Boys (and probably a few girls)....I think the sea is calling me

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Matt300ZXT

Matt300ZXT

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When I moved to Maine last summer, I did it for work re-location in a way; more money, less responsibility, didn't have to learn a damn thing. When I sold my business and truck, I had a fat stack of cash and great credit, so finding an apartment was a breeze and I could take my time up here in the hotel and enjoy my "vacation" while I looked for an apartment.

Anyways, I've been wanting to go out on a boat and enjoy the ocean, since I didn't have any of that in Tennessee. Even though I see the Atlantic practically every day and the same lakes/rivers/streams, it never gets old. Everyone says you get tired of it but it's still just as beautiful every time I pass it as it was on the first day I got here, and I've been driving by a loooooooot of water every day for the past year.

Also, a part of me has always dreamed in a way of just selling everything and going to live in a mountain village in Thailand or something and just living off the land with the villagers, even though I wouldn't understand a damn thing they were saying lol I don't really need anything, and not like there'd be any electricity for me to plug my Budda stack into, plus the villagers probably don't like Ratt tunes.

Something has caught my fancy over the past several days, which plays right into this part of me that's always wanted to just say "fuck it" to society and rules and that is buying either a 40-50ft yacht or a 25-35ft or sailboat. Obviously, the sail boat is MUCH cheaper to operate and easier to fix/maintain, but the yacht has much more space for me and my dog. Either way, I'm 43 and have no girlfriend/wife/people tying me down, no kids, no debt or bills, just basic apartment rent, groceries, utilities, and fuel for my cars. I could save up for just a little, sell everything I own, except for a few things, and buy a boat straight cash, do a few upgrades or improvements, and literally just say "goodbye Maine" and sail down the east cost, stopping in whenever I wanted to a port to get a few supplies or just be around people, then hop back in the boat and sail further south and just hang out around tropical islands, anchor down for a while and enjoy the beautiful waters, view, etc.

The only thing I'd have to do is find a way to do some sort of remote work for money to buy food, supplies, boat maintenance parts, etc. Or I could even just crash in a marina for a while and do something local for money and really my only expenditure would be food and fuel/supplies. I mean, it'd be cool to own a beautiful Victorian home, but my brain is wired in such a way that I just don't see the point in it really, other than having a cool looking house with cool old stuff in it. When it comes down to it, I can easily live a very spartan life and have only the bare necessities.

Either way, I should probably take some sailing lessons first...
 
Def wanna keep that boat under about 32 feet or you'll get eaten alive on the slip fees. You're looking at about 500/mo for that in FL and that probably isn't including a liveaboard fee. I hope you are either rich or good with mechanics, fiberglass, electronics, and some woodworking. It sounds great on paper but a boat is constant upkeep; Break Out Another Thousand. A hole in the water your pour your money into. What matters is whether you like the lifestyle or not and how good your sea legs are. Some people get sick out on the water and never seem to get used to it. Have you ever been close to drowning before? I have a couple times and it's not really fun and makes you long for shore. You could always advertise as a noob deckhand on cruiser forum and see if you get any takers on your ad that way you could gain some experience and insight into whether it's for you or not...
 
Floyd Eye said:
Don’t know how to sail ? I’m thinking buying a sailboat and heading out to sea might be a bad idea.
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He's in Maine, the wood boat capital. I'm sure he could get lessons or even just network and find someone willing to show him the ropes. Basic sailing isn't that difficult but bluewater sailing is a little more than a noob should bite off. You are actually safer further out in a lot of situations than if you are coastal cruising where you could get blown onshore and I ain't talking about a girlfriend at the marina....

@Matt300ZXT just don't buy a wood hulled boat. Most places won't rent a slip to a wooden boat unless you are carrying millionaire level insurance policies. Fiberglass all the way. And if you don't get suckered into teak decks and lots of woodwork you'll have less time spent sanding and varnishing. The plastic fantastics are a lot less maintenance.
 
VonBonfire said:
He's in Maine, the wood boat capital. I'm sure he could get lessons or even just network and find someone willing to show him the ropes. Basic sailing isn't that difficult but bluewater sailing is a little more than a noob should bite off. You are actually safer further out in a lot of situations than if you are coastal cruising where you could get blown onshore and I ain't talking about a girlfriend at the marina....

