I need to know about sailing
 

In December my wife and me are moving to Bermuda and I would like to
learn to sail. I have looked on the net and think a 28-30 foot used
sailboat would be nice to own. Is this a good size to learn on? Also to
buy a boat in Bermuda is much more costly than in the US so I thought
about buyin US and have someone sail it to Bermuda. Is this a large
enough craft for the trip and are there good sailors than can be hired
to do this for me. I had heard that the duties in Bermuda are over 30%
but if the vessel arrives under its own power it is taxed less or not
at all.

Thanks for any help you might provide

Gary

garyw wrote:
In December my wife and me are moving to Bermuda

Sounds like a good idea

... and I would like to
learn to sail.

Another good idea.


... I have looked on the net and think a 28-30 foot used
sailboat would be nice to own.

Yep, some are nicer than others though.

... Is this a good size to learn on?

Not really. The best size boat to learn on is a small, responsive boat
that is guaranteed to tip over when you make a mistake. Not dignified,
you'll learn to be a *good* sailor.

.... Also to
buy a boat in Bermuda is much more costly than in the US so I thought
about buyin US and have someone sail it to Bermuda. Is this a large
enough craft for the trip and are there good sailors than can be hired
to do this for me.

Yes and yes. Look under 'delivery captains.'

One bit of serious advice I have for a prospective sailboat buyer is to
take the amount you can spend on buying a boat, put no more than 75% of
that toward the purchase of the boat, and reserve the rest for repairs &
upgrades after purchase. Budget for the delivery, and for insurance &
moorage too.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

No need to add to what others have said so far, except: ***Have the boat
inspected by a qualified surveyor*** before you complete the deal. This
newsgroup regularly has horror stories about people who didn't do that. Even
if he finds nothing seriously wrong, it's good to have another pair of eyes
look things over for small things you might not notice. People sometimes get
wrapped up in the emotions surrounding a boat, house or car, and totally
overlook features or conditions that will be major annoyances later.

For instance, there's an iron pipe in my basement, the trap for the bathroom
drains. It's exactly 6'1" from the floor. I'm 6'2". Not funny.

On Thu, 09 Jun 2005 17:37:28 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

No need to add to what others have said so far, except: ***Have the boat
inspected by a qualified surveyor*** before you complete the deal. This
newsgroup regularly has horror stories about people who didn't do that. Even
if he finds nothing seriously wrong, it's good to have another pair of eyes
look things over for small things you might not notice. People sometimes get
wrapped up in the emotions surrounding a boat, house or car, and totally
overlook features or conditions that will be major annoyances later.

For instance, there's an iron pipe in my basement, the trap for the bathroom
drains. It's exactly 6'1" from the floor. I'm 6'2". Not funny.

Yes it is.

"garyw" wrote in message
oups.com...
In December my wife and me are moving to Bermuda and I would like to
learn to sail. I have looked on the net and think a 28-30 foot used
sailboat would be nice to own. Is this a good size to learn on? Also to
buy a boat in Bermuda is much more costly than in the US so I thought
about buyin US and have someone sail it to Bermuda. Is this a large
enough craft for the trip and are there good sailors than can be hired
to do this for me. I had heard that the duties in Bermuda are over 30%
but if the vessel arrives under its own power it is taxed less or not
at all.

Thanks for any help you might provide

Gary



A lot depends on how you plan to use it once you are there. day sailing /
overnighting / blue water or coastal. That will also determine what
features you need to look for in a boat.

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 09 Jun 2005 17:37:28 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

No need to add to what others have said so far, except: ***Have the boat
inspected by a qualified surveyor*** before you complete the deal. This
newsgroup regularly has horror stories about people who didn't do that.
Even
if he finds nothing seriously wrong, it's good to have another pair of
eyes
look things over for small things you might not notice. People sometimes
get
wrapped up in the emotions surrounding a boat, house or car, and totally
overlook features or conditions that will be major annoyances later.

For instance, there's an iron pipe in my basement, the trap for the
bathroom
drains. It's exactly 6'1" from the floor. I'm 6'2". Not funny.

Yes it is.

Well...in a Funniest Home Videos sort of way. :-)

Doug Kanter wrote:
No need to add to what others have said so far, except: ***Have the boat
inspected by a qualified surveyor*** before you complete the deal.

Very good point.

The surveyor adds to the expense of making the deal, but pays for itself
many times over. In fact a good survey can literally save your life.

