Hello, In Need of All Advice Possible

[bobthecat]

Hello all, I am in need of all the advice and information I can get on living and cruising on a sailboat. I'll give you a lot of non organized info to sort through and maybe you can decipher it and come back with good Intel.
1st. I work in the near and middle east for about 9 months a year.
2nd.The rest of the time I live as my place in the Dominican republic
3rd.I still own a home on the south east side of the United States.
That being said, I plan to retire in three years, so I'm hoping that is enough time to get my ducks,or boat in a row so to speak.

Basic plan One, Get a boat (what kind?) and My girlfriend and I take off.

Basic plan two,get a bigger boat (what kind?) and my girlfriend,brother,his wife and I take off. I know the perils of close living with anyone,especially someone your not sleeping with, but My brother and I are close and compatible,we also share the mind set that there isn't any problem that can't be solved that first starts with a cold beer.

I have been around sailboats in the past,my dads day sailors and my uncle owned a 40+ foot Hunter but I have never spent more than a couple nights on one. (not sure if this a qualifier, but I have slept in the mountains and deserts of the middle east) Just saying that I can get comfortable about anywhere.

I guess I need a starting point...where would that be, (my brother is doing a sailing school as we speak) is that a good place to start for me also.
Lets go from here and see where it goes, I'll ask more as questions arise. Thanks in advance for the help and putting up with all of my ignorance. Later.BtC

[SaucySailoress]

Get as much sailing time in on a variety of boats. No point buying one until you have time and commitment to look after it.

[osirissail]

If you are living in the D.R. in Sosua - take some time and head over to Luperon and hang out at Puerto Blanco Marina or Capt Steve's Place in Luperon. You will find many expat sailors and lots of transiting sailors hanging around. You can get a million opinions about what you are looking for and how to do .
- - Also there are quite a few old boats for sale in Luperon that may fit your needs. There are a lot of cruisers who sail into Luperon and then never leave again. So they put their boats up for sale.
- - The D.R. is not a place for cruising if you are not a D.R. citizen but is instead just a stopping waypoint on your way to visit Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and beyond.
- - If you are a D.R. citizen and know how to deal with the various Commandante's in each region of the north coast, then you can gunkhole/visit some places like Monte Christi, Isabella, Rio San Juan, El Valle and Samana. But there are few if any charts for these areas other than those chartlets contained in Bruce Van Sant's book. You can personally get a copy from Bruce who lives in Luperon.

[Unicorn Dreams]

Welcome Aboard Cruisers Forum and enjoy the site...

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!
Yes, take at least a basic sailing lesson to get you into the good habits. Buy the book "Start Sailing Right!" just for a beginner. Wait to buy a boat until you know what you really want and you are the only one who can determin that.
kind regards,

[Rod Headlee]

Hi, Welcome aboard. My advice follows the others, get as much sailing time in as you can on other peoples boats. This is so you can try to get the right boat the first time. I dumped a pile of money in cruising gear into a boat that would never be worth what I put into it. It was a great sailing boat and took good care of us for 10k miles of cruisning the Pacific. It just turned out to be too small, not for sailing but for living aboard at anchor. It didn't carry enough water, it didn't have enough room for all of the spare parts, sails and provisions and be able to live without tripping over stuff. When she was full of fuel, tools, spares, water and food she was squatiing in the stern and down on her waterline more than I care to admit. It'll be worse with 4 people aboard full time.

Whatever you buy, get familiar with your systems from stem to stern. Stuff always breaks in the middle of the night in crummy weather or in a far away anchorage where you have to have parts shipped in at considerble expense. Having other people fix your stuff works in some places for some items but you need to be able to fix stuff on the run.

[bobthecat]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

Aloha and welcome aboard!
Yes, take at least a basic sailing lesson to get you into the good habits. Buy the book "Start Sailing Right!" just for a beginner. Wait to buy a boat until you know what you really want and you are the only one who can determin that.
kind regards,

I have sailing lessons in the future and my brother just completed a sailing school, that included a couple nights living on board,between us we have just enough bravery (stupidity) and knowledge to kill our selves real good. We will do some bare boat charters, and I'm looking for other sailors to link up with and get as much information that I can. I will get the above book, but it may have to wait a day or two until I finish the last three I just received. I got the USGC Navigation rules,How to read a nautical chart,(wish I got the for dummies version),and Chapman's Piloting & Steamship,Ho-Lee Cr@p that last one is a doozie. Here is a question, all three books seem to be set up as military style manuals, are the meant to be read cover to cover, or read as reference books, If I have to read them all cover to cover, I may be a little longer than a day or two.
As for what kind,type,manufacture of boat I am looking for that has slowed down a little now and is only changing hourly, my projected purchase time is in about two years, I want to "depart" in about three years. I am looking now so I hope to have a little better Idea over the next couple years,
If in the mean time something happens to pop up that is the "deal of the century" I don't know that I would recognize it.
This site has been very helpful as I come here daily and read as much as I can,
just to get some exposure. Thanks again for all of the help. BtC

[boatman61]

Hi... Welcome to CF... hope your path is smooth...
Hmmmm.. living as two couples long term... build a Wharram Tiki 38+... 1 custom designed hull per couple and a deck pod as the galley/communal area... and they're 'Island Boats'...
But thats just me....

[Mark Johnson]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Hi... Welcome to CF... hope your path is smooth...
Hmmmm.. living as two couples long term... build a Wharram Tiki 38+... 1 custom designed hull per couple and a deck pod as the galley/communal area... and they're 'Island Boats'...
But thats just me....

Very good advice Phil!
That IS a way that two couples on one boat "might" be long term compatible. The larger the Wharram, the more true it would be...
M.

[swagman]

Welcome and good luck,
My suggestions are that all parties planning to get involved do get out there sailing and decide if it is for them well before the others all commit.
There are so many cruisers one meets around the globe who've lost a partner who could not handle the time at sea, and the more people involved in your plan the greater your risk.
And I know you appreciate the issues of two couples in a small space, but again suggest the four of you give it a go somehow to see how that works.
We did a rally once where every (I mean every) boat that had 2 x couples on had relationship issues erupt even between previously great mates - all due to the confines of space / tiredness / and I suspect nerves.
I'll wish you good luck a second time........
Cheers
JOHN

[MarkJ]

I haven't seen 2 couples living and cruising on a boat long term.

Thats not to say they are not there.... but I would seriously doubt I have forgotten anyone.

But if one checked Homicide records at the Police station I am sure some may have started as 2 couples.






Mark

[bobthecat]

Updated plan, now it is just me and my girl friend, the other couple popped smoke, they may come down from time to time, but nothing long term.
I need to get a refined direction on a boat. Just to narrow down my search. I'm thinking around 40ft ,I like the idea of a fiberglass deck, no exposed wood to care for etc. I will be on some boats next week so I will get a better idea of what may fit, but I am open to ideas and suggestions. I will probably be staying in the Caribbean for the most part since I am based in DR. Still searching.BtC