About 5 years from now I want to have a moored or slipped boat in either San Francisco Bay or Ventura/Santa Barbara. I want to be able to spend a long weekend 5-6 times a year, and 1-2 weeks there so that we can both sail and shop/romance. And a big part is that my wife is brave but doesn’t like heeling since her father died after being thrown from a boat that hit some logs in Oregon. My questions: 1 What are differences in sailing those places for short periods over many years. San Diego is calm, but too small. San Francisco is the perfect city to explore together, but I wonder about too much wind for her. The Channel Islands and maybe Catalina are enticing and we could scuba together, but obviously after open water. I’d like some help to choose between, as I doubt we would sail from one to the other. 2 How long and how much is it to get a slip or mooring, as I want to start early enough? 3 What boats should I look at. I have facilities to restore a boat at my home- land and shop, so I want to start looking for one that would be best for the sailing grounds, something that the wife could enjoy sleeping and staying in, stable for her, and with enough controls that I can spend my time adjusting the sails and dancing with the wind in a competent, but not racing kind of way. I want to get something inexpensive (old) enough that not too much money is tied up in something that I can’t use as much as I’d like. We live 3 hours away and have too many other responsibilities with kids and business now. Some day we may live there with a newer boat. I’m doing research on this, so would appreciate your thoughts and pearls of wisdom to help me see the forest, instead of the few trees I’ve thought of so far. Thanks, Dan
5 year planning help needed
- Thread starter DanW9494
- Start date
- Status
5 year plan thoughts
Dan - I can't comment on questions 1 & 2, except to say that my wife & I lived in San Francisco for a while,loved it & would like to go back some day. #3 is something that I can speak to with some authority. You may have exceptional abilities, energy etc etc but getting into a serious fixer-upper is not a good plan IMHO. You run the risk of spending a lot of time & money and winding up with , say, $ 30K tied up in a boat that has a fair market value of half that. You also run the risk of having your wife & kids develop very negative feelings toward your boat, and boating in general. Fixing up an old boat is a great pasttime. So is sailing & owning/using a boat. The two do not necessarily connect. If it's not in the cards right now to buy a decent, turn-key boat I suggest that you wait untill it is, and then buy the best boat that you can afford that can be enjoyed immediately. You'll find plenty of work to do on most boats if you're so inclined (maintenance, upgrades etc ) but at least you'll be able to use & enjoy it. Good luck.
Dan - I can't comment on questions 1 & 2, except to say that my wife & I lived in San Francisco for a while,loved it & would like to go back some day. #3 is something that I can speak to with some authority. You may have exceptional abilities, energy etc etc but getting into a serious fixer-upper is not a good plan IMHO. You run the risk of spending a lot of time & money and winding up with , say, $ 30K tied up in a boat that has a fair market value of half that. You also run the risk of having your wife & kids develop very negative feelings toward your boat, and boating in general. Fixing up an old boat is a great pasttime. So is sailing & owning/using a boat. The two do not necessarily connect. If it's not in the cards right now to buy a decent, turn-key boat I suggest that you wait untill it is, and then buy the best boat that you can afford that can be enjoyed immediately. You'll find plenty of work to do on most boats if you're so inclined (maintenance, upgrades etc ) but at least you'll be able to use & enjoy it. Good luck.
try chartering
Doesn't sound like owning is right for you. It will be cheaper to charter and you can do that sooner then 5 years. Plus...the amount of wind doesn't necessarly determine the amount of heal. If you don't know what I mean by that, then it's time to join a sailing club so you can get some experience (charter companies like experience).
Doesn't sound like owning is right for you. It will be cheaper to charter and you can do that sooner then 5 years. Plus...the amount of wind doesn't necessarly determine the amount of heal. If you don't know what I mean by that, then it's time to join a sailing club so you can get some experience (charter companies like experience).
