Im New!

[2far2drive]

hey guys, just wanted to say hello!

This forum looks like it will definently fit me as cruising in a small boat is one of my dreams. I had a Catalina 25 that was my first sailboat ever sailed and owned and I put some miles under her keel. Maybe over 150 just in my first season before I lost her in Ike. So now Im in search of my next boat, bluewater and something that will take me far!

Ive recognized hearsejr on here from renegade cruisers and believe it or not, I actually found the guy who bought an Albin Vega in Galveston out from under me on this forum! Owner of "Aquila", you've got a great boat man, I was ready to purchase her when I called back and they told me it was sold! 1 weekend!!! That NEVER happens in boat buying hahahaha. I figured I had a week to think about it so I wanted to check her out 1 more time. My waiting got the best of me yet again.

Ive had my eye out for a while for a small pocket cruiser and Im just saving up the cash to pull the trigger when the right boat comes along. Im looking to do mostly coastal cruising as Im chasing surf and exploration of the interior but passage making is on the list after Ive tired myself of Central/South America and the Carib chasing waves. Im still in a huge internal debate with myself over my method, if sailing is better than driving/bussing. There are many many waves a boat CANNOT get to that a car can, but then again, a boat can go places a car could never dream. Ive already driven 7000 miles through Mexico and Guatemala in 1 trip from Houston back in 2007. I was gone for 73 days just camping and driving, living my life. That big trip signalled the dream, I would come back, get a serious job, get out of debt, stack some cash and sign out. Im still relatively young (24) and this the life I want to live, surfing, traveling, sailing, LIVING! So... we shall see!

Some boats Ive been looking at..

1) Alberg 30
2) Yankee 30
3) Albin Vega
4) Bristol 27/29.9 (early 29.9, I hate wheel steering)
5) Southern Cross 28/31 (expensssssiveeee)
6) Westsail 28s (expeeeensive)
7) Bayfields
8) Cape Dory 30
and list runs on. I like the Contessa 26 and Im (or was) a fan of bigoceans.com but I just dont know if Ill have enough room for surfboards aboard that boat.

Anyways... good to FINALLY find some like minded sailors!!!!

[thistlecap]

Dear 2far,
Welcome aboard.  I think you'll find a great reservoir of knowledge here, plus the opportunity to share similar interests.  First, though, I'd suggest resolving your inner turmoil over "one if by land, two if by sea".  Ocean sailing and land sailing are kind of mutually exclusive if you're really serious about either one.  However, there is a way to get both worlds if you down size your boat a bit, preferrably trailerable.  You can go anywhere you want until the ground gets damp, then throw the boat in the water and sail.  I've known people that did exactly that with great success throughout North and Central America.  There's more stuff to see in this area than you'll totally absorb in a lifetime.  The advantage of this is the boat is always with you, whether land camping on it, or sailing on it.

If you're more interested in ocean miles, you can travel inland from many ports you visit, but this incurs substantially greater expense.  Daytrips ashore are great, but if you're travelling inland far, you have to arrange secure dockage for the boat, which costs money, have someone  watch over the boat for security, and worry about the boat everytime you see lightning or the wind picks up.  If you decide to go this route, the smaller you can go with proper scantlings and displacement, the better.  It makes the long-term finances more manageable, and the headaches exponentially less.  For this, read any Lin and Larry Pardey books you can get your hands on.

If in doubt about this, read Sailing Small  by Stan Grayson.  It's subtitled Inspiratioin and Instruction for the Pocket Cruiser, and is a great little book that helps to show just how little it takes to be successful as a pocket cruiser---much less than most Americans think essential.

Happy sailing,
Jim

[CapnK]

Grog, Jim - good thoughts!

Welcome aboard, 2far - your first Grog is on me. :)

Ever go surf the ship channel there in Houston? I saw some video of guys doing it, riding tanker wakes on longboards. Looks like it'd be a fun thing to try, at least a couple times. Maybe there is a short board secret spot, as well...? It wouldn't be the same rush that you get at Log Cabins, Pupukea, or Rocky Point, but still - fun... ;) Seen the vids of the guys riding the Amazonian tidal bores? One fellow had a wave that lasted some ungodly amount of time - like 45 mins or an hour... Amazing. Anyway, I digress...

