[twofingerpoi]

I'm a widower that has reached that point in life (60) that I have fewer responsibilities, kids are adults, and can afford to enjoy life more. It's been my plan for some years to get a sailboat and spend more time on the water. So I'm finally looking for that "right" vessel, and I'm taking ASA courses (101/103/104) from Blue Water in Fort Lauderdale in December. I sailed small Lasers and such in Newport RI when I was a teen, and have spent much of my life on the beach, surfing and just enjoy saltwater. I've lived in Uruguay, Panama, Hawaii and Australia but Florida has been home base for years.

 

[MarkofSeaLife]

Great Sunset photo

You've lived in so many places! Where in Australia? I'm Australian, living in my boat currently in the Caribbean 😊

Welcome to Sailnet.


Mark

 

[Minnewaska]

So I'm finally looking for that "right" vessel

Welcome aboard. I was just in your neck of the woods last week for a couple of days. You're just south of the Patrick base. I know it fairly well.

To find the right vessel, you need to consider what you'll be doing with it most of the time. Are you going to live aboard, sail the intercoastal rivers in your area, go offshore, make passages to the islands, etc, etc. You need the boat that is best suited to the one that is most common. The waters in those ICW rivers gets skinny, so if that was the most common, a shoal draft, center board or swing keel would be high on my list. Need to consider the bridges too, but a first boat is not likely to be an issue there.