Restless *o

[PrincessoftheLake]

I vote for the floating love shack...

and don't be too quick to write off the v-berth. On our boat the v-berth is known as the....well, it's a little personal but you get my drift.Seadance, I know it's been mentioned already, just be aware that the enemy of any cruiser is time and deadlines. Trying to meet a deadline has been the downfall of many a sailor. Please be careful and again, keep me posted!

 

[soling42]

New Eprib and....

.. new life raft, every piece of offshore safety eqt that money can buy, practice using it all. Prep the boat/prep the boat/prep the boat and then have paitience for a good departure window. If he's the impulsive type and insists on going alone, you should certainly invest in life insurance too. This whole trip sounds far too spontaneous for his or your experience level. For the kids sake please take this entire adventure with safety and survival in the forefront so you can all sail a long time together.Floridas Big bend shoreline is very unforgiving in the spring(or ever), especially N bound. Mix that with an inexperienced sailor and untried boat and the risk level rises to a very very dangerous level. If I were single, it's my risk to be carefree but as a dad I now have enormous responsibility that this hasty trip seems to be disregarding. I'm not trying to scare you but am genuinely concerned about your exuberant rush to get this done. Please slow down just a little to plan for a wide margin of safety.All our best, Michael and Kelli

 

[SEADANCE]

re: I vote for the Floating Love Shack

Thank you Princess of the Lake! okay and lol ...Rick, where am I going to find a bunch of girls that won't end up hitting on me and want to swab my deck? Shiver me timbers. good info, printing them all out for me to read to hubby.In the meantime, I have called Ancient City and set up a bidding war to have the boat trailered here and she is looking to see about finding me someone to sail her over here with him. It looks like it would be cheaper not to mention safer to have her shipped  B

 

[Brian D]

Seadance...

Don't forget the renaming ritual. Both you and Princess of the Lake need to do it, together, on video. Just send a copy to me. Thanks.

 

[Dragonfly6689]

It's Your Boat Too!!!

Seadance, It sounds like you are the planner and thinker. Good for you! I'd encourage you to read the book "It's Your Boat Too: A Woman's Guide to Greater Enjoyment on the Water" by Suzanne Giesemann...available on Amazon.comWe've met many couples over the years where it's clear it's the man's boat (or his lake cabin, or his airplane, or his....) and the wife is just "there."The happiest couples we've observed are those where it is "their" boat. Both are intimately involved in sailing. This includes the selection, purchase, financing, delivery, maintanance, docking, sailing, etc.I encourage you to look at your needs when reviewing the boat. As a guy, I know I focus more on the mechanical parts of the boat...engine, rigging, sails, hull condition... My wife looks more at the comfort items...head, V-berth, aft cabin, seatees, dining area, bimini... I look at the galley as I do much of the cooking. ;-) Suz also focuses more on the kids needs. I suspect you will too.Together we make a pretty good team.I encourage you to make a list of all the things you want in "your" boat. Prioritize by "must have" and "nice to have." For example, your "must have" list might include a windlass to raise the anchor. AC might be on your "must have" or on your "nice to have" list. A comfortable cabin and mattress for sleeping and .... were on our "must have" list...the primary reason we sold our B285 for a B331.Compare your list with his. Be a little selfish...hold fast to your "must have" list.As for sailing home, have you considered a family adventure? How old are your kids? Probably not a good idea if they are both under 10. Could you rent a car, drive to Tampa and have the entire family sail her home...maybe with a captain? They would learn a lot about sailing.Good luck with you new adventure.http://home.att.net/~dragonflyb331/Mark

 

[BobW]

The adventure continues.....

