Moving aboard and setting sail

[El_Pipito]

The count down begins...


Me and my wife (we live just north of Atlanta) are selling everything and setting sail at the very end of 2025. I'm looking for some advice on what we can do to prepare over the next year and a half so it's an easy transition and less of a learning curve.


We'll be taking sailing classes both inland and coastal and probably crew at local yacht clubs until we're fairly comfortable with the basics. I know nothing can prepare you for what's out there, but it's a great place to start.


A little about myself... I'm a former wood worker and carpenter. I have experience with boats, fiberglass, etc. (I've built 2 custom boats in the last few years). Originally from South Florida and have minimal sailing experience and spent some time on live aboards, so I have a decent understanding of the lifestyle.


Can anyone recommend classes, courses, books, etc. on how we can best get prepared aside from getting out and doing it.


Thanks in advance!

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by El_Pipito

The count down begins...


Me and my wife (we live just north of Atlanta) are selling everything and setting sail at the very end of 2025. I'm looking for some advice on what we can do to prepare over the next year and a half so it's an easy transition and less of a learning curve.


We'll be taking sailing classes both inland and coastal and probably crew at local yacht clubs until we're fairly comfortable with the basics. I know nothing can prepare you for what's out there, but it's a great place to start.


A little about myself... I'm a former wood worker and carpenter. I have experience with boats, fiberglass, etc. (I've built 2 custom boats in the last few years). Originally from South Florida and have minimal sailing experience and spent some time on live aboards, so I have a decent understanding of the lifestyle.


Can anyone recommend classes, courses, books, etc. on how we can best get prepared aside from getting out and doing it.


Thanks in advance!

Before you "sell everything" you might want to try the cruising life for a few months to see if you enjoy it as much as you think you will.

While I lived in Pensacola, FL, I knew several people that had planned for years for the cruising life.

They would also sell everything and "just go."

Several were back in 6 months or less buying replacements for what they had sold to include vehicles, furniture, and an apartment or house, etc.

[Kettlewell]

Do you own the boat already? The best thing you can do is to start using that boat as much as possible, even if it is just weekending or vacationing. Spending time learning how to maintain her, how to anchor, how to stock up and resupply, how to deal with heat, cold, and bad weather, what you like to do ashore and how to do it, etc. If you don't own the boat yet I find it takes two years to get to know the boat well enough to be able to take off beyond the comforts of the USA, if you are already experienced. If you are not experienced, plan on spending the first few years doing the East Coast, snowboarding up and down, with maybe the Bahamas in the winter. Don't just jump off for the Caribbean with no experience, or it will be a tough learning curve. Another thing to begin doing now is to record every single piece of snail mail you receive and every bill and important things via email. Figure out how to eliminate as much snail mail as possible, and how to make sure important things like tax bills, driver's license renewals, and new credit cards will be able to get to you. I find this process takes at least a year while still with your land address. You don't want your bank sending you new credit cards to an old address only to be returned.

[El_Pipito]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Before you "sell everything" you might want to try the cruising life for a few months to see if you enjoy it as much as you think you will.

While I lived in Pensacola, FL, I knew several people that had planned for years for the cruising life.

They would also sell everything and "just go."

Several were back in 6 months or less buying replacements for what they had sold to include vehicles, furniture, and an apartment or house, etc.

Totally get what you're saying.


We've talked about selling our house and our stuff and kind of starting over for a couple years now (not necessarily just to move onto a boat). The scenario always comes up of what if we want to come back to a "normal" life. So we understand the risk of not liking or wanting to do what we choose long term and what that would entail.


We realize there's a possibility that it might be a short lived adventure, but if we have the means, the willingness, and the understanding that it's a romanticized lifestyle that takes a lot of hard work, then why not?


I'd rather sit back and be able to laugh at us not being able to cut it, rather than wondering what would have happened otherwise.

[The Boat Galley]

There are lots of places to learn about operating the boat, navigating, weather and the like. But what The Boat Galley does is help you learn to live on a boat. We have 8 online courses -- Storage, Eating Well With a Tiny Fridge, Taking a Dog With You, Using the VHF, Hurricane Prep, Small Budget Cruising, The Basics of Living on a Boat, and Getting Ready to Go to the Bahamas -- that you can get individually or for a super-discounted package deal ($175 -- less than half price of buying singly).

Lifetime access, including all updates. On demand, so you can go through them at your own pace and refer back as many times as you want. And if you get the All Access Pass, you'll also get any courses we add in the future for free!

A great way to smooth out that first-year learning curve!

https://products.theboatgalley.com/collections/courses

[EmeraldCoastSailor]

Start testing the waters now. Either buy a boat and live on it for short periods or charter a boat for a week. For example, you are just a few hours drive from this boat down on the coast. https://www.boattrader.com/boat/2009...tion--9304437/

I think ASA courses are best for your situation but there are other options.

But get out and start learning now by sailing now.

