Looking for Advice on First Large Ship

[scoobert]

sorry that is out of my price range.

[Intentional Drifter]

scoobert -- I hadn't read any of this thread until today and I have now read it from start to finish.

You've certainly had an interesting time of it and some folks have given you some grief. You've been looking at lots of boats and asked lots of questions.

I have no observations or comments for you at this point, only a question or two:

Have you actually gone sailing, on the ocean, yet? Like, for at least a day, preferably more? In stormy conditions (or, at least, less than ideal)?

If your answer to that is "no", then I would respectfully suggest that before you go and spend a lot of money on a boat, you might want to know that you can do it. Seriously. There are a fair number of people who get major-league seasick and no amount of time or "cures" help. Simply the way their ears and brains are wired together.

There are also a fair number of people who have sub-clinical, but chronic viral ear infections that can't be cured. By sub-clinical, I mean that in the vast majority of conditions, they notice no symptoms. But, turn their bodies and heads just right (physicians have some wonderful little tests for this) and their eyes just spin and spin and spin. By chronic, I mean that there's a good chance it won't go away and because it seems to be a virus doing it, there's no cure.

It would really suck to spend all that money only to find out -- through no lack of trying or fault of your own -- that you just can't do it. You wouldn't be the first.

ID

[scoobert]

think you missed one of my posts. i went to the other side of martha's vineyard in 6-8 seas in a 25' bayliner. i was a bit sick, but a boat pitching 60 degrees vs a cat going no more then 30 degrees, should not make an issue. thank you thou, very good post.

[Intentional Drifter]

Again, no offense intended, but 6 to 8 is not what I would even begin to think of as "less than ideal" conditions. And cats will certainly move more than 30 degrees! In several directions, all at the same time! Physiologically, different people react in different ways. Some people find the motion of a cat more distressing than a mono; others just the opposite. Some people seem to be able to take on anything with never a moment of nausea; others get sick just taking the boat out of the marina. Some have problems with nice, regular swells; others only get queasy with the short, square waves. For some, it is confused, lumpy seas that get them. The point is that you will encounter all of these kinds of conditions on a regular basis.

Some people get uncomfortable for an hour or few and then once the brain has learned, never have a problem again. Others can buck it up for days and are still sick, even in mild conditions.

So, you're gonna do what you're gonna do and I wish you the best, regardless. However, you might want to consider going out for a rather extended time and seeing how you respond. After all, being a "bit sick" for a few hours is no biggie. Being a "bit sick" for weeks is another thing entirely. Do keep in mind that far more than anything else, it is faulty judgment that gets sailors in trouble. That almost never happens at the beginning of a passage, but after the slow erosion of faculties that comes with fatigue, loss of sleep, illness and accident. And, believe me, you will have all of those things on a passage, and all at the same time! Not a matter of "if", just a matter of "when."

You strike me as someone who sees himself as a "bold" sailor. That's fine, so long as it is tempered with sound judgment. There's an old saying: There's old sailors and there's bold sailors, but there are very few old, bold sailors.

Good luck to you.

ID

[scoobert]

yes, my first long passage will be all of those things. fatigue? no doubt, sickness? yep, probably.

i was going to charter a boat, until i realized one week of charter is the same as 3 months of payments on the new boat.
worst comes to worst and if i do get sick on passages, i can stay coastal. the longest passage i would do in that case if the africa hop. i am sure i could find a crew as well. always people looking for a free ride.
i did go on a 300' boat once, the slow rocking did get me a bit woosie. i would say 1 cycle every 20 seconds. up down cycle.

if it has any relation i am a pilot, and do great at that, no sickness.

on another note anyone have any idea about the aft bedroom for the lagoon?

[Sand crab]

Scoobert, you are bouncing off the walls, man. The thread starts out as an ocean crossing trawler one then morphs into a sailing cat and now you are back to trawler again. You are complaining about the cost of charter but you are inquiring about a 630 HP boat with a 400 gallon tank.
1. Chartering is not that expensive if you just do it on a per cabin basis and off season and close to home. A day charter might be a good start. IDs advice is wise and correct, go sailing first.
2. Do the math on the fuel and compare that with the cost of charter. Filling the trawler up will be $1600 at $4 a gallon and I guarantee you will be paying more in many locales.
3. What kind of fuel consumption do you think you will get with those engines?
4. These engines are advertised on the web for about $48,000 each with trannys not including installation. Extrapolate your costs over the years. I don't care how good a mechanic you are there are things you just can't do by yourself like remove and replace an engine of that size. I doubt you would want to undertake a total rebuild in an engine compartment.
5. Now you ask if you can convert a sailing cat into an aft berth power cat? The hydrodynamics of sailing versus power are completely different for the simple fact that powercats don't have to sail upwind. Adding all that weight and height would totally change everything on a sailing cat including a new rig not to mention this cat would now be the slowest cat ever. This would be like me inquiring about converting a prop plane to jet. A "pilot" like you should be able to grasp the difference.
6. Every time there is a spike in oil prices there is a corresponding dip in prices of power boats. When oil goes to $150 a gallon what do you think a power cat will be worth? And how much to fill it up?
Look, I'm a novice but I have chartered and I get out on boats every year. Even here in Montana. I have more experience than none at all and I grasp the basic fundamentals of boats, sail and power. But, it's really hard to take you seriously. BOB

[scoobert]

eh, they are just questions. and no like i said i am 99% sold on a sail cat.
in fact i am preparing to make an offer this week. getting all the last bits together and will probally close by the end of the month if they choose to accept my offer.

[Intentional Drifter]

scoobert -- are you really seeking advice? Or, is what you are really seeking is affirmation? Not the same thing.

What sort of boat are thinking about making an offer on?

There are lots and lots of Lagoons -- which one are you wanting info on for the aft stateroom?

ID

[hummingway]

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