For as long as I can remember, I've been planning on getting a boat and
taking off, cruising around for a few years. I've read a lot of books
on the subject but up to this point have focused mainly on getting the
$$ to actually be able to do this. I have very limited sailing
experience, consisting of crewing on a large yacht for a couple weeks
when I was younger.

I'm 25 now, and the goal has always been to leave before I was 30.
However, a strange thing happened in the past year - a project of mine
took off, and all the sudden I find myself in a position where I have
the money to go, now. I have somewhere around $200k in the bank. I
could buy a boat and leave, except that I have zero experience and
don't want to die.

So my question is: how do I get to the point where I can realistically
purchase my own boat and take off? I know about the offshore cruising
schools,etc,.. but would it make more sense to look around for a
(probably unpaid) crewing position? And if so, how should I go about
that? Just hang out on the docks at the right time of year?

Also, complicating matters, I will more than likely be bringing my
girlfriend along, who also has no experience sailing.

I would like to be in my own boat cruising within, say, one year. I'm
looking for any and all advice - what to read, what to do, etc etc. .

Thanks very much.
-Bobby

Bobby:

You sound like a whole lot of us when we were 25. Hang on to the dream, no
matter what comes because it worth it. Your dream is possible. Most of your
friends and even some here might say that you're naive. Ignore them.

You need some experience and training. There are a lot of moving parts on a
boat. Mechanical, standing rigging, running rigging, electrical, canvas,
plumbing and diesel/gas engines. If you tally them all up and expect to
master them before you leave for a while, you just might be overwhelmed and
quit. I've met folks off shore with $40,000 boats and little in their
pockets. They usually grin a lot.

I spent some time with Lynn and Larry Pardee at a few boat shows and they
have cruised the world on a wee boat for many years. They have a motto that
goes something like: Go early, go small, go simple, go now. I've mangled it
but you get the idea. They intentionally chose to leave behind many of the
boat accessories that seem almost "mandatory" these days. Our own boat is
simple to maintain, own and repair. Most new boats do not fit that
description. Whether you explore the Puget Sound, bum around the Carib or
set sail for the horizon, you need to fix your home yourself.
A great collection of articles on everything boats can be found at
http://www.sailnet.com/collections/cruising/

The best advice I could offer is: keep reading, get some professional
classes, join a cursing and a racing club for a year or two and buy a boat
afterward. By then, you've practiced on other's boats and sampled a wide
variety of sizes, types and styles. And keep dreaming your dream with a
casual plan.

Dan


"henderob" wrote in message
oups.com...
For as long as I can remember, I've been planning on getting a boat and
taking off, cruising around for a few years. I've read a lot of books
on the subject but up to this point have focused mainly on getting the
$$ to actually be able to do this. I have very limited sailing
experience, consisting of crewing on a large yacht for a couple weeks
when I was younger.

I'm 25 now, and the goal has always been to leave before I was 30.
However, a strange thing happened in the past year - a project of mine
took off, and all the sudden I find myself in a position where I have
the money to go, now. I have somewhere around $200k in the bank. I
could buy a boat and leave, except that I have zero experience and
don't want to die.

So my question is: how do I get to the point where I can realistically
purchase my own boat and take off? I know about the offshore cruising
schools,etc,.. but would it make more sense to look around for a
(probably unpaid) crewing position? And if so, how should I go about
that? Just hang out on the docks at the right time of year?

Also, complicating matters, I will more than likely be bringing my
girlfriend along, who also has no experience sailing.

I would like to be in my own boat cruising within, say, one year. I'm
looking for any and all advice - what to read, what to do, etc etc. .

Thanks very much.
-Bobby

Damned spell checker. That's "cruising" not "cursing!"

"Danny" wrote in message
...
Bobby:

You sound like a whole lot of us when we were 25. Hang on to the dream, no
matter what comes because it worth it. Your dream is possible. Most of
your friends and even some here might say that you're naive. Ignore them.

You need some experience and training. There are a lot of moving parts on
a boat. Mechanical, standing rigging, running rigging, electrical, canvas,
plumbing and diesel/gas engines. If you tally them all up and expect to
master them before you leave for a while, you just might be overwhelmed
and quit. I've met folks off shore with $40,000 boats and little in their
pockets. They usually grin a lot.

I spent some time with Lynn and Larry Pardee at a few boat shows and they
have cruised the world on a wee boat for many years. They have a motto
that goes something like: Go early, go small, go simple, go now. I've
mangled it but you get the idea. They intentionally chose to leave behind
many of the boat accessories that seem almost "mandatory" these days. Our
own boat is simple to maintain, own and repair. Most new boats do not fit
that description. Whether you explore the Puget Sound, bum around the
Carib or set sail for the horizon, you need to fix your home yourself.
A great collection of articles on everything boats can be found at
http://www.sailnet.com/collections/cruising/

The best advice I could offer is: keep reading, get some professional
classes, join a cursing and a racing club for a year or two and buy a boat
afterward. By then, you've practiced on other's boats and sampled a wide
variety of sizes, types and styles. And keep dreaming your dream with a
casual plan.