24, eh? You're starting at a good age. I was about that old first time I moved to Hawaii. Had I known then what I know now, I would have done what you are planning to do. No regrets, but had I found a resource like this one (back then was pre-www, lol - I am an old fart now, @42 ;D) that showed/inspired me it was possible to get going on a very limited budget, while still have a perfectly capable boat, well, maybe I wouldn't have started this place, lol. I'd be 'out there' right now, instead. ;)

So, take yer dreams and run with them. Ain't nothing stopping you, but you.  8)

And you'll find that most everyone here will be glad to help in whatever ways they can - we all share the same passion, and the same general direction... Aloha! :)

[Captain Smollett]

just how little it takes to be successful as a pocket cruiser---much less than most Americans think essential.

Grog for that, Jim.

I bump up against the "how much does it take" 'tude just about every day.  We are four + a cat on an Alberg 30...say roughly 80 or so square feet of living space.  We are consistently asked how we do it.

Other sailboat liveaboards here are typically represented by the 35-41 foot crowd, mostly singles.  Then we get to the power boaters, and we have singles on 42-65 footers.  All wonder, quite vocally sometimes, how we do what we are doing.

If someone wants to live on a 30-45 footer, that's certainly no skin off my nose.  I just cringe at the presumption that it is necessary.  By the way, saw a copy of SAIL mag the other day...their idea of the "norm" now is the 50-ish foot boat.

For us, it has become "smaller boat, less stuff = more DOING."

[2far2drive]

Grog, Jim - good thoughts!

Welcome aboard, 2far - your first Grog is on me. :)

Ever go surf the ship channel there in Houston? I saw some video of guys doing it, riding tanker wakes on longboards. Looks like it'd be a fun thing to try, at least a couple times. Maybe there is a short board secret spot, as well...? It wouldn't be the same rush that you get at Log Cabins, Pupukea, or Rocky Point, but still - fun... ;) Seen the vids of the guys riding the Amazonian tidal bores? One fellow had a wave that lasted some ungodly amount of time - like 45 mins or an hour... Amazing. Anyway, I digress...

24, eh? You're starting at a good age. I was about that old first time I moved to Hawaii. Had I known then what I know now, I would have done what you are planning to do. No regrets, but had I found a resource like this one (back then was pre-www, lol - I am an old fart now, @42 ;D) that showed/inspired me it was possible to get going on a very limited budget, while still have a perfectly capable boat, well, maybe I wouldn't have started this place, lol. I'd be 'out there' right now, instead. ;)

So, take yer dreams and run with them. Ain't nothing stopping you, but you.  8)

And you'll find that most everyone here will be glad to help in whatever ways they can - we all share the same passion, and the same general direction... Aloha! :)

I have some very close friends that just returned from an epic trip surfing the channel. Here's the rundown.
Its HARD! There is no science to it yet, just a bit of luck. We even have a guy who is a channel pilot and the best they can do is he has a schedule of the freighters coming through, their tonnage, draft, and load. Everything has to be perfect, like... a wednesday, foggy morning holding them offshore and then boom, they will do 15kts + through the channel to make up time.

To give you an idea, Ill try and find the pictures online, but basically he was showing me pics, 19 minutes of non stop riding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 19 freaking minutes! He said your feet start cramping and your legs get tired. You can rip a little in the sections that bowl but mostly you just cruiseeeeee....

As has been mentioned before, I do need to make that one decision about land or water. I thought about towing a boat for a while but with my intedended destinations, it will only get in the way. Its a major hassle to sell titled objects south of the border too so I would have to dump her eventually. Just an example, there are no roads through the Darien Gap in Panama, you have to ship your car into South America on a freighter, I dont want to have to pay to ship my boat too.

Im trying to run this trip/life on an extreaaaaaamly low budget. Im thinking car or boat, I can do this for 600 a month, maybe lower. Car wise I know I can do it, but with a boat, am I being a little ambitious with this budget? The one thing I like about the car is no major upfront cost of boat buying and outfitting. Just grab a toyota truck and go. The one thing that makes me want to sail is that if it doesnt work out for whatever reason, I will still have a boat I can live on until I sell her and take off with wheels or my feet. Ehhhh... decisions decisions. I still have time though, I only have about 7K racked up right now. Had to pay off 10K of debt before I could even start saving but I did that in 10 months so Im saving very fast if you do the math :) Should be at 20K by dec this time. Sacrifice sacrifice, living at home with the parents (paying rent though, im not a freeloader haha) and just keeping the dreams running.

