i reread phil's OP. i made a mistake. i can not claim to be wise. just really enjoy this silly sport. always have
And now, a word from the wise
- Thread starter Phil Herring
- Start date
A little off topic but the NJ Yanmar distributor, (Mack Boring in Somerset, NJ) is once again offering their diesel maintenance
courses. They are great for basic upkeep such as oil change and winterization, and troubleshooting problems.
Jon, the story you're telling here makes me tear up.
Happy sailing.
-Will (Dragonfly)
Oh, I couldn't agree more.No exterior wood
seriously, Tom. For those of us who are varnish-impaired.
The problem with wood is it has sex appeal and the marine industry put brightwork - much of it gratuitous - all over boats in the last several decades, to sell them.
Wood isn't going away unless it loses it's appeal.
Many of the starry eyed newbs that buy boats with a lot of brightwork want the look of varnish but don't have experience with the system.
I don't offer anybody advice unless asked for it but I'm occasionally asked by a new boat owner, what to do with their brightwork. If you gotta ask,... "Cetol", is my advice, and I think it's good advice as any coating will protect the wood (that's the imperative).
Varnish is a maintenance product proven over centuries of use. It protects and preserves functional boats that are still operating nearly a century after they were built. Most owners with extensive brightwork do the smart thing; pay a boat yard to do it along with other maintenance.
After sailing our previous boat for 25 years, our first "sailing" experience in our new boat was in very high winds. Although the new boat motored home much as the previous one would have, it sailed much different. Wait for the right day for your first couple of sails, learn your lines and how your boat reacts. I would have no problem sailing in the winds of that inaugural trip today, but that earlier sail was pretty exciting.
Buy a boat you don't need to spend all your time and money fixing. Buy one that you can sail soon. It doesn't have to be new, just decent. You won't likely save money by fixing up a boat. You'll spend more than you imagine on projects, but the projects can be rewarding. I meet a lot of new sailors that feel a refit is required before sailing their boat for the first time. Then they spend a season working on the boat and not sailing. If working on a variety of different projects and learning how to do new things, then a sailboat is a great way to learn. But don't forget to go sailing.
Go sail. Have fun. Sail to your skill level, but don't be complacent. Wind water and weather will test you when you least expect it. Have patience, your boat will eventually teach you everything you need to know about her.
The smaller your boat is, the more often you will sail it... but only if the boat meets your needs. Figure out what kind of sailor you are and then buy the smallest boat that meets your needs. For example!
Are you a blue water sailor who will be making the occasional passage?
Are you a coastal cruiser who will be living on your boat for extended periods of time? If so, what do you need to be comfortable?
Are you a weekend ghunkholler (me) who only spends a few nights (maybe a week) at a time on his boat.
Are you a day sailor who returns to port at the end of the day. If so, do you need/want a cuddy cabin?
- is comfort or speed more important?
Are your home waters shoal (me) or deep?
Will you want to keep your boat at a slip or do you want the freedom to trailer your sailboat to new waters?
Are you a blue water sailor who will be making the occasional passage?
Are you a coastal cruiser who will be living on your boat for extended periods of time? If so, what do you need to be comfortable?
Are you a weekend ghunkholler (me) who only spends a few nights (maybe a week) at a time on his boat.
Are you a day sailor who returns to port at the end of the day. If so, do you need/want a cuddy cabin?
- is comfort or speed more important?
Are your home waters shoal (me) or deep?
Will you want to keep your boat at a slip or do you want the freedom to trailer your sailboat to new waters?
IMHO, the secret to successful, happy, boat ownership generally; but, no less so for sailboats, is frequent use. Be creative. Find ways to enjoy your boat. One way is to integrate boating with basic social activities, but keep the focus on boating itself. Joining sailing clubs w/ many outings per year, and/or paper yacht clubs, is one way to do this. BUT—you must go out! You must acquire the skill sets (e.g., anchoring skill, “heavy weather” skill, cooking skill, piloting skill, etc.) AND you must commit the time, where sailing is a higher priority than most everything else that pops up to interfere with it. Make boating part of your life
. One boat outing per month should be your minimum.
. One boat outing per month should be your minimum.
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Budget tip:
When you calculate what you want to spend on a boat reduce that number. Reason being that you WILL need to refit ANY boat you buy. That means that there will be a list of items that must be done, some that should be done, some that probably need to be done, and some that you want to have done. When you look at boats remember this and create a list of the refit that it needs. If the boat price plus the refit cost are in your budget you are probably okay, but being under your total budget is best because you will find hidden items that need service.
Second: The length of a boat is correlated to the cost of ownership. As the length of the boat goes up, so do the annual costs. When buying a boat this needs to be a consideration.
Start with the basics. Learn through friends or classes. Sail some before you buy a boat and gain knowledge and experience. Some of the best knowledge you can gain is from seasoned sailors in your area.
Remember that there are many different types of sailors. There are day sailors, cruisers, coastal cruisers, blue water cruisers, local racers, hard core racers, and so on and so on. Figure out what you enjoy about sailing and that will help you decide where you fall in the spectrum.
When you calculate what you want to spend on a boat reduce that number. Reason being that you WILL need to refit ANY boat you buy. That means that there will be a list of items that must be done, some that should be done, some that probably need to be done, and some that you want to have done. When you look at boats remember this and create a list of the refit that it needs. If the boat price plus the refit cost are in your budget you are probably okay, but being under your total budget is best because you will find hidden items that need service.
Second: The length of a boat is correlated to the cost of ownership. As the length of the boat goes up, so do the annual costs. When buying a boat this needs to be a consideration.
Start with the basics. Learn through friends or classes. Sail some before you buy a boat and gain knowledge and experience. Some of the best knowledge you can gain is from seasoned sailors in your area.
Remember that there are many different types of sailors. There are day sailors, cruisers, coastal cruisers, blue water cruisers, local racers, hard core racers, and so on and so on. Figure out what you enjoy about sailing and that will help you decide where you fall in the spectrum.