Long distance mooring
- Thread starter CLaPierre
- Start date
NotCook
.
- Dec 29, 2008
- 805
I actually like the chartering comments BigEasy made. Something to consider. That being said, I lived 7 hours from our boat for the first 3 years, and then found a better job 1.5 hours from the boat. People have raised a lot of good points. It is good to go into boat ownership with your eyes open. When we retired, we sold EVERYTHING (it was hard letting go of the Harley!) and moved onto the boat a few months after we sailed it down here. Now we live 1.3 miles from where the boat is moored, and put it in a "hurricane hole" marina when called for during the summer. There is something to be said for boat ownership, otherwise so many of us wouldn't do it. Glad you get to combine flying with the prospect of sailing. I used to fly a lot, and owned a PA28-R200. Then I started skydiving, and spent my time doing that instead of flying. Then we bought the boat...
Sorry to drip cold water, but one does not get to exercise that “option” very often just because the boat is owned. Weather not good, schedule conflicts w/others involved, something still broken on the boat; and believe it or not, household chores sometimes get “priority.” At least with charter, you can schedule in some commitment to the time. Also, charter companies that service the local areas are not always filled up. So, your chances on going when you wish are not much lower than with ownership at your distance away. Especially if you just happen to want to go when others do not. Thanksgiving weekend, Christmas to New Year’s week or the few days leading up to Christmas if on a weekend, Super Bowl weekend, during summer, and so forth. Remember, the sailing season in FL is late fall to early spring. Summer is the off season; not as much demand, typically.
Anyway, a boat 300 miles from home will likely get used less than a cabin in the mountains only 100 miles from home, if you wish something to compare with.
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I grew up sailing on Lake Champlain as a young child, and visit occasionally on my annual trips up North.
To speak of the complete opposite, I may think that if my boat was just 10 minutes away, I might unintentionally put off, or feel too comforted due to proximity.
This is a 1st level move for me...I have a goal to sail around the world one day...just kidding, to jump this ship on the home land and see our world in ways most do not have the opportunity too through retirement.
That said, maybe a day/trailer sailor is the way to go until I do move closer to the coast.
To speak of the complete opposite, I may think that if my boat was just 10 minutes away, I might unintentionally put off, or feel too comforted due to proximity.
This is a 1st level move for me...I have a goal to sail around the world one day...just kidding, to jump this ship on the home land and see our world in ways most do not have the opportunity too through retirement.
That said, maybe a day/trailer sailor is the way to go until I do move closer to the coast.
Lake Lanier is certainly closer than the coast...but I have a choice to make. One is closer than the other but Lanier is still 2 hours and dependent on the seasonal water level off season. I have looked at a 30 footer and if I thought about moving it to the coast later on, I'm looking at big $$$. But all options have big $$$ considerations
Trailer sailing is a very good way to go. I've done quite a bit of it over the years. In addition to a number of trailerable boats I've had, my brother and I had the old original Mac water balast 26. We sailed that boat from the gulf of Mexico to the Georgian bay. My brother is also tall at 6'2". I'm the shorty at 5'10". He was still ok in the MacGregor although we did finally sell it so he could buy a larger boat, we both did actually.
Trailer sailing is a great way to sail in a lot of different places, both near and far while still having the boat close enough to do short bits of work on it getting ready for the next trip. I think a lot of folk underestimate just how nice trailer sailing can be. It's also notably less expensive than a boat that has to live in the water. I had a trailorable while I was in college, and I sure didn't have disposable income back then...
dj
Trailer sailing is a great way to sail in a lot of different places, both near and far while still having the boat close enough to do short bits of work on it getting ready for the next trip. I think a lot of folk underestimate just how nice trailer sailing can be. It's also notably less expensive than a boat that has to live in the water. I had a trailorable while I was in college, and I sure didn't have disposable income back then...
dj
I trailer sailed for 19 years. It is a great way to explore lakes and rivers not usually visited in a sail boat. My 15ft Montgomery was easy to rig. So I could drop the mast. Motor under low bridges and continue up or down stream with abandon. Only issue it was like living in a pup tent for one.
For me, the"ideal" situation would be to find a partner who lived close by that could act as manager/caretaker. The right to use the boat plus a reduced financial commitment is the incentive.
A good candidate for this would be a responsible young couple (one with small family for instance), who other wise couldn't own a boat at this stage of their lives. Of course, you would screen the candidate well and set up a reasonable contract, but I think you'd be surprised at how attractive this arrangement would be to many young families.
This would leave you with someone who has a commitment to keeping your boat safe and well maintained, communicating with you regularly about the vessel and local conditions.
A good candidate for this would be a responsible young couple (one with small family for instance), who other wise couldn't own a boat at this stage of their lives. Of course, you would screen the candidate well and set up a reasonable contract, but I think you'd be surprised at how attractive this arrangement would be to many young families.
