FullCircle
Well-known member
Not telling, but it ain't far from me......
Midlife Crisis? More lifelong dream/madness
- Thread starter Snickers
- Start date
Not telling, but it ain't far from me......
laika
Well-known member
Ah...then presumably it's very selective in its admissions policy. And I don't know where you are, although I do believe the one time I met you it was over a curry...
greggron
Well-known member
pm sent
Snickers
New member
Thanks for the PM - I'll send a reply a bit later when I've stopped *cough* working! Am discovering that this boating lark, and indeed moreover this forum seems to be distracting me from work already... oops!
Angele
Active member
Thinking about it, your black lab might be a bit of a limiting factor when it comes to sailing on any boat other than your own (where you set the rules on pets on board). It almost certainly won't be possible to have a dog on board for a Comp Crew/Day Skipper corse run by a sailing school. I suspect many charter companies are reluctant to allow you to take your dog on their boat, so you may have to think carefully about this.
I suspect most of the dog owners here, who take their canine companions with them whilst sailing, have their own boats (or, possibly, canine loving boat owning friends). Anyone out there with experience of taking their dog on a sea school/charter boat?
If not, then I can see you buying a boat relatively quickly. Before you do, though, make sure your hound is as much of a sea dog as you. They don't all take to it well.
Edit: Just checked the charter conditions of the largest charter company in my marina and it contains this provision:
I suspect most of the dog owners here, who take their canine companions with them whilst sailing, have their own boats (or, possibly, canine loving boat owning friends). Anyone out there with experience of taking their dog on a sea school/charter boat?
If not, then I can see you buying a boat relatively quickly. Before you do, though, make sure your hound is as much of a sea dog as you. They don't all take to it well.
Edit: Just checked the charter conditions of the largest charter company in my marina and it contains this provision:
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Snickers
New member
Thanks for this - although it's not an absolute prerequisite to take him sailing at all (we have some very nice friends/rellies who will happily look after the dogs) it would be great to be able to take him (if he likes it, of course!) and even if not for a sail, then to give him a weekend away with different surroundings if we were just pottering on the boat.
I don't think I would ever want to impose him on anyone else's boat, even if they were happy for him to come along - I wouldn't relax knowing he could do a bit of damage at any time. If he damages a boat I own then that's a different matter. If you own a dog then you accept they shed, scratch stuff, chew, and don't view the world around them and your possessions in the same way that you do..
Angele
Active member
I guess it will depend on how long you are happy to leave him with friends.
Initially, you'll probably find yourself sailing for the day or the weekend. But, if you really like it, this might extend to a whole week, or longer......
Initially, you'll probably find yourself sailing for the day or the weekend. But, if you really like it, this might extend to a whole week, or longer......
Snickers
New member
We have two dogs - other one is a Bassett - they keep each other company very well, and we have left them with family for a week or so, they were fine and settled into a routine quickly. We have the family stay a lot (and friends as well) and so they stay here at home with others and are quite relaxed about it.
Worse case scenario, if they hated it then I still think we would cope with up to a week away easily. In the longer term I would be happy to sail with friends and SWMBO would stay at home with the dogs, and visa versa as well from time to time. Strangely we like time away from each other as much as together, part of the formula to us working well together?
prv
Well-known member
Quite so. Just like people, some dogs enjoy sailing, some put up with it because the person they love enjoys it, and some absolutely hate it and are best left behind. You'll have to wait and see what yours makes of it.
For a larger dog like a Labrador, the steps from the cockpit to the cabin will be an issue. Although, since you don't yet have a boat, you can factor this into your purchase. Our boat would be ideal for a dog, as it has a companionway out of the stern cabin which is no more than a step for a large dog, and there's an internal passage to the rest of the boat.
Pete
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PhillM
Well-known member
I few more ideas / suggestions re charter vs owning and a compromise option:
I did my day skipper thinking I would charter. I think you mentioned that you run your own business. I do. in my case availability for days off / holidays etc changes with customer orders / cashflow / staff problems and all the usual other stuff that business life throws at me. I found having to plan weeks or months ahead simply was not going to work. Oh and then the idea od hiring a boat to sit in harbour because its blowing hell, didn't appeal to me.
I also did the maths and felt that the cost to charter was too much.
Charter boats also tend to be larger so that you get many people to share the costs. Having only done day skipper, I felt that taking control of a larger charter boat with only either my wife or a kid or too to crew, might be beyond us. Also, some (not all) of the charter companies wanted Coastal Skipper or if you were a new DS wanted to send a skipper with me. That defeated the object of the exercise.
That said I found this group http://www.gosailingassociation.co.uk/about-us.php and very nearly joined. I did speak to them and they were a very nice bunch. If I had not got my own boat project, this was one of my favoured options.
I also looked at a few time-share deals and felt they were way too expensive and restrictive.
Hope that helps.
