Punch holes...Please!

[CherylannJohn]

A plan to get from working every day in the desert to a retirement life cruising the oceans.

The previous communal wisdom I''ve read on this board is appreciated and leads me to think I would be far ahead by asking a question or two. So look this over, bring your punches and tell me where the holes are.


My wife and I retire at age 55 in three years with about $3000 monthly income. In addition we will have about $200K for the boat purchase, outfitting, and kitty. Guessing $140k for purchase, $30K outfitting, and $30K kitty. We will have close to $300K left over for when those golden years really kick in and we go ashore.


The tentative time frame is to buy a boat about 1 1/2 years from now in the fall of 2005. This gives us some time to get to know and outfit the boat before retirement and moving aboard in July of 2007.


We live in western Colorado and get 3 weeks vacation a year. We have been using that time to charter and will continue until we buy a boat. We would like to purchase a boat on the west coast as we have family in the S.F. area and can drive there as opposed to flying to the east coast. Much cheaper and flying today is a pain.


Our sailing experience is limited. I sailed about 15,000 miles during the ''80''s. Offshore included east coast to the Caribbean twice, once via Bermuda. And one trip from Anacortes WA to Antigua via the Canal. My wife has chartered on sail boats and grew up around power boats in the S.F. area. Recently we have chartered in So. Cal. and the Leewards.


Our cruising plans are to work our way south in the fall of 2007 along the west coast for a couple years as a learning experience. Then make the decision to cross oceans.


I worked two seasons for a charter outfit checking boats in and out plus maintance during the week. I also Captained a 50ft aluminum workboat 1 season and did the maintance on it. I will be doing most of the maintance but would like to have a boat that is on the low maintance end of the scale.


As for size it will be just the two of us for the most part but we would like the capability for family to join us on a limited bases so should be able to sleep 4 adults. At this point we are in great shape but are not big people so are not able to handle boats over 40'' without lots of systems which we don''t want. For example we would like a power windless but no power winches. We are thinking between 34'' and 38''.


I read all the books, magazines, bulletin boards, and owners lists. I''ve purused Beth''s and Nigel''s books as well as Jeff and Jacks posts. Lin and Larry have imparted much knowledge in print, CD, and in person.


In the next year I would like to find A, a broker to act on our behalf. B, Find a surveyor to do fist looks and complete surveys. And C, to shorten the list of potential boats.


I realize that this is a very subjective thing. But Hey, "if ya don''t ask - ya don''t get" and must spend lots of time learning on your own.


The above said as far as background we are to the meat of the matter...when to buy? how much $$ in what direction? what boat? how big? how old? realistic goals?

Questions humbly submitted while vowing to keep an open mind to any answer(s) I may recieve with due gratitude.

John

PS. Oops! The posting of this earlier in the day to the America''s Cup board was a reflection of how rusty my navigational skills have become...

[capttb]

Only comment I will make is in regards to time/distance. If you get the boat that early will you be able to get to it often enough to maintain AND outfit to suit your purposes ? Somebody will have to wash the bird droppings off at least once a week and there is always something that needs maintenance. I think it will be a chore for you to maintain let alone outfit from a distance for that length of time. If you only get 3 weeks vacation thats only 4.5 weeks over the year & a half. If you get the boat shortly before or when you retire you can spent the first month on it fulltime and get to know it better than if you had it longer. You would need a strong support network in SF, I can''t hardly make it a week without at least checking the boat.

[CherylannJohn]

capttb

Good point.. I''m probably letting the "wants" to own a boat push up the time to buy.

I still struggle with what boat so it may take until we retire and then some to find a boat that will make turning loose of the money possible.

Thanks for the input.