[NorthCoastJoe]

I have had people crew with me in San Francisco Bay tell me that they learned more in a day on the bay with me than they got out of several ASA classes.

Get out on the water as crew and just do it. I'm not a fan of classes for most things. I spent a chunk of my life teaching in the fire service and high schools. Most people learn by doing. When your out there and things don't go as planned that is a lesson.

[Macblaze]

While this might sound like pure advertising its not really. Check out the website.

And at the very least sign up for the Boat Galley newsletter...

Originally Posted by The Boat Galley

There are lots of places to learn about operating the boat, navigating, weather and the like. But what The Boat Galley does is help you learn to live on a boat. We have 8 online courses -- Storage, Eating Well With a Tiny Fridge, Taking a Dog With You, Using the VHF, Hurricane Prep, Small Budget Cruising, The Basics of Living on a Boat, and Getting Ready to Go to the Bahamas -- that you can get individually or for a super-discounted package deal ($175 -- less than half price of buying singly).

Lifetime access, including all updates. On demand, so you can go through them at your own pace and refer back as many times as you want. And if you get the All Access Pass, you'll also get any courses we add in the future for free!

A great way to smooth out that first-year learning curve!

https://products.theboatgalley.com/collections/courses

[mvweebles]

Why do you want to do this? Romance of sailing? Love to travel? Think living aboard will be cheap? Where will you start (guessing Lake Lanier isn't what you've got planned)?

Are you both on the same approximate page, or is one of you ultra-enthusiastic and the other take-it/leave-it? One of the more interesting observations I've seen was "Cruising is a maginifier - if you've got a good relationship, it will get better. If you have a drinking problem, it will get worse."

In my opinion, running the boat is the easy part. I don't know why everyone suggests ASA classes and such. Nothing wrong with them, but of all the people I've met who've stopped cruising, I've never met a single person who said they couldn't figure out how to sail.

Don't buy anything in advance of getting your boat, not even foulies. Maybe a PFD for any class you take, but that's about it.

If you want to prep for the life, maybe move into a studio apartment with minimal galley for a while and see how that goes.

[CarlF]

1. Go to the Annapolis Sailboat Boat show next October. They run classes and seminars by experienced cruisers. You and your wife will learn a lot. You’ll also meet a lot of cruisers at the show who will be happy to answer questions about their cruising life over a beer. Try to find couples that “are like you” and listen to what their first year was like. Be sure the wives talk without the men.

Charter a boat for a week in the Caribbean or Bahamas next winter. Look for one owned by a couple who will spend the week teaching both of you more than you’ll ever learn from a class or online. Not just sailing but cooking, engine maintenance, conserving water and so forth.

Things to be sure of before selling your house:

1. That neither of you gets badly seasick (many cruisers experience occasional seasickness and still enjoy cruising but about 20% of people are simply miserable)

2 Make sure your wife participates fully in the process and learning including choosing a boat.that she likes as much (or more) than you.

3. Be cleared eye about the money. Set aside $100,000 for boat upgrades and unexpected repairs during the first 12 months of ownership. Things like new foam for the mattresses because your back aches sleeping in the old ones. Or a bigger anchor. Or new batteries. If you don’t end up needing the full $100,000, that’s OK. Running out of money while cruising is extremely stressful and will likely end your adventure.

4. Start slow. You will have some scary experiences. It takes time to gain confidence. Do not go farther than the Bahamas for two years. .

5. At the Annapolis show learn about insurance. Will you be able to get insurance for a price you can afford? Do you have to go North during hurricane season? In many cases insurance companies now require first time owners to hire a captain for several months who will then tell the insurance company when you are ready to be on your own.

[David Mathis]

A very strong recommendation is to take it in small steps. Cruising weekends, a couple week vacation, or even spending the entire summer onboard is much different than permanently living on your boat.

A few years a go I met a couple that sold everything and bought a nice mid 30s sailboat for full time living aboard and endless cruising. She was willing to go along with it as it sounded interesting and a nice adventure, then they went through a nasty storm while far out in the Atlantic. She did a 180 on the full time live aboard and said she will never, under any circumstances, go beyond the sight of land on that boat again. Absolutely no compromise. Being anchored in a storm made her frantic and being underway in a storm was worse. She reluctantly agreed to live on the boat if they stayed in a marina most of the time and definitely anytime a storm was coming. Years of sunshine sailing can give many smiles and great memories, even with a few near shore storms, but one bad one can alter the attitude forever.

Before selling everything, try the live aboard lifestyle for a year or so then make the decision about cutting the ties to land living. You may decide to get a different boat or stay on land halftime and take extended vacations on the boat. Go slow with your decision. Living aboard works for some, but not everyone.

[Foswick]

Please don't take this as nay-saying or cynicism. Just know that it is coming from a place of sincerely wanting to give good advice.

I get that part of the draw of the decision is a little of the jumping into the unknown and, that the risk is part of the fun. Believe me, I get that.

