I'm looking to buy a boat in the next year or so. Racked up a couple of offshore races, some around the bay racing, a little cruising, and built a few timber kayaks. All of that was about 20 years ago before kids and family life became the focus. So I know a bit but also know that I don't really know much of anything.

The thing that I'm noticing when discussing boats with some family and friends is that a lot of people have very strong opinions on how a person should do the boat thing. There seems to be some sort of a diplomacy vacum surrounding the subject for some reason. For example...........

Case 1: A bloke I know got a pretty solid redundency and the plan was to retire and go sailing. He got the boat, a lovely 43ft cruiser/racer, and then after a year or so more or less parked it to take up a job overseas that lasted 5 years. It was a big, expensive boat that needed at least two people for a day out (preferably 4). Overall end result being a boat that was too big for it's intended purpose, that sat and racked up bills, before being sold at a loss with great relief and bitterness by the owner.

Now when I talk about boats to him he is firmly of the opinion that nothing less than a 40fter will suffice and that if you can't afford that then you shouldn't do it lest you are not happy with the smaller boat. All this despite his own experience! I however tend to like the Pardeys view better (at least I think it was them) - "go small, go cheap, go now!". So I'm looking at 28-35ft boats. Maybe a Compass 28/29 or a nice older wooden boat up to say 35ft. Seems to me that if you want to sail, then it helps to stack the cards in your favour, that is to say, if I want to sail today I need to be able to do it at short notice, short handed, and on a budget (not cheap, but not expensive).

Case 2: On the subject of wooden boats, a mate who has sailed a bit, but never owned, built or maintained a boat is very firmly of the opinion that ownership of a classic means that you never sail, eat out or spend time with family becasue every minute and dollar you have will be spent on the boat. I don't doubt that maintainence could be onerous, but then again, if that's what I want to do then it's my mistake to make.

So to my point......

My question is not which boat should I buy as there's no one answer to that and it depends on what it will be used for, but this.........Why is it that people are so opinionated, or even invested, on the subject? If I was buying a car I would get opinions but they would not come with the same fervant zeal that sail boat preferences seem to.

And on a related subject, why is it that poeple who have lived and worked in the same city and job their whole lives are experts on why a cruising life would never work? Why are people who have never owned a boat the quickest to say that it will send you broke and make you cry? Of course that is possible (maybe even probable!), but living a life that misses good things for fear of the possibility of bad things is just not the way I think.

Just thinking about it now, maybe the real qustion is, why are people so offended by the rejection of "one size fits all" advice that is often only based on perceptions rather than experience? And why do people struggle so hard to keep those of us that would walk our own path tethered to lives that are based on their own structured thinking?

I dunno. Seems the older I get the more confused I become.


T2X

Ha ha, I get your rant!!!

Another point you might soon be adding when you buy that thirtyish feet sensible boat you are over the moon enjoying. Despite your satisfaction, all of a sudden the same "experts" are looking to buy something twenty feet bigger????????

A lot of stuff there to think about.

Firstly, the boat you choose needs to be a good boat, and a good boat is one that meets her mission statement. You decide her mission statement.
How many crew? Single handed or family or strangers? Therefore, how big? How much water, gas, fuel? Solar power, batteries?
How much time aboard? Part time, full time? Also therefore how big?
Where will you cruise? Ocean or coastal? Canal? Which coast? Therefore how much draught, beam, air draught?

Secondly, what a boat is made from is of secondary importance to how well she was made and how well she has been looked after. I have owned wooden and ferro and solid glass and composite and steel cats and monos and power and sail on canals and coast and oceans and honestly, they all floated and all needed maintenance and all took me to wonderful places.

Thirdly, it does not cost as much to live aboard as to live on the land- unless you are planning to live permanently on a marina. The body corp for a unit alone would pay for an annual slipping and antifoul.

Fourthly, one size definitely does not fit all. Whatever you get will be a compromise. The deep draught mono ideal in the Med is not ideal on the Qld. coast, but it can be done and a sailing boat is not ideal on the canals in Holland, but it can be done. I've even seen a cat there, go figure. You need to work out the things that you really can't do without and then accept that there will always be things you would like but accept that there will things you will have to live without.