More information
Thanks for above and sorry this is so long, My introduction to sailing was to help my high school philosophy teacher restore a hundred year old sailboat; Mystic Seaport is in the town i grew up in Connecticut. My Dad is a carpenter, so i've grown up fixing things, building things. I've put 10 modifications into my daysailor, including a reefing system; got it 6 months ago. So, I would love to have a boat out in back of the house by my shop to putter in. I'm not looking for something that will eventually cost me twice what i pay for it, but something that needs attention outside, carpentry work inside, and has a good motor and fundamentals. My wife would rather i work in a boat than spend time on this internet. I just want to work on the one i'll eventually slip for 2-3 years. So I need to settle on which sailing grounds to plan for, and then which boat is best for us in that area. I am planning on getting a Telstar 28 trailerable trimaran this or next year depending on wait list and build time. We will test sail in Annapolis next month when we go with our eight grader to Washington, DC. That will give us a bigger boat with a bathroom, shower, that doesn't heel much. But having a boat in a slip is like having a beach house in a way, a cheaper way. Eventually after the kids have gotten established, we want to get a place on the coast, but that's a 10-15 year plan. Getting a boat in a slip 5 years from now seems like the best plan, besides printing money. We have 5 teenage boys at home, 15 to 21, with college plans. I guess I want an older condo boat with the roominess of the newer boats that a lady would like to stay in. I'll need what a small apartment has: hot and cold water, shower, room for 2 couples, and a galley a woman would like as we are NOT "camping". Maybe it will be a catamaran for the heeling problem, but i would rather have a monohull and it looks less expensive. I would rather have a deep fin keel, fractional rig, light air boat that i will reef a lot to keep upright, since we're SHOPPING if the weather or seastate is bad. But I don't know how the upper San Francisco bay/delta area would affect keel choice. I would rather go exploring than race. And I wonder about the overall heavier wind on the bay, especially gusts, that might upset my darling. I haven't sailed on the bay, but the boats aren't usually vertical through my binoculars from the hotels downtown and fishermans wharf. I guess we want San Fran romance with southern California sailing conditions. If there is something i could read on the bay and delta, germane to this, i would appreciate it. So far San Fran is the emotional choice, Oxnard is the practical choice. Advice needed.
Thanks for above and sorry this is so long, My introduction to sailing was to help my high school philosophy teacher restore a hundred year old sailboat; Mystic Seaport is in the town i grew up in Connecticut. My Dad is a carpenter, so i've grown up fixing things, building things. I've put 10 modifications into my daysailor, including a reefing system; got it 6 months ago. So, I would love to have a boat out in back of the house by my shop to putter in. I'm not looking for something that will eventually cost me twice what i pay for it, but something that needs attention outside, carpentry work inside, and has a good motor and fundamentals. My wife would rather i work in a boat than spend time on this internet. I just want to work on the one i'll eventually slip for 2-3 years. So I need to settle on which sailing grounds to plan for, and then which boat is best for us in that area. I am planning on getting a Telstar 28 trailerable trimaran this or next year depending on wait list and build time. We will test sail in Annapolis next month when we go with our eight grader to Washington, DC. That will give us a bigger boat with a bathroom, shower, that doesn't heel much. But having a boat in a slip is like having a beach house in a way, a cheaper way. Eventually after the kids have gotten established, we want to get a place on the coast, but that's a 10-15 year plan. Getting a boat in a slip 5 years from now seems like the best plan, besides printing money. We have 5 teenage boys at home, 15 to 21, with college plans. I guess I want an older condo boat with the roominess of the newer boats that a lady would like to stay in. I'll need what a small apartment has: hot and cold water, shower, room for 2 couples, and a galley a woman would like as we are NOT "camping". Maybe it will be a catamaran for the heeling problem, but i would rather have a monohull and it looks less expensive. I would rather have a deep fin keel, fractional rig, light air boat that i will reef a lot to keep upright, since we're SHOPPING if the weather or seastate is bad. But I don't know how the upper San Francisco bay/delta area would affect keel choice. I would rather go exploring than race. And I wonder about the overall heavier wind on the bay, especially gusts, that might upset my darling. I haven't sailed on the bay, but the boats aren't usually vertical through my binoculars from the hotels downtown and fishermans wharf. I guess we want San Fran romance with southern California sailing conditions. If there is something i could read on the bay and delta, germane to this, i would appreciate it. So far San Fran is the emotional choice, Oxnard is the practical choice. Advice needed.
