On that line, I know of few boats that are NOT for sale. It seems that way at times. Mine is 'not for sale', but I guarantee you the right money would buy it..
Should I or shouldn't I?
- Thread starter Tony E
- Start date
Caribbean dreaming
Tony, I think the '99 H340 is a great boat for near coastal sailing, especially at $50k, but I'm prejudiced
A well cared for lake boat would probably come in higher than that price, but I've seen FL boats listed in that range - just watch the condition.
As for knowledge and skills, start with Chapman's book and whatever courses you can find, charter whenever you can, and look for opportunities to go with others on their trips in the area to get a taste of what's in store.
Tony, I think the '99 H340 is a great boat for near coastal sailing, especially at $50k, but I'm prejudiced
A well cared for lake boat would probably come in higher than that price, but I've seen FL boats listed in that range - just watch the condition. As for knowledge and skills, start with Chapman's book and whatever courses you can find, charter whenever you can, and look for opportunities to go with others on their trips in the area to get a taste of what's in store.
But
It's too soon to decide on any boat at this point and once you geet your feet wet and do some Chartering and some sailing maybe in Florida and you will see it all very different and maybe just live in some place that is different than you expected to like.
I love my Hunter-36 after having it for 7 years of cruising and sailing her would buy it again ????? so many other boats that my friends sailing are also very nice.
Yes my H-36 is just perfect for me and my wife also loves it and yes we like so many other boats too but we just add to it for our type of cruising and as we get older we want more comfort to help with the enjoyment of cruising on it for 3 or 4 weeks at a time.
Over the next few years of a learning curve you will love so many different boats depending on your budget and what you really can not do with or with out.
So many different boats will appear depending on the condition and price you want so just try going slow,fl is a good place to look with owners getting older and needing to sell.
Nick
It's too soon to decide on any boat at this point and once you geet your feet wet and do some Chartering and some sailing maybe in Florida and you will see it all very different and maybe just live in some place that is different than you expected to like.
I love my Hunter-36 after having it for 7 years of cruising and sailing her would buy it again ????? so many other boats that my friends sailing are also very nice.
Yes my H-36 is just perfect for me and my wife also loves it and yes we like so many other boats too but we just add to it for our type of cruising and as we get older we want more comfort to help with the enjoyment of cruising on it for 3 or 4 weeks at a time.
Over the next few years of a learning curve you will love so many different boats depending on your budget and what you really can not do with or with out.
So many different boats will appear depending on the condition and price you want so just try going slow,fl is a good place to look with owners getting older and needing to sell.
Nick
Once thing is learning how to sail but learning to cruise in a sailboat is a different animal. Ill try to list the different disciplines that may be required;
1) Navigation & GPS
2) Power generation and storage
3) Water conservation
4) Weather forecasts
5) Ocean currents
6) Foul weather tactics
7) Cooking stoves and fuel
8) Provisioning
9) Country laws and regulations
10) refrigeration
11) holding tanks and waste disposal
12) safety and man overboard drills
13) anchoring
14) Radio communications
15) Insurance and endorsements
16) medical insurance and first aid.
17) spare parts and self sufficiency
I'm sure I have left something off but in five years you may have time to learn about each of these things. It is easier to learn by doing so if you can trailer the boat at least once a year to an open water port and take a trip for at least a week you can learn and apply what you may have read. There are schools that will teach the basics and it would be highly recommended if you could go out a couple of times with an experienced person. An h340 in good condition can surely handle trips to the Caribbean but know that it is not so much the size of the boat but the experience of the Captain.
1) Navigation & GPS
2) Power generation and storage
3) Water conservation
4) Weather forecasts
5) Ocean currents
6) Foul weather tactics
7) Cooking stoves and fuel
8) Provisioning
9) Country laws and regulations
10) refrigeration
11) holding tanks and waste disposal
12) safety and man overboard drills
13) anchoring
14) Radio communications
15) Insurance and endorsements
16) medical insurance and first aid.
