Soon To Be Real

[VirtualVagabond]

Hi All,
After decades of different boats, and partners, I think I've got the right combination. An adventurous partner who thinks I know what I'm doing, and when the house sells in mid 2010, the boat won't be very far behind. I'm immersed in research for the big seachange and found this site. So much of the work already done for me... brilliant!

[sailorboy1]

Welcome. This site will keep you busy, especially if you read all of the threads once they go off the topic. But you get a lot of view points which to use to make your own decisions.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and Welcome aboard!
Good to have you here and good luck on your dreams.
regards,

[VirtualVagabond]

Thanks Don, and John,
This site has so many answers it gets hard to remember the questions.
I'm a sucker for the romance of the sea and traditional (old fashioned) sailboats, but I've been around long enough to know that no matter how good she looks, eventually you're going to get tired of paying the surgeon for yet another nip n' tuck.

So, I though I had it all worked out. GRP for low maintenance, and a Hans Christian, Formosa, or Vagabond for the romance in my soul. But the horror stories are a worry. Not so much with the HC, in fact I haven't found much about them at all.

Feedback, comments, and experiences would all be greatly appreciated.

[maxingout]

The most important thing is that you live in Australia, and you don't have to sail thousands of miles to have the greatest cruising in the world.

[scook1]

Welcome aboard,
I am certain that it wont take too long for you to find some good arguments.. I mean discussions about your Formosas and Hans Christians. Good luck,
Spencer

[Ocean Girl]

Originally Posted by scook1

Welcome aboard,
I am certain that it wont take too long for you to find some good arguments.. I mean discussions about your Formosas and Hans Christians. Good luck,
Spencer

HC are better than formosas there, I started it.
I have delivered a HC 38 from Guatemala to Texas (howdy from texas by the way). I have also delivered a formosa about 600 miles up the coast of texas (Intercoastal waterway). The HC has the formosa beat in quality and motion comfort. BUT keep looking/researching, there are a lot of other really sweet traditional vessels that may suit you better. Here is a web site about the really important stuff like sail area and capsize ratio Sail Calculator Pro v3.53 - 2000+ boats hope that helps.
Cheers,
Erika

PS I hope your house sells fast

[galleyslave]

The best two boats I have ever owned were a Folkboat and a Nicholson 32. I now sail a Vagabond 42, which I like. She's comfortable and she sails well enough.

I have always liked the look of the HC's but, for cruising in varied waters, the draft seems to me to be a real problem.

[VirtualVagabond]

Thanks Erika,
Feedback from cruisers who actually know the boats is about as good as I could wish for.
Galleyslave, I really like the look of the Vagabond, but I'm a little wary after having heard a few costly experiences. Usually relating to substandard plywood having been used in the original construction. I suspect this may have been only at certain times in the construction history. Do you have any knowledge or experience in this area?

[VirtualVagabond]

Spencer,
The Whitsundays is great cruising, and I'm looking forward to island hopping the South Pacific too. The frustration from here is that all the good looking traditional style yachts seem to come out of the U.S. The few that make it to our shores are pricey. So I may have to find something in the US/Caribbean/Mexico and get to know it on the way home
We've got a good industry here and the yachts perform well, but they fall into the soulless, boring as batshit category, unless you're an adrenalin junkie.
Vic

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by VirtualVagabond

The frustration from here is that all the good looking traditional style yachts .....
Vic

Traditional. LOL means to me: hard to get aboard from a dink and no swim platform.

Have a look at some of the new 'souless' production boast and you may see yourself at sea in something that really does fit your bill... not that you know it yet

Welcome aboard.

[galleyslave]

[QUOTE=
Galleyslave, I really like the look of the Vagabond, but I'm a little wary after having heard a few costly experiences. Usually relating to substandard plywood having been used in the original construction. I suspect this may have been only at certain times in the construction history. Do you have any knowledge or experience in this area?[/QUOTE]

I bought a 1976 built Vagabond 42 a couple of years ago. Basically, I have had engine problems (original Ford Leyman 75 BHP - hopefully now 'as new'), a termite problem - you wouldn't believe how quickly they spread through the boat and how quickly they can eat through a drawer full of charts - now eradicated - and several instances of delaminating plywood, principally the forepeak, one bulkhead, several lockers and parts of the cabin sole, forecabin and saloon. I have rebuilt the forepeak, gear storage, chain locker, etc. which was also had the main concentration of termites, the bulkhead, the forecabin sole and some of the lockers. This leaves me with fiddly bits in lockers and the saloon sole as the main job still to tackle but I want to change that anyway to give better and quicker access to the water and fuel tanks.

I knew that there were problems in all three areas, albeit the engine has given me some nasty surprises, but I live ashore and tend to go sailing in one to two month chunks so the work has been manageable.

[VirtualVagabond]

Thanks Mark,
I know you're right and that's why I'm having this head vs heart battle. I seem to spend most of my life trying to be sensible, not always very successfully. At least if I make a few dumb choices with heart driven purchases from o/s, I can probably beat the romance out of my soul, at least my money back, and then buy a Beneteau Lagoon to lick my wounds in comfort, space etc with TWO boarding options etc :- )

[VirtualVagabond]

Galleyslave.....Sounds like a nightmare! Now you've done all that work, wanna sell me your boat?

[galleyslave]

The termites were. I've lived and sailed mostly in colder climes and they came as a bit of a shock.