Questions from a Dreamer

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by KSBailey

Hello. First time posting a thread, but a long time lurking.

As someone who has "gotten the itch" to become a full time cruiser, I have a few questions to people that have transitioned from a home on land all their life, to full time on the water.

1. What was something you thought was going to be difficult but in reality was very easy?
   
   Transitioning into the smaller space.
   [/COLOR]
2. What was something you thought was going to be easy but in reality was very difficult?
   
   Becoming accustomed to not being paid for my time/work, as it was a source of self confidence and validation for me.
   
   
3. What was something you never thought of as a land dweller that is common to living on the water (either hard or easy)?
   
   Having to plan all appointments around the weather and tide tables.

I am maybe 5-10 years from actually making the transition, but I wanted to get some opinions on things I am over thinking, under thinking, or not thinking of at all. Thanks to all for sharing your experiences and knowledge on this forum.

Now, I am not the skipper, here so the issues are different.

If you have good basic mechanical skills, not afraid of power tools, know the names of them, you will be far more comfortable with attempting new tasks, and will learn by doing.

Sailing and cruising is mostly doing makeshift repairs in exotic-to-you locations, and walking long distances over peculiar terrains to acquire what you need that you don't have. And freshly done laundry requires a "raincoat", just in case.

However, as to advice, I say get a trailer sailer or a small keel boat and start sailing it and maintaining it, then all that shall have become more or less second nature by the time you move. We moved onto the boat before this one, in March of '89, and have been living aboard since then, with the exception a few breaks for a few months in our homeland, for surgeries, and one month or so stay, here in Oz. You will develop your own style of cruising, unless you happen to decide you don't like it and choose a new goal.

You should expect some resistance from US based people, but some will "get it." Ignore it and live your own life.

Ann

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by KSBailey

1. What was something you thought was going to be difficult but in reality was very easy?Sailig! Sailing ingeneral is easy.
2. What was something you thought was going to be easy but in reality was very difficult? Land access when traveling around and staying on anchor. It is amazing how hard it is getting ashore in most places
3. What was something you never thought of as a land dweller that is common to living on the water (either hard or easy)? The logistics of ealing with tastee, getting groceries, water etc are hradered than you think. A great part of travling involves how to do land related things

:

And the weather forecast guys will screw you over, and over, and over, and over. So just know there will be more sucky passages than you think.

[5BTM]

If you are anywhere near one of the Great Lakes, get a 25 to 27 footer and spend the next 5 to 10 seasons sailing.

[Eagle ITA]

Originally Posted by KSBailey

Hello. First time posting a thread, but a long time lurking.

As someone who has "gotten the itch" to become a full time cruiser, I have a few questions to people that have transitioned from a home on land all their life, to full time on the water.

1. What was something you thought was going to be difficult but in reality was very easy? Many things
2. What was something you thought was going to be easy but in reality was very difficult? Many things
3. What was something you never thought of as a land dweller that is common to living on the water (either hard or easy)? Many things

I am maybe 5-10 years from actually making the transition, but I wanted to get some opinions on things I am over thinking, under thinking, or not thinking of at all. Thanks to all for sharing your experiences and knowledge on this forum.

Don't think too much, take your time, and when the time comes, have your own experience and enjoy it

[KSBailey]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

Well, I'll tell you a story.

Back in High School, (for me, this was in late 60's), I came across a National Geographic magazine that detailed the voyage of Robin Lee Graham, who was then the youngest person, age 17 when he started, who singlehanded on an around the world trip.

To say that I was smitten by this tale, would be an understatement, but I had neither a boat nor a dad willing to sponsor such a trip.

Shortly after that, I received another magazine (divine intervention at work) put out by Bruce Roberts, detailing how to build your own boat. This was more like it. If I couldn't buy one, I could surely build one.

From the time I saw the Nat. Geo. magazine till the time I actually started to build my own boat was probably around 10 years.

Having never built a boat before, the actual project took about three years. Mistakes were many, but I plugged along.

About two years after I launched it, added this, that and the other and also built up a cruising kitty, I took off.

So that was about 15 years altogether for me, from my first read to my first voyage, so your time line is not out of whack.

I suspect that for many sailors, they too, have a story such as mine.

I actually wrote a book of how I came to be building my own boat. PM me, if you have an interest in reading it and I'll direct you to where you can find it. The book elaborates on the many trials and tribulations I had to attain this goal.

Since then, I have accumulated around 35 years spent living on boats and bopping around and loved every minute of it.

Thank you for sharing your story! I find this very inspiring!

[KSBailey]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Forget the questions for now about cruising.

Buy a small sailboat as soon as possible and start sailing.

Otherwise you could waste 5-10 years of your life thinking you might like to cruise on a sailboat only to find out that it's really quite slow and uninteresting

Thanks for the reply! I get the 'analysis paralysis', and getting caught up in the over planning aspect. That is a very real thing and I think why a lot of people don't cast off the lines.

[KSBailey]

Originally Posted by Kelkara

I think what I found most surprising about boat maintenance is how what seems like a simple 5 minute job can morph into a weeks hard work ...

- stowing and unstowing gear from lockers to access things.

- crawling into the locker ... repeatedly getting in and out to fetch a different tool that you didn't think you could possibly need the last time you climbed out.

- removing or disassembling other things blocking access.

- fetching the bent coat-hanger to go fishing for the wrench you dropped, and has fallen into an unreachable place beneath the engine.

