First Sailboat - mono - question please.

[floridanurse]

Like many here, I have the liveaboard dream. however, it is practical and realistic that my first sailboat be a 'daysailer' and weekend cruiser.

I love the idea of having a nice cat and cruising foreign waters, but lets be realistic.

finances are not relevant until we get in the several hundred thousand dollar range, then things get thought provoking.

At this point in my sailing experience I can say that I want my first boat to have some zip to it. I enjoy the physics of the sail, the lift, the propulsion, the nature and the chemistry of it... does that make sense? yes, I love sitting there watching the sunset with a vodka in hand, but I also enjoy the thrill of the sail.

I'm gonna budget 100k for the boat. (I could go more but don't want to over do it on a first boat), and would like a mono. thoughts?

Live in Ft. lauderdale. Would birth her at a marina (the costs of dockage, etc. are not part of the 100k), sail her on weekends and occasionally during week.

need some direction....

[sailingdog]

$100,000 buys a lot of boat... How much sailing experience do you have? What boats have you been sailing on? What did you like? What did you hate?

I would highly recommend you sail on other people's boats for a while, so you can get an idea of what you like, hate, want, can't stand in a boat.

I would also recommend you set aside about 15-20% of your purchasing budget for re-fitting, upgrading and modifying whatever boat you get.

Given your plans and budget, you could do with a lot of boats between 25-35' LOA, and get one in pretty nice shape to boot.

Originally Posted by floridanurse

Like many here, I have the liveaboard dream. however, it is practical and realistic that my first sailboat be a 'daysailer' and weekend cruiser.

I love the idea of having a nice cat and cruising foreign waters, but lets be realistic.

finances are not relevant until we get in the several hundred thousand dollar range, then things get thought provoking.

At this point in my sailing experience I can say that I want my first boat to have some zip to it. I enjoy the physics of the sail, the lift, the propulsion, the nature and the chemistry of it... does that make sense? yes, I love sitting there watching the sunset with a vodka in hand, but I also enjoy the thrill of the sail.

I'm gonna budget 100k for the boat. (I could go more but don't want to over do it on a first boat), and would like a mono. thoughts?

Live in Ft. lauderdale. Would birth her at a marina (the costs of dockage, etc. are not part of the 100k), sail her on weekends and occasionally during week.

need some direction....

BTW, are you a maternity nurse, if not, you'd probably BERTH the boat at a marina.

[Michael K]

100K sounds like a ridiculous sum of money for daysails and occasional weekending on a boat you aren't totally happy with. I might get my head chopped off for sticking my neck out here, but I suggest you use no more than 1/10 as much and invest the rest for the catamaran in another 8 - 10 years. 10K can get you a very nice first timer's mono cruiser, including the first year's cost of ownership.

Alternatively, join a sailing club and use their boats. You'll gain access to sailboats, other sailors, their collective knowledge, and you'll forego many of the headaches associated with boat ownership. Or, another approach: last summer I met a woman here in Maryland who simply crewed for others; at the end of the season I asked her how many times she had gone sailing. Her answer shocked everyone in the room: 35 times!

[sailingdog]

Michael's suggestion is a good idea... as most people do not keep their first boat for a long time. Don Casey points out in his book This Old Boat that many times the boat that people end up keeping for a long time is the second boat—which is bought using the information they gain from the first boat—what they like, dislike, want, can't stand, need, etc.

[floridanurse]

yes, just because my budget is 100k, doesn't mean I have to spend it.

it's all relative I guess. 100k isn't obscene to me for a daysailer/weekender (my use)

$750,000 for a Hinkley is. I guess its all relative. besides, I have the income and savings.

35, single, no kids, 6 figure job..... now if i could find me a mate I'd be happy.

to further my discussion, i'm drawn to the romantic idea of buying an older boat, putting some elbow grease into her, and then getting her into the water. The truth is, I have no tools, no room, and no knowledge on how to fix up a boat. I would drop it off at a yard, say to the guy get it turn-key and showroom shiny and ready for the water. here is a check, I'll see you in a couple weeks. (or something like that)

This is what makes me believe I should buy something new.

thoughts?

my sailing up till now is on small slooops. american 18's, 14's, j24, hobie cats, etc....

I'm going to take some sailing courses through the colgate school this summer in the BVI (that is my plan).

thoughts?

[sailingdog]

Originally Posted by floridanurse

yes, just because my budget is 100k, doesn't mean I have to spend it.

it's all relative I guess. 100k isn't obscene to me for a daysailer/weekender (my use)

$750,000 for a Hinkley is. I guess its all relative. besides, I have the income and savings.

35, single, no kids, 6 figure job..... now if i could find me a mate I'd be happy.

to further my discussion, i'm drawn to the romantic idea of buying an older boat, putting some elbow grease into her, and then getting her into the water. The truth is, I have no tools, no room, and no knowledge on how to fix up a boat. I would drop it off at a yard, say to the guy get it turn-key and showroom shiny and ready for the water. here is a check, I'll see you in a couple weeks. (or something like that)

Learning to do much of the maintenance/repair work on a boat is not difficult. Most boat work requires 5% esoteric knowledge and 95% common sense. You can often learn the 5% from books, videos, sailing forums, etc. The 95% common sense is usually the tougher part to gain.

This is what makes me believe I should buy something new.

thoughts?

my sailing up till now is on small slooops. american 18's, 14's, j24, hobie cats, etc....

I'm going to take some sailing courses through the colgate school this summer in the BVI (that is my plan).

thoughts?

As for taking courses at the Colgate school in the BVI's, I'd recommend you join a local sailing club and take lessons there instead, unless you want to combine the learning with a vacation. Taking lessons at a local school often means you can sail on their boats for a while. This helps you get more practice and often gives you experience on different boats as well.

[jordanship]

Sounds like you have some experience and taking steps with your sailing class for more. I would not make any long term plans to save for a catamaran or the like. You might find you do want a catamaran. Only you know when you are ready to own a boat. When you are ready, you should not purchase one larger than 42 or so feet to be able to single hand. And if you find a mate before you find a boat, be careful not to let him talk you into too large or expensive a one. You may part ways and be stuck with too much to handle.

As a fellow boater in Fort Lauderdale, I do not know how satisfying a daysailor will be. Fort Lauderdale is really a storage place for crossing over to the Bahamas. It is tedious to get downriver through all the bridges, and then when you get out the cut, you probably will be in heavy chop. You might have trouble sitting there watching the sunset with a vodka in hand. Biscayne Bay is nicer for that kind of sailing. Fort Lauderdale is a great place for maintanence and hurricane storage and jumping over the Bahamas or even Caribbean.