Sailing

[MexicoHusky]

Any sailing enthusiasts on the Yard?

I frequently think about what I do when I retire. I'm about 15 years away still. I've considered buying an RV. Living minimally and traveling the country.

I was just thinking sailing may be a neat idea as well. With 15 years to go I have enough time to gain the proper experience. Start with some ASA classes. See if it's something I might like to do.

I'd like to sail from Duluth to NYC. Maybe down to the Caribbean. Stuff like that.

Any sailors on the Yard? Good idea? Bad idea? General thoughts.

 

[MexicoHusky]

I have been a sailboat owner and sailed all through New England and helped deliver boats up and down the East Coast. Sold the boat a number of years ago and chartered in different places, Caribbean, Pacific Northwest, etc. also was an ASA instructor in Mystic.
Chartering allowed varying experiences in different locales on boats I would otherwise never experience. There are Learn To Sail Chartering opportunities.
I loved sailing but the bucket trip you envision would be best be done in a Trawler. You don’t go fast, but the Trawlers are sea worthy and much roomier than an equivalent sailboat would be. Also pretty fuel efficient. Even in a sailboat you would be surprised as to how often you would travel under power. I know a number of people who have done the circle up the coast, through the Erie Canal, Great Lakes and down the Mississippi.
the other advantage of the Trawler on this circle is that you don’t have to dismantle your mast in those areas where there is a height restriction.

I've seen lots of people on YouTube document their trips across the Atlantic. Ever consider such a trip? The individuals I see on YouTube seem very casual about it all. It seems pretty daunting to me.

 

[CL82]

I've seen lots of people on YouTube document their trips across the Atlantic. Ever consider such a trip? The individuals I see on YouTube seem very casual about it all. It seems pretty daunting to me.

The movie Dead Calm leads me to believe otherwise.

 

[aburks41]

I've seen lots of people on YouTube document their trips across the Atlantic. Ever consider such a trip? The individuals I see on YouTube seem very casual about it all. It seems pretty daunting to me.

There’s a huge difference between the people that make that voyage on a 26ft monohull vs a 45ft catamaran. Most sea faring folk would be okay with spending a couple weeks on a big catamaran, but a small monohull is a totally different experience for a trip like that

 

[prankster]

Any sailing enthusiasts on the Yard?

I frequently think about what I do when I retire. I'm about 15 years away still. I've considered buying an RV. Living minimally and traveling the country.

I was just thinking sailing may be a neat idea as well. With 15 years to go I have enough time to gain the proper experience. Start with some ASA classes. See if it's something I might like to do.

I'd like to sail from Duluth to NYC. Maybe down to the Caribbean. Stuff like that.

Any sailors on the Yard? Good idea? Bad idea? General thoughts.

I have sailed many thousands of ocean miles, including 2 trans Atlantic passages.

Life at a damp slant.

Sailboats are much smaller than power boats for a given length. For living on, you will likely need a bigger boat than you think.

But, overall, buy the smallest boat you can get away with.

For reasons of physics, longer boats sail faster than shorter boats. If you are thinking of passage making, bigger gets you there faster. shorter and fewer days from point A to point B. But bigger is more expensive in every respect. Insurance, dockage, haul out, bottom cleaning/paint, all of the gear, sails, running rigging.

Live aboardinand in many areas, you will necessarily need heat/air conditioning, refrigeration, etc. And the ocean hates pretty much every piece of mechanical and electronic equipment that is to be found on a boat.

Sailing is rewarding, on its own. But learn, learn, learn.

Learn to sail, in light air and in heavy weather. Learn to read a chart. Learn to navigate, both with and without the fancy electronic gadgetry that God might to take away from you. He has a keen sense of irony. Learn proper provisioning, and meal prep at sea. Learn to sail and navigate in the daylight and at night. Learn weather. Learn tides and currents. Learn to sleep lightly. Learn patience.

Whatever you think you know, you don't know s4it.

The gods hate hubris and the ocean is a harsh mistress.

Have fun.

