , I just wonder the need for two large diesels for propulsion.

If you want to do 15 knots then it would be required. The fuel efficiency gets a bit over the top but as much as power boaters complain about fuel prices it's not keeping the big boats in port. Fuel is a big cost but it's not all the rest of the costs.

We have a Westerbeke 62 I can do just under 8 knots on flat water and 6 if there is heavy chop on the nose. The fuel efficiency is cut in half when I don't require high speed against strong waves. It's more like 1 gallon / hour vs 3/4. In dollars it is meaningless against all the rest of the costs. It's not the same with a power boat but they don't pay $7K for a new set of sails and the associated hardware either.

Boating is not cheap when going long distances under any scenario. There is always the "being there" costs too. How one chooses to live adds or subtracts from that. You are what you used to be follows more closely than what type of boat you own. people also change.

Good friends are in Portugal on their CSY 33. They have a great deal where they are and are enjoying themselves greatly and have been for about 5 years. Who is to say you are not happy if you really are? It's a state of mind in a frame of reference. You can change a lot of it if you choose to. Not everyone is the same. Extra space means extra money.

[BadFish]

Twisty, I have been resisting this thread for some time now, but the numbers of replies are rivaling that of the Barack Obama thread, and I can no longer hold out.

So... IMHO,

First, A 54' boat is a little big for two people. I'm not saying that you couldn't handle it, I'm saying that you don't need it. I really think that you will be much happier on a smaller boat.

Second, As a relatively young man myself, an extended voyage with a 18 y/o could be unpleasant. I believe (IMHO again), that a man at that age needs to be out learning about himself, chasing women (or men if he's into that), and finding his own adventures. Regardless of how awesome of a kid he may be, there will be tension. You will get sick of each other. He will get bored. A young man needs to get out and meet and have fun with people his own age, and it's hard to do when you're hangin with your mom (no offense).

Third, and the point I really wanted to get across: Since ya own a seafood market, can ya ship me any: Mahi, Ahi, Ono, Yellowfin, Bluefin, Seabass, Clams, Crabs, Lobsters, Mussels, Oysters, or Scallops? I'm really in a seafood craze, here in the dead of Pittsburgh winter.

Anyway, congrats on your mechanical and other self-sufficient skills, that's awesome. You def got a good plan, keep with it and don't let anyone scare ya away.

But seriously... Can I get some fresh seafood?

Cheers

Bill