Hello from San Diego!

[PlayaPhilic]

Hi everyone, we are deciding to follow our dreams and take steps towards cruiser life. We both grew up sailing but never had to take care of any of the paperwork (and, oh, there’s a lot of it - thanks sailing friends and fam!).

We need to stay local to San Diego for our 13 yo daughter to graduate high school so we are planning our escape to the big blue in stages:

1. Buy a Boat (ASAP?)
2. Find a San Diego slip/mooring in SD (when we have a boat)
3. Leave our apartment (when we have a slip/mooring)
4. Live aboard in SD w/ west coast/Baja trips
5. Sail away to Tahiti (2026: graduation date)

It’s fun trying to hit all the moving targets required to get ourselves onto a boat.

Happy to be here!

[Lexi22]

If she can successfully study on board, why wait?

[PlayaPhilic]

Hey Lexi! She Is a very social kid. Loves her friends and is extremely excited to graduate high school with her best friends. We also only have 50% custody so we have to stay close to her bio-mom (who’s not into boating) to ease tensions and see our daughter often as possible. We are becoming professional jugglers!

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Playaphile.

[PlayaPhilic]

Thank you GordMay!

[Adelie]

Welcome.

I would suggest updating your profile with your general location and put “Looking” in the "Boat" category. This info shows up under your UserName in every post in the web view. Many questions are boat and/or location dependent and having these tidbits under your UserName saves answering those questions repeatedly. If you need help setting up your profile then click on this link: https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ml#post3308797

If you need further help let me know, I would be happy to.

[PlayaPhilic]

Thank you very much Adelie - this is very helpful information.

[poopship]

Yoooo! Hello as well from San Diego. Ive got mine @ california yacht marina in Chula. Pretty nice spot, quiet. Far from getting offshore, but pretty inexpensive and close to where I live.

[PlayaPhilic]

Poopship! We will have to be friends because we received another recommendation for the Chula Vista marina! It's a bit far from our daughter's school but waaaay closer to our live-a-board dream! But we may be putting the cart before the horse. Still in the process of acquiring a boat. We have some great leads so we're pretty excited.

I see you're new to the forum, did you recently purchase your vessel?

[poopship]

Yes, chula vista area is pretty laid back to have your boat. Takes a little longer to get to the ocean, but it doesnt bother me. The proximity to my house makes it worthwhile.
- Bought my boat in July, after searching since march. Sailed it down from oxnard via catalina. After renting boats and limited family recreational options I decided that owning would be the best way for me to learn more and gain experience. I think that it was a good decision.
One day, we would like to circumnavigate or do some more offshore trips, we have a different vessel in mind for that trip.
Good to meet you, what boats are you considering?

[PlayaPhilic]

Congrats on your boat! We are looking into monohull crusing boats made in the 80s and 90s like Valient, Tayana, Passport, Amel, Island Packet, Formosa, Roberts, Pacific Seacraft & Gulfstar. We are still learning what was made and what is out there to choose from. There are so many makes to consider I'm sure the list will grow and change as we explore what's out there.

[KetchJohnB]

Hello fellow San Diegan! We have been cruising full time for 8 years. For a cruising boat I recommend you find a well loved, fully rigged out boat & the owner is aging out. One fine built for world cruising boats is the CAL L2-46. Most boats are not purpose built with that in mind. Amazing range, correct underwater, long keel, sallow draft, spade rudder. Anyway, a boat that has been cruising and has everything. Radios, spares, water desal, etc. A great way to store the dingy for e.z. deployment. We found one that the PO has fulfilled every possible bolt on and gizmo. 90% of it worked! All the cruising gear does not increase the value of the boat. Most people just don't need it. Like a house with a pool. No value when selling. But....! you do need it cruising. If it is already there and installed, that is huge. Have fun!

[PlayaPhilic]

Thanks for the reccomendation. The Cal 46 looks like a great boat. We'll add it to the list!

What part of the world are you in now?

[Nauticus]

Hi and welcome from Ontario Canada [emoji846]

That is a LOT of moving pieces. I love your excitement! Keep us posted on your buying adventures [emoji3][emoji569]

[KetchJohnB]

Originally Posted by PlayaPhilic

Thanks for the reccomendation. The Cal 46 looks like a great boat. We'll add it to the list!

What part of the world are you in now?

We are on a mooring ball in Key West, FL. Came up from central America and the Bay Islands, Honduras last May. Just waiting to get our second "jab" and off we go again! ... I hope