And take most advice with a grain of salt. In the end it's your boat and your life to live and enjoy.

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TonyTwoTimes said..
Why is it that people are so opinionated, or even invested, on the subject?
Why are people so offended by the rejection of "one size fits all" advice that is often only based on perceptions rather than experience?
And why do people struggle so hard to keep those of us that would walk our own path tethered to lives that are based on their own structured thinking?

And the answer is......
That's people for you !
They know nothing but talk like an expert. They are incapable of thinking in facts, logic or in a structured way. They have no answers if you question them carefully about "why" they have a particular view. They are mostly fools.
But you realize that I think so ignore them, stop asking opinions from people who know nothing of the subject, listen to a few knowledgeable people on this forum and focus on what you want. Then you'll do fine.

Pemex star is on the money
28 ft = 1. 5 persons tight two
33 to 34 ft far for 2
for long term you need solar dinghy
and other bits and pieces so 28 ft it's tight once again where as 32 to 34 things fit better
28 ft to 36 ft can be sailed by one person maybe a little bigger depending on your age and crew
I own a H28 it has two setties in the main cabin
where as the compass has one and a table and chair for want of a better word
I prefer the two setties and no table
my H 28 is a ketch smaller sails but an extra mast no room for solar no room for dingy except on the cabin roof
As you can see it depends what your aiming for
a weekender a month long cruise or longer
Also when you decide on your boat length and you start look
it's like a book you cat tell the book from its cover
Meaning dose it have an auto pilot does it have a chart plotter depth sounder and wind I sensor
how old are these
the fridge stove water girl what motor
the list gets longer
I assays look at South Ace he rebuilt a nice thatch and later sold
What did he look for next a boat that had already been cruising blue water
He just had to tweet it

there are as many opinions as there are sailors often the strongest opinions are from those who sail the least i tend to favor smaller wooden boats 35 to 40 foot under 6 foot draft heavy displacement they are slightly dear and more time consuming but carry a good payload with a smooth ride at sea generally smaller sail area (easy to handle )and look pretty ( no point in having an ugly mistress ) that doesn't mean my opinion is the only valid one
try buying a yacht in fair condition as someone who restore yachts for a living i can assure you it is cheaper to buy one already in good condition than to do it yourself this applies to all methods of construction not just timber

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and most owners will staunchly defend their kind of boat.

I agree the starting point is to work out how you will use the boat. Unfortunately it seems many people start out with big impractical dreams, and buy a boat bigger than they can handle. Your friend is an example. There are many "bargains" out there, but the bigger boat needs more crew, and more running costs. On these threads there are a few owners who have decided to down-size as they get older.

IMHO start with a smaller boat, say a 25 ft boat like a TopHat or Space Sailer 24. Both boats with standing headroom. Won't cost you much, and see how your actual usage pans out. Then you can decide if you need something bigger, based on your own personal experience. Starting small and upsizing later is the least-cost method. Good luck!

Very few people ever truthfully answer the first question.
What will I use the boat for?

Well I have the best boat and she is beautiful according to me ( actually she is on the list of the most ugly boats ever built) but don't dwell on that . All you have to remember is you will lose money ! but you did on your car as well so who cares . My boat is 32 ft cramped in the aft cabin, full headroom up the front , ketch rigged and 40 years old with some osmossis. BUT it suits my purpose and does what I expect of her . Go small , go now is not a bad plan . All those people who are going to go sailing with you will probably have some reason they can't ,. Let me know when you get your boat so I can pick it to pieces and tell you what you did wrong ( just kidding ) it seems the world is full of people who don't like any one to " go their own way " or to go against their ideals . maybe they are afraid you might become content with your life , or your going to live there dream . Most people are afraid of change , just smile and go chase your dreams , but don't appear to happy , your friends will wonder what your up to . Take all the advice offered then do what you want , works for me .

