Advice needed on first boat

DDandCD · #1 (**permalink**) 01-19-2010

Greetings,
I'm getting ready to retire from the military after 21 years. I've researched and researched to see what I need to live aboard and eventually blue water sail. My question is: Is an old Hans Christian a decent blue water boat, or do I need to look elsewhere?
Thanks for any advice.

night0wl · #2 (**permalink**) 01-19-2010

What are your desired future cruising grounds? Define blue water sail?

Most people never cross oceans...

poopdeckpappy · #3 (**permalink**) 01-20-2010

Yes on the HC

DDandCD · #4 (**permalink**) 01-20-2010

I will cross oceans! I plan on spending a good amount of time in the pacific rim, Asia and hope to make it to the Med some day as well. I was wondering because the HC was not listed on the :
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?k...6MggGoOP2MEGZA Mahina Expeditions list

Jeff_H · #5 (**permalink**) 01-20-2010

I think there is a disconnect between your title of the thread referring to buying a first boat and considering a a Han Christian for that purpose. Boats like the Hans Christian are high maintenance purpose built, old school cruisers. They are capable of doing what you propose, but they be close to the bottom of my list of boats that even slightly make sense for a first boat.

You do not talk about how much sailing experience that you have, but if you are new to sailing, a boat like the Hans Christian would be a miserable choice as a new sailor and one that would minimize your chances of developing the sailing skills that would hold you in good stead for a near circumnavigation.

Jeff

TQA · #6 (**permalink**) 01-20-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by DDandCD

Greetings,
I'm getting ready to retire from the military after 21 years. I've researched and researched to see what I need to live aboard and eventually blue water sail. My question is: Is an old Hans Christian a decent blue water boat, or do I need to look elsewhere?
Thanks for any advice.

Which Hans Christian were you looking at, they are anywhere from 33 to 48 feet long. I liked layout on the 43 and they have made many bluewater passages. Most advertised are waaaaay overpriced.

From a liveaboard point of view on an OLD Hans Christian I would look hard at the teak decks. These are a major maintenance item. IMHO I would want one where the teak had been removed and the decks refinished with glass and paint or Treadmaster. Chainplate bolts are issue on boats with external plates.

Hans Christians do not appear on the Sailnet list of Blue water capable boats.

sailingdog · #7 (**permalink**) 01-20-2010

I'd have to second what Jeff_h has said. If you've never owned a boat before, you may be in for a very rude surprise at how much work it actually is. Furthermore, a boat like a Hans Christian, with a fair amount of bright work is going to be even more work than a more modern design with less wood.

It would help if you said what, if any, sailing experience you have and what boats, if any, you have any experience with.

DDandCD · #8 (**permalink**) 01-20-2010

My sailing experience is limited to book and internet research. My wife and I are planning to take the ASA courses when I redeploy home. Buying a boat and sailing away has been our dream for over 10 years now, and now it's time for me to get serious about finding that right boat.

So it looks like a HC isn't such a great choice for me, such beautiful line of boats.

tager · #9 (**permalink**) 01-20-2010

If you get a laser for a first boat, you will love sailing enough to stay with the Hans Christian.

poopdeckpappy · #10 (**permalink**) 01-21-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by DDandCD

So it looks like a HC isn't such a great choice for me, such beautiful line of boats.

Vet everything you read here and elsewhere, but don't let any of it distract your dream, if a liveaboard/cruising lifestyle on a HC is it, than do it, learn it and then live it.

Quote:

when I redeploy home

It sounds like you've earn it