- trying to work in an uncomfortable contortion, one handed and blind.

- realising it is a two person job as someone needs to hold a screwdriver on the other side ... go and find a neighbour to help.

- reassesing how the whole task has to be done because it turns out the previous owner did something non standard.

- a trip to the chandlery to buy a proper part to replace what the previous owner did

- realising that the "proper" part is a fraction of an inch too big, which is why the previous owner used the non-standard bodge in the first place.

- deciding whether to cut down the new part to fit, reinstall the previous owner's mess, or go for a big redesign.

- realise that while you have access to this area there are two other projects that might as well be done before you put everything back.

- repeat the above for each of these projects.

- reinstall everything to removed for access.

-restow all the stuff back in lockers.

- test all the affected systems are still working.

... et voila! 5 minute job done.

Ha ha! Yes, I think that is how most of my home projects/fixes go as well. I am on my way already having experience with tasks like this!

[KSBailey]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

Now, I am not the skipper, here so the issues are different.

If you have good basic mechanical skills, not afraid of power tools, know the names of them, you will be far more comfortable with attempting new tasks, and will learn by doing.

Sailing and cruising is mostly doing makeshift repairs in exotic-to-you locations, and walking long distances over peculiar terrains to acquire what you need that you don't have. And freshly done laundry requires a "raincoat", just in case.

However, as to advice, I say get a trailer sailer or a small keel boat and start sailing it and maintaining it, then all that shall have become more or less second nature by the time you move. We moved onto the boat before this one, in March of '89, and have been living aboard since then, with the exception a few breaks for a few months in our homeland, for surgeries, and one month or so stay, here in Oz. You will develop your own style of cruising, unless you happen to decide you don't like it and choose a new goal.

You should expect some resistance from US based people, but some will "get it." Ignore it and live your own life.

Ann

Thanks for sharing Ann!

I have long been debating the options between getting a trailer sailor and learning once living aboard. Both have their pros and cons in my situation, but the trailer sailor option seems to be coming out as a better option, so I can learn basic systems before I rely on them in a living space.

[KSBailey]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

And the weather forecast guys will screw you over, and over, and over, and over. So just know there will be more sucky passages than you think.

Ha ha! Thanks for the reply!

Yes, I am anticipating wet and rough passages, but I think I will have to up that percentage more.

[KSBailey]

Originally Posted by 5BTM

If you are anywhere near one of the Great Lakes, get a 25 to 27 footer and spend the next 5 to 10 seasons sailing.

Thanks for the reply! This is something I am looking into.

[KSBailey]

Originally Posted by Eagle ITA

Don't think too much, take your time, and when the time comes, have your own experience and enjoy it

Thanks for the reply! I agree, over thinking can get in the way occasionally. 'Doing' is sometimes the best teacher.

[Marathon1150]

Originally Posted by Kelkara

I think what I found most surprising about boat maintenance is how what seems like a simple 5 minute job can morph into a weeks hard work ...

- stowing and unstowing gear from lockers to access things.

Several replies refer to "stuff". The cost of acquiring and keeping it, in terms of time and money, have been one of our surprising challenges. Deciding what is essential, nice to have, and probably not necessary, can be a daily challenge, particularly when dealing with the "5 minute job".

[NorthCoastJoe]

I am in the final stages before taking off with no plan of where we are going, just looking for warm water, socal coast first then who knows where.
In my past life I was a motor builder ( gas and diesel), firefighter/paramedic, general contractor, I just picked up a few skills along the way.

Get a boat now and wear off several coats of bottom paint, with your partner.
Sail it so much that no matter what happens you and your partner know what to do.

Don't be afraid of making mistakes, push your comfort zone.

Get rid of stuff, then go through it and get rid of more.
Have passive income, rentals or whatever it takes so you have money.
Boats need to be fed a lot of Benjamins, sometimes by the bucket full.

Have no debt of any kind.

Lastly do it while you can, your body will fall apart faster than you think as you age.

[Statistical]

If you want to sail away into the sunset in 10 years I would recommend getting a smaller boat today and start sailing and fixing and learning.

Large boats are largely the same stuff just bigger more complicated and more expensive but functionally similar. A rudder is a rudder, sheets are sheets, winches are winches. Nothing beats hands on experience.

Unless you are independently wealthy to live as a cruiser you are going to wear a lot of hats: electrician, electronics troubleshooter, plumbers, fiber glass repairman, etc. You can read a hundred books (and you should read some start with "Boatowners Mechanical and Electrical Manual" by Chalder) but the first time you have to do it you will learn a lot more.

Any experience on any boat for any amount of time will be useful. Entirely possible you find out you hate sailing and living on boats even for a weekend in which case much cheaper to learn than before buying your sail around the world spared no expense saved for 10 years dream boat.

[c.K.]

Originally Posted by KSBailey

Hello. First time posting a thread, but a long time lurking.

As someone who has "gotten the itch" to become a full time cruiser, I have a few questions to people that have transitioned from a home on land all their life, to full time on the water.

1. What was something you thought was going to be difficult but in reality was very easy?
2. What was something you thought was going to be easy but in reality was very difficult?
3. What was something you never thought of as a land dweller that is common to living on the water (either hard or easy)?

I am maybe 5-10 years from actually making the transition, but I wanted to get some opinions on things I am over thinking, under thinking, or not thinking of at all. Thanks to all for sharing your experiences and knowledge on this forum.

Rent something first maybe