Let me get rid of one option, Santa Barbara...
...unless you have 150K just to buy a permit for the slip, assuming its even available, SB is out. People buy crappy boats on a 35ft slip and pay the 150k just to get a slip. Mind you, you still don't own anything except the permit. The slip still belongs to the county and you have to pay their monthly fees. Slips in the bay area are probably 30-40% cheaper than in Ventura...and more available. I am currently paying about $525 for my 35ft slip in the Channel Islands...6 miles from Ventura Harbor. Good Luck, abe
...unless you have 150K just to buy a permit for the slip, assuming its even available, SB is out. People buy crappy boats on a 35ft slip and pay the 150k just to get a slip. Mind you, you still don't own anything except the permit. The slip still belongs to the county and you have to pay their monthly fees. Slips in the bay area are probably 30-40% cheaper than in Ventura...and more available. I am currently paying about $525 for my 35ft slip in the Channel Islands...6 miles from Ventura Harbor. Good Luck, abe
I suspect that you will have a happier wife
if you get a trailerable day sailer and a hotel room. My wife refers to our boat as her little house on the water. She doesn't "like" the heeling but knows that it comes with the territory.
if you get a trailerable day sailer and a hotel room. My wife refers to our boat as her little house on the water. She doesn't "like" the heeling but knows that it comes with the territory.
"Sailing the Bay" by
Kimball Livingston. Oh, don't come to SF, it's too crowded. *o But that's what they say in Oxnard, too. *x
Kimball Livingston. Oh, don't come to SF, it's too crowded. *o But that's what they say in Oxnard, too. *x
Ross...
has it right!!! Forget the slip in that area, forget your concept of "exploring" with a deep fin keel, forget not heeling much in the San Francisco Bay area. Trailerable cat or tri is a very good idea...fast, shallow draft, fairly stable platform. Save the slip money to pay for a room when you go exploring all the options with your trailerable boat.
has it right!!! Forget the slip in that area, forget your concept of "exploring" with a deep fin keel, forget not heeling much in the San Francisco Bay area. Trailerable cat or tri is a very good idea...fast, shallow draft, fairly stable platform. Save the slip money to pay for a room when you go exploring all the options with your trailerable boat.
do the math
Let's assume you were given the boat for free. And lets assume that it doesn't require maintenence. You're still going to have to spend at least $500 a month for slip fees and insurance. That comes out to $6,000 per year. For that kind of money, your could charter a boat in the West Indies for several weeks every year and still have enough money left over for air fare. On the plus side, you'll discover that wives are less worried about heeling in tropical waters. Once you factor in the costs not only of purchasing a boat but of upgrading and then maintaining that boat, chartering makes a lot more sense. Bottom line, if you don't plan on using a boat at least once a week, don't buy it.
Let's assume you were given the boat for free. And lets assume that it doesn't require maintenence. You're still going to have to spend at least $500 a month for slip fees and insurance. That comes out to $6,000 per year. For that kind of money, your could charter a boat in the West Indies for several weeks every year and still have enough money left over for air fare. On the plus side, you'll discover that wives are less worried about heeling in tropical waters. Once you factor in the costs not only of purchasing a boat but of upgrading and then maintaining that boat, chartering makes a lot more sense. Bottom line, if you don't plan on using a boat at least once a week, don't buy it.
