Friday, May 30, 2008

The dream continues

We are still looking and discovering, I found a sailing school that is reasonable and can give me the education I need. - We have also been looking into trawlers. With the cost of fuel, the price of trawlers has plumneted.

Recently I saw several that were half the price of a sailing catamarran. Would the fuel expense make it worth while? What are the differences between a trawler at $50,000 and a sailing cat for $100,000 + We are calculating to see if the savings in the purchase would off set the fuel expense. When so much of cruising is motoring the "sail" boat through the ICW and marina's and anchorages, there is a lot of fuel expense on a sail boat! - Maybe we can do both. The trawler for the first year to get used to being out there, and then progressing onto a sail boat before we leave over the ocean's. Get some "free" lessons from fellow cruisers.

Definetley something to think about. and no schools or learning curve. Load it up, crank it up and go. even looking at the Silverton MY 40. Seems big enough and i can handle a 40 with not at steep a curve. - can it handle rough water ok, what is the fuel consumption rate? will it be enough space?

I just began reading "All in one Boat" by Tom Neal, a very practical book about what to consider when contemplating cruising. A great reference book. I also began reading :Just Crusing by Liza Copeland. A book about their trip circumnavigating with her three children. Both are giving great advice and things to consider.

Stay tuned.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

We are going to stay tuned!

My husband and I sailed in the Hawaiian Islands early in our marriage. He was a seasoned Single Hander and I was a landlocked ski instructor. I can't say I was excited about the idea, but I loved this guy and this was his passion. By the time we left Hawaii the second time, I was hooked.

We lived aboard our 32' Beneteau First, Roxy, with two cats and a lab-husky mix dog. Our oldest was, well... getting through the V-birth door eventually became too difficult as my belly grew! Two kids later, a husband that was deeply entrenched in a career at Boeing and a home in the woods, we made the decision to sell our floating home. Now we live vicariously through others sailing adventures.

I just picked up a book by Lawrence Paine by the name of Chasing Sunsets. It will be one of Max's Father's Day gifts. He, his wife and son circumnavigated the globe, taking six + years. talk about a wonderful home school education in geography, politics, cultures of the world, not to mention applying the core basics. It is chock full of adventure, advise and first hand expertise.

Good luck with your decision making. I'm hoping you choose the sail boat!