John

[c172guy]

Buying the boat too soon would be a mistake that I have made. we bought last year with my wife planning to retire this spring. She backed out and now we can only sail twice a month or maybe every three weeks. There is stuff to do on the boat to get it ready but I want to sail whenever possible. Figure the marina expenses interest on the loan etc and we could have spent several thousand more on the boat.
It is getting worse in that my wife''s mother is sick. Her sister is wanting help with the home care. Now my wife is talking working another "year or two".
I would advise you to wait to buy. Sure it will take a few months to get the boat ready but you will then be retired and can live on the boat or nearby. Dedicate 100% effort to the boat and not suffer the frustration of having one foot tied to shore and the other foot on the boat.
I am grateful for having a boat and we have spent a few weeks sailing on our boat. But I feel torn in that I no longer feel part of my land life and work but can''t start living aboard full time.

[capttb]

Bought my first keelboat 7 months ago, retired 1 month ago. Boat was 100 miles from home, drove me crazy to be at work. I took all the wood from the interior, piece by piece and would spent all day at work sanding and refinishing, everything, doors, paneling. Just didn''t have enough time to sail & tune the boat. It worked okay cause I wouldn''t take all that time to do the wood now when it''s warm & I can sail.
I had trailer boats my whole life and the dream was always my own keelboat in the water. Keep chartering as many different boats to figure out what you like, don''t like, can live with or can''t live without.
Have you considered a trailerable ? It''s generally a pain to rig everytime you launch, but if it''s something you can keep in the water near you in a lake and just trailer for winter storage or to take somewhere for long weekend or vacation without a large financial investment you could get on the water a lot. I found the Seaward 25 by Hake to be very interesting if you can find one at reasonable price. Be nice to sail around Lake Powell and Temple Bar at Mead has great weather in Feb. & March, Grand Lake looks good etc. might be enough for your sailing fix till you can get to the ocean.

[CherylannJohn]

First thanks to both for your responses. I do see that waiting until we retire and are able to devote all our time to the boat is a good point. Also that things can change between now and then....minds and circumstances.

We just got back from chartering a cat out of St Martin. We learned alot, including that for us a monohull is the way to go.

We want to charter as many types of boats as possible before we buy so waiting to buy is good for that. Seems most of the boats available for charter are of one type. The ones most often mentioned in this forum as "cruisers" don''t exist in the charter fleet. Any suggestions?

[paulmcquillan]

Try looking for some of the home grown charter operations. memory tells me that Anacortes had a wider variety of boats. Their stuff looked pretty good in the ads from WA.

there is a a little S. Ca oper;ation called Marina Sailing. Strickly helping local owners stretch their bucks to fund boats. Variety of types and quality, Should be something similar in SF

The CO location seems to make early ownership tough. However, we bought our boat when my wife was heading for the "over the hill" number and our fourth boy was still in a stroller. I pushed him around the docks while she took her turn signing docs in the broker''s office. #3 son was sitting on a chair swinging his legs..... of course it was his birthday and has since claimed the boat is his.

Do we have time for a boat? No. Is it worth it? Yes. Even thought the boys ages tie us to short trips now, it''s still worh it.

How is your support network in S.F? Any sailor''s in the family there who could take on some supervision if you contracted out the drudge? How many long weekend could you fly and live with? Out thurs back Mon night.

There is a lot to be said for living your life as you go along. (and not deferring it) I read with great sadness the ads about "cruisng yacht being sold due to change in owners circumstances (health).

[c172guy]

The most important thing to do is match the boat to it''s intended/actual use!!! If you are going to do mostly coastal a light beamy boat with a big cockpit!!! If you are going to sail to Alaska a heavier boat with a smaller cockpit. Here along the gulf coast a lack of wind is more of a problem than too much wind. Shallow water begs for shoal draft. It is hot so a large bimini covered cockpit is a big plus. You get so much more boat for the money buying a coastal boat that unless you have firm plans to sail to Tahiti I''d lean in that direction. Of course the few times that I''ve been in San Francisco would make me buy an entirely diferent type of boat for there. A diesel fueled heater would be a high priority.
Be honest with yourself about your plans!!! I''ve seen too many heavy ocean cruisers in small lakes.