John is right
Let me tell you what is going to happen if you buy a boat. You will buy it and sail it maybe 5 times the first year. You will talk a lot about how you plan on upgrading her. The next year you will spend maybe a weekend or two doing maintenance on her, and then you will only be seen at the dock one time that year. The next three years you will not be seen. You will have learned that the wife doesn't like sailing and during all that time, she has only gone out with you twice. Soon after the boat will be up for sale. I see it all the time. Go to any marina and at least 30% of the boat owners are in the same spot. Another 40% only visit their boat two times a year for a day sail and they claim that they don't have time but things will change in the near future...it never does. The good news about that is it keeps the traffic down on the water. Here in Kemah and many other places, if people actually got their money's worth from their boat, it would be like rush hour traffic on the water. So don't get caught up in the romance of it all because you will not have it. Charter a boat when you want to go but leave the woman at home because she doesn't like sailing. When women don't like something, they will give little reasons like they don't like the heel and the men think...no big deal...I just will not heel the boat. But that's not it...they don't like sailing at all. Don't try to fix it...it will just cause the both of you a heartburn. So keep searching...you will find a Hobie that the both of you will enjoy. I tell you this not for my benifit...but for yours. If you buy a boat, you will throw away tens of thousands of dollars...even after you have sold the boat.
Let me tell you what is going to happen if you buy a boat. You will buy it and sail it maybe 5 times the first year. You will talk a lot about how you plan on upgrading her. The next year you will spend maybe a weekend or two doing maintenance on her, and then you will only be seen at the dock one time that year. The next three years you will not be seen. You will have learned that the wife doesn't like sailing and during all that time, she has only gone out with you twice. Soon after the boat will be up for sale. I see it all the time. Go to any marina and at least 30% of the boat owners are in the same spot. Another 40% only visit their boat two times a year for a day sail and they claim that they don't have time but things will change in the near future...it never does. The good news about that is it keeps the traffic down on the water. Here in Kemah and many other places, if people actually got their money's worth from their boat, it would be like rush hour traffic on the water. So don't get caught up in the romance of it all because you will not have it. Charter a boat when you want to go but leave the woman at home because she doesn't like sailing. When women don't like something, they will give little reasons like they don't like the heel and the men think...no big deal...I just will not heel the boat. But that's not it...they don't like sailing at all. Don't try to fix it...it will just cause the both of you a heartburn. So keep searching...you will find a Hobie that the both of you will enjoy. I tell you this not for my benifit...but for yours. If you buy a boat, you will throw away tens of thousands of dollars...even after you have sold the boat.
Wife&Heeling
My wife still does not like heeling and we had 29 full keel and moved up to 36. She is OK with 15 but anything more and she starts bringing out the divorce papers. That 28 Telstar sounds pretty good so go for a test sail and see how you like them,they won't heel as much but any small daysailer are mostly tender and she will no be happy. Make the wife happy and you will do more sailing and everyone will be soooo happy.
My wife still does not like heeling and we had 29 full keel and moved up to 36. She is OK with 15 but anything more and she starts bringing out the divorce papers. That 28 Telstar sounds pretty good so go for a test sail and see how you like them,they won't heel as much but any small daysailer are mostly tender and she will no be happy. Make the wife happy and you will do more sailing and everyone will be soooo happy.
Thanks
Thanks so much You are all right and i appreciate it. The book is on order, cause the dream goes on. One thing i've learned is that money is never a problem if you have great love or fear, because your priorities are different. I started thinking after Higgs' insight last night; stayed up to 3 am. My wife has said she wouldn't mind getting a powerboat, since we've cruised and been on others boats, have our own ski boat and have been on big lakes in rough conditions; she's enjoying it, cause when we go, it's stable. Plan B- The makers of the trailerable trimaran make a popular catamaran, the Gemini 105 Mc. The c stands for third edition, so there are some older ones out there. We'll look at the new ones in Annapolis next month, and if a green light, start a search for an old one. They are 14 feet wide, 33 feet long, to fit in a regular slip. From research last night i'm wondering about a slip in Richmond on the northeast bay, about 12 miles from downtown SF by water, and has a subway link there in case we don't want to fight traffic at rush hour to go into Babylon in the evening. I wanted a monohull. If i can indulge you again, the second experience with sailing was during college. An professor was the captain and lead owner for a syndicate owned Trans-Pac winning 70 foot racing sailboat. Three times i got to go out and feel the rail in the water. Who cares how fast it is going, you feel like you're on a rocketship, hang on. Memories Regrets- I can't find a site like this one for multihulls. Benefits- We'll have a place to stay on the Bay, a get away from the kids. Any advice?
