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

[Al Chapo]

My wife used to race sailboats at a yacht club. I was on vacation once and they were short handed so the wife asked if I wanted to fill in, I said why not, sounds relaxing. When we got there one of the dudes kept handing me joints and pints, then I spent 3 hours mentally upside-down and physically sideways.

 

[VonBonfire]

good points. I don't plan any ocean crossings; down the Florida coast and around the keys; over to the Bahamas then island hopping, for a start.

Bahamas have over 700 islands. eventually I'd like to island hop down the Caribbean, but that's a long way off, if ever. Gotta stop buying music gear and save more for the boat!

Exumas has always been the place I wanted to go the most but truthfully there are a million good spots to sail and check out just around Florida. I can say for 100% sure that the best way to see the Gulf Coast is from a boat. Even though it's mostly calm on the gulf the tides move extremely quickly in the inlet areas around those places. You definitely want a diesel with good power. A paddleboard or kayak I would also say is a must for exploring and fishing in the shallows of which there are many. There is the ten thousand islands area south of Fort Myers which is all 2 foot shallows.

A lot of cool places to go if you got a boat. Even just a flats boat with a 25-50 horse merc can be a great time. There is an inland channel from Miami going across the state to the Gulf side that dumps out in Sarasota bay IIRC and I am pretty sure portions of the St. Johns and Sewanee rivers is navigable by larger boats as well. Part of me has always thought a good houseboat would be the most rational choice for living on some of those waters but I had the same idea as you with the carib on the cheap. Wife is only in if we are talking powerboats and I can't afford diesel at the dock for a Grand Banks trawler so there goes that plan for now, lol.

 

[rsm]

Exumas has always been the place I wanted to go the most but truthfully there are a million good spots to sail and check out just around Florida. I can say for 100% sure that the best way to see the Gulf Coast is from a boat. Even though it's mostly calm on the gulf the tides move extremely quickly in the inlet areas around those places. You definitely want a diesel with good power. A paddleboard or kayak I would also say is a must for exploring and fishing in the shallows of which there are many. There is the ten thousand islands area south of Fort Myers which is all 2 foot shallows.

A lot of cool places to go if you got a boat. Even just a flats boat with a 25-50 horse merc can be a great time. There is an inland channel from Miami going across the state to the Gulf side that dumps out in Sarasota bay IIRC and I am pretty sure portions of the St. Johns and Sewanee rivers is navigable by larger boats as well. Part of me has always thought a good houseboat would be the most rational choice for living on some of those waters but I had the same idea as you with the carib on the cheap. Wife is only in if we are talking powerboats and I can't afford diesel at the dock for a Grand Banks trawler so there goes that plan for now, lol.

Have kayaks too; I plan to get a small powered inflatable for shore runs from mooring buoys, and to explore smaller inlets. One of the nice things about the trimarans is the shallow draft, about 1.5" with the daggerboards up, so getting up on a deserted beach near high tide and waiting for the next high tide is possible.

I actually considered a property on Chokoloskee Island in Florida, the shallows and number of islands in that area are impressive and likely more challenging than I'd care to deal with, still not too far from the keys and Atlantic

No houseboats for me, but I still consider the "living on a big cat" option, but that really means selling (nearly) everything, and even older cats can be the price of a the average single family house, and need repairs, upgrades, refits, etc. which can get costly without even getting to the marina costs, and availability...many marinas have long wait lists, and some slips are for sale again close to the price of a house.

I'm keeping all my options open; I have a short list of boats I like, and I know once I buy a boat, the boat(s) at the top of my list will be for sale. If the boat at the top of my list showed up for sale at a good price for its condition, I'd start the buying process.

Not going to say what that boat is, but it's older, few were made, not all survived, and one shows up for sale every few years, usually in Malaysia or Greece or somewhere far (which means getting it here will cost $).

 

[VonBonfire]

I actually considered a property on Chokoloskee Island in Florida, the shallows and number of islands in that area are impressive and likely more challenging than I'd care to deal with, still not too far from the keys and Atlantic

No houseboats for me, but I still consider the "living on a big cat" option, but that really means selling (nearly) everything, and even older cats can be the price of a the average single family house, and need repairs, upgrades, refits, etc. which can get costly without even getting to the marina costs, and availability...many marinas have long wait lists, and some slips are for sale again close to the price of a house.

I'm keeping all my options open; I have a short list of boats I like, and I know once I buy a boat, the boat(s) at the top of my list will be for sale. If the boat at the top of my list showed up for sale at a good price for its condition, I'd start the buying process.

