Newbie Check in (lengthy sorry!)

[skippertony]

HI Everyone,
Sailing was always one of those things I was going to do after I had made my fortune and was wealthy and able to retire. I sailed some in high school and then a little bit after. In the late 60's I did get a brochure for a sailing school in Newport Beach. In 2005 I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and had surgery in 2006. It was at this point that I made my own personal "buckett list" I began taking classes at OCC in Newport Beach. I got the U.S. Sailing keel boat cert, the cruising cert and recently the bareboat cert (at another school) I have also taken navigation and weather classes as well as others. I really learned to sail in Newport Bay in a Shields. I remember during private lessons coming up the harbor being heeled over so far and trying to see how much wake we could get off of the shrouds.
Since then I have chartered Catalinas of different lengths extensively and also sailed quite a bit with a friend on his ferro cement Westsail cutter knock off. Hopefully next year I can take one of the offshore classes at OCsc in San Francisco. Thier brochure says with completion of that class one can coastal sail form Seattle to San Diego with confidence. I have only been in 20 kt winds twice. Once perhaps a couple of miles off the coast in a 22 foot Catalina, the vang rivetts did pull out of the mast and anther time off of the coast of Catalina in a 42 foot Catalina in a class. (probally averaging about 25 kts) Sailing to the wind was really sloppy wet but very neat!!!!!

My goals liveaboard and cruise. With the economic turndown, being sick and general poor judgements my assets are gone. My homes value is slightly less than the amount I owe on it. My income today is hand to mouth. In 11 months I will be 62 and able to collect social security of about $850 per month. I can rent my home for enough to cover the payments plus. My dream boat has gone from a Pacific Seacraft 37 to a Westsail. With my limited experience I have a lot of confidence in a full keel boat! At the present time I am working to transform dream to a reality. With liquidating personal effects perhaps there will be enough to buy the boat. Even if I were to get no further than anchoring at Catalina it still much nicer to wake up on the water than in a house.

[imagine2frolic]

These are tough times for many. You're not alone although at times it may feel like it. Get the boat. Get on the water, and take it from there. BEST WISHES in accomplishing your goal........i2f

[skippertony]

Originally Posted by imagine2frolic

These are tough times for many. You're not alone although at times it may feel like it. Get the boat. Get on the water, and take it from there. BEST WISHES in accomplishing your goal........i2f

i2f Thanks, for the words of encouragement!!!!!!!!!!!!

[smackdaddy]

Hey skip - welcome to SN dude. Sounds to me like you've got a perfect plan. There's no better cure than sailing.

[Lewis]

Hi, Tony.
This is not sailing advice as I am less experienced in saling than you. Just a few phylosophical thoughts:
For me, sailing is a lot about escaping. If you are going to fuss about how does your boat look like, is your sailing looking good, do you have the right certificates.... than you are taking to sea the very same things you wanted to escape from on land.
The seas are relaxing. Sailng is all about relaxing. (I know racers have other priorities, but this is my view)
Heavy weather situations apart, there is nothing a calm, sensible person can do wrong with a sailng boat. If in doubt, point to the wind, stop, and think.
And ignore the young lads racing past with their cats or flying moths.
May you always have good winds!
Lewis

[RealityCheck]

Welcome to the forum!

Classes were a good and smart move. You learn the correct way faster than almost any other possible way and you have gained confidence that is all good.

We are about the same age, and I'm heading out more or less full time this December. Actually heading out to my boat that is already where I want to be and where I will hang out for a few years or what ever.

I find cruising on a sailboat, specifically in the Caribbean to be almost a religious event, I feel more alive and more like me than in an office working 12 to 16 hours a day even if it was my own company. While I'll miss some of it over the past 3 years I've also found I just do not want to delay any longer and really have no real reason to delay... so I also am heading out.

Maybe our paths will cross some day and I'll buy you a Red Stripe or a Pussers Rum.

Fair Winds.

[Selkirk]

Hey Tony,

Thanks for introducing yourself. I'm about your age........64.

It's just a matter of luck, sometimes. This life, I mean. The poor judgments we made could have wiped us out, but they didn't. Doesn't mean ours were any better then yours.
And when we bought a house for the last time it was in Tupelo, MS. We didn't know there was going to be a real estate implosion, and as it happens it didn't affect us because it never happened here. And that wasn't because of some great judgment we had, either.

One thing you are showing, though is pluck. Plan A was dashed so you made a plan B. Or maybe you're at plan C; or X. Point is, you've got your knees bent and got your skis pointed down the hill and you're taking it all on.
And for that, Pal you get a BIG SALOOOOT!