and we're on the edges of our seats. You've gotten a lot of advice about sailing the boat home, but here's mine: NOT by your lonesome, hubby! Take a look: you've got a wonderful wife (obviously!), two great kids, you've busted your butt to get through medical school, and there's probably a Swan or Oyster in your future..... why risk it?And if you're starting to come up with reasons why to risk it, I humbly (well, not really) suggest you think a little harder. ;DBy all means buy the boat, if it suits you and is a good bargain. Then take stock of what it needs to take on an off-shore passage of the sort you are contemplating and go about doing/buying what you need. Unless you're buying a nearly-new boat, you're NOT going to accomplish that in a day or a weekend.Find a delivery captain in the Tampa area (others have suggested how) and find out from HIM what he will require of you and the boat before he will cast off on this voyage. That's your best method of learning what your boat REALLY needs, whether you end up using his services or just trucking the boat.Then tote up the cost of sailing the boat against trucking it - and be sure to subtract from the sailing side any equipment (Epirb, radios, life raft(?), etc) that you will buy ANYWAY before risking your family in the boat. Last but not least: Seadance, I STRONGLY advise AGAINST introducing your two young children to sailing on a voyage like this. You would be risking them getting seasick in a storm/squall/gale and not being able to do anything about it. I don't know of any faster way to turn anyone off from sailing. Cheers,Bobs/v X SAIL R 8

 

[sailaway78]

Seadance

This it probably too much of a trip for a solo act, particularly if you have't done it before. If the mast is under 50' you can make Carravelle and stay in the intracostal from there. If the mast is over 50, you will have to run offshore to Pennsacola. When I came back with the new boat in Dec. went from Clearwater across to Appalachicola. Then a couple of day trips offshore to Pennsacola. Clearwater to Appalachicola was almost 30 hours. This is a long haul single handed. Especially if your not used to this sort of thing. I also strongly recommend that he spend a few days with the boat, learning it's systems, characteristics etc. Tampa isn't too far away to make some quickie trips, sail the boat some and get used to it. And like several others mentioned, go with him and enjoy. If this is going to happen between May 1 and June 1, I would more than likely be a willing volunteer, as long as I could have the 2 to 6 watch.

 

[Honeyman]

Naw, this is just...

stupid!!! If he'd been out there this past weekend with 20-35 knt winds and 10-12 ft seas, I don't really think he would have made it home. Seems to me the hubby needs a reality check. "A couple extra days"... this trip could take 2 weeks or more.

 

[sailortonyb Allied Mis]

Honeyman.....

I thought this was supposed to be a civilized discussion. Quit ranting. If he hit 35K winds and 10-12 ft seas, he still would have made it home if the boat was in good condition. If you sailed as much as you would like us to think you do, you would have known this. 10-12 Ft seas are rough , no doubt. and would make most people seasick, but it is far from 'survival conditions'. Dont be so quick to say something is stupid just because you lack the guts. Tony B

 

[Mark]

Hire me

Load the poat up with a female crew, fly me over and I'll do it for nothing!

 

[Rick Webb]

Good Idea Mark

I have all the charts can I go with you?

 

[Tom]

More Information Please

What is the boat??? If we are talking about a 30 year old Chrysler it's one thing but if we are talking about a newer boat of proven ability it's a whole nuther matter. I'd take my Pearson 323 on that trip with few worries. I have taken my Pearson from Mobile to Port Saint Joe several times. We usually go offshore from Panama City to Pensacola and it makes for a cool night of sailing. We are always visited by dolphins and usually catch fish.  If the weather is good I'd recommend heading for Panama city as it is a deep easy inlet. St Joe is deep and easy but offers little protection from some winds. Some of the inlets east of St Joe can be tricky..so I've heard. Several boats from Panama City's Watson Bayou go from PC to Key West every year. IT takes about 4 days and they tell tales of storms and more often of motoring on flat seas.  As important as the boat is the hubby. Is he a competant sailer who has been offshore??? Is he healthy??? With an autopilot and a healthy knowledgeable sailer and a decent boat this should be a fun trip even singlehanded. But if you are talking about a novice sailer who is overweight and can't walk a mile without getting breathless and wants to sail a Bucaneer 28 without any self steering it might be a fool's voyage. But most of my old dockmates at Watson's Bayou would consider it a fun trip in their boats. My wife and I twice planned to go on the Key West trips but family matters interferred.

