MarkCX
Active member
There was a time before I fitted my diesel heater, when I poured a drink before sleeping only to find it frozen solid in the morning. I was perfectly warm until I had to get up.
Start in Tahiti. That way, when you have sailed around the world, you will be in Tahiti.I have just turned 40 and have always dreamed of sailing the world, although I have no sailing experience and have very little money. Recently, I received £30,000 in legal compensation and would like to use this money to start a sailing adventure! I am currently out of work, so the time really is now. As rent is eating the little savings I have, I have given notice on my house for the end of the month and have a camper van which I will take to the road in. I will live in the camper by the side of the road, until I figure out how to begin my sailing adventure. So with this in mind what is the best way of using £30,000 to make my dream a reality? Here are some of the things I am grappling with:
1) Should I use a good chunk of this money to sign up to formal sailing courses and take exams etc? The problem is that will leave me with very little money to then buy a boat. Also I am not sure if it is really necessary, as I have read some blogs of others who have sailed on much smaller budgets than mine, and with no formal training at all. One idea others have suggested is crewing for others to gain experience, but to be fair I am quite anti social (actually I am on the Autistic spectrum) and like my own company too much! That's one of the big attractions for me with sailing , is being totally on my own. I actually enjoy my own company.
2) How much should I spend on the boat? I was thinking about £20,000 and keeping £10,000 back to support me when sailing (food, maintenance etc.) I am under no illusions that my savings won't go very far and at some point I will run out of money. When this happens I will quit the trip and get a regular job again. I am quite prepared for that and just want to make my dream a reality and see how far my money will take me.
3) I am looking for a Monohull and would ideally like a Bilge Keel, so I can rest the boat on the sand and save on marina charges during the trip. Not sure what boats people would recommend within my budget? A few names I have seen others recommend are Centaur and Colvic when on a budget.
Like I say, I don't have any experience of sailing, and my only boating experience was when I rented and lived on a river boat when I was at university 20 years ago. My maintenance / DIY skills are basic, although I do have some mechanical experience of rebuilding engines / gearboxes on a few 4x4 vehicles I have owned in the past.
Start in Tahiti. That way, when you have sailed around the world, you will be in Tahiti.
Anchoring, on the other hand, is much safer and easier. You are not tied to certain times, you will not risk being pounded to splinters if the incoming tide brings a swell, you will not face the dilemma of whether to row or walk ashore and then be left either with no dinghy, or the hassle of dragging your dinghy across the beach/mud back to the boat. In either case you face the possibility of an inaccessible shore and trying to find somewhere suitable to climb above the tide line.
where would you rather be i think was the pointAs I recall there's a fair chance of that happening if you start in Falmouth
Out of interest what do you do with the dinghy when anchored if not using a marina / secure place to keep it? Is theft not a concern leaving it on the shore if going for a walk / going to get food etc? I know you could find some way of chaining it, but some places / countries have a particularly bad theft problem. Actually I was reading a blog of a couple that had their dinghy stolen mid trip.
Maybe an option would be to use something like an inflatable as a dinghy, which you could carry with you. It would also have the advantage of easy storage. I have a Sevylor Riviera inflatable that is great on rivers. I have used it on the sea, but only in perfect conditions when the sea is like a pond. Therefore I don't think it would be practical to use as the only means of getting on and off the boat when not using marinas.
so in the course of one week you have been talked into from sailing the world to river mud plugging in a tiny boat and decamping back into your trusty camper van ,,, thats a pity .
i was not picking at you specifically , a few other people have also advised on that type of thing ,,,,, i actually advised him that i had ( seemingly ) the perfect solution to his "op " of " sailing the world " ( no personal involvment , just something i know of ) , offered him to PM me , he didnt , tbh i am not sure if he is serious or if it is just a wind up .I don't think it's an either-or, or at least that wasn't what I was suggesting. The OP doesn't know how to sail, has a fixed budget, and wants to get started immediately. He was talked into buying a dinghy so that he could learn to sail over the winter, as it's realistically too late this year to set off in a yacht given the need to find one, fix it up, and learn to sail it. Buying a yacht abroad would make a great deal of sense of course.
I just suggested a dinghy with a lid might be a lot of fun, they are pretty cheap and offer a lot more cruising potential for very little extra cost and hassle. All very valuable experience before upgrading to a bigger cruising yacht.
No dinghy of any size and durability that is realistically worth using as a tender is going to be small enough and light enough to deflate and carry around.Out of interest what do you do with the dinghy when anchored if not using a marina / secure place to keep it? Is theft not a concern leaving it on the shore if going for a walk / going to get food etc? I know you could find some way of chaining it, but some places / countries have a particularly bad theft problem. Actually I was reading a blog of a couple that had their dinghy stolen mid trip.
Maybe an option would be to use something like an inflatable as a dinghy, which you could carry with you. It would also have the advantage of easy storage. I have a Sevylor Riviera inflatable that is great on rivers. I have used it on the sea, but only in perfect conditions when the sea is like a pond. Therefore I don't think it would be practical to use as the only means of getting on and off the boat when not using marinas.
so in the course of one week you have been talked into from sailing the world to river mud plugging in a tiny boat and decamping back into your trusty camper van ,,, thats a pity .
I think that is the right decision , but you have to keep up some standards ie clean clothes showering or you will be classed as a tramp.I have not been talked out of anything. I asked about the best way forward, and given my budget and lack of experience, the consensus seems to be that a dinghy or Micro Cruiser is the way to go. I have to start somewhere and it seems a good starting place with minimal initial cost. It's something I can also do straight away. I don't think there is any lack of ambition on my part. I have already started taking positive steps (such as giving my tenancy up) to ensure that my savings are preserved. Spending a few days a week in a camper and a few days a week on a boat will also allow me to try the lifestyle out with zero financial risk.
Cherod you should not be saying its easy , go for it its some ones life here .first off,,, good luck with whatever you choose
but ,, river plugging for a few days and decamping back into you bolthole camper van is nothing like and will hardly give you a minimum nor basic idea of what living and travelling / cruising on a decent sizes boat is like . Your budget is fine for a few years on a decent boat , managed properly / frugally , after that is up to you ... you mention " lack of experience " ,, what is it that makes you think the boaty thing is a good idea or for you ? i would imagine you must have had some experience along the way to kindle some interest ,,,, so just get a decent boat and go and do it ,, it is not that hard !! enjoy ,,,,,,,,,,,,, and as i said before, i know of a seemingly excellent " turn key " opportunity which could be perfect for you ( tho may not still be available ) . if you want details then PM me ,, btw,, i have absolutely no connection , involvement nor interest , i just know about it ,,,
I am not quite sure what you mean by that , if i wanted to finish where i am starting then i wouldnt bother startingTo put it simply, you start where you intend to finish.
Do not let your own limitations limit those of othersCherod you should not be saying its easy , go for it its some ones life here .