... This
newsgroup regularly has horror stories about people who didn't do that. Even
if he finds nothing seriously wrong, it's good to have another pair of eyes
look things over for small things you might not notice. People sometimes get
wrapped up in the emotions surrounding a boat, house or car, and totally
overlook features or conditions that will be major annoyances later.

For instance, there's an iron pipe in my basement, the trap for the bathroom
drains. It's exactly 6'1" from the floor. I'm 6'2". Not funny.


Shortwave Sportfishing wrote:
Yes it is.

You're cruel.

But you're right, it *is* funny!

DSK

"DSK" wrote in message
. ..
Doug Kanter wrote:
No need to add to what others have said so far, except: ***Have the boat
inspected by a qualified surveyor*** before you complete the deal.

Very good point.

The surveyor adds to the expense of making the deal, but pays for itself
many times over. In fact a good survey can literally save your life.

It's funny, though: In places where lenders REQUIRE an inspection for a
house purchase, nobody really questions the idea. In the excitement of
making the deal, buyers easily miss things that they KNOW about from
reading, talking to friends, or even from experience with their previous
home. I looked at my house 4 times before making an offer. Didn't notice
that the dryer vent hose was totally convoluted - a definite fire hazard,
and something I obsessed over in my previous house. The inspector said "Put
this at the top of your list as soon as you move in". That sort of
thing.....

On Fri, 10 Jun 2005 11:24:08 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

"DSK" wrote in message
...
Doug Kanter wrote:
No need to add to what others have said so far, except: ***Have the boat
inspected by a qualified surveyor*** before you complete the deal.

Very good point.

The surveyor adds to the expense of making the deal, but pays for itself
many times over. In fact a good survey can literally save your life.

It's funny, though: In places where lenders REQUIRE an inspection for a
house purchase, nobody really questions the idea. In the excitement of
making the deal, buyers easily miss things that they KNOW about from
reading, talking to friends, or even from experience with their previous
home. I looked at my house 4 times before making an offer. Didn't notice
that the dryer vent hose was totally convoluted - a definite fire hazard,
and something I obsessed over in my previous house. The inspector said "Put
this at the top of your list as soon as you move in". That sort of
thing.....

I wonder why that is? When I looked at that Topaz last summer, I knew
to look for things like blowen exhaust baffles, delamination, soft
transoms and tin leaching out of the brass props, but I over looked
all that crap. I thought the boat was in good shape.

As soon as the surveyor started I realized that I had over looked a
ton of stuff because I liked the boat so much.

Later,

Tom

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 10 Jun 2005 11:24:08 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

"DSK" wrote in message
t...
Doug Kanter wrote:
No need to add to what others have said so far, except: ***Have the
boat
inspected by a qualified surveyor*** before you complete the deal.

Very good point.

The surveyor adds to the expense of making the deal, but pays for itself
many times over. In fact a good survey can literally save your life.

It's funny, though: In places where lenders REQUIRE an inspection for a
house purchase, nobody really questions the idea. In the excitement of
making the deal, buyers easily miss things that they KNOW about from
reading, talking to friends, or even from experience with their previous
home. I looked at my house 4 times before making an offer. Didn't notice
that the dryer vent hose was totally convoluted - a definite fire hazard,
and something I obsessed over in my previous house. The inspector said
"Put
this at the top of your list as soon as you move in". That sort of
thing.....

I wonder why that is? When I looked at that Topaz last summer, I knew
to look for things like blowen exhaust baffles, delamination, soft
transoms and tin leaching out of the brass props, but I over looked
all that crap. I thought the boat was in good shape.

As soon as the surveyor started I realized that I had over looked a
ton of stuff because I liked the boat so much.

Later,

Tom

It's because we're in love with the damned things! Last year, I stopped by a
boatyard for some reason, and ended up getting a tour of one of these
delicious things:
http://www.mainship.com/models/pilot.html

I told the sales guy there was no way in hell I could afford it, but he said
"No problem. Maybe this'll plant a seed in your head". Smart guy.

I was house hunting at the time. IIRC, the boat was about ten grand more
than my target price for a house. I got back in the truck and sat there for
5 minutes, seriously juggling numbers and thinking that it would be great to
live aboard a boat. No lawn to mow blah blah blah. I picked up my cell phone
and *almost* called my realtor to tell him to chill for a few days. Then, I
snapped out of it and remembered that I'd be living in a boat, encased in
ice, and carrying groceries down a dock that would also be encased in ice,
unless I spent 4 trillion dollars per winter to bubble the whole thing, not
to mention heat in the boat.

Just slap me.