Interesting post. I've been doing a lot of research into the history of sailing design and one thing that's interesting is that sailors have created so many myths that are negative to other sailors; for example, in dinghies there are many tales about how innovative designs were resisted by sailors of yore. In fact, that really hasn't happened all that much, and the resistance has been created just as much by people like skiff sailors (who like to pretend that they are more forward-thinking) as by 'the establishment' that many people like to blame.

Take Nat Herreshoff's catamaran, for example. There have been many tales about how she was banned after winning one race and that ban stopped cats from being developed around the world, but it simply didn't happen. These days internet archives allow us to look at the reports of regattas and we can see quite clearly that cats were NOT banned after Herreshoff's Amaryllis took part in that first race. In fact fleets of cats raced in several places, and they were treated just like everything else.

And yet people have been carping on for years in print and in club bars about the supposed ban, and when it's pointed out that there is incontrovertible evidence that it didn't occur, they get upset. They can't seem to live in a world where there are no big bad bogeyman to blame and to feel superior about.

At a guess, the self-concept of many people is bound up in their choice of boat. People who buy a "salty" type might feel that they are independent, tough-minded no-nonsense guys who are above the frippery of modern boats, and that modern boats are only bought by consumerist daysailers or fools. The guys who buy modern boats feel that they are innovative, nimble thinkers and that the guys with gaffers are just stick in the muds. It's not about the boat, it's about the owner's self image, and that's all but impossible to change.

And then there are people like me, who are arrogant enough to think that we can stand above all this stuff, and can't get off the fence because we can't condemn any type!

The thing I find interesting is that there are extremely smart, successful and knowledgeable people who like very different boats. It's obviously not a matter in which the more experienced sailors all sail one type or the other, and it's not a case where people who are objectively smart sail one type or the other. I've met very cluey people cruising on cats, heavy displacement timber boats, steel gaffers, and stripped-out IOR lightweight racers.

Surely personal taste matters in boats as much as it does in travelling on land, where some people hike, some people ride heavy touring bicycles, some ride ultralight backpacking bicycles, some hitchhike, and some use motor homes. There's no "ideal" boat any more than there is an ideal way of travelling on land.

Personally, my dream boat is getting smaller, which is unusual. As I understand the physics, in general;

Interior space increases by the square;
Speed increases by a factor of the square root (so big boats are proportionately slower, in general);
Displacement increases by the cube;
Costs increase at the same rate as displacement.

These days we're looking at a lightweight 36 footer when we move to full-time cruising, but we find the lightweight 28'er so good for weekend cruising that we'll probably hang onto it for when we return to living ashore.

'Scuse the rant, I'm just trying to postpone taking the dogs for a walk.

Heavens above! What came out of the woodwork?

What you have posted is quite sensible.

Before you go any further start reading. There are very good books out there to give you the necessary knowledge but first read, and learn.

In the meantime go to your sailing club and start crewing. That is a school of hard knocks but the best one.

If you did that for a few years, reading and crewing all the time, you will get the picture. If you do not last that long, you never really loved it. At least it did not cost you anything.

General rule, your yacht should not cost more that 10% of what you worth. If you want a wooden boat, the figure is 1%!

If you think about which leg of your pants you should put on first, you likely miss your tide.
Start reading and crewing today!

Fair winds!

There are so many great boats out there in the 28 to 35 foot range.
Unless you have your heart set on a particular design I guess the best boat is really one of the good ones at a great price, for instance one 34 went at auction for $5,000.
I think there are probably more 20 to 40 year old boats out there for sale in good condition than there are buyers so there are always bargains out there.

Just to whet your appetite:
Andrew Evans: Single handed tips.........
Dashew: Surviving the storm
Dashew: Marine weather handbook
Andrew Simpson: Second hand boats; how to find the right boat for you.

The first three are free on the net, the last cost about five bucks to download.

