Getting Started on a Liveabroad cruiser

[tomq60]

Hi there I am new to the forum and inspired by many Youtube liveabroad sailors My partner and I have decided to start planning to attempt something similar over the years to come.
I would love it if I could get some advice on where to start.
My sailing knowledge is limited so if anyone could recommend resources on how to start learning how to sail well would be greatly appreciated.

I was thinking Europe would be the best place to buy a boat as it gives us options of easier sailing to learn the trick of the trade before potentially attempting an Atlantic crossing. I also do not have a lot of knowledge on the type of boats that would suit us, I see a lot of people using 38-43' Beneteau makes, is this the kind of boat that could be used to circumnavigate the world? I would love to hear your advice and recommendations.

What would you expect monthly costs to be for a couple sailing through the Mediterranean, cooking own meals with plenty of fishing, using an anchor majority of the time and using public transport on land ?

Any input/advice would be greatly appreciated

Cheers Tom

[PortClydeMe]

Originally Posted by tomq60

Hi there I am new to the forum and inspired by many Youtube liveabroad sailors My partner and I have decided to start planning to attempt something similar over the years to come.
I would love it if I could get some advice on where to start.
My sailing knowledge is limited so if anyone could recommend resources on how to start learning how to sail well would be greatly appreciated.

I was thinking Europe would be the best place to buy a boat as it gives us options of easier sailing to learn the trick of the trade before potentially attempting an Atlantic crossing. I also do not have a lot of knowledge on the type of boats that would suit us, I see a lot of people using 38-43' Beneteau makes, is this the kind of boat that could be used to circumnavigate the world? I would love to hear your advice and recommendations.

What would you expect monthly costs to be for a couple sailing through the Mediterranean, cooking own meals with plenty of fishing, using an anchor majority of the time and using public transport on land ?

Any input/advice would be greatly appreciated

Cheers Tom

I don't have time today, as a proper detailed response would fill around 15 pages.

But, I do have two questions:

1) What inspires you? Tropical weather? Sailing? Beaches?
2) How will you cover the cost? Savings? Other plan?

Cheers

[tp12]

Originally Posted by PortClydeMe

I don't have time today, as a proper detailed response would fill around 15 pages.

Or maybe take some time out from your 500 posts, of the same content, in the YouTube thread and add some value here instead?

[emoji6][emoji51]

Sorry, I couldn't resist the opportunity you laid up on a platter and I hope you take it in the humorous slant intended...

[Seagirt]

Last year I had similar questions to yours (partly triggered by SV Delos) and less experience so I bought an inexpensive 25' boat. It is a simple boat but is teaching me the sailing basics. It is large enough to do extended trips to get a taste of cruising. Time will tell if it was the right move but I'm definitely further ahead than if I'd taken years to just research books, forums, and videos.

Good luck!

[KJB]

Research. Research. Research.

Then:

Start doing something.

Then:

You will eventually answer many of your own questions.

This is how I got started, and I'm certain many others. Make sure you have your finances covered, and best to you.

[tomq60]

Originally Posted by PortClydeMe

I don't have time today, as a proper detailed response would fill around 15 pages.

But, I do have two questions:

1) What inspires you? Tropical weather? Sailing? Beaches?
2) How will you cover the cost? Savings? Other plan?

Cheers

1) I guess we are inspired by escaping the working drag and putting ourselves in the challenge of a lifetime, while also seeing some of the remote islands of the world. We are also very inspired by the ability of crossing oceans in your own home using the power of wind!
2) Still a bit unsure about the whole costs of things, assuming that we purchase a boat at around $100,000-125,000 AUD and live off around $1500-2000 a month (really unsure if this is a realistic price) we could probably purchase the boat out of savings and live on our passive incomes

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Tom.

[PortClydeMe]

Originally Posted by tomq60

1) I guess we are inspired by escaping the working drag and putting ourselves in the challenge of a lifetime, while also seeing some of the remote islands of the world. We are also very inspired by the ability of crossing oceans in your own home using the power of wind!
2) Still a bit unsure about the whole costs of things, assuming that we purchase a boat at around $100,000-125,000 AUD and live off around $1500-2000 a month (really unsure if this is a realistic price) we could probably purchase the boat out of savings and live on our passive incomes

That's very cool. I wish you both happiness and fair winds.

