Setting a Lifetime Goal

[CaptJB]

Hello Cruiser's Forum! New guy here. Finally taking the jump to realize a lifetime dream. 58 years young and have done just about everything in my life. Started sailing when I was a young teen as a Sea Scout while living in Hawaii as a "Navy Brat". Got into long range sailing while in College (University of Miami) where i worked delivery for A&B Associates Yacht Brokerage out of Ft Lauderdale, Fl in the mid 70's. Longest delivery was a Columbia 43 "WindChase" from Ft Laquderdale to Nice Italy with a single other crew (John Bradburn) in 1975. Truley a life experience. Grew up and finished college then went into the Navy as a pilot. Later shifted to Surface Warfare community and drove ships for 24 years. Commanded USS Scout, USS Patriot and USS Tortuga. Retired in 2004 and immediately went to work again for Uncle Sam as a DoD Civilian. Last boat was a Halberg Rassy 35 that i sold in 1997. Just didn't have the time to do any extended cruising which is what i had fallen in love with so long ago. Always an adventurer i have done just about all you can imagine (diving, hunting, fishing, flying, skydiving, etc..) Now looking forward to retiring again and doing what i have wanted to really do for the past 40 years.... buy a stout boat and do some cruising. Look forward to getting reacquainted with the crusing community,. Things have changed since the 70's.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, JB.

[JPA Cate]

CCaptJB,

Welcome aboard, sir.

You're right, a lot has changed in the cruising community since the 70's!

Let us know when you've decided on the vessel.

FWIW, there is an aluminum 43 ft. cutter for sale right now, by another CF'er, sanibel sailor, that looks a lovely boat.

Ann

[boatman61]

Welcome to CF JB..
Not that much has changed... folk still argue about anchors.. just the names are different..
Monohullers still think Cat sailors are weird or insane..
And the rest of the world thinks we all are...

[Tayana42]

CaptJB, thank you for your many years of service. Glad you made it through and can now have a cruising goal.


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[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Welcome to CF JB..
Not that much has changed... folk still argue about anchors.. just the names are different..
Monohullers still think Cat sailors are weird or insane..
And the rest of the world thinks we all are...

I'll have to agree with Boatman here. I still anchor in the same places I did in the seventies. The winds, current & tides are behaving the same. Most of the things that have changed are not my issues.

Keep us posted of your adventures!

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!
Good to have you here and thanks for your service in the real Navy and as a sandcrab.
kind regards,

[CaptJB]

When I did my last transAtlantic in 1975, I had a SSB reciever for the GMT time beep, a stop watch, a sextant and the sight reduction tables to determine where I was on a routine basis. Oh yes, I had along the latest volumne of the Light list so when I made landfall I could verify (often to disappointing resluts) how far off my celestial Nav was. In addition, I had no communication outside of line of sight VHF and I had no idea what weather was coming my way other that a barometer and the mark-1/mod-0 eyeball. As I understand it some things have changed... :-).

[CaptJB]

Thanks for the welcome aboard from everyone. Starting the search for the right boat and I am really interested in your experienced point of view, so I will be posting to the Mono-hull forum to get some feedback on the 4 specifric boats I am looking seriously at. It's obvious the cruising community hasn't changed in the last 40 years... still a welcoming, opinonated but not judgemental and comfortable group to be associated with.