Thanks so much You are all right and i appreciate it. The book is on order, cause the dream goes on. One thing i've learned is that money is never a problem if you have great love or fear, because your priorities are different. I started thinking after Higgs' insight last night; stayed up to 3 am. My wife has said she wouldn't mind getting a powerboat, since we've cruised and been on others boats, have our own ski boat and have been on big lakes in rough conditions; she's enjoying it, cause when we go, it's stable. Plan B- The makers of the trailerable trimaran make a popular catamaran, the Gemini 105 Mc. The c stands for third edition, so there are some older ones out there. We'll look at the new ones in Annapolis next month, and if a green light, start a search for an old one. They are 14 feet wide, 33 feet long, to fit in a regular slip. From research last night i'm wondering about a slip in Richmond on the northeast bay, about 12 miles from downtown SF by water, and has a subway link there in case we don't want to fight traffic at rush hour to go into Babylon in the evening. I wanted a monohull. If i can indulge you again, the second experience with sailing was during college. An professor was the captain and lead owner for a syndicate owned Trans-Pac winning 70 foot racing sailboat. Three times i got to go out and feel the rail in the water. Who cares how fast it is going, you feel like you're on a rocketship, hang on. Memories Regrets- I can't find a site like this one for multihulls. Benefits- We'll have a place to stay on the Bay, a get away from the kids. Any advice?
About Richmond
Dan The Richmond Marina is one of the easier ones to get into on the Bay, in terms of availability, and one of the more reasonably priced. (We moved to Alameda to get warm and be nearer a yacht club.) We enjoyed sailing from there for several years and found the marina well run and well located for bay sailing. The negative is that shore tends to be windy and cold, but if you are not going to stay aboard a lot that won't matter. SF sailing is known for its winds, particularly in mid-summer. You can avoid that by careful planning but you will run into winds and heeling in any season, or boat. Given your wife's concerns you might want to reconsider San Diego. The bay is small, but usually calm, and warmer, and even ocean sailing there tends to be much milder and easier. But bring money. Actually, no matter where you pick it will not be cheap. One option to consider: join a sailing club with a good fleet of boats. In SF both OSC and Tradewinds ofer memberships that make sailing (and learning) reasonable. Let someone else pay the slip fees and do maintenance. Good luck.
Dan The Richmond Marina is one of the easier ones to get into on the Bay, in terms of availability, and one of the more reasonably priced. (We moved to Alameda to get warm and be nearer a yacht club.) We enjoyed sailing from there for several years and found the marina well run and well located for bay sailing. The negative is that shore tends to be windy and cold, but if you are not going to stay aboard a lot that won't matter. SF sailing is known for its winds, particularly in mid-summer. You can avoid that by careful planning but you will run into winds and heeling in any season, or boat. Given your wife's concerns you might want to reconsider San Diego. The bay is small, but usually calm, and warmer, and even ocean sailing there tends to be much milder and easier. But bring money. Actually, no matter where you pick it will not be cheap. One option to consider: join a sailing club with a good fleet of boats. In SF both OSC and Tradewinds ofer memberships that make sailing (and learning) reasonable. Let someone else pay the slip fees and do maintenance. Good luck.
Channel Islands & Ventura
As far as good - not rough - sailing conditions are concerned, along with best slip prices, climate, and interesting places to sail to, I'd recommend Channel Islands or Ventura harbors. With a bit of prudent weather planning, trips to the islands can be easy-going and relaxing. My wife, who doesn't like heel angles in excess of 5! degrees, will go out with me at least for an afternoon. I find these harbors to be the best bet anywhere in S Calif. More affordable, better destinations, good weather, and fewer crowds. Slips rate are, I believe, cheaper than most other S. Calif harbors – I pay about $300 incld electric for my 30-ft slip. I live two sailing lives: My friends and I will often sail to the islands for several days and are used to the conditions that can be encountered at the outer islands. My wife and I stay closer-in going out as far as, say, 17 miles to the nearest offshore anchorage for a night. And since we live 3 hours away, we consider staying a night on the boat (Catalina 30) in our slip, spending an afternoon sailing, then shopping and dining to be a treat. (Catalina is a bit far away, though – 11 plus hours by sailboat and usually motoring the entire way.)
