Don't Buy a Sailboat! Buy Into Fractional Sailing
THE PROBLEM As you've considered buying or leasing a sailboat, no doubt you've had mixed feelings. On one hand, you can almost feel the ocean breeze on your skin and smell the salt of the open ocean. On the other hand, your inner accountant is concerned about the steep maintenance costs. It's true- sailing can be a magical experience whether you're on a romantic getaway or entertaining a corporate executive to clinch your latest business deal. In fact, San Francisco is home to one of the most famous bays in the Pacific. But take it from burnt-out yacht owners: you don't want to get stuck paying steep maintenance fees for a boat you won't even use year-round. THE SOLUTION But there is a way to make...
Living on a Sailboat - Choose the Right Dinghy
Living on a sailboat is a great way to travel and live. Choose your dinghy careful. Also learn from our mistakes, we made a bunch of them. We cruised the Caribbean living aboard a sailboat for 8 years. It took us 3 years to get the right dinghy motor combination. Do not let this be you. Get a hard bottom dinghy, with a large tube diameter (16" minimum), a 15 horse motor, and install dinghy davits on your boat to handle this combo. Our first dinghy was a rollup dinghy we brought from West Marine that could be stowed in a bag. It weighed a 100 lbs. We combined that with a 5 HP motor that had no auxiliary tank. Dumb...you don't want the hassle of blowing up the dinghy after a passage. Your buds are on...
An Introduction to Fractional Sailing
There are many good reasons to own a boat. Its fun, it's sporting, it's romantic and it's adventurous. It bonds family and friends together for special memories. There's that irresistible pull of the ocean that says, "Let's go!" And, of course, there's a certain prestige in owning a well maintained yacht. However there are also many reasons not to. The costs associated with maintaining your own yacht are high, and so is the time commitment required. Mortgage, maintenance, dockage, insurance, upgrades, storage and cleaning are a year-round personal and financial commitment. Fractional Sailing programs remove all of the negative aspects of boating and allow you to enjoy your time on the water with...
Sailing For Beginners
One of the most wonderful sensations in this world is to be propelled along by the wind in a boat. It has that magical sense of achievement which some say is even better than flying. Anyone can buy, hire or borrow a sail boat to make it onto the water. There are also thousands of boating clubs around the world where members are searching for crew. A small yacht provides a stable platform to gain experience on the water. A dinghy can be a wet and sometimes very active experience. I feel the time to start dinghy sailing is as a young child under the guidance of a sailing club or qualified instructor. I hope that my 35 years of practical sailing experience qualifies me to pass on some of my knowledge...
Living on a Sailboat - A Fun and Frugal Way to...
Living on a sailboat may be an option for you to look at. If you are contemplating retirement, and are looking for a fun frugal way to do so, consider living on a sailboat. We did so for 8 years in the Caribbean. What did we know about sailing ...not much, so don't let lack of knowledge or experience stop you. We were introduced to sailboat living in a 4 hour shore excursion from a cruise ship that stopped in St Thomas. A 36 footer with 6 guests and captain and mate. It was love at first sight; we talked to the boat owners, a young couple having fun. They gave us the initial push and 5 years later we toasted the cruise ships as they left St Thomas harbor from our cockpit. So you don't need to have...
One of the Best Ways to Retire Early - Living...
Of all the ways to retire early living aboard a sailboat is probably not on your radar. Some think a sailboat is a pleasure craft you take out on Saturday. The rest of the time the boat sits at the dock...right? Wrong...a cruising sailboat is a floating home, one my wife and I lived on for 8 years in the Caribbean. We cruised from Venezuela to the Virgin Islands, making stops at virtually every island in between. No we didn't get off at night and stay at motels. The cruising sailboat is fully equipped for "liveaboards". Of all the ways to retire early, this was the most fun for us. What did we know about sailing?...close to zero. We were fascinated by the lifestyle, so doesn't let lack of knowledge...
Living on a sailboat does not mean having a parrot on your shoulder and saying ARGH all day. I remember the skeptical looks I got on the dock. We had just purchased an Island Packet 35 in May and I announced I would be taking the boat to the Caribbean in November. Sure you are...behind my back they said He doesn't know diddly about boating. PS... 14 years later most of them are still at the same dock. Let's look at how much they said I needed to know before cruising. Navigation - living on a sailboat with a GPS pretty much makes you equal with Magellan. What if it breaks? Take a backup for less than $200 get a spare. How hard is it to read a chart, find your position, and plot waypoints? Celestial...
Living on a Sailboat - Choose and Use Your...
Living on a sailboat was something we did for 8 years, all in the Caribbean. Anchoring out for free was our favorite way of spending the night. The ability to come into an anchorage drop the hook, with no yelling, was the mark of the pros that had done it well many times. Part of the necessary equipment was a good anchor windlass. Why?... because in the Caribbean, I do not cruise anywhere I cannot wear swim trunks, 200 feet of all chain rode, a 35 lb (minimum) CQR anchor, all handled by a motor driven windlass was a necessity. If you wanted to sleep well...anchor drill at 2AM is not fun...trust me. We had a vertical Lewmar and were well pleased. About the only catch was occasionally the breaker...
Unlike sailing classes, sailing instructions do not come from a qualified sailing instructor. On a cruise ship, it is the Captain’s orders received from the owner of the ship. In the case of yachting “sailing instructions” is the term used to define a set of rules governing the conditions for competition in a sailing competition or Regatta. It gives the crew of the yacht precise instructions of where and when to go somewhere, the insignias and flags that will be used, how to register for the competition, and even where and how to protest a ruling by the governing body. Sailing instructions usually come in printed form so that the content cannot be edited without the knowledge of all the...
Sailing Club Management Vs Fractional Sailing?
rsquo;ve ever owned your own sailboat, you know how convenient it can be to have access to your boat whenever you want it. There’s a flexibility that you don’t always have if you’re chartering or in a sailing club. On the other hand, you also know that owning your own boat is a major financial commitment. Some people try to defray the expense by entering into a shared ownership. When you first heard of Fractional Sailing, you probably thought it was the same as shared ownership. But the differences are drastic. Shared ownership requires you to be responsible for maintenance. The cost is divided among multiple owners, but nobody is paying you to use your boat. It takes the pressure...
Living on a sailboat is a fun way to live or retire. Some may be put off on this sailboat cruising lifestyle because they are not mechanics. It is necessary to know a little about how your inboard diesel motor operates...but the list is not long. Most sailboats have inboard diesel engines. In my opinion you should know how to bleed air from the fuel system; how to change the oil; how to work on your alternator and how to keep the water cooling system operational. Our sailboat, an Island Packet 35, had a 3 cylinder Yanmar that put out 35 HP. Since we waited for calm seas for interisland passages we ended up motoring or motor sailing at least 50% of the time. Remember, Murphy being a sailor, the wind...