I have a question for this group, The past couple years I have been looking
to buy a small cruiser The boat I have in mind is a Wellcraft St Tropez 32'
Here is my question ... I have never owned a boat before... Some of my
friends
are saying I am crazy to buy a boat that size for my first boat. But really
anything
smaller just doesnt seem to have the room to be comfortable I am 6'3
and want to be able to be comfortable both moving around and sleeping.
I want to be able to spend a couple days at a time (weekend) comfortably.

Id love to hear your comments and suggestions.

Thanks

Paul

On Wed, 3 Mar 2004 22:50:44 -0500, "pmiller"
wrote:

I have a question for this group, The past couple years I have been looking
to buy a small cruiser The boat I have in mind is a Wellcraft St Tropez 32'
Here is my question ... I have never owned a boat before... Some of my
friends
are saying I am crazy to buy a boat that size for my first boat. But really
anything
smaller just doesnt seem to have the room to be comfortable I am 6'3
and want to be able to be comfortable both moving around and sleeping.
I want to be able to spend a couple days at a time (weekend) comfortably.

Id love to hear your comments and suggestions.

That is a big boat for a first timer.

I'm assuming that you have taken the USCG or USPS boating course and
have an idea of how a boat should be handled. So we won't go into
that whole deal.

I'm not so concerned about the length as I am about the width and high
sides. 11'6" is a lot of beam to throw around and all that windage
will cause you the most problems. It's also a twin I/O and the
technigue of using the props to help manuever the boat, while not hard
to learn, isn't intuitive. On the open water, your not going to have
much of a problem. The problems are in docking and undocking under
wind and current conditions.

I will give you my opinion and it is this - this is not a boat to
learn on. Plus, it's a pretty big investment.

However, if you decide that this is the boat for you, then the best
thing to do is find somebody who has experience, or hire the current
owner for a week or so, and get some intensive knowledge about how the
boat handles, etc.

Do you have a friend who has a smaller boat that you might ride along
and get some instruction in boat handling? Maybe even some practical,
hands on time? That would help. You might also want to ask around
the marina where you are docking the boat - usually most boat owners
are pretty friendly and those who have larger boats would be more than
willing to help you learn what you need to know - if only to keep you
from whacking their boats. :) At my marina, I can quarentee that I
will be docking boats for new owners at least four or five times per
spring and taking their boats out for instruction time.

Just remember that with no experience, your learning curve is going to
be really steep with a boat like this. Expect that you will put a
dent or two into the boat.

Good luck.

Later,

Tom
S. Woodstock, CT
-----------
"Do fishermen eat avocados? This is a question
that no one ever thinks to ask."

Russel Chatham, "Dark Waters" (1988)

Paul,

Disclosu I'm certainly an amature and have never owned a boat that
big, so quite possibly I'm talking out my butt here. But...

Seems to me that if that is the right size boat for your needs, get that.
Just
be aware that you won't have the proper experience to handle that type
of boat and that it's too big, heavy, and expensive of a boat to learn on
by trial and error. Put into your budget and plans to have someone show
you how to handle it. I sometimes see captains or training schools that
will offer to come out with you on YOUR boat and help you learn how
to handle it. ~ Very important: Don't just think that "Ok, I spent the
money
and spent 4 hours...now I'm all set." Keep having the person back for
more training until you actually ARE all set with handling it. IE: It's not
how much time or money you spend on learning it, it's if you actuallly
learned it.

Good Luck, !
Gary

"pmiller" wrote in message ...
I have a question for this group, The past couple years I have been looking
to buy a small cruiser The boat I have in mind is a Wellcraft St Tropez 32'
Here is my question ... I have never owned a boat before... Some of my
friends
are saying I am crazy to buy a boat that size for my first boat. But really
anything
smaller just doesnt seem to have the room to be comfortable I am 6'3
and want to be able to be comfortable both moving around and sleeping.
I want to be able to spend a couple days at a time (weekend) comfortably.

Id love to hear your comments and suggestions.

Thanks

Paul

Your friends are right, a 32 foot boat is too big for a first boat.

It's not a car, it takes time, and practice, to learn how to handle a
boat. If it's too big for you to handle you're going to learn this the
hard, and expensive, way. And learning won't be much fun.

Go for a used boat in the 21 foot range, learn with that one. Then
after two seasons, trade up. You'll be surprised, the boat that looked
like your dream boat before you learned how to operate one, and knew
what you really needed, will probably not be the boat you go looking
for after you have some experiance.

