info for first buy

[HaydanDrock]

Hello, this is my first post,
I am wanting to get into sailing, I am planing to take some lessons this summer and then maybe buy a cruiser next year that I can possibly live on.
I am looking to find out what boats I should start looking at, I will hopefully be moving to Victoria BC, with plans on sailing down to the Caribbean or over to the south pacific in the coming years, I will need to be able to singlehand because most likely thats what I will be doing.
I was wondering what size and price range is reasonable , I would like to stay around $35k, but any suggestions would be helpful, there seems to be a lot of boats out there.

and can some one tell me if some or all of this is unreasonable, it would be nice to know before I get to invested.

well, thanks for reading this

[bljones]

Welcome aboard. Reading your post, you have lots of planning and maybes and possiblies going on. So, first things first- firm up your plan. Here's why:
The selection of boats and their suitability is often regional. For example, if you are looking to buy a boat on the great lakes, you're going to be tripping over about 3,675,493 C&Cs, but a pilothouse is going to be hard to find. In BC, your options are wide, and what might be suitable to live on in BC would not be the best choice for living aboard in Tahiti.
How good are you with wrenches and paintbrushes? That will also determine whether your dream is achievable. $35K is at the tight end of the budget scale for a long-term cruising liveaboard, which means you will either have some work to do up front, or some work to do down the road, or both.

[sailingdog]

Also, a boat that is suitable for cruising the Caribbean may not be the right choice for the South Pacific... Your budget is going to be tight, especially since I generally recommend that you save 15-20% of the entire budget for refitting, upgrading and repairing the boat you end up buying...

[TQA]

You are in a wonderful place to sail in Victoria BC - all these islands. Almost any boat would do to begin with as you are always close to shelter. 35k will get you something like this which would do nicely.

CLICKY In fact if you are serious this is a good buy unless there are hidden horrers.

BUT if you want to get to the Caribbean from BC you have some serious sailing to do plus a transit of the Panama canal to the Caribbean. While it is not impossible to do this single handed, [ except for the canal you need line handlers] it would be hard work.

Truck your boat from BC to somewhere on the east coast between the Chesapeake and Florida and you would be good to go. Easy access to the Caribbean from Florida via the Bahamas and you can run down the ICW from the Chesapeake. This would be a safer and much less daunting itinerary IMHO.

Yup buy the Arlburg or something like it, sail it, liveaboard it, get it fully sorted then off to the Caribbean with the first step by road. That is what I would do.

[mitiempo]

I'd second the Alberg 30, it has a diesel and looks pretty good for its age. It would also leave you with cash for upgrades and still be within your budget. But I'd sail south not go by truck.

[HaydanDrock]

Thank you for taking the time the time to read my post,

After reading your responses and the "read before posting post" I realize I was pretty slim on the details , so I will fill in a few,

I am a 27 year old male industrially electrician, so I do have have some skills with tools. I currently have a fly in job in Ft Mac that I can change the destination of my home flights , so hence the move to victoria from my current Alberta location. I would work a 2 week in 1 week out schedule so I would not truly be a liveaboard.

I have no plans to make any moves for another 6 month since that is my current lease, so if my post seemed to be a little scant on details it is because I am in the gathering information stage.

I was thinking of spending 2 years around Vic learning before I ventured out, I am assuming I will need a course on diesel engines as well.

I now realize that my price range I through out must be too low, what would be an except able range. and should I be seriously be searching for a partner in crime, for this adventure, all info is good, I do not even know why a boat that can go to the Caribbean could not go to the south pacific


thx again

[TQA]

First of all sailing round the Caribbean can be done by day sails from protected anchorage to protected anchorage with only a very few 36/48 hour sails required and if you are patient and pick your weather window you can virtually guarantee good conditons. You will never be far from water diesel food and in most places a search and rescue service.

Sailing round the South Pacific then down to NZ or OZ is a very different matter. Several long pasages and although FedEx services the world, spares will be harder to find. Things like water capacity and food storage will be important as well as anti chafe measures. Yes people have done the coconut run in bog standard Beneteaus but I would want a a serious blue water boat with the capability to deal with some serious weather and sustained 50 knot winds.

I do not know much about BC down to the Panama Canal but my understanding is there are some stretches where access to shelter may be limited by difficult entrances.

I am not sure that your price range is too low. Sure a brand new Morris 38 Ocean will need little doing to it. IMHO you are more likely to be successful in a small simple boat that you can handle and fix yourself and one on which you have ALREADY BEEN THROUGH ALL THE SYSTEMS. Sure an Amel 54 with its electric furlers will take less effort to sail than a 30 footer with manual everything but you are 27 and should have the strength to sail a manual boat.

A successful long term cruiser put it succinctly " Go small, go simple, go now!"

Oh yes a partner in crime would be a good thing!

[mitiempo]

Sailing to the South Pacific or Caribbean is a lot different than flying there and daysailing. I think there would be a lot more sense of accomplishment. If that is what you're dreaming of doing I say go for it. Do your research. Read a few books, Lin and Larry Pardey's "The Cost Conscious Cruiser" is a good choice and any others you can find. As far as a boat, search New and Used Yachts for Sale - YachtWorld.com for boats that are available in various price ranges. A good cruiser can sail anywhere you wish to go. The debate between newer fin keel boats and solid heavier "old shoes" is one that will never be settled. Who knows, in 30 years these debates might be between an old heavy Farr design and something newer and lighter.

I live on a sailboat in Victoria harbour. Amongst my neighbours are a couple who've sailed around the Horn in a Trintella 49 and a couple with a Cape George 36 who've been around Vancouver Island and will be heading offshore in the future. Last fall another couple left for the South Pacific on a Perry designed Baba 30. Another neighbour sailed from Victoria through Panama and along the coast of South America to Brazil in a Haida 26 some years ago. He is currently nearing the Falklands after leaving Puerto Montt Chile and rounding Cape Horn in his Spencer 35, not unlike an Alberg 30. Lots of well found boats of different types can sail offshore and they all have advantages and involve compromises. The more you know the more apparent these will be.

After you buy a boat learn to sail around Victoria. It's a fantastic cruising area with many protected anchorages and easy access to offshore conditions only a few miles away. A lot of cruisers round Vancouver Island as a shakedown to the offshore trip. This lets you find out what doesn't work before it's too late.

Sailing to the South Pacific is something that you work up to but it's not impossible having been done by many successfully.

[HaydanDrock]

Thx for the information in your post.
I am coming to Vic to do the scuba course at the break water it's my first step before the sailing lessons http://www.sailnet.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif .
Would you have any suggestions on what I would need to do for checking out moorage prices around Vic?

[mitiempo]

Most marinas have websites which detail their prices. Westbay Marine Village and RV Park
Greater Victoria Harbour Authority
These are in Victoria Harbour. Westbay is private and the other link is to the Harbour Authority marinas. I live at Coast Harbourside Hotel and Marina and there are a few others as well. Victoria treats liveaboards well and it is not frowned upon as in some locations. Where I am it is a 2 price system, higher in the summer as it is a hotel marina. For my 27' boat I pay $339 from Nov 1 to March 31 and $595 from April 1 to October 31. Average $500/month for a 27' boat.