17) spare parts and self sufficiency
I'm sure I have left something off but in five years you may have time to learn about each of these things. It is easier to learn by doing so if you can trailer the boat at least once a year to an open water port and take a trip for at least a week you can learn and apply what you may have read. There are schools that will teach the basics and it would be highly recommended if you could go out a couple of times with an experienced person. An h340 in good condition can surely handle trips to the Caribbean but know that it is not so much the size of the boat but the experience of the Captain.
My 2 cents-
Tons of good information here regarding the journey itself, I'll toss in a bit about the 340. We have a 2000 that we sail out of Bellingham (San Juan Islands), and while I personally wouldn't consider it an "off shore" boat I'm sure it would handle harbor hopping up and down the coast without any issues.
I have found that the boat will handle a heck of alot more than the Admiral and I care to!
Tons of good information here regarding the journey itself, I'll toss in a bit about the 340. We have a 2000 that we sail out of Bellingham (San Juan Islands), and while I personally wouldn't consider it an "off shore" boat I'm sure it would handle harbor hopping up and down the coast without any issues.
I have found that the boat will handle a heck of alot more than the Admiral and I care to!
Are you asking whether you should buy the Hunter 340 now, snowbird on it for 5 years, then go cruising? Well, I'd say go for it... just get rid of the Mac 26x while you can get good money for it... after you sail on a real sailboat you won't want to go back to the water ballast, combo deal.
You have a lot to learn about sailing and sailboats..... do it on the Hunter, you'll know in a few years if it will do what you want it to... if not you'll have a couple more years to find another and get that one ready.
You have a lot to learn about sailing and sailboats..... do it on the Hunter, you'll know in a few years if it will do what you want it to... if not you'll have a couple more years to find another and get that one ready.
Thanks again for all the help!!! I am heading out to B.C. on holidays for a week and I am touring Vancouver island a bit. I have found a 1999 Hunter 340 that's for sale in Victoria that I am going to go and check out to get a better idea of what they are like. They seem to be a popular boat and the owners love them and say they can and will do what I have planned for them so that's great.I started checking into legal things last night such as a boating license and what you may need to either charter a sailboat or just skipper one if I go down and buy one. In Canada it is mandatory that everyone over the age of 16 has to take a "pleasure Craft Operator" course and get a license that way. In the USA its different in every state and in Florida if you were born after 1987 then its mandatory that you have to have a course similar to that one but as far as I know this license that I have is recognized by the U.S. Coast Guard and I should be good to go. I checked into what you need to charter a sailboat and it seems to be more based on experience than anything. Does this sound right or does anyone know any different? Also I started trying to price out chartering a sailboat in the Bahamas for a week and I only spent like an hour looking but it seems to Charter out an average size sailboat is running from $2 to $5,000 a week. Does anyone have or know of any other Charter companies that I should be looking at? Thanx again for all your help and I am using each and everyone one of your suggestions and advice to go forward so please keep it coming.Benny17441, I love the list and wrote it down as my start up check list Everyone that currently has a Hunter I might be "bending your ear" a little bit more to get the scoop on the Hunter line of sailboat and what mods you have done to them as well as repairs, etc. Maybe I can charter you and your fine sailboat for a weekend where ever you are? I'll bring the Canadian beer
Everyone that currently has a Hunter I might be "bending your ear" a little bit more to get the scoop on the Hunter line of sailboat and what mods you have done to them as well as repairs, etc. Maybe I can charter you and your fine sailboat for a weekend where ever you are? I'll bring the Canadian beerHi Tony. We have the same dream just have 9 more years to go. I've been sailing my mac26s for 4 years now and we are hooked. For sure try the bareboat chartering. It was the deciding factor for us. We chartered a 34' Beneteau out of BVI last year. At first it seemed like a huge boat for just the two of us to handle, but by the end of the week it got a lot smaller. We experienced a 30 minute squall with 40 knt wind and 8' breaking waves our first day out. One thing about the experience of the Mac is you learn how to handle strong winds fast. We seen the squall comming, dropped the main and furled the jib before getting slammed. We sailed at a steady 8 knts and was great fun. We are also partial to the Hunters, but I would also consider a Bene center cockpit. Even some of the old Pearsons would work for us. Keep looking, learning and researching.