How did you know cruising was for you?

[yellowwducky]

Hello everyone.

First post, please be gentle!

I am wondering, as per the title of the thread, what made you know you were going to enjoy being a cruiser - before you actually set off being one? By cruiser, in my mind I am thinking either round the world type cruisers or liveaboard for substantial parts of the year sailing in a given favored region (say the Caribbean). Were you a hard core weekend sailperson first who finally got tired of the 9-5 and just set off? Were you someone who just decided that it was time for a change and wanted to be free to go exploring? Did you plan for multiple years or months before setting off? How did you know you had enough skills? How did you know you wouldn't get 100 miles on your journey and not go mad from the isolation of a passage?

For myself, I have been bitten by the bug even though I have only been on a sailboat once (a 48 foot monohull) for a day trip. I have no sail skills to speak of (but am reading the Annanapolis guide to for reference). Clearly I have a lot of work to do getting some sail coursework in before ever starting on a long journey (which I would planning on taking my wife with me for).

I 'think' I would have no problem with learning the required skills. I 'think' the isolation on the open water would be enthralling, not a problem. I 'think' I am handy enough I could handle problems as they inevitably arise. Money wouldn't be an issue, time wouldn't be an issue. I KNOW I am tired of the pointless 9-5 and life sapping drudgery of a 'normal' job. I KNOW I absolutely love the idea of sailing around the world with my wife - even knowing some of the negatives (bad weather, rude customs people, pirates!, gear breakdowns, no fresh steak on the bbq, people pulling in 50 feet from you on an empty 2 mile stretch of beach etc). I believe the positives though would vastly outweigh that stuff (freedom!, friends, open possiblities, learning to be self sufficient, learning to sail, the 'coolness' and freedom again gets an extra mention).

But, none of that says 'you sound like a perfect candidate' really - it just sounds like someone who might have been bitten by the bug but has never really spent any time on a boat.

So, how can you tell? How did you tell? What could my next steps be?

I am thinking first that I maybe try and go on a charter vacation - that way I would get to experience first hand a week (or better yet two) on a boat. I am obviously looking for good things to read - the Annapolis guide for starters but will be looking for more obviously. I would obviously get lessons and start learning about gear and maintenance. I have already done a lot of thinking on what I think would make sense - to me - in terms of an ideal kind of boat anyway, that seems the easy part. Heck, this site along is filled with all kinds of great info I have been plowing through on stuff from 'all about radar' to 'how much clothes to bring'.

What other tips or tricks or thoughts can you share on knowing if this kind of plan is the right thing or just a romantic pipe dream? As mentioned, the money side of it wouldn't be a problem, the cutting the job side of things would be a dream, the skills I am pretty sure are learnable. What else do you 'need'?

Regards, and thanks for reading.

Yellowwducky

[sailingdog]

Yellowwducky-

I would highly recommend you learn to sail...take a few ASA courses, like the basic keelboat, coastal cruising, etc.

Then join a local sailing club and get some time in on the water. Hang out and crew on the Wednesday night beer can races. See if you can help out as grunt labor on some of the maintenance/upgrade/repair projects and get your hands dirty.

Doing all this will give you the skills to handle a bare boat charter sometime next year, as well as expose you to some of the less glamourous side of cruising—boat maintenance and repair. It will also, hopefully, give you some experience on different boats.

I'd also recommend reading a few books about cruising, both practical ones like Beth Leonard's The Voyager's Handbook, and prose ones like Cruising At Last by Elliott Merrick.

I hope this helps.

[rikhall]

The best advice I ever heard about building a boat applies here.

When asked for advice on building his first boat, the old sailor told him:"Build the dingy first."

My advice on setting off around the world is:

1. Learn the basics first, if you still like it:
   
2. Go out for a day - just the two of you, if you still like it:
   
3. Go out for a weekend, just the two of you, if you still like it:
   
4. Go out for a week, just the two of you. . .

You probably get the idea.

