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youngbuck trying to start cruising

37K views 209 replies 66 participants last post by  LakeSuperiorGeezer 
#1 ·
hello all! I am 18 and have been planning on cruising all over the world for awhile now. I grew up sailing and fishing on the chesapeake bay and have a need for adventure. I am planning to take 3-4 years off of college to cruise all over the world. My only problem is my budget. Most of the fourms I have been reading talk about how expensive it is to buy a boat that is capable of ocean crossings. And that it takes lots of money to cruise. I am always looking at classifeids,craigslist etc. and I find lots of boats around 10,000 that seem to be capable with a little tlc such as early 70's full keel cruisers around 30 ft. Also I have looked at ferrocement boats that sell for next to nothing, although I understand that ferroboats are a gamble. With a budget of around 10,000 for a boat and then a little more for refitting. Is it possible to sail out into the ocean with such a low budget? Also considering learning celestial navigation to cut down on costs of electronics. I also will be able to cut down on boatyard costs becasue my parents house is on the water with room at the dock and room in the backyard for working on the boat.
 
#201 ·
Hi there LOD

Good to see you are making it happen.

Here is a link to something you might like. read the bit on Shrimpy and Shane Acton. He started off with less money and less knowledge than you.

http://twin-keeler.org/newsletter/twinkeeler2_2005.pdf

The book is difficult to find but is supposed to be around in pdf form on the internet. I am sitting in St Thomas on my retirement boat in the rain on a crappy wifi connection and have not been able to find a download site that works but it could be choice internets fault.

I took a 7 year chunk of my retirement early 20 years ago and met someone not unlike you while waiting to set off from Gand Canaria to cross the Atlantic. He was a woodworker and was able to scare up enough work from fellow boaties to keep himself going. He too had a simple 26 footer.

There is work out there and if you do good work word will get around. Mind you diesel work tends to be of a distress purchase, ie nobody really enjoys buying and fitting a cylinder head while woodwork is usually something that people will see and enjoy.
 
#202 ·
Newbie sailboat owner here. Sundance 23, new rigging, rebuilt outboard, overall in pretty good shape, on a trailer, going to launch in May. Planning on cutting cable television out of my life and spending all my off time sailing up and down the Columbia River. This year's vacation will be a trip to Astoria, but I'm not going to hit the ocean, yet. I'm middle aged and think this hobby will help keep me young.

I hope to read more and more about your new boat. Would really like to see some pictures of both interior and exterior. Any repair tips would be greatly appreciated.

Just wish I was 30 years younger getting into this ad-venture. :) I think about sailing most all the time. Absorbing books, DVDs, magazines daily.

:) Happy Sailing.
 
#206 ·
I now have a Westsail 28 that I am working on. Hoping to move aboard when winter passes so I can have more time to get her into shipshape. I am living back in northern va and currently keeping the boat in annapolis,a little over an hour away as long as I don't hit traffic. She is much less of a project then my previous endeavor...lesson learned:definitly worth saving up a little longer to get a boat in better shape;) And the roomy westsail feels like a mansion compared to the contessa. College is on hold again for now,might take a few night classes here and there. But for the time being, all my spare time goes to the boat. Getting ready to get to work rebuilding the bowspirit in my garage, I will post some pics when I get started on it. Things are going in the right direction and hopefully progress quickly.

I love looking back at this thread and seeing how much has happened since my orginal posting. I am actually somewhat close to accomplishing my orginal post,although it has taken a couple years and a couple wrong turns:p
 
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