Hi from Cambridgeshire, UK

[Pickled Pirates]

Hi, we are new to this site, but are keen to join an online community as we are about to take a couple of gap years. We are Richard & Tracey and we are planing on buying our yacht in March, with a view of sailing around the med this summer and then either getting someone to take her over or hopefully doing it ourselves with a bit of help from a skipper and take her over to the Caribbean, where we plan to spend the British winter. We are hoping to live aboard our yacht, and would like to hear from other couples who are doing the same. Would also welcome any advice about sailing in the med or Caribbean. We are going over to Tortola, sailing in February for 2 weeks on a yacht charter. Looking forward to getting some sun and wind through our sails. - Tracey & Richard

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Tracey & Richard .

[MoonlightShadow]

Hi Tracey & Richard,

Welcome to the best and most friendly yachty site in the world. There is a plethora of knowledge available on here, and although its a US-based site, there are all nationalities and a quite a few of us Brits. It seems there are answers to everything available, and some quite clever chaps giving them (if you exclude me that is).

Gord (who just welcomed you in front of me) is one of those fountains of knowledge, and I reckon it would take me 500 years to learn what he knows. I am not saying that he is 500 years old though ( Er.... I dunno, he might be!)

I am on the Essex coast, and planning to do the Med again just as soon as I can retire (the recession put that back a bit), but I won't do the Atlantic yet as my present boat has toooo much glasswork.

What route are you planning to The Med? Via the Canals or round via Gibralter? Depends on the boat you choose to do it in. Draft is the main factor. You might consider joining The ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) for your first crossing of The Atlantic. I'm not sure if you know of it already, but thats where a whole bunch of boats (usually 200+) sail across "loosely" together avoiding the Hurricane season etc.

[Pete7]

Tracey and Richard, welcome to CF.

We were in Tortola this time last last year, terrible place, had to use sun cream and all that white sand everywhere plus crystal clear water, no stay put and enjoy the English winter.

Pete & Viv

[atoll]

welcome from deepest darkest cornwall,after 2.5 circumnavigations and over 100 000 miles might be able to impart some advice,feel free to pm me.
cheers alex

[Pickled Pirates]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Tracey and Richard, welcome to CF.

We were in Tortola this time last last year, terrible place, had to use sun cream and all that white sand everywhere plus crystal clear water, no stay put and enjoy the English winter.

Pete & Viv

Hi Pete & Viv, I am hoping Tortola is not going to be too much of a hardship, all that sun, sea & sailing. I know it's a hard life, but someone has to do it. Lol - Tracey & Richard

[Pickled Pirates]

Originally Posted by MoonlightShadow

Hi Tracey & Richard,

Welcome to the best and most friendly yachty site in the world. There is a plethora of knowledge available on here, and although its a US-based site, there are all nationalities and a quite a few of us Brits. It seems there are answers to everything available, and some quite clever chaps giving them (if you exclude me that is).

Gord (who just welcomed you in front of me) is one of those fountains of knowledge, and I reckon it would take me 500 years to learn what he knows. I am not saying that he is 500 years old though ( Er.... I dunno, he might be!)

I am on the Essex coast, and planning to do the Med again just as soon as I can retire (the recession put that back a bit), but I won't do the Atlantic yet as my present boat has toooo much glasswork.

What route are you planning to The Med? Via the Canals or round via Gibralter? Depends on the boat you choose to do it in. Draft is the main factor. You might consider joining The ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) for your first crossing of The Atlantic. I'm not sure if you know of it already, but thats where a whole bunch of boats (usually 200+) sail across "loosely" together avoiding the Hurricane season etc.

Hi, we are planning on doing the med, round Gib, we have already downloaded our forms for the arc for next November, but we will see how we are going as the summer progresses, The beauty of retirement is that nothing is set in stone anymore, apart from deciding which direction you want to go in! Though any advice is always welcome. - Tracey & Richard

[anglooff]

Welcome aboard,

I am confident that you will find all the information you will need to plan your trips.

Regards

Alan

[Gypsy Dancer]

Hi -This looks like a really interesting site. My husband and I have a Beneteau 235 here in Nashville that we enjoy for both cruising and racing. We are looking for a good liveaboard that we can use for the ICW and other places. He is a college professor, currently on sabbatical. He'll be retiring in 3 or 4 years and we will be cruising a lot. There's nothing that compares to advice from other sailors! I look forward to getting acquainted with everyone. -dd

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!
Good to have you here on the forum.
kind regards,