I absolutely love my tophat. cheap to buy. big thick hull. sturdy, strong, handles a blow, headroom. Cost of producing such a boat today? about 100k. I paid 5k. Been up and down the coast heaps. Solo. Getting ready for the Whitsundays next year. She gets used alot. good size, easy to manage, cheap for anything you need, cheaper to moor, slip etc. i dont mind roughing it and dont have the funds for a big expensive boat, but i want to sail and fortunately theres alot of good boats around that anyone can afford if theyre that keen to get into it. Im not for the attitude of " if you cant afford a huge boat, dont bother"
I think you should start with something small. i know a few people who got a windfall and bought massive 500k-1mill boats. Both didnt learn to sail and had scary experiences and quit.
I like your idea of a 28 foot to 35 foot boat. youll be more comfortable than i will be and your family will appreciate the extra space. My mooring fees went up from 300 a year, to 427 when i upgraded from a 22 footer to the 25 footer. THe bigger you go, the more itll cost. It could be like storage unit. sitting there costing you money. You gotta use these things, and in order to do that it needs to be manageable. I did some work the other day to the boat and then sailed for 3 hours, from 2-5pm. Easy. I reckon you want a boat that you can just go to and enjoy , alone and with friends.

"And on a related subject, why is it that poeple who have lived and worked in the same city and job their whole lives are experts on why a cruising life would never work? Why are people who have never owned a boat the quickest to say that it will send you broke and make you cry? Of course that is possible (maybe even probable!), but living a life that misses good things for fear of the possibility of bad things is just not the way I think."

People are cruising indefinately, making a living, making it work. Those people you speak of are everywhere. Theyre scared of not having enough money(even though they got tonnes and retired), drowning, storms, missing out on something in the city(like a saturday morning traffic jam)

Getting into sailing was the BEST thing i ever did. Only been doing it 4 years and hooked. I use the boat so much that it SAVES me money!! instead of going to fiji or something i go away on my boat for a week or so. stock her up with goodies, paddle board, dinghy, music, beers, fishing gear, snorkel mask, surfboard. Cant spend a cent. barely use any fuel. Its mental. Adds an amazing dimension to your life. If you buy something small and cheap then its kinda ok if it doesnt work out. if you lose any $it wont be much. DO IT :)

but if i could afford it Hanse , hands down....thats the dream!

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Sectorsteve said..
but if i could afford it Hanse , hands down....thats the dream!

I'm living the dream, Hanse 575. It is not true that the larger the boat, the more crew required. I sail my 57' Hanse by myself, it is all in how the boat is set up. Furling sails, self tacking headsail, electric winches, top of the line auto pilot and electronics and bow and stern thrusters all make it easy. It actually comes down to cost and what you can afford. This boat is the easiest boat to sail that I have ever owned. The down side of my boat is the $1,000,000.00 plus price tag and a yearly running cost of about 30k plus a year, plus mooring costs, fortunately I have my own jetty behind the house to keep to boat. As I said it is what you can afford, I have just as much fun sailing my 8' Walker Bay dingy round the cannel with my grand kids or out fishing and crabbing in the tinny. It's just about being out on the water having fun.

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Jode5 said..

Sectorsteve said..
but if i could afford it Hanse , hands down....thats the dream!

I'm living the dream, Hanse 575. It is not true that the larger the boat, the more crew required. I sail my 57' Hanse by myself, it is all in how the boat is set up. Furling sails, self tacking headsail, electric winches, top of the line auto pilot and electronics and bow and stern thrusters all make it easy. It actually comes down to cost and what you can afford. This boat is the easiest boat to sail that I have ever owned. The down side of my boat is the $1,000,000.00 plus price tag and a yearly running cost of about 30k plus a year, plus mooring costs, fortunately I have my own jetty behind the house to keep to boat. As I said it is what you can afford, I have just as much fun sailing my 8' Walker Bay dingy round the cannel with my grand kids or out fishing and crabbing in the tinny. It's just about being out on the water having fun.

I'm after the 57 Jode!!! But did you learn to sail on smaller boats?? Op is experienced but my friends werent. They had all that flash stuff too but didn't know how to use it!! Must be amazing to have that beautiful Hanse. I really love those boats. They're my fav. I'd be happy even with the entry level 31, but I'm aiming high for the sky for at least a 42 foot Hanse there abouts!!! One day maybe. For now though. I'm very happy to get out there on my Tophat And don't get envious of others bigger better boats. The thing I love about sailing is at we all feel the joy and you guys with your massive 1 mill boats still say gidday to a pikey like me on my 2k bluebird!

