Read a lot of books on the subject of "we went for a cruise and wrote all about it." Most are really fun to read. There is an amusing difference between the ways men and women record the voyage. Two authors worth following are: Annie Dike and Jackie Parry. I doubt they have met. When they do, I'd love to be a fly on the wall to follow their conversation.
Sometimes young folks sort of drop out to go sailing. I don't like to say "drop out" but it is in the contemporary vernacular. For example, my mom and dad were both born in 1926. They married at the end of the war and started a family, blah, blah, and then... bought a boat, sold the house, packed four kids and the dog on board to take off for two years in the Bahamas, Florida Keys and the US East Coast/ICW... in 1960. They were 34. Thanks mom and dad! I skipped 6th and 7th grade. Wow.
My mission someday when I am old is to scan in the Thetis pictures and tell the story. Meanwhile Annie and Jackie and their spouses are having the time of their lives "taking off." So much better an expression than dropping out.
Annie Dike and Philip on Plaintif's Rest
http://havewindwilltravel.com/
Jackie and Noel on ....?
http://www.noelandjackiesjourneys.com/
A superb survey of men and women about cruising by Deb Cantrell:
http://www.changingcourse.ca/index.php
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Retire and Go Sailing-Henry Holt's Book-New or Used?
New Boat versus Used Boat
Finished the book by Henry Holt of his cruise around the world. I liked it. The story starts out sort of sad and ends joyfully. His wife and he split up at the beginning. By the end he finds a new love and marries her. I hope everyone is happy.
However: the most interesting part for this writer is the new Island Packet 350 he uses for his adventure. I have sailed an IP 350 and they are nice boats... not for me, certainly for many sailors they are just the ticket. As he revealed his cruise I compared it to a similar cruise made by my friend Tim on Slick. Tim used an aged Beneteau First 37 that he refitted. At about the same place in the round the world cruise, 2/3 of the way around, both boats called out for a refit. Hmmm... Just a fact of life not about new or old at the start. I know how Tim sails and he is a gentle sailor. I can't comment on Henry's ability in any way. He didn't seem reckless. Links follow:
http://www.amazon.com/Around-World-Six-Years-circumnavigation-ebook/dp/B011PPNIRA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458855052&sr=8-1&keywords=henry+holt
http://hardlyanythingworks.com/
Finished the book by Henry Holt of his cruise around the world. I liked it. The story starts out sort of sad and ends joyfully. His wife and he split up at the beginning. By the end he finds a new love and marries her. I hope everyone is happy.
However: the most interesting part for this writer is the new Island Packet 350 he uses for his adventure. I have sailed an IP 350 and they are nice boats... not for me, certainly for many sailors they are just the ticket. As he revealed his cruise I compared it to a similar cruise made by my friend Tim on Slick. Tim used an aged Beneteau First 37 that he refitted. At about the same place in the round the world cruise, 2/3 of the way around, both boats called out for a refit. Hmmm... Just a fact of life not about new or old at the start. I know how Tim sails and he is a gentle sailor. I can't comment on Henry's ability in any way. He didn't seem reckless. Links follow:
http://www.amazon.com/Around-World-Six-Years-circumnavigation-ebook/dp/B011PPNIRA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458855052&sr=8-1&keywords=henry+holt
http://hardlyanythingworks.com/
Sunday, January 17, 2016
Voyaging the House- How Big is the Boat?
Happened upon a classic cruising design hauled out at Stage Harbor Marine for the winter. It is a good example of a heavy displacement cruiser. It is a good example of the size-of-boat discussion. How does boat size get measured or presented? Obviously, all 33 footers aren't the same so how do we describe the difference?
Also have pictures of similar length boats. The point is, length over all (LOA) is not a very complete picture of a yacht's size. Displacement is a better measure. Length on the waterline (LWL) is another good metric since it is a rough indication of the amount of floor space available inside. LWL is also a measure of speed potential over the long haul. Boats with similar waterline lengths arrive at similar times when making passages.
Three views of boats showing the role of displacement in yacht "size." Note beam and underwater volume. The "shorter" 32 footer has more boat in the water than the longer 33 and 34 footers that follow in pictures. The 32 is actually, a bigger boat in many regards.
A Southern Cross 32 is a canoe stern yacht design with a purposely small cockpit for the small crew most likely to voyage the yacht. The Peterson 34 has much more deck space and cockpit space to accommodate a large racing crew. An Aphrodite falls somewhere in the middle being small, a full size crew is just crowded and uncomfortable. As a double handed sailor, the Aphrodite is very comfortable. Being a light boat, there is little room below for more than two persons at a time.
Also have pictures of similar length boats. The point is, length over all (LOA) is not a very complete picture of a yacht's size. Displacement is a better measure. Length on the waterline (LWL) is another good metric since it is a rough indication of the amount of floor space available inside. LWL is also a measure of speed potential over the long haul. Boats with similar waterline lengths arrive at similar times when making passages.
Three views of boats showing the role of displacement in yacht "size." Note beam and underwater volume. The "shorter" 32 footer has more boat in the water than the longer 33 and 34 footers that follow in pictures. The 32 is actually, a bigger boat in many regards.
Southern Cross 32
LOA 32.3, LWL 25.4, Disp 11400 lbs, SA 524 sq ft
Aphrodite 101
LOA 32.6, LWL 26.2, Disp 6200 lbs, SA 436 sq ft
Peterson 34
LOA 33.9, LWL 28.3, Disp 10800 lbs, SA 565 sq ft
A Southern Cross 32 is a canoe stern yacht design with a purposely small cockpit for the small crew most likely to voyage the yacht. The Peterson 34 has much more deck space and cockpit space to accommodate a large racing crew. An Aphrodite falls somewhere in the middle being small, a full size crew is just crowded and uncomfortable. As a double handed sailor, the Aphrodite is very comfortable. Being a light boat, there is little room below for more than two persons at a time.
