What's Needed to Take Off?

[jenny&berins]

Hi everyone...
My fiance just sold our 24ft huntsman and now we want to take off out in the big world.
He is a hunter when it comes to finding bargains, now he is hunting for a yacht that will take us around the world.
I wasnt very excited to start with but after reading on this site last night my excitement was born.
Wewant to buy a yacht around 30ft to sail from sydney up to cairns to learn how to sail and then sell and buy a couple of yacht untill we have yacht that wil take us out in the big world.
My fiance is the practical one and im the planner without actions.... lucky he is the action maker!
So now im wondering everything about everything
What paper work is needed? Read something about incuranc. Is that just a basic insurance from the country where we buy the boat?
How much money should we have with us? Love cooking and want to find cheap ways of cooking yummy food....
Whats the go with ancorage fees around?
What would be a good easier route from cairns / sydney???
would love to get up to indonesia and away from there...
Happy for any respons and tips.
Thank you all for inspiring me!
Lots of love... Jenny

[maxingout]

First you have to get the boat. Once you have the boat, things kind of fall into place. To a great extent, the size and design of the boat will dictate how things go during your introduction to cruising. A small boat will be more of a backpacking experience, and a large boat will be more like a floating condominium with everything exponentially more expensive.

Starting small is a good idea. That way you can discover whether it is really something that you want to do in a big way, or if it is just a passing fancy.

Not everyone likes sailing and all of the compromises that are necessary for living on a yacht. Start out small so that your mistakes will be small ones.

[aboutgone]

Mate's: It doesn't matter what everyone says....follow your heart.....if you don't know something Ask......get the boat of your dreams and go for it.....the rest will fall into place.......It has for me and my wife since the new year....we have a beautiful CSY 44 and we call it Leighward.....You might call yours by another name ...but it all spells Adventure.......Toss it all aside and ride the wave to real independence......Just like many before you.......read, experience, learn what it is to be as the wind...Free to Live with your own agenda......Explore the thing called life at sea.........................Oh i forgot to answer your question what's needed to take off?.......answer: Your heart , your commitment to say this is what I want to do more than anything. your ability to ask when you don't know and to soak it all in where it's really needed...I could go on and on....best wishes and fair winds ............Ed

[Eleven]

Casting off is about confidence which gets better with experiences survived.
Reading this site is the easy learning centre. Doing it for real costs more and the knocks come harder. If it was easy nobody would drive to the beach for the day, they'd all be sailing! The payback is casting off and leaving the ordinary behind. Even on day sails there's a wonderful freedom to being out on the water.
Biggest thing to my mind is to NOT have a time to be back by. Plan to be late every time you cast off. The pleasure is then doubled.

[Boracay]

If you haven't already, have a look on Boatpoint and Yachthub.

You mention buying a boat around 30' and upgrading. You are probably aware that it can take a long time to sell a boat, and buying may involve extensive lengthy searches so it may be best to buy a boat that is suitable for your intended trip right from the start. Some on this Forum have the view that smaller boats are quite acceptable, but my personal opinion is that a couple should be looking at a boat of around 36' length and a reasonable beam.

Registration is compulsory (just like a car), Operators' licenses are not needed for a boat unless it goes over 9 knots or (for dingies) has an outboard of more than 5hp. Check with NSW Maritime to get exact details (They have a free handbook.).

The NSW Maritime handbook will list all safety equipement that you are required to have on board, including an EPIRB if you go more than 2nm offshore. A VHF radio is a good idea, but does need a licence, though some seem to go without.

Insurance is not compulsory but is strongly recommended. NRMA and Club Marine are major players so it may be wise to discuss insurance with them before buying the boat. They may not insure beyond 200nm from shore so it gets trickier from then on.

I have been told that Sydney to Cairns can be done in short hops with careful planning esp. regarding weather and bars (sand, not hotel). (Alan Lucas' guidebooks are the go here). Food and ATM's are likely to be available at most major stops.

Once you leave Oz you'll need AMSA Registration on your boat. Buying one with the needed documentation (esp. Builder's Certificate) will make life easier. The broker or seller should help here.

As you don't look to have any plans to buy a project boat (don't even think about it) or to do significant repairs now would be a good time to look for a surveyor not connected with brokers, marinas or shipyards. Take your time, have a serious browse of the net on how to evaluate a yacht, and please get back to us if you need any more help. In any event having a large stash of cash (50% of boat cost?) available in the bank for upgrades/improvements/safety equipement etc. can be a very good idea.

If you're planning on cruising to Asia starting from Brisbane or further up the Queensland coast may be easier and quicker.

Leaving from Darwin the Sail Indonesia Rally may be your best way to reach Indonesia.

[Eleven]

Boracay speaks wisely and from experience. I too, chose my boat to cruise the Med. and I still need to do mods, upgrades and add things. And like most people it took me a few months to find the right boat, which I couldn't afford, and then an acceptable boat within my budget.
You will need to match the buy price with an upgrade budget of the same value, and a cruising budget of about the same again PER YEAR. Expensive boats have people with expensive tastes and want flights home at regular intervals. That all adds up.
The engine and drive system, the rudder, the autopilot, and steering system will all need a full strip and maybe replacement. Water storage will need an upgrade. Fuel system needs modernising with metal fuel lines, isolation, dirt filters and water separators and spares. Cruising without a spare of everything is also expensive.
Add a fridge, cooking fuel storage, a decent stove and a 30 ft mono gets pretty crowded with two on board. Overnight guests?
So while he's selling the 24 you look at every boat you can to see how cupboards, bunks, dining tables etc can all be fitted in. It's amazing what can be done.