I've got a good mate who has lived on his compass 29 for over 7 years. He says that he will die on her. I agree with him. I'm fairly sure he is talking about old age. I think it will be more than likely from liver failure. Either way he will go with a big smile on his face.

Mick

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Jode5 said..

Sectorsteve said..
but if i could afford it Hanse , hands down....thats the dream!

I'm living the dream, Hanse 575. It is not true that the larger the boat, the more crew required. I sail my 57' Hanse by myself, it is all in how the boat is set up. Furling sails, self tacking headsail, electric winches, top of the line auto pilot and electronics and bow and stern thrusters all make it easy. It actually comes down to cost and what you can afford. This boat is the easiest boat to sail that I have ever owned. The down side of my boat is the $1,000,000.00 plus price tag and a yearly running cost of about 30k plus a year, plus mooring costs, fortunately I have my own jetty behind the house to keep to boat. As I said it is what you can afford, I have just as much fun sailing my 8' Walker Bay dingy round the cannel with my grand kids or out fishing and crabbing in the tinny. It's just about being out on the water having fun.www.seabreeze.com.au/images/forums/icon_smile.gifhttps://www.seabreeze.com.au/images/forums/icon_smile.gif' />

It's true, big boats don't need big crew. I had no problems single handing a 54 ft fero of 39 tons. They are a stable roomy platform to work on and all you need for bigger sails are bigger winches. And big doesn't mean expensive if you stay clear of marinas. But a stuff up on a big boat is a big stuff up. Best compromise, about 36 ft, that's roomy enough to be comfortable and stable enough to be easy to work on and there are plenty of really good ones around for small money. And a well set up 36 ft will stand more seas than her crew ever can. I know a lot of seabreezers like small boats but I do question their comfort for long term cruising. I am afraid that if you are not comfortable on your first boat you might abandon your dream and head back to the pool and lawn mower. But maybe now I am an octogenarian I set too high a value on comfort.

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PhoenixStar said..

Jode5 said..

Sectorsteve said..
but if i could afford it Hanse , hands down....thats the dream!

I'm living the dream, Hanse 575. It is not true that the larger the boat, the more crew required. I sail my 57' Hanse by myself, it is all in how the boat is set up. Furling sails, self tacking headsail, electric winches, top of the line auto pilot and electronics and bow and stern thrusters all make it easy. It actually comes down to cost and what you can afford. This boat is the easiest boat to sail that I have ever owned. The down side of my boat is the $1,000,000.00 plus price tag and a yearly running cost of about 30k plus a year, plus mooring costs, fortunately I have my own jetty behind the house to keep to boat. As I said it is what you can afford, I have just as much fun sailing my 8' Walker Bay dingy round the cannel with my grand kids or out fishing and crabbing in the tinny. It's just about being out on the water having fun.www.seabreeze.com.au/images/forums/icon_smile.gif' />'> <a href= www.seabreeze.com.au/images/forums/icon_smile.gif' />' class='forumPostTextImage' />

It's true, big boats don't need big crew. I had no problems single handing a 54 ft fero of 39 tons. They are a stable roomy platform to work on and all you need for bigger sails are bigger winches. And big doesn't mean expensive if you stay clear of marinas. But a stuff up on a big boat is a big stuff up. Best compromise, about 36 ft, that's roomy enough to be comfortable and stable enough to be easy to work on and there are plenty of really good ones around for small money. And a well set up 36 ft will stand more seas than her crew ever can. I know a lot of seabreezers like small boats but I do question their comfort for long term cruising. I am afraid that if you are not comfortable on your first boat you might abandon your dream and head back to the pool and lawn mower. But maybe now I am an octogenarian I set too high a value on comfort.

and you get there twice as fast in comfort!

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Sectorsteve said..

Jode5 said..

Sectorsteve said..
but if i could afford it Hanse , hands down....thats the dream!

