Hello, Forum - From a Newbie

[3DPhoto]

This is my first post and my first step to getting back into sailing. I say back but I really never got started per say. I did a tiny bit of sailing back in my teenage years on a sunfish style of boat on a very small lake with very little wind. I worked in a marina for a few years when I was a young adult and loved it (except winterizing boats in November in Northen Michigan) I was a US Sailor for 20 years but that does not count as I was an electoincs type and did not have anything to do with navigation or even line handeling for that matter.
I am now living on a Tideal Creek and I am looking for my first boat. I do have challenges with my locattion, (which is just minutes to the Chesapeake Bay) first being that the City has been promising to dredge now for two years and still no sign of begginning so at very low tide I have muck front instead of waterfront. The second is I also have two low bridges that I have to pass under before getting out to open water.
What I am looking for is a Sloop around 30' which I know is going to be a challenge as the mast setup goes but hoping that I can find or convert to a step mast (if that is even possible). More importantly shallow draft. A question I do have is if the tide goes out and the boat settles into the muck what type of problems could arrise?
I guess this is quite a lot for a meet and greet so I guess I will end there by just saying hello to all!
Sincerely
Don C.

[Hannah on 'Rita T']

Welcome aboard. In your situation, I'd look for a dock closer to the Bay and on the other side of the bridges. Often private parties will rent their docks for the season. Some of the boats in the lower 20 foot range will give you a shallow draft and a mast that drops down into a tabernacle, but it's a pain. That said, the Chesapeake is fun to sail and smaller boats will sail well in the light summer winds

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!
First off, thanks for your service ET.
Yes, there are lots of options for you but it doesn't sound like you have a dock that has deep enough water for even keeping your boat floating. If you have a 30 footer and the tide goes out and she settles in the mud there might be enough suction around the keel to not let her rise with the next tide. Can be pretty bad.
You might consider a trailerable or the largest swing keel craft you can find. A trailerable already has a tabernacle set up for raising and lowering the mast.
Good luck in whatever you choose.
Sunfish and their clones have been plying the waters for more than 50 years and you can't argue with that kind of success. Great little boats and good trainers.
kind regards,

[seamanmt]

hello and welcome aboard

[3DPhoto]

Originally Posted by Hannah on 'Rita T'

Welcome aboard. In your situation, I'd look for a dock closer to the Bay and on the other side of the bridges. Often private parties will rent their docks for the season. Some of the boats in the lower 20 foot range will give you a shallow draft and a mast that drops down into a tabernacle, but it's a pain. That said, the Chesapeake is fun to sail and smaller boats will sail well in the light summer winds

Thanks for the advice, I pulled the trigger and got a 26.5 hunter with a 3.5' draft. I am so excited I can barely stand it. How long till good weather??? I am planning on converting the mast with a tabernacle.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Don C.

Congratulation on your new (2U) Hunter!