As far as good - not rough - sailing conditions are concerned, along with best slip prices, climate, and interesting places to sail to, I'd recommend Channel Islands or Ventura harbors. With a bit of prudent weather planning, trips to the islands can be easy-going and relaxing. My wife, who doesn't like heel angles in excess of 5! degrees, will go out with me at least for an afternoon. I find these harbors to be the best bet anywhere in S Calif. More affordable, better destinations, good weather, and fewer crowds. Slips rate are, I believe, cheaper than most other S. Calif harbors – I pay about $300 incld electric for my 30-ft slip. I live two sailing lives: My friends and I will often sail to the islands for several days and are used to the conditions that can be encountered at the outer islands. My wife and I stay closer-in going out as far as, say, 17 miles to the nearest offshore anchorage for a night. And since we live 3 hours away, we consider staying a night on the boat (Catalina 30) in our slip, spending an afternoon sailing, then shopping and dining to be a treat. (Catalina is a bit far away, though – 11 plus hours by sailboat and usually motoring the entire way.)
Channel Islands Marina
I've been there to go diving in the islands. A friend moved there, lives on the beach, has a 36' slipped diveboat there, so have a place to stay. I am planning on daysailing out to Anacapa alone. I have a hunter 216 with positive buoyancy and have added nav and anchor lights, mast antenna, depth sounder, tether points, reefing system, lazy jacks, dutchman boom preventor, compass, radar reflectors, backup gps radio compass, anchors, chain, extra rode, charts, distress signals, etc., and most importantly sanipotty, cooler and vee berth. It's not a cruiser, but i'll survive. I have an outboard to help get thru the shipping channel quickly, make that more quickly. Have you tried the breakfast house a few blocks north and 1-2 blocks west of Channel Island Marina? I want to call it Anna's, not sure of name. Hearty food. It was the consolation prize if we woke up to rough seas and decided not to head out. Channel Islands would work for me; closer, more variety than Catalina, open water, diving together or with friends, dodging container ships, great whites circling in the water, the stuff of legend, just like the macho men of this site. But Frisco Bay is the emotional choice since we were married in the city, and no place better for romantic stuff in the west. By romantic stuff, i mean shopping, more shopping, dinner, and some other stuff. At least the other stuff would be on a boat. She is determined to meet me half way on this. I'm going to go more than half way, and see where it takes us. Worst case scenario is we wake up on the boat and she decides to go shopping and i don't. So i go sailing after i call to lower the credit limits on the cards. We also have spent some time houseboating and skiing on the Delta, so going to all the points of interest there as well as on the bay is a good reason to get on the boat in the first place. That was why i picked Richmond, north end of BART light rail system, over Millbrae on the south. Overlooking anything so far? My plans always change, but my dreams don't.
I've been there to go diving in the islands. A friend moved there, lives on the beach, has a 36' slipped diveboat there, so have a place to stay. I am planning on daysailing out to Anacapa alone. I have a hunter 216 with positive buoyancy and have added nav and anchor lights, mast antenna, depth sounder, tether points, reefing system, lazy jacks, dutchman boom preventor, compass, radar reflectors, backup gps radio compass, anchors, chain, extra rode, charts, distress signals, etc., and most importantly sanipotty, cooler and vee berth. It's not a cruiser, but i'll survive. I have an outboard to help get thru the shipping channel quickly, make that more quickly. Have you tried the breakfast house a few blocks north and 1-2 blocks west of Channel Island Marina? I want to call it Anna's, not sure of name. Hearty food. It was the consolation prize if we woke up to rough seas and decided not to head out. Channel Islands would work for me; closer, more variety than Catalina, open water, diving together or with friends, dodging container ships, great whites circling in the water, the stuff of legend, just like the macho men of this site. But Frisco Bay is the emotional choice since we were married in the city, and no place better for romantic stuff in the west. By romantic stuff, i mean shopping, more shopping, dinner, and some other stuff. At least the other stuff would be on a boat. She is determined to meet me half way on this. I'm going to go more than half way, and see where it takes us. Worst case scenario is we wake up on the boat and she decides to go shopping and i don't. So i go sailing after i call to lower the credit limits on the cards. We also have spent some time houseboating and skiing on the Delta, so going to all the points of interest there as well as on the bay is a good reason to get on the boat in the first place. That was why i picked Richmond, north end of BART light rail system, over Millbrae on the south. Overlooking anything so far? My plans always change, but my dreams don't.
