My wife and I are looking to semi-retire and move out of the cold and yuk weather of NW Ohio and move to Florida in a few years. Is the 40 a good boat to live on and explore the gulf coast? Does it have enough storage for all our everyday stuff. Will it be easy for a couple to sail? We are now sailing on Lake Erie and have been for the last 10 years so we know what works on the boat and what does'nt. We are looking forward to your input. Also would it be better to buy the boat from the great lakes and take it to the salt water or buy one already there. Thanks Cliff
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Michael Fyffe
Do it!
My wife and I have lived on an h40 for almost two years now. I just got moved to Lake Pontchartrain from California (job) and am still setting up a life down here. If you don't have the boat yet I would buy one already here, the cost of a boat mover will be in the $6k range. The h40 makes a great liveaboard. If you want any other info you can reach me through the owners list or my web page (http://home.att.net/~radars) Mike sends S/V Camelot out
My wife and I have lived on an h40 for almost two years now. I just got moved to Lake Pontchartrain from California (job) and am still setting up a life down here. If you don't have the boat yet I would buy one already here, the cost of a boat mover will be in the $6k range. The h40 makes a great liveaboard. If you want any other info you can reach me through the owners list or my web page (http://home.att.net/~radars) Mike sends S/V Camelot out
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Ed Schenck
Yes, if others can...
live in smaller quarters than that. See my response to this week's survey about living aboard. It's a surprise to my wife and I that so many people live on their H37Cs. This is an old design with the small aft quarterberth and almost no storage space. It does have a full shower and one decent size hanging closet. And there's a fair amount of under berth and under settee storage. But neither of us can imagine getting the necessary "stuff" aboard. We think there must be a tremendous difference in individual attitudes, personalities, and life situations. Do you have ties to the area or qualms about moving away? Florida seems so far away and, c'mon, Ohio weather isn't that bad. I've been sailing since the third week in April. But then we have never seriously tried to get our boat organized. We daysail and spend an occasional overnight on her, on Lake Erie out of Huron. We hope to move her to Pamlico Sound in NC and sail from there but probably less than six months out of the year. An H40 compared to an H37C is the penthouse! Good luck Cliff.
live in smaller quarters than that. See my response to this week's survey about living aboard. It's a surprise to my wife and I that so many people live on their H37Cs. This is an old design with the small aft quarterberth and almost no storage space. It does have a full shower and one decent size hanging closet. And there's a fair amount of under berth and under settee storage. But neither of us can imagine getting the necessary "stuff" aboard. We think there must be a tremendous difference in individual attitudes, personalities, and life situations. Do you have ties to the area or qualms about moving away? Florida seems so far away and, c'mon, Ohio weather isn't that bad. I've been sailing since the third week in April. But then we have never seriously tried to get our boat organized. We daysail and spend an occasional overnight on her, on Lake Erie out of Huron. We hope to move her to Pamlico Sound in NC and sail from there but probably less than six months out of the year. An H40 compared to an H37C is the penthouse! Good luck Cliff.
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Cliff Ruckstuhl
Ed
Ed I live in Findlay and work out side all year. I own Plumbing/Drain Cleaning Company. I am not saying it's all that bad and we have our boat at Cawtaba Island and Have also been sailing since the Last weekend in April. But You have to admit that it would be nice to be where the sun is shinning and its 70 degrees than shoveling snow in Febuary. We will be able to sell up and move in 4 years and are now gathering info. We have thought about NC & SC but after spending the last week at Holmes Beach (on the Gulf side about a hour south of Tampa) we REALLY liked that area, and would rather have the sunshine than the snow. Cliff
Ed I live in Findlay and work out side all year. I own Plumbing/Drain Cleaning Company. I am not saying it's all that bad and we have our boat at Cawtaba Island and Have also been sailing since the Last weekend in April. But You have to admit that it would be nice to be where the sun is shinning and its 70 degrees than shoveling snow in Febuary. We will be able to sell up and move in 4 years and are now gathering info. We have thought about NC & SC but after spending the last week at Holmes Beach (on the Gulf side about a hour south of Tampa) we REALLY liked that area, and would rather have the sunshine than the snow. Cliff
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Bryan C.
Walk thru transoms
If you are the active swimmer/diver type, you might want to consider a slightly newer model with a walk-thru transom/swim platform. My dad had an '85 40 and it had a traditional transom, if I'm not confusing boats. When I bought our '88 35 a couple years ago, one of the things I considered and that attracted me to the boat was a walk thru transom. The water is warm and swimmable most all year down here. The reefs in the keys and Bahamas are spectacular. I am constantly jumping in and out of the water with the kids. I can tell you, it is *much* easier climbing onto a platform 18" above water level than scaling up a tranditional transom and climbing into the cockpit. It also makes boarding and debarking from a dinghy (something else you'll probably be doing a lot) much easier. I installed a little hand held shower on the platform on my boat which is nice cuz you can rinse off after a swim on the platform without getting towels all salty, or tracking salt water thru the cabin. We seldom use our cabin shower in the summer. So if you plan on doing any swimming, consider a boat (maybe a 37, or 37.5, or 40.5) with a walk-thru transom. Your wife and any other less athletic members of the crew will thank you for it.
If you are the active swimmer/diver type, you might want to consider a slightly newer model with a walk-thru transom/swim platform. My dad had an '85 40 and it had a traditional transom, if I'm not confusing boats. When I bought our '88 35 a couple years ago, one of the things I considered and that attracted me to the boat was a walk thru transom. The water is warm and swimmable most all year down here. The reefs in the keys and Bahamas are spectacular. I am constantly jumping in and out of the water with the kids. I can tell you, it is *much* easier climbing onto a platform 18" above water level than scaling up a tranditional transom and climbing into the cockpit. It also makes boarding and debarking from a dinghy (something else you'll probably be doing a lot) much easier. I installed a little hand held shower on the platform on my boat which is nice cuz you can rinse off after a swim on the platform without getting towels all salty, or tracking salt water thru the cabin. We seldom use our cabin shower in the summer. So if you plan on doing any swimming, consider a boat (maybe a 37, or 37.5, or 40.5) with a walk-thru transom. Your wife and any other less athletic members of the crew will thank you for it.
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herbie
GIVE US A VISIT
Cliff: Give us a visit at "Brands" this weekend dock #40 if you want to see a 40.5 first hand....we are scheduled for a launch Friday, so the weekend will be spent putting the boat together. Stop over and we will be glad to give you a tour of the boat. (it will be a mess!) herbie & Elizabeth
Cliff: Give us a visit at "Brands" this weekend dock #40 if you want to see a 40.5 first hand....we are scheduled for a launch Friday, so the weekend will be spent putting the boat together. Stop over and we will be glad to give you a tour of the boat. (it will be a mess!) herbie & Elizabeth
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