Dan


"henderob" wrote in message
oups.com...
For as long as I can remember, I've been planning on getting a boat and
taking off, cruising around for a few years. I've read a lot of books
on the subject but up to this point have focused mainly on getting the
$$ to actually be able to do this. I have very limited sailing
experience, consisting of crewing on a large yacht for a couple weeks
when I was younger.

I'm 25 now, and the goal has always been to leave before I was 30.
However, a strange thing happened in the past year - a project of mine
took off, and all the sudden I find myself in a position where I have
the money to go, now. I have somewhere around $200k in the bank. I
could buy a boat and leave, except that I have zero experience and
don't want to die.

So my question is: how do I get to the point where I can realistically
purchase my own boat and take off? I know about the offshore cruising
schools,etc,.. but would it make more sense to look around for a
(probably unpaid) crewing position? And if so, how should I go about
that? Just hang out on the docks at the right time of year?

Also, complicating matters, I will more than likely be bringing my
girlfriend along, who also has no experience sailing.

I would like to be in my own boat cruising within, say, one year. I'm
looking for any and all advice - what to read, what to do, etc etc. .

Thanks very much.
-Bobby

"Danny" wrote in message
...
Damned spell checker. That's "cruising" not "cursing!"


That's going to be more accurate. :-)

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"henderob" wrote in message
oups.com...
For as long as I can remember, I've been planning on getting a boat and
taking off, cruising around for a few years. I've read a lot of books
on the subject but up to this point have focused mainly on getting the
$$ to actually be able to do this. I have very limited sailing
experience, consisting of crewing on a large yacht for a couple weeks
when I was younger.

I'm 25 now, and the goal has always been to leave before I was 30.
However, a strange thing happened in the past year - a project of mine
took off, and all the sudden I find myself in a position where I have
the money to go, now. I have somewhere around $200k in the bank. I
could buy a boat and leave, except that I have zero experience and
don't want to die.

So my question is: how do I get to the point where I can realistically
purchase my own boat and take off? I know about the offshore cruising
schools,etc,.. but would it make more sense to look around for a
(probably unpaid) crewing position? And if so, how should I go about
that? Just hang out on the docks at the right time of year?

Also, complicating matters, I will more than likely be bringing my
girlfriend along, who also has no experience sailing.

I would like to be in my own boat cruising within, say, one year. I'm
looking for any and all advice - what to read, what to do, etc etc. .

Thanks very much.
-Bobby

Start by reading all the other related threads in this newsgroup. You'll
find most of the answers.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

henderob wrote:
For as long as I can remember, I've been planning on getting a boat and
taking off, cruising around for a few years. I've read a lot of books
on the subject but up to this point have focused mainly on getting the
$$ to actually be able to do this. I have very limited sailing
experience, consisting of crewing on a large yacht for a couple weeks
when I was younger.

I'm 25 now, and the goal has always been to leave before I was 30.
However, a strange thing happened in the past year - a project of mine
took off, and all the sudden I find myself in a position where I have
the money to go, now. I have somewhere around $200k in the bank. I
could buy a boat and leave, except that I have zero experience and
don't want to die.

So my question is: how do I get to the point where I can realistically
purchase my own boat and take off? I know about the offshore cruising
schools,etc,.. but would it make more sense to look around for a
(probably unpaid) crewing position? And if so, how should I go about
that? Just hang out on the docks at the right time of year?

Also, complicating matters, I will more than likely be bringing my
girlfriend along, who also has no experience sailing.

I would like to be in my own boat cruising within, say, one year. I'm
looking for any and all advice - what to read, what to do, etc etc. .

Thanks very much.
-Bobby


I recommend you take a small fraction of your nest egg ($35K)
and sign up on the Picton Castle.
see: http://www.picton-castle.com/

Get a +/- 30 foot boat that was well taken care of by the previous
owner and is set up for cruising. There are usually a couple of these
for sale in most harbors. Choose an area that is easy to cruise in and
has lots of nice anchorages and port towns, say, Chesapeake Bay, the
Carolinas or coastal New England. Don't make any big hops, just sail
from harbor to harbor during the day. Try to anchor out as much as
possible and use the dinghy. Stay in the harbor if the weather is bad,
in fact, just have fun and hang around in the harbors and wait till the
time is just right to sail on to the next. When you meet other sailors,
always take the opportunity to sail with them and see how they have
their boat set up.

Do this for at least 2 months before you buy a bigger boat. It may be
a little like camping at first, but you will learn a lot, quickly and
any beginner mistakes will be made with a low cost boat.

