jlrogers±³© wrote:

"JimC" wrote in message
...



Capt. JG wrote:

"JimC" wrote in message
...


Charles Momsen wrote:

"jlrogers±³©" wrote in message
...


All my life I've "dreamed" about retiring on a boat and sailing
from here to there, as the spirit moves me. However, my only
experience is some lake sailing, a little Gulf of Mexico
experience, and four years on a destroyer in the navy. And,
except for a couple of years in the 90's, most of my sailing was
done 35 years ago.

I have now retired and I signed up for a series of ASA lessons at
a school in Kemah, TX, just to bone up and get my feet wet, but
haven't started yet due to Ike.

My plan is to take the lessons, join a sailing club, and spend
some time afloat to see if the passion dissolves in the salt spray.

Assuming it doesn't, I will want to acquire a relatively
inexpensive cruiser for step 2. I.e., learning to live aboard,
maintain the boat, and sail alone with confidence.

At one time I owned a thirty footer, but never lived aboard, and
most of the maintenance was bought and paid for. I like all of
the following, but remember my experience is day sailing, for the
most part, and I'm completely ignorant of the requirements,
stresses, and needs of the live aboard.

Contessa
Westerly (Konsort)
Endeavour 32 Plan A
Cape Dory
Crealock (Pacific Seacraft)
Island Packet


Which brings me to my question: what boat would you recommend for
the live aboard trial? Something no older that say 1983, between
28 and 35', a sloop, that could be bought for no more than $60,000.

--

jlrogers±³©

"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom.
It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves." William
Pitt

"Those who would give up a little freedom to get a little security
shall soon have neither." Benjamin Franklin



Congratulations on your retirement. Rather than get the ideal boat
upfront, buy a lower cost "value" boat first. You'll probably make
mistakes at first (crashing into stuff, breaking things or doing
something that leaves a really big mark/gouge.) so get something
you could walk away from. Make your second boat count. Buy whatever
is cheap and popular in your area. You can easily resell it at a
small loss and learn so much without fear of real financial loss.



The previous suggestion (don't buy an "ideal boat" upfront) is a
good one IMO. If you intend to liveaboard, I would also suggest
something a little larger than 30 feet. I think your plan to charter
various boats will give you a good idea of what's involved and what
type and size boat you may prefer.

I'm also near Kemah, and I can verify that in this area you will
find many boats of all genries for far less than $60,000. (Try
$15,000 - $30,000 for 30-35 ft. boats that would be ready to sail
with minor cleanup or upgrades.). Have it surveyed, of course. -
IMO, in this price range the condition of the boat is almost as
important as the model/maker. And although I agree that Sabres,
Endeavours, Island Packets, Tartans, Valiants, etc., are great
boats, if you insist on getting one of these "ideal" boats, you may
end up paying twice as much as you would for other boats of a the
same size and condition that would be comfortable and that you would
also enjoy sailing. - It's your choice, of course.

Incidentally, my boat (a 26 ft. MacGregor) had no damage from the
hurricane, and you would be welcome to go out with me anytime this
Fall.

Jim




Glad to hear all is well Jim... you had it on a trailer and left town
or did you leave it?


Thanks. Yes, we were in a "mandatory evacuation" area, and we spent
the night with relatives. The boat is in the water at one of the local
marinas. I tied double lines to the risers (slideable vertically on
rods connected to pilings), and apparently that was enough. The
water-line (trash line) from the storm surge was around 8-10 feet
above normal levels.

Jim


I was told that around Clear Lake and Kemah that those boats tied to
floating docks did much better than those tied to pilings and fixed
docks or were on the hard.

That may be, although our marina (Legend Point) doesn't have floating
docks and we seemed to have relatively little damage. (Although the boat
two slips down was damaged when the piling to which it was attached was
broken in two at the waterline during the storm, leaving the stern of
that boat with no protection such that it became jammed against the
intermediate boat and partially rolled over.)

Jim