But, Like I said. Low Budget! On a boat Im thinking the bare minumum. No life raft... no chartplotters, nothing. Maybe just a few handheld GPS and mostly noon sights with sextant. No diesel either, outboard or sculling oar. I gotta make my cash stretch because Im ready to get outa here. Sad that I realize if I had some patience and waited even 5 more years, I would have a ton of money, but...  I dont think I have 5 years. Too many unpredictable things can happen that might screw it all up. Like I said... I want to make this an open ended lifestyle. if I have to leave her on the hard for 6 months somewhere to fly back to the states and make a quick 5K then Im ok with that. I plan on doing this until I just wake up one day and say "well... Ive had my share". hehehe... if it ever happens

[Shipscarver]

I'm on a Cape Dory 27 and the magic word that arises when I visit friends on their "huge" 33 footer is, STORAGE.  ::)

[hearsejr]

 hay 2 Far...welcome aboard dude. so you thinking about taking the cheap and easy way out and going small huh?  lol glad to have ya aboard.
now if I can get the guy and his wife who took off for Africa on the Columbia 26, with no electrics...not even a house battery bank in the boat, then I think I would be happy. lol.

Bill

[chris2998]

2far2drive

Welcome aboard dude I share the same dream. I hope to buy a boat in about 10 months time. Keep working hard and saving you'll have so much saved up in no time just give it a little time

Thinking of a westsail 32 or a southern cross 31 The southern cross seems like a better deal found a few for around 20 gran which I thought wasn't bad, better then 40-50 for a westsail.

thistlecap-Jim this man knows his stuff. I could write a book from all he has told me and I hope someday I can repay him back in some way.  Dumb question or not he replies back. He has helped me so dang much.

There are so many great people on this forum with so much knowledge it's rediculous. This really is a great little forum. I don't think I have found a forum with so many people that know so dang much about sailboats and sailing in general.

Chris

[skylark]

2far, my word of advice is don't get a fixxer upper boat, get a well loved boat in good condition, even if it means a little more money.  You could look for a "cleaner upper" but preferably buy one that has been well cared for.  Then, as soon as possible move aboard and anchor out somewhere within an easy row of a dinghy dock.  Figure out what stuff you need to be able to live on board for a week or so without buying anything. Then haul the anchor and move to the next harbor south. Keep doing that for a year or so before jumping off on a long passage.

Start out with a backpacking mentality and only add what you really need.  Don't try to move stuff from an apartment into the boat.

As far as what kind of boat, I would look around 26 foot, certainly no bigger than 30.  There is lots of advice here on which boats to get, yachtatom posted a list of recommendations, I would stick to that list.

[hearsejr]

 I found some "project" boats that were nice, and some that claimed to be ready to go that were junk. I think the best way is to not count anything out, till you go onboard and check it out in person. I looked at a boat in M.D., that was like walking on a trampoline when I went to the bow, and the dock collasped when I tried to leave the boat......they wanted $1500 for it. the next day I went to look at a $900 Coronado 27, just down the road and fell in love with her. she was full of water and had a thick coating of mold all over, she had been in the slip for 14 years...I found the log and it was last sailed in 1988, and this was in 03. when I walked across the deck it was like a stroll down the sidewalk. I got boat in my name and everything for less then $800. that included a month at the marina, useing their facilities and power and water and even their machine shop.  I know that it would be like 1/1,000,000,000 chances of that happening again, but you never know.
now I got what I call the perfact boat, for $6500, a Coronado 30. I have only found a couple Coronado 30's for sale on the net, so, I'm thinking that most of the owners like them too.

Bill

[Tingira]

Welcome, not sure if anyone else mentioned this or not but James Baldwin posted a great ' Good old Boat list' on the the forum under boater bits I think, definitely a good read if your looking.  Good luck!

Paul
Tingira - Islander 29

[AdriftAtSea]

Yes, James Baldwin's Boat list can be found HERE

[mrb]

2far2drive

Welcome and good luck in your search. 

I agree with other posts here in that I would stay under 30ft.  Actually 27 or 28 ft can have a lot more room than one would think and they are a lot easier to maintain than a larger boat.  Both physically and financially, both of which get you on the water quicker and keep you playing longer before stopping to work for more money for maintenance.

Fair winds and surf
mrb