Boat recommendations? (Research stage)

[Mako]

I appreciate the dream!... I agree to cross open ocean is a different type of adventure that does not interest me that much.

And as some have commented, it is a totally different boat also. The needle on the compromise-curve totally shifts towards seaworthiness and leaves behind a boat that is lacking in what 99% of the boating market wants in a power boat, including resale and marketability if a custom boat.

Anyway, do you have the passion or is it just a whim?? ANd if you don't know the answer to that question, you need to find out!!! How do you find out??? Go hang around boats. If you feel the "hook", then take it from there. Boating is a lifestyle. An excellent one in my opinion. But it is not for everyone.

Not sure if the OP is following the thread but it would be great for someone in her position to just volunteer on one of the many many boats looking for crew to cross big expanses of empty water. Free experience!

 

[ddw36]

GK, I'm speaking from my own experience, so don't feel offended when I ask a question or say things. These are issues that, looking back, I completely ignored. BTW, I lived in Greeley, CO for many years, and there had the bug to do what you want to do. I do not mean to discourage you, but as other experienced cruisers have pointed out, there are many challenges, going from novice to experienced mariner.


I'm not going to detail my experience, as it would take too much space & perhaps bore you. As I say, looking back, I should have rented a boat on Cherry Creek Reservoir, to see if I liked even being on the water! Start out small, is the word. Maybe just rent a kayak, just to get the feel of how water is different to maneuver on than dry land. Wish I'd done that.


But, no, I was going out to the East Coast, buy a 39' sailboat & set out for England! No real boating experience, just a dream from which I got out of w/ some loss of money. I bought the boat in Virginia, had work done on it in Deltaville, VA, and hired a yard worker as capt. to help me take it to New Bern, NC. Once berthed, the boat never left until I fortunately sold it after 4 mos. living aboard.



This, after much reading and prep., but no actual experience on the water. Oh, the romanticism! It was no help at all re: real experience. And, boat as much as you can so it becomes second nature handling a boat, every spare hour, so that you decide whether it's fun or not.


When you want a bigger boat, power or sail, many other items come into play, plumbing, pumps, hoses, chains, seacocks, etc., etc., etc. You have to be a jack of all trades, at least enough to get you where you can get help.



But, it all starts with finding out if you like being on the water as much of the time as you can get. After small craft, advance to larger, etc. I'm sure CC Reseroir has many experienced boaters and facilities that can help. Of course, there's the reading and I esp. recommend "Voyaging Under Power," 4th ed. from Amazon. If you still want to do it after reading the book, go for it!

 

[Pete Meisinger]

Hmmmm, Don't attempt to cross the ocean alone unless you are trying to prove something. And don't attempt it in a boat that costs less than 100K.
Buy a nice trawler for $50,000 do the Loop a couple times then rethink your dreams.

Pete

 

[nihilist]

Go with the a west coast bay boat like Hansen, Dorado, Gause, Avenger, Exuma, Aeon, Canyon Bay, etc. You'll be much better off resale and it will do everything decently well.

 

[BandB]

Go with the a west coast bay boat like Hansen, Dorado, Gause, Avenger, Exuma, Aeon, Canyon Bay, etc. You'll be much better off resale and it will do everything decently well.

Wifey B: Sparklycat aka Glitter Kitten only posted twice on March 5. Long gone I assume. So you're barking up the wrong tree.