Dan, There is hope!
I have to say my wife hated (THAT IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH) my first boat that I owned for four years. I was on the boat every weekend from April to October. For four years! She is a good wife! My wife was on the boat four times..... Yes, that is sad. I sold the boat trying to explain that water was in my blood... I love to be near water. My wife after 9 months of me not having a boat said "buy a boat!" the qualification was that she could walk through it. She is 5'-2" and my O'Day 25 hit the spot. I bought an O'Day 25 cb and she loved it. She Named it "EXHIBIT "A" "because if she decided to get rid of me, any women would understand.....and that the boat would be Exhibit "A". Our second and curent boat is "Continuance". It is also an O'Day 25 cb. She said that the next boat will have no legal terms! She is a teacher and I am a Contractor. We have both been divorced!Hence the legal terms... Well, the first summer with her wanting to come, I did it all, packing, cooking, cleaning, what ever....but she was there! Then My lovely wife started asking what do you want me to get for the weekend... Then started asking, can we stay until Monday. Then When can we leave? Can't yo you home earlier? I said fine. Now my business works 4/10's! I have three day weekends every weekend. The wife had seasickness problems early on and now if the wind is blowing, she doesn't want to stop! She hated the heel. Mostly because I would try to stop the boat from heeling to make her feel better. Then you get the tender hard hit and on it's side the straight up, then again and again... Once I had her see that once the boat found it's groove, that it would dig in and the quick heeling would not be there, she was healed of heeling! She can now keep our boat on the edge of rounding up if we have too much sail. If we do round up, she laughs and says ooops! However, like Don's post on Guests.... My wife is not always into it like I am.... That can be difficult until I weigh the facts... Yes, I chose my wife over throwing her overboard! Hope this has helped. There is hope... r.w.landau
I have to say my wife hated (THAT IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH) my first boat that I owned for four years. I was on the boat every weekend from April to October. For four years! She is a good wife! My wife was on the boat four times..... Yes, that is sad. I sold the boat trying to explain that water was in my blood... I love to be near water. My wife after 9 months of me not having a boat said "buy a boat!" the qualification was that she could walk through it. She is 5'-2" and my O'Day 25 hit the spot. I bought an O'Day 25 cb and she loved it. She Named it "EXHIBIT "A" "because if she decided to get rid of me, any women would understand.....and that the boat would be Exhibit "A". Our second and curent boat is "Continuance". It is also an O'Day 25 cb. She said that the next boat will have no legal terms! She is a teacher and I am a Contractor. We have both been divorced!Hence the legal terms... Well, the first summer with her wanting to come, I did it all, packing, cooking, cleaning, what ever....but she was there! Then My lovely wife started asking what do you want me to get for the weekend... Then started asking, can we stay until Monday. Then When can we leave? Can't yo you home earlier? I said fine. Now my business works 4/10's! I have three day weekends every weekend. The wife had seasickness problems early on and now if the wind is blowing, she doesn't want to stop! She hated the heel. Mostly because I would try to stop the boat from heeling to make her feel better. Then you get the tender hard hit and on it's side the straight up, then again and again... Once I had her see that once the boat found it's groove, that it would dig in and the quick heeling would not be there, she was healed of heeling! She can now keep our boat on the edge of rounding up if we have too much sail. If we do round up, she laughs and says ooops! However, like Don's post on Guests.... My wife is not always into it like I am.... That can be difficult until I weigh the facts... Yes, I chose my wife over throwing her overboard! Hope this has helped. There is hope... r.w.landau
I did it....
