Welcome from a rather pleasant Brisbane AU

[wayina]

We bit the bullet and purchased our first boat, an islander36 1984 version recently sailed out here from the US, her name was and will continue to be NAUTI TIME, currently moored at Newport soon to go to Scarborough for some overdue maintenance, haul out etc, Halfway through my Yachtmasters course, aiming for yatchtmaster ocean, then in 5 years we retire, with plans for some serious blue water cruising (not in the islander, saving for a hallberg), thats about all I can think of at this stage
cheers Wayne and Gina

[tdw]

Enjoy and Welcome.

btw .. while I am in no way demeaning yachtmaster (I'm in the middle of the theory myself) I'm not sure I'd bother with Ocean. When I've completed the Offshore I'm going to bone up on weather and may even do a course on diesel engines. I think these may be more important to a cruiser than an Ocean Certificate.

[wayina]

In for a penny in for a pound, like people who climb Mt Everest, they do so because they can, it was a goal I set myself when I started and I usually finish what I start, I have heard quite a few people say that the RYA courses mean nothing, either you can sail or you can't, or the classic "give me the money and I will teach you" but its not all about sailing its survival, and by doing this course I feel I have educated myself to a level a hell of a lot higher than if I was to try and teach myself, each to their own
cheers Wayne