You can also learn a lot from sailing logs, he

http://cruisenews.net/voyagelogs.html

http://cruisenews.net/shipsatsea.html

henderob wrote:
For as long as I can remember, I've been planning on getting a boat and
taking off, cruising around for a few years. I've read a lot of books
on the subject but up to this point have focused mainly on getting the
$$ to actually be able to do this. I have very limited sailing
experience, consisting of crewing on a large yacht for a couple weeks
when I was younger.

I'm 25 now, and the goal has always been to leave before I was 30.
However, a strange thing happened in the past year - a project of mine
took off, and all the sudden I find myself in a position where I have
the money to go, now. I have somewhere around $200k in the bank. I
could buy a boat and leave, except that I have zero experience and
don't want to die.

So my question is: how do I get to the point where I can realistically
purchase my own boat and take off? I know about the offshore cruising
schools,etc,.. but would it make more sense to look around for a
(probably unpaid) crewing position? And if so, how should I go about
that? Just hang out on the docks at the right time of year?

Also, complicating matters, I will more than likely be bringing my
girlfriend along, who also has no experience sailing.

I would like to be in my own boat cruising within, say, one year. I'm
looking for any and all advice - what to read, what to do, etc etc. .

Thanks very much.
-Bobby

I'm 55 with a mid-life crisis. Had some cash, some old experience on
motor boats none sailing, bought a 33' boat, took off for a month. Did
pretty much as is outlined by "cruisenews" below.

Got in some trouble. Got out of it too. Great fun.

Same routine next year. Gives me something to dream about at nights
when I would be otherwise concocting ways to rid myself of various
co-workers and/or clients. Dark nefarious dreams of unspeakable
horror......but I diverge.

The longer you wait the greater the chance that some
unanticipated/undesire event (new landlubber girfriend?) will put a
crimp in the plan.

My vote? Do it.

While planning buy, read, and take along:
1. Singlehanded Sailing: The Experiences and Techniques of the Lone
Voyagers by Richard Henderson

2. Heavy Weather Sailing, by Peter Bruce (orginally by Adlard Coles)

3. Everything by Nigel Calder but especially:

Nigel Calder's Cruising Handbook: A Compendium for Coastal and Offshore
Sailors

and
How to Read a Nautical Chart : A Complete Guide to the Symbols,
Abbreviations, and Data Displayed on Nautical Charts

and
Marine Diesel Engines: Maintenance, Troubleshooting, and Repair

Best of luck,

Howard



cruisenews wrote:

Get a +/- 30 foot boat that was well taken care of by the previous
owner and is set up for cruising. There are usually a couple of these
for sale in most harbors. Choose an area that is easy to cruise in and
has lots of nice anchorages and port towns, say, Chesapeake Bay, the
Carolinas or coastal New England. Don't make any big hops, just sail
from harbor to harbor during the day. Try to anchor out as much as
possible and use the dinghy. Stay in the harbor if the weather is bad,
in fact, just have fun and hang around in the harbors and wait till the
time is just right to sail on to the next. When you meet other sailors,
always take the opportunity to sail with them and see how they have
their boat set up.

Do this for at least 2 months before you buy a bigger boat. It may be
a little like camping at first, but you will learn a lot, quickly and
any beginner mistakes will be made with a low cost boat.

You can also learn a lot from sailing logs, he

http://cruisenews.net/voyagelogs.html

http://cruisenews.net/shipsatsea.html

henderob wrote:

For as long as I can remember, I've been planning on getting a boat and
taking off, cruising around for a few years. I've read a lot of books
on the subject but up to this point have focused mainly on getting the
$$ to actually be able to do this. I have very limited sailing
experience, consisting of crewing on a large yacht for a couple weeks
when I was younger.

I'm 25 now, and the goal has always been to leave before I was 30.
However, a strange thing happened in the past year - a project of mine
took off, and all the sudden I find myself in a position where I have
the money to go, now. I have somewhere around $200k in the bank. I
could buy a boat and leave, except that I have zero experience and
don't want to die.

So my question is: how do I get to the point where I can realistically
purchase my own boat and take off? I know about the offshore cruising
schools,etc,.. but would it make more sense to look around for a
(probably unpaid) crewing position? And if so, how should I go about
that? Just hang out on the docks at the right time of year?

Also, complicating matters, I will more than likely be bringing my
girlfriend along, who also has no experience sailing.

I would like to be in my own boat cruising within, say, one year. I'm
looking for any and all advice - what to read, what to do, etc etc. .

Thanks very much.
-Bobby

Thanks everyone for the replies.. you gave me a lot to think about.

I agree with Howard. Do it!

I'd just add there are some sailing schools out there that do real hands on training. There are even some just for women.

I also have a friend selling a boat that may be right up your alley. Tricked out for cruising, recently hauled and a brand new genset.

You can contact me at capt.bill11@(remove this)verizon.net if you'd like more info.

Capt. Bill