I did my day skipper thinking I would charter. I think you mentioned that you run your own business. I do. in my case availability for days off / holidays etc changes with customer orders / cashflow / staff problems and all the usual other stuff that business life throws at me. I found having to plan weeks or months ahead simply was not going to work. Oh and then the idea od hiring a boat to sit in harbour because its blowing hell, didn't appeal to me.
I also did the maths and felt that the cost to charter was too much.
Charter boats also tend to be larger so that you get many people to share the costs. Having only done day skipper, I felt that taking control of a larger charter boat with only either my wife or a kid or too to crew, might be beyond us. Also, some (not all) of the charter companies wanted Coastal Skipper or if you were a new DS wanted to send a skipper with me. That defeated the object of the exercise.
That said I found this group http://www.gosailingassociation.co.uk/about-us.php and very nearly joined. I did speak to them and they were a very nice bunch. If I had not got my own boat project, this was one of my favoured options.
I also looked at a few time-share deals and felt they were way too expensive and restrictive.
Hope that helps.
maby
Well-known member
Sailing with a pet is always going to impose some restrictions on you, but I think that most animals can be trained to accept it. They will not like rough weather, so you need to pay more attention to forecasts when making a passage plan than you might on your own. They will want time on land for walks which perhaps forces you to break your journey into more shorter legs than you might on your own. We have friends that sail with dogs and the main problem seems to be that they are less willing than cats to accept litter trays which futher limits the length of each individual leg of your passage. Some dogs seem to be willing to do the necessary on a piece of Astroturf layed out on the deck - try to get your to accept it as soon as possible. Otherwise, you will just have to plan your trips with no leg greater than a few hours - a pain, but manageable provided you don't decide to cross the Atlantic!
Our cat is not a problem - he is perfectly happy with a litter tray and simply goes to sleep on long passages. If the weather is ok, he will sometimes pop out into the cockpit for a breath of fresh air - it was magic watching him watching a seal following the boat - he simply could not work out what kind of animal it was. We have him trained to walk on a leash and we avoid any passage of more than eight to ten hours. We take him everywhere - was at Woolverstone in the summer and he really enjoyed evening walks on the beach.
Our cat is not a problem - he is perfectly happy with a litter tray and simply goes to sleep on long passages. If the weather is ok, he will sometimes pop out into the cockpit for a breath of fresh air - it was magic watching him watching a seal following the boat - he simply could not work out what kind of animal it was. We have him trained to walk on a leash and we avoid any passage of more than eight to ten hours. We take him everywhere - was at Woolverstone in the summer and he really enjoyed evening walks on the beach.
Snickers
New member
Some really useful points here! You're right - running the business does mean that time off is unpredictable at best - often planned days off get cancelled or moved, and sometimes I have to take the time when it presents itself. I think combined with the 'bolt-hole-by-the-sea' factor means that chartering or the like is probably a non-starter. I even thought maybe a yacht-share might be a good idea, but I would need to discount this for the same reasons.
Thanks all - you're really helping to shape up a plan here!
JumbleDuck
Well-known member
Navigators sometimes get it wrong, the bottoms can fall out of wet cardboard boxes, sailing is more fun than work, families are less keen on sailing in rain than men, people with boats in their gardens are obsessed with them. I think that covers all Peyton's cartoons, but I may have missed one or two.
maby
Well-known member
I think your bigger problem with yacht share is your lack of experience. If I were considering letting someone else buy into my boat, I would want some confidence that they were not going to wreck it. There is someone in Chatham advertising for someone to take a part share in their thirty-something footer if that might be of interest to you!
Snickers
New member
Yep - I'm sure that would put most off! The biggest problem though is the fact that my free time is so unpredictable, and I couldn't commit to set times - I think this alone would make me a nightmare to share a boat with!
DavidWilb
New member
pm sent
Snickers
New member
Well, I thought I'd be taking a bit of a risk posting on here - I couldn't have been any more wrong.
I've had some superb advice and replies on here - I've also had some terrific private messages, some very kind offers and some people who have really taken their time out to respond.
Properly bowled over by the response, and beginning to think that if you are typical of the sailing community (or at least part of it) then I will be extremely comfortable and at home here.
So - publicly and on record - thank you to every one, you're a credit to the community.
Mark
I've had some superb advice and replies on here - I've also had some terrific private messages, some very kind offers and some people who have really taken their time out to respond.
Properly bowled over by the response, and beginning to think that if you are typical of the sailing community (or at least part of it) then I will be extremely comfortable and at home here.
So - publicly and on record - thank you to every one, you're a credit to the community.
Mark
Ravi
Active member
All the best in your sailing future.
