New Member from Western Australia

[GordMay]

Michael:
Thanks for my morning laugh!!!
“... but few listen to me. I have been to Scotland.”
Gord

[uncle_fred]

hi and welcome on board me to i am new glad i am not the only one i dont belong to a club or haven´t got a boat yet still looking here there are plenty for sale just have to find the right one got enough water around me though

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Zerubb,
Welcome aboard!! I'm a little late with that because of the time difference. Good to hear you share the dream.
Kind Regards, JohnL
P.S. Hawaiian beer is a bit light but your welcome to have one on me when you sail here.

[timjf]

Hi mate welcome to the forum My boat is located in Sydney been sailing for some time... Great sailing on the "East Coast" Keep your dream alive we wish you well
Cheers Tim "Beneteau Oceanis 390 "

[ong kok keong]

Originally Posted by zerubb

Hi

I am a new member and also new to ocean cruising. I have had a variety of boats over the years, both sail and power, but my sea time has to this point been restricted to sheltered waters. I have an awful lot to learn and unfortunately long past the spring of my youth, in fact my winter is fast approaching. Now for more years than I care to remember I have held a dream to cross at least one ocean in my own boat. It is only now that circumstances allow me to hopefully realise this dream. My kids think I am crazy, my friends probably think the same, but are too polite to say so! But the only thing I fear about growing old is my capacity to dream!

In order to realise this dream I have decided upon a plan of attack. I am currently in the very early stages of studying for a yacht-master off shore qualification and I hope to get some additional offshore sea time either as crew or on one of the offshore ocean courses I have seen advertised on the web. I do not own a boat at the moment and don’t intend buying one until I am a bit clearer in my thinking with regard to size, style etc. My medium (two year) plan is to buy a boat in the USA, hopefully find a crew and sail back to Australia. It is hoped this boat will be my home for the foreseeable future, so in this case size is important. It is also important that I can handle this boat on my own, so I am totally unsure as to optimum size. I know with modern reefing systems, including in-boom reefing, reducing sail can be relatively easy but in-boom systems are expensive and I am not sure as to their suitability for sustained offshore work. My biggest concern is when it comes to docking, I have always felt the bigger the boat the bigger the problem very close to land, this can only be compounded when single handing!

I prefer moderate to heavy displacement, they are more pleasing to my eye and the load carrying capacity is a big plus. My thinking at the moment is a minimum of 30ft up to possibly 36ft, so I guess this means Baba/Tashiba, Mason, Cape Dory etc. I also like the look of the Aloha 32’ and some of the Ericson and Endeavours, but I am not sure of the suitability of these last three for crossing oceans. I know some people have crossed the Pacific in little more then bath tubs with sails, but I want a boat I can have confidence in and one that will at least understand if occasionally I do something stupid!. My budget would be around US$75k for the boat and about US$30k in reserve to prepare her for cruising. Any thoughts and/or ideas regarding any of my plans, size/type of boat etc would be greatly appreciated. Sorry for the length of this post.

hi zerubb,
i have similar dreams like you. and i get the wet blanket from every quarters. i aspire to take the RYA yachtmaster course in Langkawi. but had not got around doing it. yesterday, Clipper Inc (in conjuction with Singapore Toursm Board) was doing a recruitment drive for 35 crews for the Clipper 07-08 race. i kicked my ass for not going to the interview. there are too many distractions for me now.

[Canibul]

how come Singapore Sailing news didnt credit the quote to Abraham Lincoln, I wonder?

[ong kok keong]

hi canibul,
sorry for the oversight. i had updated my signature to reflect the source. thanks for bringing it to my notice.

[Rod Cawthorne]

Hi Zerubb,

Without boring others with the details, we have a lot in common - both new, both from Aus (difference being you get up too late!) & similar circumstances/plans. My advice is first get into the books where you can be confident the advice being given is carefully formulated & you can judge the veracity of the author. I found a book called "Desirable & Undesirable Characteristics of Off Shore Yachts" gave me virtually all the answers or rather questions in choosing/looking at potential Water boats">blue water boats. Also a book titled "Boat owners Mechanical & Electrical Manual" has been really helpful when looking at boats essential systems.
At the very least they will help you evaluate the advice, always kindly given, on forums such as these.

Cheers Mate,
Rod

[Talbot]

Nigel Calder's Book is definitely a must have. However, desirable characteristics of an offshore yachts - dont know the book itself, but most of this type tend to think that their way of doing things is the only correct way, and excludes any other method.

Bill and Laurel Coopers book on "sell up and sail" offers a lot of very good advise.

Jimmy cornell has a book on world cruising survey

[cooper]

Hi from Melbourne (Aus) Keep the dream alive ! Its crazy people that end up doing crazy things, that drive normal people crazy, because they wish that they had been crazy enough too !!Try "Slow Travel" byMari Rhydwen The story starts in Fremantle WA (Aus). A good no nonsense account by "non super people" !cheersMartin