But, to me, if a person is looking for general guidance on a forum, such as this, it suggests inadequate experience to make such a radical decision. Your background experience and the fact that you are here asking questions - that tells me you are in great position to embark on the work you need to do to be able to make that decision at some point in the not-too-distant future.

As others have recommended, there is no subtitute for just putting in the time. Get experience sailing boats - as many as you can, getting as much hands-on as possible. Buy a 22-foot or 24-foot boat and sail the hell out of it. You will learn a ton, can sell it for what you paid (if you don't damage it), and won't go broke if you end up totalling it.

Honestly, until you have a solid year of sailing and really know what you know and what you don't know, what you like and don't like, what you're good at and what you need to practice - until you get to that point, it is really hard to give you advice that is likely to be helpful.

I will say, though, that it is important to recognize that there are four separate undertakings involved. Only a few rare people enjoy all four.

Boat Ownership: It sounds like you have a good foundation for this. You are likely prepared to own and maintain a boat. I promise, you don't really know what you're getting into, but no one does. If we did, most people would never buy a boat. As they say, "Never do the math."

Sailing: Here, it sounds like you have the most legwork to do. Honestly, courses help get you started, but there is no substitute for just going out, sometimes getting in "slightly" over your head, learning from mistakes, and trying not to repeat them. I used to teach sailing and I would tell people at the end of the course, "Now you know what to practice. Come back in three years for lesson two." And, I was only sort of kidding.

On Friday, we rescued four people who just took a course, bought a 32-foot boat, and were unable to get home safely ... in a breeze <10 knots. I won't go into the mistakes they made to get into that state but, let's just say it was a string of rookie mistakes. The root cause was overconfidence. They figured that four people who just took a sailing course should be more than enough combined experience. Had everything gone smoothly, they would have probably been fine. But, their lack of experience left them unable to deal with a few simple challenges.

Living Aboard: There isn't much to this. You are either suited to a lifestyle with some austerity and inconveniences, or you are not. My guess is that you know that you are, and you are probably right. I don't think a person needs much experience prior to living aboard - you just figure it out. The main prequalifications are flexibility and resourcefulness.

Cruising: This combines all three of the above, but with the twist of not having a fixed "base". This does take some homework. Talk to people who have been there and done that, and take their advice to heart. Each region brings its own challenges and rewards. But, the days of simply setting out, unprepared, into the great blue come-what-may - those are over, for the most part. There is a lot more bureaucracy that you cannot ignore.

Plus, extended periods offshore bring certain logistic and safety challenges that can be learned, but must be learned, prior to embarking.

Anway ... you don't need to me a master at all four of these. You can never leave the dock, in which case you really only need to be on top of ownership and living aboard. Or, you can just sail locally and, if you have the money, pay other people to take care of your boat. And so on ...

In any case, it is foolish to take on all four of these at once - to sell everything, buy your first boat, and take off for French Polynesia. I'm not saying don't do it - I'm just saying it would be foolish.

If you plan to not stay permanently affixed to the dock, then just get good at sailing ... first. Everything else can wait or happen along the way. If you don't have some solid and diverse sailing experience, it is really hard to buy a boat that sails like you will want it to. Do not rely on what others say about what a "good" boat is. You should listen people say, "Oh, that boat is slow but stable" or "That boat has a reputation for flexing in high winds." That is information you can use.

In other words, when someone says a boat is "good" or "bad", ask them specifically why they think it is good or bad.

Finally, and on that note, when taking advice from sailors, understand that we are all damaged merchandise. Those of use with some experience have our views as a result of a long string of making or witnessing a bunch of stuff that didn't pan out well.

So, if you take just one piece of advice, take this:

When someone gives you a piece of advice, follow up with specific questions so you know how they came to that conclusion. More often than not, the reason is either not well-founded, or does not apply to your situation. But, but asking those follow-up questions, you get to learn about those little things that they have witnessed and, with any luck, avoid making the same mistakes.

[MicHughV]

Yes to all the above...

it's a simple question to ask, but complicated to answer correctly, as everyone will have their own experience, their own view points, etc, which are unlikely to jive with yours.

Like most things in life, begin by taking baby steps.

You will not find the answer here on this forum. You will find it out there.

[El_Pipito]

Originally Posted by Foswick

Anway ... you don't need to me a master at all four of these. You can never leave the dock, in which case you really only need to be on top of ownership and living aboard. Or, you can just sail locally and, if you have the money, pay other people to take care of your boat. And so on ...

Thanks for the informative response! I guess I should have clarified that we're planning on staying in a live aboard slip, taking some small overnight trips and so on. Once we're a little more comfortable and feel like we're ready (not putting a timeline on that) we'll start sailing down the coast. We're not planning on any passages for a while.


Even though selling our house and so on is a risk/adventure, that's the biggest immediate risk we're planning. The nomadic lifestyle will come in time. I totally agree with everything you said!

[fireant]

Foswick, thank you for your post.
I will take it as a lesson for myself too.