So what would you do if you were me....

Status
Not open for further replies.
D

Don

Ok so here's my problem, I can get a spot which is about 35 minutes away from home to moor my boat or I can get a spot which is 55 minutes away from home to moor my 22 foot boat. Ups and downs of each are as follows. First spot is in an urban area called Fall River in Mass. The area is on the ugly side, its at the very top of the bay actually I think its on the Taunton River, water isn't super clean in this river. Ups are the distance, and the fact that we know a lot of people down there and spend a good amount of time their. Has the future promise of a access dock to happen this year but things move slowly there may be possible dingy storage when built. Right now access is a good half mile away. Second Spot is in Bristol RI, a very pretty area, which is a few miles south closer to the center of the bay with better view and more sailing options within closer reach. I think I can put in on a little beach or street access point but no dingy storage. Down side is we tack on at least 20 minutes, maybe more with summer traffic. So do I go better location or closer location? We've got a folding inflatable that will fit in trunk of car I'm sure it will get old but I'm young and willing to do it for a few years. I'm married no kids but taking grad classes two nights a week. Have weekends off and could get down once or twice during the week to sail. I'm also going away for July and August of this year so I get to kiss the primo months goodbye so I'm looking at 3 weeks if we get everything done for this weekend and September into Oct with some warm clothes on. What would you do?
 
B

Benny

Take the closest location to sailing waters.

After all that is the objective.
 

Ross

.
Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
I will presume that 20 minutes equals 20 miles which

equals 1 gallon of gasoline each way. Is "rush hour" traffic a problem to or from either place? The one closer in seems to me the better. If the Taunton river is reasonably fresh then hard bottom growth will be minimum. You are known in the one and a stranger in the other at the moment. Those factors might weight your choice.
 
D

Don

Could sail from either

Well could sail out of either just not as nice or as many interesting places to sail around meaning its a 5 mile sail or so to get to the further site from the closer site. The traffic would be tougher to the further site with tourist and beach traffic. Don
 

Ross

.
Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
Don , is Fall River just 5 miles from Bristol by boat?

I sail 5 miles from Perryville to get out into the bay. For just a short sail we have room enough on the river but for being able to hold one tack for more than a few minutes we need the bay.
 
D

Don

I think it is

A southern New Englander my call foul but I'm pretty sure its about five miles.
 

TimCup

.
Jan 30, 2008
304
Catalina 22 St. Pete
Don- What's around them?

I am 2 minutes from my slip (yes, I'm very appreciative). It makes it easy to just hop on and go. The problem is I sail in Tampa Bay. Great fun, but the admiral likes to GO SOMEWHERE, restaurants, etc, and there's just not much. I can sail 4 hours and hit the beaches in the gulf, or I can drive 15 minutes to a marina on those beaches. I struggle still wondering if I should move my boat?? I'd choose the place where we could have the most fun. For you, is that the views, the people, or the things to do? cup
 

Ross

.
Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
Don I was looking at the maps(no chart) of your cruising grounds.

I think I would have to find a lot wrong with the closer one before I would make the extra drive.
 
Nov 28, 2004
209
Hunter 310 San Pedro
Pros vs Cons

Don, From my perspective, I would rather drive 20 minutes than sail 5 miles to get to a good sailing location. You still have to sail back and perhaps tides and the time of day should be considered.
 

Ross

.
Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
I was looking at this chart

http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/13226.shtml. And I can't see that there is a bad sailing area worth driving for 20 minutes to avoid.
 
Jun 4, 2004
174
Oday 272LE Newport
No choice ... go Bristol

1. during the summer the on shore breeze kicks in closer to Bristol as it moves north up the Bay. Sometimes doesn't even get to Fall River. 2. Fall River is sort of in a valley with pretty good hills blocking wind from most directions other than the on shore breeze 3. Bristol has more Sailing interests vs. fishing/power boaters 4. Bristol has the J30 nationals at the end of Sept this year which will be entertaining to watch 5. a great day trip will be to go around Prudence Isl. 6. way more classic sailing boats/people in Bristol. And if you really get bored you can always come down to Newport and sail on Seven ... which is now back in Newport after the last 6 years in Naples. Vic "Seven" Oday 272 #622
 

Ross

.
Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
Well it becomes a mater of paying your money and taking

your choice. I can motor for an hour for a lot less than I can drive for 20 minutes.
 
Apr 17, 2008
22
Macgregor 26S brisbane
any time on a boat is quality time

Hi everyone, i have always looked at this way, any time i can spend on my boat is gotta be better than time spent in traffic, fumes etc. Even if i am just sitting in it pulled up on teh beach watching the world go by, i regard it as a great time. Thats why we love our boats and what we do in them so much. My boat and the time i spend in it is just therapeutic, when i am in it, i can be a million miles away, away from everything that makes our day to day life so stressful. Life is too short, enjoy every minute on your boat that you can. I am really fortunate in that my first mate loves our boats also, we enjoy nothing more than simply messing about in boats, ( very famous old line).
 
Jun 5, 2004
209
- - Eugene, OR
What's your most important criteria?

Noting you're a grad student, which normally means cash poor, the first question is whether the time and gas costs of going to the further location are going to effect decisions whether to go to your boat. If they will, that militates against the further location. If they do not, then the decision reduces to where do you want to do your sailing. It sounds like Bristol is where you want to go, if other issues are eliminated. Have fun. Let us know what you decide. Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo
 

Manny

.
Oct 5, 2006
983
Hunter 82? 37 Cutter Wherever the wind takes me
My vote is for the better location

Drive the extra 20 minutes, you won't regret it. It used to take me roughly an hour and ten minutes to get to where my boat was and the sailing and the location of the marina left a lot to be desired. I moved my boat this spring to a new location and it now takes me about an hour and thirty five minutes to get there. Is it worth it? Absolutely!!!! ;D I'll happily make that drive everyday if I have to. My wife enjoys the new location a lot more and she even has talked about moving down that way! My dogs even seem happier, they get a lot more attention and have made a million new doggy friends. Bottom line is that it boils down to quality versus quantity. Good luck with your decision and keep us posted. Manny
 
B

Benny

When you say " right now access is a good

half a mile away" I hope you don't mean you will be rowing an inflatable to your mooring for that distance. You would be hard pressed to cover that distance in 20 minutes in good conditions and it could be nearly impossible in adverse ones. It looks like your leisure time is very valuable to you so choose the option that gives you the better quality of use. Cost one way or the other does not seem to be a factor. Concentrate on the relationship between time spent vs. enjoyment derived.
 
Jun 13, 2005
559
Irwin Barefoot 37 CC Sloop Port Orchard WA
Don, the obvious choice would be Bristol but with the schedule

you have it looks like you are only going to have a couple of evening sails a week and maybe three weekends, so Fall River might be a better short term choice. Giving up 20 minutes (if you could get to Bristol in that much more time), putting an inflatable in the water and rowing to the boat maybe more than once with people and supplies (unless you are single handing) will eat up a lot of sailing time. Bristol is a better long term solution but you should be able to sail a lot around Mt. Hope Bay. I was born and brought up in Fall River but most of my sailing south of Bristol around Newport and Jamestown, and points south, So with more time available I would recommend Bristol but I don't think you're going to have the time. It's hard to make a definite recommendation though without knowing exactly where in Fall River and Bristol we are comparing. Good luck with whatever choice you make. Joe S
 
Status
Not open for further replies.