On 4 Mar 2004 09:29:01 -0800, (John) wrote:

"pmiller" wrote in message ...
I have a question for this group, The past couple years I have been looking
to buy a small cruiser The boat I have in mind is a Wellcraft St Tropez 32'
Here is my question ... I have never owned a boat before... Some of my
friends
are saying I am crazy to buy a boat that size for my first boat. But really
anything
smaller just doesnt seem to have the room to be comfortable I am 6'3
and want to be able to be comfortable both moving around and sleeping.
I want to be able to spend a couple days at a time (weekend) comfortably.

Id love to hear your comments and suggestions.

Thanks

Paul

Your friends are right, a 32 foot boat is too big for a first boat.

It's not a car, it takes time, and practice, to learn how to handle a
boat. If it's too big for you to handle you're going to learn this the
hard, and expensive, way. And learning won't be much fun.

Go for a used boat in the 21 foot range, learn with that one. Then
after two seasons, trade up. You'll be surprised, the boat that looked
like your dream boat before you learned how to operate one, and knew
what you really needed, will probably not be the boat you go looking
for after you have some experiance.


Good points.

Later,

Tom
S. Woodstock, CT
-----------
"Do fishermen eat avocados? This is a question
that no one ever thinks to ask."

Russel Chatham, "Dark Waters" (1988)

She certainly wasn't my first boat, but all prior boats were motorized
skiffs and little tiny sailboats etc..

Many years ago, when I was younger, stronger, and a lot more agile, I found
a good buy on a 27 foot Catalina Sailboat. The first trip out on my own,
after the sea trial....... ( DON'T BUY A BIG BOAT WITHOUT A SEA TRIAL, AND
BE SURE YOU CAN GET YOUR MONEY BACK IF YOU DON'T LIKE HER).... I felt like I
was steering a 27 foot long car, standing in the trunk! After I got that
out of my mind, I went on to totally enjoy the size, smoothness and pleasure
of a boat that didn't bounce on every little wave. I single handed her most
of the time. In fact, when other people were aboard is when we had more
problems than when I took her out solo.

True, she was a sailboat, but my most exciting times always came when I was
trying to dock her, ALWAYS BY MYSELF, with a 30 hp Atomic Four engine. It
liked to quit just when I needed it the most. Lots of fenders; a verrrrry
slooooow approach to the docks; some common sense regarding winds and
direction; a boat-hook in hand at all times; and she went through her life
with me unscathed.

My real question would be,...what do you want to do on a boat? The time
spent below is normally limited. Below, of course, is where the height is an
advantage. I'm 6'2 so I feel your pain. All that said, I spent 98% of my
time on deck, and 2% down below. I almost bought a bigger (33 feet) boat
because of her beautiful interior and spacious accommodations. I came to my
senses when I realized it would just cost me more to put her into a slip;
bottom jobs; etc. My then present boat was doing everything that I needed
at the time.

Big is beautiful; size does matter...but if you've never owned a boat, you
would be a rarity to know what you want the first time through. Hell, I'm in
my mid 60's; have owned 20 or more boats; and still change a boat out every
few years for something bigger; smaller; faster; slower; easier to tow,,,
etc. etc... I own two flats boats right now, both are little more than half
of the size of the 27 Catalina. My needs and desires have changed.

regards, RichG

pmiller wrote:
I have a question for this group, The past couple years I have been looking
to buy a small cruiser The boat I have in mind is a Wellcraft St Tropez 32'
Here is my question ... I have never owned a boat before... Some of my
friends
are saying I am crazy to buy a boat that size for my first boat. But really
anything
smaller just doesnt seem to have the room to be comfortable I am 6'3
and want to be able to be comfortable both moving around and sleeping.
I want to be able to spend a couple days at a time (weekend) comfortably.

Id love to hear your comments and suggestions.

Understand the requirement for a little elbow room & knee room.

The issue of handling a boat this size is a serious one. It's like
deciding to hit the road and choosing an 18-wheel truck as your first
ride. However, just like there are schools where one can learn to drive
big trucks, there are ways to learn all the knowledge and skill needed
to safely handle & cruise in a boat like this.

1- take all the USCGA and Power Squadron courses on boat handling and
navigating.

2- when you get the boat DO NOT take it out without hiring a licensed
captain with experience at this sort of thing showing you how to handle
it. In fact, I'd suggest you take several lessons in a variety of
conditions so you can learn not only to drive the boat itself, but gauge
the many many variables like wind & current that will affect the boat
while maneuvering. Consider this a necessary expense, and compared to
some you'll face as a boat owner, a relatively light one. Besides, a lot
of these guys are good company.

3- As you begin cruising in the boat on your own, keep your lessons in
mind and don't get frisky. Remember that you have book learnin' but lack
the reflexes and instincts that only come with experience. Once you gain
some experience, then you'll be ahead of those who never got the book
learnin'. But not until then

Hope this helps.

