"Todd" :

Chris, Jeff, Skip, Rick,

Thanks for your input! It has been very helpful.

I think I will make plans to charter a catamaran (with a captain) after I
retire and see what my wife thinks of it. She is usually pretty good
about
tolerating my hobbies (my airplane engine blew up in flight last year, made
a dead stick landing, cost 14K to fix it), but I don't want her to be
unhappy. I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed!

I think that is best, at the same time as the charter you could see if some
training could the arranged as well.

As for "blue water" sailing, it is difficulty to know what I will be happy
with, since I don't have any experience. It may end up being island
hopping. Now, I would like to think that I will make it to the Med,
Pacific
Islands, Australia, etc some day. But I will start with small steps. I do
the same with my airplane, taking small steps and gaining experience.

One thing to remember, even if you have a small boat for 'just' island
hopping there are services to move your boat from one boating area to
another. They do cost, but make it easy to cruise the US coast this year and
then cruise the Med next.

By the way, I am a physician assistant. Do you think my skills would be of
value to the sailing community? Not to make money, just to contribute
skills.

I just hope you don't need the skills for yourself Safe voyage.

Thanks,
Todd

Earl Colby Pottinger

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