I can't really add anything to the excellent advice but I can second the advice that someone gave you about doing a bit of dinghy sailing as you learn. Why? Well, amidst the domestic cooking and housekeeping of damp caravanning (yachting), the endless maintenance and the motoring with no wind, there will be those rare moments when you have a perfect breeze and you will want to enjoy your boat. You will learn more about the art of sailing on a few weekends in a dinghy than you will in years of cruising a yacht because they are so much smaller and responsive. Th British climate is not ideal for dinghy sailing but there is always the option of a Med dinghy sailing holiday where you can learn in capsize friendly warm waters. Britain in the summer (with a wet suit) is not too bad, though.
Surprisingly, the RYA Day skipper course doesn't require you to know anything more than how to put the sails up and down so you won't pick up any sailing knowledge there. Some would argue that you don't really need to know anything more than that, although there are times when knowing how to get the most out of your sails can get you out of trouble.
The other way to improve your sailing would be to crew for someone who races their yacht. It will not only teach you how to make a boat go fast but, a whole new swearing vocabulary, as well!
Good luck in your sailing and your boat purchase.
Rav.
I can't really add anything to the excellent advice but I can second the advice that someone gave you about doing a bit of dinghy sailing as you learn. Why? Well, amidst the domestic cooking and housekeeping of damp caravanning (yachting), the endless maintenance and the motoring with no wind, there will be those rare moments when you have a perfect breeze and you will want to enjoy your boat. You will learn more about the art of sailing on a few weekends in a dinghy than you will in years of cruising a yacht because they are so much smaller and responsive. Th British climate is not ideal for dinghy sailing but there is always the option of a Med dinghy sailing holiday where you can learn in capsize friendly warm waters. Britain in the summer (with a wet suit) is not too bad, though.
Surprisingly, the RYA Day skipper course doesn't require you to know anything more than how to put the sails up and down so you won't pick up any sailing knowledge there. Some would argue that you don't really need to know anything more than that, although there are times when knowing how to get the most out of your sails can get you out of trouble.
The other way to improve your sailing would be to crew for someone who races their yacht. It will not only teach you how to make a boat go fast but, a whole new swearing vocabulary, as well!
Good luck in your sailing and your boat purchase.
Rav.
onesea
Well-known member
OK Late entry here but...
My biggest suggestion is get afloat on ANYTHING you can.
If your feeling like a day or 3 away go hire a canal boat often cheap this time of year. Would get your dog used to boats your misses used to being afloat.
Do a dinghy course you will get cold and wet but you will learn something.
Hire a rowing boat,
Go punting,
Borrow a canoe,
Time afloat is what matters in gaining experience, reading books doing courses is good but any time afloat is good to. You will learn something form each experience..
Its meant to be fun enjoy it..
My biggest suggestion is get afloat on ANYTHING you can.
If your feeling like a day or 3 away go hire a canal boat often cheap this time of year. Would get your dog used to boats your misses used to being afloat.
Do a dinghy course you will get cold and wet but you will learn something.
Hire a rowing boat,
Go punting,
Borrow a canoe,
Time afloat is what matters in gaining experience, reading books doing courses is good but any time afloat is good to. You will learn something form each experience..
Its meant to be fun enjoy it..
GraemeS
Member
Go for it. I did. This is a late reply I've read the first few pages and skipped to the end. I own my own business and live in the midlands so not close to the sea. The only way I could reliably get on the water was to own my own boat. My budget was a little less than yours. I have had my boat a couple of years it’s a 29'er. The family come along too and occasionally with our springer spaniel. If I did not have my own boat I'd very rarely get to sail simply because of work. I can get away but never know when and over the years the number of cancelled breaks means that the boat is an economic solution. If we decide we can get away within two hours we are on the boat and there is nothing extra to book or pay for.
A couple of observation from my experience.
I have joined a club but because of time pressures I'm not sure we get the value out of it however the kids like eating there sometimes and it’s not expensive.
I didn't try lots of boats, time again was against me if I was to get on and do it so I read a lot and asked one or two people I know and plumbed for 3 or 4 brands and then went for what fitted the budget in best condition. (they are like babies yours will be the most beautiful - well almost)
I'd done a lot of sailing in younger life so knew I could do it but still went on a RYA course to polish up a bit and learn a bit about modern navigation kit.
We have got away from work far more now we can go at a moment’s notice which is good for the work / life balance.
Anyway ....
We love it and I don't know why I didn't do 10 years earlier.
A couple of observation from my experience.
I have joined a club but because of time pressures I'm not sure we get the value out of it however the kids like eating there sometimes and it’s not expensive.
I didn't try lots of boats, time again was against me if I was to get on and do it so I read a lot and asked one or two people I know and plumbed for 3 or 4 brands and then went for what fitted the budget in best condition. (they are like babies yours will be the most beautiful - well almost)
I'd done a lot of sailing in younger life so knew I could do it but still went on a RYA course to polish up a bit and learn a bit about modern navigation kit.
We have got away from work far more now we can go at a moment’s notice which is good for the work / life balance.
Anyway ....
We love it and I don't know why I didn't do 10 years earlier.