Not going to say what that boat is, but it's older, few were made, not all survived, and one shows up for sale every few years, usually in Malaysia or Greece or somewhere far (which means getting it here will cost $).

Chokoloskee is the ten thousand islands area I had mentioned. Definitely a really shallow area. I always wanted one of those properties on Cayo Costa up the coast a little ways from there but FL is basically a costly hassle ridden SOB to obtain the necessary building permits and some of the inspectors in the Ft. Myers area actually contradict each other on what passes and what doesn't so it's a total mess right now to try and buy raw land and build anywhere in that state. That's why every structure is either old, a mcmansion of some sort, or a trailer house because no codes required even though a decent self built home is way tougher than a trailer. Typical gov regs that make zero sense in practice.

 

[dcburn mk.ii]

The best two days owning a boat…
The day you buy it and the day you sell it.

 

[Floyd Eye]

Have kayaks too; I plan to get a small powered inflatable for shore runs from mooring buoys, and to explore smaller inlets. One of the nice things about the trimarans is the shallow draft, about 1.5" with the daggerboards up, so getting up on a deserted beach near high tide and waiting for the next high tide is possible.

I actually considered a property on Chokoloskee Island in Florida, the shallows and number of islands in that area are impressive and likely more challenging than I'd care to deal with, still not too far from the keys and Atlantic

No houseboats for me, but I still consider the "living on a big cat" option, but that really means selling (nearly) everything, and even older cats can be the price of a the average single family house, and need repairs, upgrades, refits, etc. which can get costly without even getting to the marina costs, and availability...many marinas have long wait lists, and some slips are for sale again close to the price of a house.

I'm keeping all my options open; I have a short list of boats I like, and I know once I buy a boat, the boat(s) at the top of my list will be for sale. If the boat at the top of my list showed up for sale at a good price for its condition, I'd start the buying process.

Not going to say what that boat is, but it's older, few were made, not all survived, and one shows up for sale every few years, usually in Malaysia or Greece or somewhere far (which means getting it here will cost $).

I live on a river. As in my property ends at the river. We have a pile of kayaks. Mostly Old Towns.

 

[rsm]

I live on a river. As in my property ends at the river. We have a pile of kayaks. Mostly Old Towns.

we have other islands nearby, inlets, salt marshes, etc., that are great for kayaking in and around, and kayak fishing too.

 

[67mike]

Maine is full of tree hugging retards. Period.

 

[rsm]

Maine is full of tree hugging retards. Period.

CT, MA, NH, VT,... all of New England for the most part.

 

[Matt300ZXT]

Maine is full of tree hugging retards. Period.

Hey now....Im just a regular retard, no tree huggin here.

 

[rsm]

@Matt300ZXT

I still think taking the first ASA Sailing course is a good idea; it gives you the basics, and an experienced instructor to ask questions.

Knowing the points of sail, and how to know your position relative to the wind, and sail position for each point:

Then jibing, tacking, how to come about, etc.


The best way to learn is to get out there and practice; a small boat is good because they're usually inexpensive, and they respond faster to your actions than larger boats, so you really get a good understanding.


Here's a list I found of small boats for learning to sail, many other lists, just to get an idea.

I recommend getting a sailboat with a jib and mainsail, as that is a standard configuration for many sailboats, and you can learn how to manage both, ie, I'd stay away from the Laser, Sunfish, for example, and many Hobie cats, that only have a single mainsail. Unless you want a multi-hull (I do, and why I got the Xcat for practice) eventually, I'd also stay with a monohull design, which is really only the Hobie.

Of the monohulls on this list, I think I'd go for the RS Feva, it has a three sail design but you can start with jib and mainsail, but some models have a gennaker for even more speed!

https://www.saltwaterjournal.life/blog/best-small-sailboats

 

[70 Mach 1]

US Navy 83-87. made 10 Atlantic crossings and 4 Caribbeans.
fuck the water and boats. i haven't been back on one since

 

[Wayniac3]

CT, MA, NH, VT,... all of New England for the most part.

CT here - can't agree more.
Me - I prefer boating & kayaking - as far as trees - I prefer hanging on the side, waiting or some free range venison to walk by within bow range.

To the OP - go for it, but know ocean can be a BITCH, and can turn on a dime. As stated on many replies here - get some experience first. I've been in some sketchy situations just in Long Island Sound (not fisher., the Race, BI), and once on Lake Ontario.
Good luck!

 

[JackBootedThug]

 

[rsm]