[bjymd]

First things first:
Take a week long live aboard sailing course together to see if living in a rolling wet closet is what you really want to do. Then you will know if you like sailing, and if you like each other sailing. You need to do the equivalent of a bareboat certificate and potentially passage making to get some basic skills. Sure, you could buy a little boat and sail around a bit, but if you are serious about cruising, consider the courses to get a good understanding of what is involved in living aboard safely.
Welcome to CF.

[GulfportBarb]

Buy the best boat you can afford, budgeting 10-30% (depending on the state of the boat)more than the cost of the boat to get it ready for full time cruising.

[GulfportBarb]

Another thing, the better equipped the boat (solar, wind, gennie) and watermaker, the longer you can live at anchor.

[Dave22q]

Originally Posted by tomq60

1) I guess we are inspired by escaping the working drag and putting ourselves in the challenge of a lifetime, while also seeing some of the remote islands of the world. We are also very inspired by the ability of crossing oceans in your own home using the power of wind!
2) Still a bit unsure about the whole costs of things, assuming that we purchase a boat at around $100,000-125,000 AUD and live off around $1500-2000 a month (really unsure if this is a realistic price) we could probably purchase the boat out of savings and live on our passive incomes

Do you like camping/ back packing? Are you comfortable with small spaces, very limited storage and few modern conveniences? If yes, live-a-board might be for you. I would take half of your budget, spend half of that on a used boat that stands up to a detailed survey and keep the balance for upgrades and repairs. Assuming you buy at 25 and fix up/fit out for another 10 you can then find out if the cruising life is for you. At worst you have blown half your investment. After a few years you will have a good fix on what you really want in a boat and can then upgrade. You will have also learned if you can live on 1500-2000/month. Remember, there is good reason for the saying 'boat = Break Out Another Thousand' but your dream can be done. Good luck.

[mogulskibum]

Step one: find a local sailing school that will teach you basic sailing in a 2 day course on a 12 - 18 ft sailing dinghy.

Step two: take a 7 or 10 day RYA "Competent Crew" sailing course.

After doing that, honestly assess with yourselves whether you want to keep going down this rabbit hole.

Step three: take a 7 - 10 day RYA "Day Skipper" course.

Once again, do an honest assessment of whether or not this is the life for you.

If it is, and that's a really big "IF," then you'll be in a much better position to decide what your next step should be:
- buy a well equipped cruising boat and take off.
- but a smaller, "starter" boat and build time and experience, before stepping up to the long term cruising boat.

I'm a big proponent of getting a smaller weekend cruising boat first, and doing every single repair, maintenence, and upgrade yourself for a year or two and then moving up. It's much less daunting to learn how to maintain a boat with basic, simple systems than it is to try and learn on a fully kitted out ocean crossing cruising vessel.

[Scot McPherson]

Originally Posted by bjymd

First things first:
Take a week long live aboard sailing course together to see if living in a rolling wet closet is what you really want to do. Then you will know if you like sailing, and if you like each other sailing. You need to do the equivalent of a bareboat certificate and potentially passage making to get some basic skills. Sure, you could buy a little boat and sail around a bit, but if you are serious about cruising, consider the courses to get a good understanding of what is involved in living aboard safely.
Welcome to CF.

This is really the best idea for getting started. Because as mentioned, you both need to decide if you like sailing, and you both may like sailing but don't like sailing together. Living aboard a sailboat is a very different dynamic than being a householder. It's closer living, the boat moves and sometimes you get agitated about something unrelated to your spouse but he/she can feel affected by it and not able to just remove him/herself for a tick.

I am by no means trying to dissuade you, those of us who do this absolutely love it, but it's not for everyone nor every couple.

[SV Sailfish]

To the OP... welcome and good luck pursuing your dream.

To the older, seasoned fleet (blue water sailors that went "non"group)... how the heck did we ever go sailing long before this forum, YouTube, the Ba-Ha Ha-Ha, the ARC and all the other hand holding venues? We must have been nuts going off shore on 1,000+ nm passages with no one to hold our hands and no one to inspire us besides the likes of Slocum, the Hiscocks, Caulder etc.

Man... I guess we were all CRAZY! Wood boats, no insurance, sextants, paper charts and a dream. If you are "one of those" like me... I salute you!

I first sailed into Papeete as a 10 year old kid in 1973 on a 50' wood schooner with a friend's family. My Dad had told my Mom that I was at summer camp. (no kidding)

If you were out there "before" the electronic age, I take my hat off to you! You rock! If you were not... then please subscribe to SV Delos as I am sure those poor young men need another bottle of Dom Perignon.