This would leave you with someone who has a commitment to keeping your boat safe and well maintained, communicating with you regularly about the vessel and local conditions.
Here's an article, from BoatUS, about boat security systems.
https://www.boatus.com/magazine/2014/december/boat-security-systems.asp
So, CLaPierre, how close to your dream of shoving off to see the world are you? Are you looking to buy used and prepared for the time and expense of a project or are you looking for ready to sail, everything you ever wanted, right out of the box?
An interim boat to your dream boat means you can compromise until your ready. A compromise might be a trailersailer. A trailersailer means you can bring her home to keep secure, but also, work on and modify within a limited budget and restricted access times. That opens up the market to lower initial investment and budgets repairs and upgrades.
If you have the means to buy up, there are some very nice trailerables that may not really be much of a compromise. The Hake Seawards, for example, are a very nice boat, by any standards, that are a full-size coastal/bluewater cruiser, but launch from a boat ramp. They are pricey, even used. Plus, you need the vehicle to tow them with.
Then there is the Com-Pac pilothouse 23. A true trailersailer and more affordable.
There are others you can look into. It all depends on the kind of sailing you expect to do. If you are looking for a boat your family can provision for a week+ long cruise to the Keys or island hop around the Bahamas, a bigger boat in a marina or on a mooring sounds like what you want. A good security system for a distant boat starts with a good marina and insurance. Remote monitoring is getting easier and cheaper all the time.
If you would like to take a long weekend trip down to the Keys, for instance, something on a trailer may be the better option. You don't have to sail to get there. Trailer her to the area you want to sail and drop her in the water.
-Will (Dragonfly)
https://www.boatus.com/magazine/2014/december/boat-security-systems.asp
So, CLaPierre, how close to your dream of shoving off to see the world are you? Are you looking to buy used and prepared for the time and expense of a project or are you looking for ready to sail, everything you ever wanted, right out of the box?
An interim boat to your dream boat means you can compromise until your ready. A compromise might be a trailersailer. A trailersailer means you can bring her home to keep secure, but also, work on and modify within a limited budget and restricted access times. That opens up the market to lower initial investment and budgets repairs and upgrades.
If you have the means to buy up, there are some very nice trailerables that may not really be much of a compromise. The Hake Seawards, for example, are a very nice boat, by any standards, that are a full-size coastal/bluewater cruiser, but launch from a boat ramp. They are pricey, even used. Plus, you need the vehicle to tow them with.
Then there is the Com-Pac pilothouse 23. A true trailersailer and more affordable.
There are others you can look into. It all depends on the kind of sailing you expect to do. If you are looking for a boat your family can provision for a week+ long cruise to the Keys or island hop around the Bahamas, a bigger boat in a marina or on a mooring sounds like what you want. A good security system for a distant boat starts with a good marina and insurance. Remote monitoring is getting easier and cheaper all the time.
If you would like to take a long weekend trip down to the Keys, for instance, something on a trailer may be the better option. You don't have to sail to get there. Trailer her to the area you want to sail and drop her in the water.
-Will (Dragonfly)
I considered new/newer boats in FL and found options in high end charters and captain only charters and the best way to maintain a boat I was too far from. Would have been awesome to have a new boat, but we found a great condition boat in out lake 30 min away that was basically our down payment on newer boats.
Suggest you ensure you have a ton of money and keep in in a Maria and pay someone to monitor, upkeep, winterize etc.
Depending on estimated usage - the rental or charter idea is good too. There is a price / satisfaction of having your own boat/home and the wonderful idea of just getting on a plane or something whenever you want and get to your own boat
Good Luck !
Our Marina has a lot of these folks (I'm not one of them).
When that alarm goes off any you are 5 hours away someone will need to be lined up for emergencies. Depending on estimated usage - the rental or charter idea is good too. There is a price / satisfaction of having your own boat/home and the wonderful idea of just getting on a plane or something whenever you want and get to your own boat
Good Luck !
You haven't said much about your sailboat experience or crew which might refine some responses. If you post this on the Cruisers Forum you might get more hands-on answers. btw 5 years from now a newbie will come across this thread and wonder what you did so come back and post your decision whenever
Another idea would be to get a trailerable (mac 26, hunter 260 etc...) and keep it at the marina 5-6 hours away. If it turns our to be a problem, load that sucker up and move it closer. If its not a problem, when you outgrow the boat you can buy a bigger one knowing that the drive is not an issue. Trailerable boats usually sell pretty easily.
When I bought my boat back in april I asked a marina distance question here . I am an hour from my marina and quite a few people said that "they wouldn't even buy a boat if they had to drive an hour". I got the boat and the drive has not been an issue yet. Turns out there are quite a few at my marina in similar situations...
When I bought my boat back in april I asked a marina distance question here . I am an hour from my marina and quite a few people said that "they wouldn't even buy a boat if they had to drive an hour". I got the boat and the drive has not been an issue yet. Turns out there are quite a few at my marina in similar situations...