Thursday, January 14, 2016
Retire and Go Sailing-Lifestyle Objective
What is the objective? Gardening? Birdwatching? Entertaining? Golf? Obvious questions with obvious answers. Boats and voyaging offer access to various objectives. Voyagers visit gardens around the world but don't garden per se. And so on...
Big boat or little boat?
Marina or Anchor
Big house or little house?
Beachfront or Remote
Total Cost of ownership. Time and money required to maintain ownership. It is always about time and money.
Well regarded sailing and voyaging writer, Fatty Goodlander observes that it costs about $2K a month to operate a yacht on a world cruise. (Fatty is frugal but not a skin flint.) He points out that you can do it for $1,800/month and the cost is maintenance of the yacht. The implication is that the savings in cash is less than the loss of value. Houses and boats, same business model.
The things we feel are "required" govern how much we spend and how/where we go. Motor yachts and waterfront homes are beautiful and comfortable. They come with different limitations from the limitations of the remote anchorages and small boats. It is all just a choice. What is the retirement objective?
Big boat or little boat?
Marina or Anchor
Big house or little house?
Beachfront or Remote
Total Cost of ownership. Time and money required to maintain ownership. It is always about time and money.
Well regarded sailing and voyaging writer, Fatty Goodlander observes that it costs about $2K a month to operate a yacht on a world cruise. (Fatty is frugal but not a skin flint.) He points out that you can do it for $1,800/month and the cost is maintenance of the yacht. The implication is that the savings in cash is less than the loss of value. Houses and boats, same business model.
The things we feel are "required" govern how much we spend and how/where we go. Motor yachts and waterfront homes are beautiful and comfortable. They come with different limitations from the limitations of the remote anchorages and small boats. It is all just a choice. What is the retirement objective?
Marina in Coinjock is popular with some. A must visit stop on the ICW trip. Not too far away is a quiet anchorage. You will miss the festive crowd, showers, prime rib dinner and travelling circus.
New Bern waterfront house. Perfect for house parties and kids, grandkids and all their friends. Fun stuff not to be trivialized. I love the lawn of yellow flowers. Gardens plus birdwatching?
Scene of a quiet anchorage along the ICW in North Carolina. Birdwatching?
A Peterson 34 I just happen to like. Simple to sail and own. Long legs.
Monday, January 11, 2016
Voyaging the House-Stormy Weather
It blew like stink for a few days and I never once had to get up and check the dock lines or anchors.
Breakwater at Sesuit Harbor on the north shore of Cape Cod in the Town of Dennis.
Back in the Rumor days, we entered St Martin's Simpson Bay Lagoon and motored over to an anchorage between Grand Islet and Witches' Tit. It was going to blow and I wanted as quiet a place as possible. We set two anchors much to the complaining of my crew. That night it blew and boats all around us dragged. My crew, young son Andrew, said, "Good move dad with two anchors."
Today, the after-storm work is to pick up some deadfall around the property and go back to work on the house.
Tuesday, January 5, 2016
Voyaging the House-Boats and Costs
This web site has a good summary of the cost of preparing to cruise and cruising. The yacht Sundowner is a Westsail 32, 19,000 lbs displacement. By comparison, the Aphrodite 101, also 32 feet long, is 7,000 lbs displacement.
This site is well organized. http://sundownersailsagain.com/costs/ Sail on Sundowner!
Inspires one to wonder just how to accomplish a voyage aboard a much smaller boat. All of the earliest voyaging yachts were pretty small. Captain and Mrs Crapo sailed TransAtlantic on a 20 foot whaleboat, "Centennial" Johnson on a 20 foot dory, and then the Rob Roy story of a 20 foot yawl. Tillicum, a log canoe sailed by the Venturesome Captain Voss went around the world in a 38 footer that was pretty narrow. Slocum's Spray was 38 feet.
In the modern era we have small boats sailed by Lin and Larry Pardy, Patrick Ellam and Colin Mudie, Shane Acton, Chay Blythe, and John Guzzwell, to name only a few.
Interesting voyages are made on small boats.
This site is well organized. http://sundownersailsagain.com/costs/ Sail on Sundowner!
Inspires one to wonder just how to accomplish a voyage aboard a much smaller boat. All of the earliest voyaging yachts were pretty small. Captain and Mrs Crapo sailed TransAtlantic on a 20 foot whaleboat, "Centennial" Johnson on a 20 foot dory, and then the Rob Roy story of a 20 foot yawl. Tillicum, a log canoe sailed by the Venturesome Captain Voss went around the world in a 38 footer that was pretty narrow. Slocum's Spray was 38 feet.
In the modern era we have small boats sailed by Lin and Larry Pardy, Patrick Ellam and Colin Mudie, Shane Acton, Chay Blythe, and John Guzzwell, to name only a few.
Interesting voyages are made on small boats.
Averisera, idle on Cape Cod
Monday, January 4, 2016
Retire and Go Sailing-Static vs Dynamic
In a house, one is static. Life moves past one in the form of visitors and seasons. Travel, of course, is dynamic. It is secondary to the static life at home.
On a voyaging yacht, life is dynamic. One moves dynamically from place to place viewing the place as a static event. Stay long enough in one harbor and the situation changes to mimic housing.
On a voyaging yacht, life is dynamic. One moves dynamically from place to place viewing the place as a static event. Stay long enough in one harbor and the situation changes to mimic housing.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)