Need some guidance for the turning leaf.

Fourth career at 22 and you want advise form us!!! I think there is people here need advice from you. At 22 your something very special.

Is that more in line with the words you were looking for?

When I was 30 I could not believe how dumb I was at 20.

When I was 40 I could not believe how dumb I was at 30.

When I was 50 ---get the picture, and it never ends.

In other word never try to fool an older guy.

 

Frosty, I don't value your opinion, nor am I ignorant to the fact that I have character flaws. You are in no way beneficial to my presence here. Apparently I can't stop you from posting here, but I can ignore you.

Pierzga:
On that note, I do need a boat for travel between the US and Bocas. Any recommendation for a Caribbean cruiser with a small cabin? And what price range are we talking?

 

You have started a thread on an international forum asking for advice.My advice is what you asked for.

You do not have the ability to chooses who posts.

Now we have peeled back the false crap we can see what you want and who you are.

Good luck in finding that / what ever it is you want here.

Frosty Out

 

I have no idea. The sailing in the Caribbean is fantastic. When I go to the Caribbean I like to participate regattas.

Some folks like to anchor, drink beer and get stoned.

You really need to outline your needs better.

By the way...The caribbean is a good place to pick up boats cheap. Some folks drink and dope themselves into a purple haze , then need cash to get back on an even keel. When a boat falls on hard times in the Caribbean it is very expensive to fly in the parts needed to bring it back to life.

Many times Hurricane damage boats are loaded onto barges and shipped to Columbia for refit

 

I'd assume around 26' would fit the bill. I have an inexplicable love for catamarans, maybe I watched water world too early in life... It would have to be solar with a back-up diesel, and I'd need something I could run around in by myself without a winch. The goal is to dart back and forth from the US gulf coast to Panama. It would also be used for temporary housing for about 3 months.

 

what "either field"? I have worked as an automechnic, paid for collage that way, and still do occational side repairs for people in need, plus maintaining our family cars. I have worked as an engineer in automotive, consumer products, aerospace, and civil/construction engineering feilds. As a consultant I have worked in all as well, and have done a fair amount of marine engineering. Most of the reliable work is in land based construction. I have also built or rebuilt some 17 or 18 small boats starting when I was twelve. I have done some club racing and crewed on larger yachts. I have never made my living as a boat designer, there are too many out there now that are unemployed, but I have been around it most of my life. Some day I would like to take a few years off to sail around the south pacific, but not any time soon. I had wanted to build by own boat to do it, but realize now that is not a good way to go. I will continue to design and build small sailing dingys because it is a fun, creative and inexpensive activity. Building an ocean going cruising yacht is another matter, and one likely I would not finish if I start. So I am keeping my eyes open for a good deal on a suitable cu riser for my future plans.

 

I'm glad to have your advice. My apologies for prying but it's good to know that you've been involved in both fields, adds perspective to your words. Right now I'm leaning towards design as it can be learned at home and as I work my current job. Your post is solidifying the idea that schooling in boat building would likely not be viable if I intend to move to South America in 2015, at least not if I want any involvement in the building process of my boat.

 

I have always been a "hands-on" type of engineer. I forgot to mention I also designed and built by own house, my septic system, as well as a lot of other physically demanding projects. It is more efficient to hire an expert to do those things you do not do well. But I also know that where ever I go when I travel, that few appreciate an engineering recommendation when I am trying to be helpful, but most will be grateful if I can actually do something to help out with a problem (like fixing a car, repairing plumbing, getting a compturer to work properly, etc.).

 

What do you do for a living, if I may? What are these careers you've managed to forge for yourself thus far?

I ask because I'm currently 21 y/o, and I share your dream, but I'm at a standstill. My life has taken a very different course it seems, a much less successful one, in just about every way from yours... so it's not as if we're really in very similar positions. I didn't finish high school either, but I did regrettably begin college in what would have been my senior year of high school, and wasted the subsequent years in and out of college, and have done nothing at all to speak of this whole past year. But I'm interested as to how you have worked things out for yourself.

By the way, a catamaran is my ideal, as well. In fact, I'm about to migrate south and explore potential seafaring/sailing/boating/catamaran connections -- something I should have done a long-*** time ago, considering it's my life-long dream to have a cozy vessel of my own.

As of now I have nothing to offer you in terms of advice, but I'll let you know if anything comes up, as you seem particularly well-deserving of the info and opportunity. Best of luck, RY.

 

welcome to the forum Cilla,

this is an old thread and the original poster has not been active on the forum in quite a while.

with diligence and focus, many career paths are open to you. However, in your short post you have indicated you have neither. You need to do a careful and realistic self examination about yourself, and why you did not even completed high school. There might be good reasons for it, only you would know, but usually this kind of poor record of indecisive and incomplete actions at your age does not change for the rest of your life. So if you really want to accomplish something worthwhile you need to get everything else in your life in order, and change or get rid of everything that is keeping you from your goals.

I am not being critical of you, just making an observation. Pick a career or goal, and arrange everything in your life to achieve that goal, or you will never reach it. It does not mean you can not change it later, or you might find some new attractive opportunity along the way, but do everything in life deliberatly and with intention of a long term plan, rather than just bumping along with what ever looks good at the moment.

Good luck.

 

Petros: Thank you for that; I realize the things you've pointed out, and I know also exactly why I didn't finish high school, and why it wasn't worth it to bust my *** once it was too late, for high school, which is completely worthless at that point. And I realized how late I was to the party after posting, whoops.. It still doesn't hurt to ask.

College was sort of the "long-term plan" idea, though. I know exactly how I got to this point, and I wish now that I'd done things differently. I appreciate the input nonetheless.

 

It may be interesting to see what some others have done; A good friend of mine has an interesting website: http://www.tayvaughan.com/