Doug King

On Thu, 04 Mar 2004 17:52:09 GMT, "RichG"
wrote:

~~ snippage ~~

Big is beautiful; size does matter...but if you've never owned a boat, you
would be a rarity to know what you want the first time through. Hell, I'm in
my mid 60's; have owned 20 or more boats; and still change a boat out every
few years for something bigger; smaller; faster; slower; easier to tow,,,
etc. etc... I own two flats boats right now, both are little more than half
of the size of the 27 Catalina. My needs and desires have changed.

As an adult, I have always had boats in the 20/25 foot range - mostly
Aquasports and Makos and all center consoles. A couple of years ago,
I decided to bite the bullet so to speak and looked around for
something that would get me offshore comfortably. I'm 58 now and I've
been around boats since I can remember, my first boat at age 10 (a
Townclass sailboat) so I was pretty comfortable with the concept of a
boat thirty or more feet in length.

After looking and hemming/hawing and genrally procrastinating, I
bought a Contender 31 Center Console and I was amazed at how much the
twin FICHTS, the extra 6 feet LOA and the extra foot in beam made
when getting the boat in and out of a slip. Took me a week to get
used to the extra length and width. :)

Later,

Tom
S. Woodstock, CT
-----------
"Do fishermen eat avocados? This is a question
that no one ever thinks to ask."

Russel Chatham, "Dark Waters" (1988)

Hi Paul,
I've owned two boats, one an 18 foot aluminum runabout with an outboard
and a 16 foot Chrysler Sailboat. I've piloted several different vessels, one
a 25 foot sailboat. I felt the larger sailboat was easier to handle than the
small one. Make a mistake on the small one and you ended up righting it out
of the water. I'm planning to buy another boat this spring, it'll be a 30
foot Sea Ray Weekender. I think the key is to take it slow and easy. Take
the boat out in calm conditions and drop some milk jugs attached to a
weighted line to facilitate a boat dock. Practice bringing your boat into
this "dock". Practice backing into it, come in slow and fast and get a feel
for the weight of the boat and how it reacts to the helm and engines.
Practice this later in windier conditions, it'll sharpen your skills and
familiarize you with how the boat reacts in different conditions. Plus you
won't bank into anything. You can practice turning into the dock where
starting the turn at the correct time is critical. Happy boating.
Paul

"pmiller" wrote in message
...
I have a question for this group, The past couple years I have been
looking
to buy a small cruiser The boat I have in mind is a Wellcraft St Tropez
32'
Here is my question ... I have never owned a boat before... Some of my
friends
are saying I am crazy to buy a boat that size for my first boat. But
really
anything
smaller just doesnt seem to have the room to be comfortable I am 6'3
and want to be able to be comfortable both moving around and sleeping.
I want to be able to spend a couple days at a time (weekend) comfortably.

Id love to hear your comments and suggestions.

Thanks

Paul

Great advice from Paul to Paul. I never thought of making a "dock" out at
sea to try docking. Sure would have saved me some excitement along the way.
RichG

"Paul Schilter" paulschilter@comcast,dot,net wrote in message
...
Hi Paul,
I've owned two boats, one an 18 foot aluminum runabout with an
outboard
and a 16 foot Chrysler Sailboat. I've piloted several different vessels,
one
a 25 foot sailboat. I felt the larger sailboat was easier to handle than
the
small one. Make a mistake on the small one and you ended up righting it
out
of the water. I'm planning to buy another boat this spring, it'll be a 30
foot Sea Ray Weekender. I think the key is to take it slow and easy. Take
the boat out in calm conditions and drop some milk jugs attached to a
weighted line to facilitate a boat dock. Practice bringing your boat into
this "dock". Practice backing into it, come in slow and fast and get a
feel
for the weight of the boat and how it reacts to the helm and engines.
Practice this later in windier conditions, it'll sharpen your skills and
familiarize you with how the boat reacts in different conditions. Plus you
won't bank into anything. You can practice turning into the dock where
starting the turn at the correct time is critical. Happy boating.
Paul

"pmiller" wrote in message
...
I have a question for this group, The past couple years I have been
looking
to buy a small cruiser The boat I have in mind is a Wellcraft St Tropez
32'
Here is my question ... I have never owned a boat before... Some of my
friends
are saying I am crazy to buy a boat that size for my first boat. But
really
anything
smaller just doesnt seem to have the room to be comfortable I am 6'3
and want to be able to be comfortable both moving around and sleeping.
I want to be able to spend a couple days at a time (weekend)
comfortably.

Id love to hear your comments and suggestions.

Thanks

Paul