 

[MKing]

Old Boats / Old Sailors

I have two buddies both in their sixties single handing South in thirty-plus year old boats ease into Ft Myers Sunday. I understood them to say 10 to 12 foot seas and 25+ winds...uneventful except an unlatched refer door that allowed the beer to get warm.Have a great day all!

 

[SEADANCE]

*5

Hi Gentleman and Princess of the Lake!! Offer accepted!!! (dancing) its a 30' 1980 Hunter and she is grand (so far!)and we got a good price on her *bzzOff to Tampa this weekend for inspection, survey and sea trial and 90 days cruisers pass(thank you for the info on that with Fla sales tax!) and then we all go home after a stop to Disney World/Sea World of course because I have been a very good girl! He is deciding upon hiring someone to sail it with him or shipping it home. If he sails it home the following weekend..I'm going too(no kids).Now I need to find me a sea captain.I've got a list of some marine surveryor's(engine too) in Tampa. I've got one set up for Monday but if anyonne can recommend one I'd be greatful!Thank you Thank you Thank you for all of your help and support.B/happily Seadancing all over Gulfport today!

 

[PrincessoftheLake]

Congratulations!

on getting this far. I don't want to throw a turd in the punch bowl here but I would advise cautious optimism at this point. When we made the offer on our boat, from the time it was accepted until we got done with the survey, the insurance stuff, the finance stuff and everything else, it was 3 weeks until we actually closed on the boat. A first time cruise on a boat you don't know is not something to rush into, but you already know that. I just want you all to be safe.You may now resume dancing....

 

[Brian D]

Same boat as you showed me, B?

nm

 

[grigs]

Happy Sails To You

The very best of luck with your new Hunter. Also your planed trip sounds like it will be fun.There is a bit of envy here on Narragansett Bay, Disney,Sea World and I can't even take the cover off my boat with this non stop rain. Hope you have fair winds & calm waters, bringing her home.

 

[sailaway78]

Congrats

Congrats on the boat purchase. Hope all goes well with the survey and sea trials.Don't let the nay sayers stop you from making this trip. You will only be offshore a little over 24 hours. That part of the gulf up in the corner of the panhandle is usually a little more calm than most realize. Sure you can get caught in a little bad weather, but 8' seas are not life threatening. Maybe a little uncomfortable, but very doable. Eight footers is the worst I have seen out there, and the last time I came across, a front came through ahead of the forecast and caught us offshore of Appalachicola, but it was 4 to 6 footers, which just added some adventure to the trip. Good advice on Panama City. It is the best entrance east of Pennsacola. Appalachicola is not too bad, but has some shallow places in it. Destin is a little tough, as there is a bar right outside and it can get rough, and the channel once you get inside the jetty is a little crooked and last time I was in there, ( mid Dec.) it was way over on the far right side. But there was a dredge working at that time. The anchorage there is pretty nice though, and well protected. You can duck in at Carabelle, Appalachicola, Destin, Panama City and Pennsacola if needed. There is an entrance also at Ft. Walton beach, but if memory serves the bridge there is only 45'. So go for it. You will love it.

 

[BobW]

Wow! You bought 'Sinbad'!!!

No wonder you didn't want anyone to poach it. Hard dinghy on davits, OB, genset, bimini, radar, autopilot, windlass, rebuilt engine......All for less than the asking price?You done good so far, Seadance. You learn fast!Just don't go blind with 'boat lust' when you get the survey done - keep your eyes open for problems.I'm jealous!Cheers,Bobs/v X SAIL R 8

 

[Ross]

Seadance, I am glad for you! Enjoy the

summer. We bought our boat after kicking snow and ice off the deck in November and got it to the house in January. We didn't see her in the water for ten more years. But it was worth the wait.