Linda and I had done everything we could to the boat we loved. Fixed her up with all we could. She was a Tanzer 22 sailboat. We set off for a ten day "cruise". We came home and put her up for sale. We liked it so much we wanted more "living room"

Two summers ago (after owning our Tanzer 28 for seven years, we set out for two months on our "much" bigger boat. When we got home after two months, she went up for sale.

We now have an Irwin 34. We'll see how long this one lasts. Right now - we think probably for a long time. Are we ready to go around the world, I think not - but we are still "mini-cruisers" and loving it!

Cheers.

[lynn1120]

You will find a lot of good people here.

You should try to take sailing lessons before a cruise-- you will learn much more about bigger boats if you have better idea of the basic principles of sailing. Remember cruise time on a rental yacht is Holy-Day! time and that is very different from day to day life, on or off the water.

You say that money is not a problem- my congrads on that, want to adopt me? - you better edit that bit fast --the only thing more expensive and wallet draining than a yacht is a racing or jumping thourough bred....


seriously are you handy?

are you anal about details?

saftey and boat maintenance require a fair degree of both-- you won't find many marine mechanics in that lovely isolated anchorage out in the back of no where.

It is a great sport and lifestyle and not all great sailors have to go over the horizon and back-- So welcome Duck--you have just contracted a disease for which there may be no cure.....

[sailingdog]

However, there is a treatment...and the treatment regimen is usually quite expensive...

[camaraderie]

Welcome aboard. I think your plan of a charter in a nice place is the way to go. The MOST important element of your plan is your WIFE wanting it as much as you do. A Captained charter where you can learn on a good sized boat, live in close quarters and enjoy the sunshine and water is a great introduction and will minimize the fear factor.
You sound like YOU are a great candidate for enjoying the lifestyle. As another recommendation...suggest you get a copy of "Dragged Aboard" for your spouse.
Amazon.com: Dragged Aboard: A Cruising Guide for the Reluctant Mate: Don Casey: Books

I think you may find the subjects pretty interesting yourself!

[boogins]

Ducky... I am in the same boat as you! After 30 years in the rat-race and 3 daughters through college, I am done and want out. We've done some sailing with others, but don't yet have our own boat. And the SO is not sure she's fully on board the plan. She's not as thrilled with the isolation as I am. But we plan to have a seasonal berth near the girls and another in the south to ease that issue. The longer trips will wait a year to give us plenty of 'quality' time on our boat.

We both plan to complete the ASA program, so if something happens to me out there, she'll know how to sail AND navigate. Another book that was recommended to me is Gently With the Tides: The Best of Living Aboard (ISBN: 087742375X). I've bought it and waiting for it to arrive. And I'll definitely get a copy of Dragged Aboard.

[sck5]

Listen to what Cam said about your wife liking it.

I was fortunate in having an ASA instructor who told me - "Whatever you do, make sure her first time cruising with you is the most wonderful experience she has ever had. Get a comfortable boat, go to a beautiful spot and treat her like a princess. Buy her anything she wants. If she doesnt like it you arent getting a boat, so do it right the first time."

I did what he said and it worked! My wife wants to sail even more than I do (if that is possible).

[MtnMike]

How did we know the "cruising lifestyle" was for us? Last summer we went sailing around the Bahamas and south Florida for a week. When we finally left the boat my wife said " A week, heck we've been out for 45 days." That's when I knew.

And while we're recommending books..... My wife likes the book It's Your Boat Too by Suzanne Giesemann. It's a womans view on how to really be involved in the boating experience. My wife has read it a couple of time.

Other suggestions. Read, Read, Read... Sail, Sail, Sail. Take as many classes as you can. And most of all.....Enjoy!

[xort]

We started with a smaller power boat. liked anchoring out and week long cruising. decided we wanted to live aboard. fuel prices shot up so we started looking at sail and all the plusses and minuses. decided to take a week long charter with a crew that understood that we were to get plenty of hands on experience. went well, especially for my wife so we bought our new home this year. this tale started in 1993, livaboard discussions started in 2000, sailboat shopping started in 2007.