Should I do it, or should I wait?

[buckeyesailor]

"I don't need to get all of my money back, but just enough so I don't feel like it's a burden on me."

If there's a five year waiting list....You should be able to sublet and make a tidy little profit to boot!!

I LOVE the bay!...haven't been there in years but can't wait to go back..
Did my Deep Sea Diving School over on Alameda and my nightlife across the bay.

[sailingdog]

In many marinas, you can't get the slip and not keep a boat in it. That really isn't fair to the people who are on the waiting list who have boats—so it often isn't allowed. Either is sub-letting the slip, for much the same reasons.

I agree that now might be a very good time to get the boat, especially if you have the slip, since most people get the boat and then have to hunt down a convenient slip.

The age of your children is moot...since many kids have started sailing far younger than that. Hiring a local teen that is a sailor might be a very good way to get the maintenance done on your boat, as many young sailors are fairly familiar with the basics of boat maintenance. It would also provide you with possible crew for when you do go out.

[GeorgeB]

I’m not sure that you can legally sublet at South Beach. This is a city owned and operated marina and the marina management people are a bunch of rule followers (I know from personal experience). Subletting illegally is also problematic insomuch as you will have to show proof of $300,000 liability insurance with the marina being listed as co-insured. Not only will you have to pay personal property tax on your boat (purchase price or assessed value – whichever is highest) they will also bill you for the property tax equivalent of the slip itself even though it is owned by the City and County of San Francisco. As you know the waiting list is long on account of the Ball Park being right there and that tenant parking pass is “golden” on game days.

Now some thing you might want to consider is picking up that slip right now and mailing me one of your dock keys and I’ll come over on weekends and park Freya there while I enjoy the South of Market night life. Sounds good to you? Because it sounds good to me.

[heech]

Haha, very interesting... never occurred to me to make money off of the parking pass! Watch'em move the Giants to Stockton, and then I'll be really stuck.

Yea, I haven't even gotten the marina on the phone yet, but just logically I figured it'd be difficult getting the sublet thing worked out. I'll see if they let me hold on to the spot for 6 months while I test out my kids on the water, and see if they like the experience. If they do like the water, then I'll buy something along the lines of a Catalina 320 or 340... and go from there.

Part of me is trying to justify this by saying it'd be a cheaper way to entertain possible clients/business partners than paying for a luxury suite at the park. I can just anchor in McCovey Cove on game days, BBQ right on deck, cheap beer + liquor, and listen to Jon Miller.

[Faster]

Originally Posted by heech

Part of me is trying to justify this by saying it'd be a cheaper way to entertain possible clients/business partners than paying for a luxury suite at the park. I can just anchor in McCovey Cove on game days, BBQ right on deck, cheap beer + liquor, and listen to Jon Miller.

Seems to me that's all the reason you need.... Once the boat's in the marina (tax deductible no doubt??) then the sailing and quality family time is all gravy!

[heech]

Originally Posted by Faster

Seems to me that's all the reason you need.... Once the boat's in the marina (tax deductible no doubt??) then the sailing and quality family time is all gravy!

I came into this discussion 99% convinced it wouldn't work out... but here I am, starting to get swayed. Have to discuss it all with the wife.

I guess I should've known better than to ask a bunch of sailors whether it's practical to buy a sailboat.

[scottyt]

you know how to sail, you can get a slip, not getting personal it sounds like the money end is not a problem.... i just have one ?


what the hell are you waiting for?

[sww914]

You could also consider a well qualified partner on the boat, ease the $$$ on them a bit and get the partner to supply extra elbow grease. The kids will love sailing if you make it fun. If you're having fun, even if it's blowing 20, you can convince them that they're having fun too. If you're intimidated, they'll get scared. I had my boy out on a Nacra beach cat flying a hull before he could walk. He loved it!

[FishFinder]

Originally Posted by heech

But do kids that age really enjoy a few hours of sailing? I can't even get her to sit quietly in the minivan without a DVD playing.

My dad always had some kind of a boat (motor or sail) and I went with him all the time when I was young. Don't know about 5 months but I have pictures of me in diapers sitting on a boat. I remember being on dad's Cal 22 when it was rough out, my brother and I went up to the v-berth and had a blast rolling around up there as the boat tossed and turned.

If anything I would say as your kids get older like near the teens it will be tougher to get them to want to go sailing. Went boating a lot from when I was really little until about 14 years old. By the time my brother and I were both in our teens dad sold the boat, we were never using it. Boat time competes with video games and girls ...

[duman311]

If you can afford it I say go for it too. We have two young ones and the 3 rules above are the best!!!! We follow those too.

One more thing you may want to think about is putting that netting around the boat on the life lines... If screams of kids, but it would give you that extra measure of security.

I like the Catalina too... I was suspect of those pulpit seats but they are really nice, the kids love them on the Hunter and they also follow the one hand for them and one for the boat when they are on there.

I would think that the cockpit size and depth of a 32-34 would provide all the safety needed for your youngsters...