CreekySteve
New Member
Getting some tasters is the way to go. I'm going to put some feelers out with local clubs.
When I was talking about sailing boats with engines I meant motorsailers like the Nauticats and Fishers. They seem a like a good, comfortable, economical option, but there are a lot of negative opinions about owning one as being neither one thing or another, and not very good at either. I just liked the look of them - good and solid with some decent space inside. And with a pilothouse.
The rest of this you might not want to read - it's a bit of a stream of consciousness, so please feel free not to bother. I won't be offended.
I was watching a vlog last night by a couple of Welsh brothers who recently bought a Prout cat, and I was hooked by the idea of sailing... Then I watched a detailed video of how to use a genoa, and all of those lines and having to rig them, and then getting the sail out and putting everything away again afterwards, and it made me realise that it's not going to be for me as a solo boater. I mean, I love the whole ethic, economy and theory of sailing, but I suspect that learning to manage the physical sails along with developing good navigation and boating skills involves a pretty steep learning curve. I definitely need to try before I buy, and maybe compromise on what I can do, and where I can go. I've recognised that one of my main critereas for a suitabe living space is that I can cook proper meals enjoyably, and carry my small collection of guitars with me.
I've been thinking about costs, and at my stage in life, and with no one I feel particularly obliged to provide a legacy for, I'm coming round to the idea of realising my capital, and then investing it in a way that allows me to gradually draw it down if I need to, to enjoy the last active part of my life - finally fulfilling some ambitions. I doubt reality will exactly meet expectations, but that's life. The upshot being that I only need to be able to afford the costs of owning, travelling and living on a boat, rather than have to completely minimise those costs. Frugal's fun, but only to the point of not having to worry about running out of cash.
Talking on here has helped me understand that I'm looking for the freedom to just up sticks when I fancy, more than satisfying a driving passion for the physical mechanics or method of how I achieve that. I mean, I do love boats, and being on the water, and always have done. I'm just not so good at close quarters living with others - especially not for long periods of time. So that, combined with a lack of money, has limited my opportunities to try life at sea. I loved living out of the back of an old Citroen BX in a field in Avranches for half a year... and traipsing around India and Nepal when I was young with no plan at all. I enjoyed spending a couple of years living in a Mercedes van in a remote part of the Scottish borders, or a winter living in a goat shed in the hills around Aubusson. I just have a yearning now to experience travelling by water more intimately, but with the security of my own living space too. I did live by a surfing beach in Cornwall and taught myself to surf when I was in my thirties, but an accident put paid to that. Then I happened to pass a loch in Scotland where the sailing club was offering free dinghy lessons. Next thing I knew I was the proud owner of an old Lazer tearing around the loch in the weekly races. Then events stopped that. I know I don't want to drive any more - it's just too busy and I don't want to be sneaking around looking for free stopovers or pay for expensive, boring campsites. Water life is my final frontier, and I fancy boldly going there.
If you have read all of the above,, and you're annoyed that I've taken your time up, then please accept my apologies - but I did warn you.
Love and peace