I'm living the dream, Hanse 575. It is not true that the larger the boat, the more crew required. I sail my 57' Hanse by myself, it is all in how the boat is set up. Furling sails, self tacking headsail, electric winches, top of the line auto pilot and electronics and bow and stern thrusters all make it easy. It actually comes down to cost and what you can afford. This boat is the easiest boat to sail that I have ever owned. The down side of my boat is the $1,000,000.00 plus price tag and a yearly running cost of about 30k plus a year, plus mooring costs, fortunately I have my own jetty behind the house to keep to boat. As I said it is what you can afford, I have just as much fun sailing my 8' Walker Bay dingy round the cannel with my grand kids or out fishing and crabbing in the tinny. It's just about being out on the water having fun.

I'm after the 57 Jode!!! But did you learn to sail on smaller boats?? Op is experienced but my friends werent. They had all that flash stuff too but didn't know how to use it!! Must be amazing to have that beautiful Hanse. I really love those boats. They're my fav. I'd be happy even with the entry level 31, but I'm aiming high for the sky for at least a 42 foot Hanse there abouts!!! One day maybe. For now though. I'm very happy to get out there on my Tophat And don't get envious of others bigger better boats. The thing I love about sailing is at we all feel the joy and you guys with your massive 1 mill boats still say gidday to a pikey like me on my 2k bluebird!

As some one said " The ocean is a great leveller".

It all depend on your buying budget and then yearly budget that you can afford a main sail for my H28 is around $2000 plus some Jodes 5 I would not know but it would be at least double rigging is expensive as well a 30 foot yacht may use 6 to 8 mm wire a turn buckle might cost around the $150 plus where as Jodes maybe twice or more than that,
Then when you lift out and antifoul there's a lot of prep work before then the anti foul amount you need its all relative to the size of your yacht.
For me not going into detail I'm on a very tight budget so when I retire I wanted low running cost to achieve that I'm pouring lots of dollars into the boat before I retire
so my running cost should be low over the next ten years of sailing . SO its getting new sails new rigging and a lot of alteration for long term use most 28 footers are for weekends and short cruising .
The Compass originally was use up north back in the 70's as charter boats after Bernis start doing it in the Whitsundays .
I used to sail against Bernie Katchor who used to charted a yacht called Nari many many years ago up there before he set sail we did sharpie racing great fun
That's when sail boats dinghies were made of ply and Mirrors were rampant
www.whitsundaytimes.com.au/news/farewell-for-tourism-pioneer/2272455/

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HG02 said..
It all depend on your buying budget and then yearly budget that you can afford a main sail for my H28 is around $2000 plus some Jodes 5 I would not know but it would be at least double rigging is expensive as well a 30 foot yacht may use 6 to 8 mm wire a turn buckle might cost around the $150 plus where as Jodes maybe twice or more than that,
Then when you lift out and antifoul there's a lot of prep work before then the anti foul amount you need its all relative to the size of your yacht.
For me not going into detail I'm on a very tight budget so when I retire I wanted low running cost to achieve that I'm pouring lots of dollars into the boat before I retire
so my running cost should be low over the next ten years of sailing . SO its getting new sails new rigging and a lot of alteration for long term use most 28 footers are for weekends and short cruising .
The Compass originally was use up north back in the 70's as charter boats after Bernis start doing it in the Whitsundays .
I used to sail against Bernie Katchor who used to charted a yacht called Nari many many years ago up there before he set sail we did sharpie racing great fun
That's when sail boats dinghies were made of ply and Mirrors were rampant
www.whitsundaytimes.com.au/news/farewell-for-tourism-pioneer/2272455/

Hi HG, you are correct, just because a boat is twice the size, it does not mean the cost is only double. I just put a new Norths 3DL main sail on, $28,000.00. I may be a little more comfortable and a little faster but I guarantee you are having just as much fun as me.

<div class="forumPostText">Jode5 said, Hi HG, you are correct, just because a boat is twice the size, it does not mean the cost is only double. I just put a new Norths 3DL main sail on, $28,000.00. I may be a little more comfortable and a little faster but I guarantee you are having just as much fun as me.


Well that is very true Jode. Jode passed me going south from Gloucester Is last year, and I must say his boat does look very impressive,
but I arrived only a few hours [I won't say how many, but not that many] in Airlie Beach after him.

