|
Crazy?
Some really terrific advice here from people who do care and people who have been there and done it. Good to see you are taking it to heart.
I want to make one small suggestion about something you aluded to: time and trading boats. I do not see that you could accomplish your dream in the time you wish if you do take the intermediate step to get a "starter" boat. Selling an older boat costs time and money...and there is NO guarantee that any boat will sell. Quite frankly, I would skip this step....BUT make up for it with MORE training. SO, my ver of your abreviated plan:
1. Get intensive sail training at ASA certified schools.
2. Somewhere along the line, get a cheap, small daysailor...for the sole purpose of sharpening your skills and getting more comfortable with the water. A 420 or lightning would be terrific for sharpening sail skills. But ...there is much more to cruising than sailing ...you need to learn boat systems.
3. Charter some boats in the 30-40 size range
4. Get your boat.
#3 is where most would suggest getting an intermediate boat like a Catalina 22 to Tartan 30 ...a small boat that has many of the basic systems big boats have: electrical, plumbing, electronics, rigging etc. Generally, there is a good market for these and you should be able to get into and out of one quickly....BUT...again my hesitation...no guarantee. SO, you may have to go through this step by getting more sail training as crew on other boats and perhaps get bareboat certified and charter a couple times.
The problem is going to be that there is no substitute for having your own boat. An option then: charter at least twice, crew for other people and then get a boat that will be your ultimate boat. Jeff H is right on target when he talks about displacement and LOA. LOA means little. As you have been doing, get online and study the characteristics that make a boat livable, safe, sturdy, sea kindly and offshore long distance cruising capable. The range of boats in this category is quite wide and could easily take a lengthy discussion. There is Trish''s Baba 30, a few 32 footers, a friend''s wonderful Union 36, Tartan 37 (from someone who used to post here), Jeff''s 10,000 lb displ Farr 38 and my 22,000 lb displ Hood 38. All boats capable of doing what you wish to do... We could all go on for quite a bit extolling the virtues of each of these truly fine yachts, and they are. But...each of these outstanding boats were designed for very different sailors ... not just in terms of ability to handle each but different in terms of sailing and design philosophy.
When you have been sailing for a bit, on OPB''s or charter boats, you will know what kind of sailor you are and what kind of boat you want. Then you can take the lists garnered from all these discussions and find your boat. It will be easy then.
Hope this helps
John
|