 

[Vancat]

Have had the JY14 for over 25 years now. I bought new sails once, bought a couple covers, and put new wheels on the boat dolly. That’s it for expenses.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

Luke's dad knows what's up...

 

[Excalibur]

Your comment about doing your own maintenance. Is that for financial reasons? Too expensive otherwise?

Yes, but less so for sailboats.

 

[Excalibur]

I grew up with a small sailboat and now own an older power boat (with newer engines).

Sailing is great, but you need to have a crazy amount of patience if you're sailing to get somewhere and don't have any wind. Even with a sailboat, if it's one big enough to take on the trips you're describing the maintenance costs will be up there (inboard engine, rigging, head etc).

Power boats are ridiculously expensive to operate and maintain, and you need to be willing to accept that and also accept that you won't get to use the thing as often as you want to. But for me, there's enormous appeal to the concept of the mobile beach home. One weekend, you have a place on Block Island. The next weekend, you are in Montauk, or the Vineyard, or Jamestown.

 

[nomar]

Luke's dad knows what's up...

That is the first thing I thought of. This is the second:

It's easy to grin /
When your ship comes in /
And you've got the stock market beat /
But the man worthwhile /
Is the man who can smile /
When his shorts are too tight in the seat

 

[StllH8L8ner]

That is the first thing I thought of. This is the second:

It's easy to grin /
When your ship comes in /
And you've got the stock market beat /
But the man worthwhile /
Is the man who can smile /
When his shorts are too tight in the seat

"Well don't just stand there, get some glue!" My favorite movie of all time.

 

[Baltic]

I've seen lots of people on YouTube document their trips across the Atlantic. Ever consider such a trip? The individuals I see on YouTube seem very casual about it all. It seems pretty daunting to me.

Prankster makes excellent points. I have never had a sailboat that I would feel confident enough with to make a transatlantic crossing, nor someone who I would feel safe sharing such an adventure.

Experience is absolutely critical on the water. Being on the water In rough weather with wind blowing 50 or 60 mph for a sustained period of time is totally physically and mentally exhausting. One of the reasons I have sailed the coast is so I could avoid really violent weather and head to a safe harbor.

On the other hand there is nothing as relaxing and more serene than sailing along on a beam reach on a summer afternoon. Definitely give sailing a try in your local area and see how you and your family enjoy it. If everyone isn’t on board for the adventure it isn’t going to work.

 

[prankster]

Prankster makes excellent points. I have never had a sailboat that I would feel confident enough with to make a transatlantic crossing, nor someone who I would feel safe sharing such an adventure.

Experience is absolutely critical on the water. Being on the water In rough weather with wind blowing 50 or 60 mph for a sustained period of time is totally physically and mentally exhausting. One of the reasons I have sailed the coast is so I could avoid really violent weather and head to a safe harbor.

On the other hand there is nothing as relaxing and more serene than sailing along on a beam reach on a summer afternoon. Definitely give sailing a try in your local area and see how you and your family enjoy it. If everyone isn’t on board for the adventure it isn’t going to work.

In 1972 ( my sophomore year at UConn), I participated in the Newport to Bermuda race.

Hell of a race. 55mph winds for 48 hours, 30 foot seas. You can look it up.

Imagine driving a 60,000 pound truck off the side of a 3 storey building, every 2 to 3 minutes for two days.

Not for sissies.

People finished that race with black and blue marks on their eyelids, from being smuck with raindrops moving at 60 mph.

650 miles, offshore, point to point. No safe harbor within 350, miles in any direction, minimum. You literally are your own floating island in the middle of the ocean.

You have what you have, in terms of tools, spare parts, etc. Plus whatever skills you (and your fellow crew) bring along with you.

Something breaks, you must fix it with your own skills and whatever you have on hand.

Think of it a bit like that movie Apollo 13, but without mission control as backup.

Fall overboard?

Oh, you are gone.

 

[J187Money]

Two things came to mind immediately:

1) Wedding Crashers
2) Step Brothers - "Boats and Hoes"!!