Enjoyment on the day, about the same I reckon, but I had longer out on the water.

As to the cost of that main, well that's about what I'm admitting to having spent on Seaka. [a Mark 1 Top Hat]

But I'm out there sailing

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nswsailor said..
<div class="forumPostText">Jode5 said, Hi HG, you are correct, just because a boat is twice the size, it does not mean the cost is only double. I just put a new Norths 3DL main sail on, $28,000.00. I may be a little more comfortable and a little faster but I guarantee you are having just as much fun as me.


Well that is very true Jode. Jode passed me going south from Gloucester Is last year, and I must say his boat does look very impressive,
but I arrived only a few hours [I won't say how many, but not that many] in Airlie Beach after him.

Enjoyment on the day, about the same I reckon, but I had longer out on the water.

As to the cost of that main, well that's about what I'm admitting to having spent on Seaka. [a Mark 1 Top Hat]

But I'm out there sailing

it adds up aye, but dont think about it! its the best way to spend time and with those you care about, or alone time its all good!

Basically its what you can afford and just like life it's the journey not the destination.
Myself and NSW will get there takes a little bit longer at sea and will definitely not have as many creature comforts as Jode 5.
But all three of us are happy little vegemites.
It's been a bit over two years now and never raised a sail but Ive learnt some many more skills over that time and thoroughly enjoyed the journey so far.
before


in between




at the moment below mast will be back this year finally



Ill be still working on her for years
but she'll be sailing
such a enjoyable journey not for everyone

Would I do it again no Id buy a 32 foot plus yacht which had been blue water cruising probably
and after I bought mine prices dropped and many more are available to buy so look hard and see between the lines
Like a book it's what's inside as well as rigging and sails and boat set up and sailable for a single person
Good winds to you
And never for get what boat means
B=Bring
O = on
A=Another
T = thousand may be ten or more (depend if you get the disease )

A wise man told me that a few years ago called Cisco

something like a Cav 32
They vary in price still tight for room but comfortable inside for a couple or solo


dont start me I might just catch Jode5
or

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HG02 said..
Basically its what you can afford and just like life it's the journey not the destination.
Myself and NSW will get there takes a little bit longer at sea and will definitely not have as many creature comforts as Jode 5.
But all three of us are happy little vegemites.
It's been a bit over two years now and never raised a sail but Ive learnt some many more skills over that time and thoroughly enjoyed the journey so far.
before


in between




at the moment below mast will be back this year finally



Ill be still working on her for years
but she'll be sailing
such a enjoyable journey not for everyone

Would I do it again no Id buy a 32 foot plus yacht which had been blue water cruising probably
and after I bought mine prices dropped and many more are available to buy so look hard and see between the lines
Like a book it's what's inside as well as rigging and sails and boat set up and sailable for a single person
Good winds to you
And never for get what boat means
B=Bring
O = on
A=Another
T = thousand may be ten or more (depend if you get the disease )

A wise man told me that a few years ago called Cisco

youve done some amazing work to her. you took this path rather than buying something set up already, but theres something awesome about knowing your boat inside and out and im sure you probably know her already as youve come this far. I dont think "return on investment " comes to mind in your case at all. youre investing in your experiences and your legacy. Its like doing a good deed to do a good deed without thinking of any reward or praise. No need for a "thanks" You just wanna do it.
I think youre doing the right thing. I think everyone on seabreeze is doing the the right thing for them :)
Id love to buy a boat set up, but cant afford it. I cant afford to not go sailing though, so i chip away over the years by buy something cheap & working on her a bit at a time and as $ allow. Its ok. I like it. Better than being boatless.

Plus one sectorstev

Ha! Well it's obvious now that I've just been talking to the wrong people . So much GOOD advice. Thank you all.

I hear there's a Compass 28 for sale locally listed at $15k. The question is whether it's a $10k boat asking too much or a $25k boat at a good price. Could be a reasonable place to start looking regardless.........

T.

Could be good. I reckon if it has a furler, inboard, floats, sails are ok, electrics, ropes,interior in ok condition then yes. Prob get it for 10k. Buyers market. Need antifoul?