Dan, A few years ago, I bought a boat in San Francisco Bay, a 30' Islander. It was a lien boat, picked it up with the intent of working on it and bringing it back to a useable condition, with the longer vision of doing a little cruising on holidays. I will not be retiring for a few more years at least so I wanted to try cruising and tie it into holidays. I'd take a few weeks off, fly down and stay on the boat that was sitting in a slip. Did this three times or so times a year. Worked hard, did a little touring around, saw San Fran, Napa, and a few other sites, and was able to do a little sailing in the Bay too. Got the boat to the stage where I could cast off the bow lines and I took it out under the Golden Gate and headed south last fall. Got as far as Ensenada and will be going back next week to take it to either La Paz or Mazatlan. I will leave it in a slip or store it on the hard until next winter and then take another month to poke around the Sea of Cortez or perhaps points further south. Then I will do the same thing the following year. Getting a slip in Southern Califorina will not be easy and there are long waiting lists. Some are buying boats, just for the slip so that adds to the cost. I found that with some searching, it was possible to find a slip in SF Bay without a long wait. With hindsite, I'd shop a little more than I did, probably buy from a private sale, and watch classifieds for a while. After I bought my boat and started to get to know the area, I found Latitude 38 to be a great souce of information and has excellent classifieds. Spend a little more on a boat that is well equipped rather than spending the time doing it yourself. You will find that it is cheaper in the long run, and saves you money. I have no regrets so far, what I have put into the boat, I have gotten back in holiday time and experience. The truth is, I started my cruise, the day I stepped on the boat, I just never left the dock for a while. I got to see the SF Bay area, do the tours, wineries, etc. and we had a great time doing it. As far as sailing in San Francisco Bay, it can get a little breezy, but you can pick your days and really enjoy the bay without putting the fear of Neptune into your wife. Sailing out and around Angel Island, up to and under the Golden Gate, along the San Franciso Water front or right by Alcatraz are just a taste of what you can expect there.
Dan, A few years ago, I bought a boat in San Francisco Bay, a 30' Islander. It was a lien boat, picked it up with the intent of working on it and bringing it back to a useable condition, with the longer vision of doing a little cruising on holidays. I will not be retiring for a few more years at least so I wanted to try cruising and tie it into holidays. I'd take a few weeks off, fly down and stay on the boat that was sitting in a slip. Did this three times or so times a year. Worked hard, did a little touring around, saw San Fran, Napa, and a few other sites, and was able to do a little sailing in the Bay too. Got the boat to the stage where I could cast off the bow lines and I took it out under the Golden Gate and headed south last fall. Got as far as Ensenada and will be going back next week to take it to either La Paz or Mazatlan. I will leave it in a slip or store it on the hard until next winter and then take another month to poke around the Sea of Cortez or perhaps points further south. Then I will do the same thing the following year. Getting a slip in Southern Califorina will not be easy and there are long waiting lists. Some are buying boats, just for the slip so that adds to the cost. I found that with some searching, it was possible to find a slip in SF Bay without a long wait. With hindsite, I'd shop a little more than I did, probably buy from a private sale, and watch classifieds for a while. After I bought my boat and started to get to know the area, I found Latitude 38 to be a great souce of information and has excellent classifieds. Spend a little more on a boat that is well equipped rather than spending the time doing it yourself. You will find that it is cheaper in the long run, and saves you money. I have no regrets so far, what I have put into the boat, I have gotten back in holiday time and experience. The truth is, I started my cruise, the day I stepped on the boat, I just never left the dock for a while. I got to see the SF Bay area, do the tours, wineries, etc. and we had a great time doing it. As far as sailing in San Francisco Bay, it can get a little breezy, but you can pick your days and really enjoy the bay without putting the fear of Neptune into your wife. Sailing out and around Angel Island, up to and under the Golden Gate, along the San Franciso Water front or right by Alcatraz are just a taste of what you can expect there.
healed of heeling
thanks rw for getting the spelling right! Let the first mate/admiral steer for a change, makes all the difference when sailing.
thanks rw for getting the spelling right! Let the first mate/admiral steer for a change, makes all the difference when sailing.
- Status