Need some advice

Discussion in 'Sailboats' started by Warrior Bear, Aug 14, 2016.

  1. Warrior Bear
    Joined: Aug 2016
    Posts: 1
    Likes: 0, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: Israel

    Warrior Bear New Member

    Hey, so a quick intro so you know the background. As a kid, I spent a lot of time on boats. As an adult I continued taking a boat ride whenever I could.
    After a lot of though I decided to do something important. I lost my dad when I was 8 (26 years ago) and I remember that in his backyard he had been working on a boat that needed to be refit (from A-Z pretty much).
    I inherited his handiness when it comes to fixing stuff and since I love boats I decided that in his memory, I would find a boat that needs work and get to it. Keep in mind, I would be learning from day one since this is my first time.
    I joined this forum to be able to get some advice since I have no one to ask.
    So... keeping in mind the following:
    1 - my finances took a hit recently so I will be doing as much of the work as possible
    2 - Even if I find a boat cheap I still need to get it over here (still looking for the cheapest way to do that)
    3 - ultimately, I'd like to be able to take it for travels and live on it for a while (as I get closer to the age my dad died, the less I want to put off this dream)
    Knowing this, where do you guys recommend I look? What should I be looking for? Any advice? Tips? Comments?
    And please... this is really important to me, so try to be nice (I felt I needed to say that since I know on forums sometimes people allow themselves to show their darker side).
    And thank you!
     
  2. gggGuest
    Joined: Feb 2005
    Posts: 865
    Likes: 38, Points: 28, Legacy Rep: 76
    Location: UK

    gggGuest ...

    My number one bit of advice would be to start small. If you're going to get a boat that's big enough to live on you'll also need a tender for it, so find a small boat that needs fixing up and start with that. You'll soon find out whether you enjoy the various peculiarities of working on boats and start getting the feel for them, you won't be into much money for materials and things for the first go round, and yet none of the effort will be wasted 'cause you'll need it when you finish the big project.
     
  3. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
    Posts: 19,126
    Likes: 498, Points: 93, Legacy Rep: 3967
    Location: Eustis, FL

    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    Welcome to the forum.

    The first thing you need to do is honestly assess what you'll do with the boat. If strictly a liveaboard, you don't need much more than a roof, with a toilet. This doesn't need propulsion, steering or any of the usual attributes of a boat.

    If on the other hand, you'd like to travel the world aboard your home, you need a real boat, which can be sail or power or both. What percentage of cruising will you do, how deep is the waters you'll be in, etc.

    There are a lot of things that determine what type, size and how equipped a boat might need to be. Look and see what's available in your area, though this is the costly way (brokers), so the best thing is to travel down to each local marina along the coast and have a look at what is stuffed along the back fence of the yard. These will be the boats that the owner have lost interest in and the yard wants them to go away, for real paying customers. You can get these yachts for a song.
     

  4. BobBill
    Joined: Oct 2009
    Posts: 873
    Likes: 25, Points: 28, Legacy Rep: 157
    Location: Minnesotan wakes up daily, in SE MN, a good start,

    BobBill Senior Member

    Par is tops. If it were me, in your location, I might look at smallish outrigger, simple to build and sail. Above all keep it simple. Sailboat, all boats, have a way of becoming complicated no matter what. Keep us posted?
     
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