@Matt300ZXT just don't buy a wood hulled boat. Most places won't rent a slip to a wooden boat unless you are carrying millionaire level insurance policies. Fiberglass all the way. And if you don't get suckered into teak decks and lots of woodwork you'll have less time spent sanding and varnishing. The plastic fantastics are a lot less maintenance.
Click to expand...
While wood decks are beautiful (if maintained), that is a harsh environment for it. Fiberglass for me all day long and twice on Sunday.
 
What part of Maine are you in? My little brother is living up there.
 
I plan to retire early in the next 2-3 years; part of my retirement plan is to get an oceangoing sailboat I can singlehand and sail the keys, Bahamas (over 700 islands), and Caribbean part of each year.

I live on a small island in the Atlantic, and have a small beach cat (Xcat) that I use to practice, it has a jib and mainsail like the bigger sail boats; I highly recommend taking sailing lessons; my son and I took ASA Sailing certification, but having boat to practice with and enjoy is the best way to learn.

You can find books, videos and software for chart reading etc. A boater safety course is also a good idea.

This is the xcat, and where I got ours. https://redbeardsailing.com/products/x-cat-sail
 
rsm said:
I plan to retire early in the next 2-3 years; part of my retirement plan is to get an oceangoing sailboat I can singlehand and sail the keys, Bahamas (over 700 islands), and Caribbean part of each year.
Click to expand...
When does the boat leave?
 
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Floyd Eye said:
Don’t know how to sail ? I’m thinking buying a sailboat and heading out to sea might be a bad idea.
Click to expand...
Yes, sailing is much more challenging than one might think. I used to live a very adventurous life. Been in some really hairy situations. But, one day, me (14 at the time) and 2 friends, took a 45 foot sailboat we “borrowed,” from the yacht club and took it out the golden gate. We all had a lot of experience sailing. As we went under the golden gate, the ocean became absolutely diabolical. It went from a sunny, lightly windy day, to winds gusting to 75 mph and 25 foot waves, and a wall of fog so thick, visibility was maybe 10 or 15 feet. My friend, who was going to Olympic trials for sailing, had a look on his face that indicated we were in mortal danger. The next few hours were spent fighting for our lives existing solely on adrenaline at that point. We were soaked and frozen, pure misery. The ocean is very cold in Northern California. If we were novices, we would have 100% died. If you are taking to the ocean, you better know EXACTLY what you are doing. You NEVER know what the ocean will do. Even if you have a yacht with a decent engine, you need to know the ocean. Things can turn in a second out there.

I suppose you could be a shore cruiser. Always stay super close to shore so if you have to abandon ship you might be able to swim in. As far as crossing an ocean, the greatest heights of madness.

One time I got wasted in France, met a girl, went down to the docks and hooked up in a row boat. She took the oars out to make room. Well, we passed out, and when I woke the next morning, we had drifted so far out I could barely see land. This was a slightly alarming development that turned into two days of dehydration and pure hell. Beware of large bodies of water.
 
acceptance said:
@rsm gonna get a cat for the open waters?
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either a cat or a trailerable trimaran; definitely a multihull though. The trimaran would have less room, heels, greater speed, and less likely to capsize vs a cat; and reduced / no marina fees since I can trailer it and store it in my yard.

If money was no object (it is though), I'd have a cat; this cat: https://x5.xquisiteyachts.com/
 
rsm said:
either a cat or a trailerable trimaran; definitely a multihull though. The trimaran would have less room, heels, greater speed, and less likely to capsize vs a cat; and reduced / no marina fees since I can trailer it and store it in my yard.

If money was no object (it is though), I'd have a cat; this cat: https://x5.xquisiteyachts.com/
Click to expand...
Beam costs money to park. A cat or trimaran has more initial stability and basically no reserve stability so once you go over, it's over. The Lagoon 380 looks pretty sweet though. I've always liked the Island Packet monohulls. Made in St. Pete Florida. Slow, but tough full keel boats with a lot of space inside for the size.
 
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