potter yachter endeavoring to sail with the wife

I have sailed a West Wight Potter 19, for nigh on twenty years. Now I'm closing on retirement. I want to sail the great loop, and down the Caribbean Archipelago. I also don't want to do it alone, want to take the wife who is from some fancy place out west. Camping for her is when she goes to a hotel without room service.

So I'm planning to upgrade, to something motorized, roomier and more comfortable than a Potter.

Seeking guidance, hope to find a boat acceptable to her I can afford. I'd like to get a trailerable, although that may not be big enough. We had an Ericson 32 when we lived in Antigua, she like it but thought it a little cramped.

She says our budget will be $50,000 US. I'm thinking of Used rather than new.

I know about buying cheap and all that entails, I once bought a boat in Guam, after looking at it for five minutes. I found the motor wasn't working and finding a replacement while in Guam was going to be expensive. Fortunately I sold it quickly to some other poor soul.

So here I am, thanks for having me.

New would likely cost a half-million or so. Fifty K will get you an expensive work project.

Greetings,
Welcome aboard. "I'm thinking of Used rather than new." Good plan.

Sailing with wife

markpierce said:

New would likely cost a half-million or so. Fifty K will get you an expensive work project.

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Yes I've read the horror stories, seen the sad unfinished projects. I know whats comming.

My Potter, I bought new, since it was the least expensive sail boat with a cabin I could find $13,000 in 1997. Now they go for 24-28K.

But I don't want to sell the house or get a huge mortgage.

I've already bought two old sail boats. I needed to overhaul the motor on the Ericson, but didn't...came to regret it. I did however arrive safely in the States sailing her from Antigua.

The Japanese boat in Guam, well I didn't get the time to fix her.

The problem will be finding a good condition older boat on a trailer in my target price range. But I have a little time before I can buy so I'll be careful.

In the meantime I'll sail the Potter. Outboard motor, sails fine in 2 knots of wind up to about 25 knots.

Buy her a silk hammock and just go...

There's Willard Vega 30 Horizon for sale in Rockport TX, on craigslist and ebay current bid is $1,250. Since its 15,000 lbs, this brings to mind the need for a tow vehicle. Should I buy that now, then I'll be ready to get the boat when I've found her.
Ford 350 $56,000 new (ouch)! Is it OK to get one used, but then they're likely to be VERY used. My first vehicle was a commercial Van with 120K miles on it. Had to overhaul the engine, lost a bearing driving from Texas to Chicago mmmm.

Greetings,
Mr. 88. MY advice is buy the boat then the vehicle. If you acquire a boat and haven't a vehicle yet and you need to tow it, you can always rent a tow vehicle. There are a LOT more trucks around than boats especially YOUR boat. Cart before the horse etc...

$50,000 for gassers can get you a useable used boat up to about 38 ft like an older Carver, Bayliner and Tollycraft.

In diesel, you can get up to about 34 ft for the more affordable models like CHB and other Taiwan trawlers and Californians (US built). My 34 Californian with twin diesels, 2 staterooms, single head with separate shower would probably sell for $40-50,000 today in turnkey condition.

For very general planning purposes, figure on $10K per year to insure, store, operate, repair and slowly improve. The first couple years may very well be more, depending on condition and upgrades needed.

Hmmmm.... If it were me I'd trade in the wife and then buy whatever boat that strikes my fancy. Just Sayin'

Diesel Duck 492 said:

Hmmmm.... If it were me I'd trade in the wife and then buy whatever boat that strikes my fancy. Just Sayin'

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We thought you already used your wife as the down payment on a duck!

Donsan said:

We thought you already used your wife as the down payment on a duck!

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Not married... and I plan to keep it that way for the foreseeable future. Plenty of sand on the beach for me to enjoy a great life without being married!

Diesel Duck 492 said:

Not married... and I plan to keep it that way for the foreseeable future. Plenty of sand on the beach for me to enjoy a great life without being married!

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Yeah, with an attitude like that its no surprised. I had a job in Antigua once, and an Ericson 32. Wanting to avoid any possibility of a hurricane, I decided I sail back to the US in February. Unfortunately I was laid off in October.

I sent the wife and kid back to the states, since they don't sail well. I remember that Christmas and new years on the boat alone not a happy one. It was nice that I was on my boat, sleeping in the marina each night, but sad that I wasn't with my family.

I left her, for a while to take a job in Guam, when that didn't work out I came back, mostly because I missed my wife. Hence I've decided to stick with her for a little longer and try to find a way to accommodate her while still getting what I want, to be on the water and seeing as much of the world as I can with my wife in my boat.

tbodine88 said:

Yeah, with an attitude like that its no surprised. I had a job in Antigua once, and an Ericson 32. Wanting to avoid any possibility of a hurricane, I decided I sail back to the US in February. Unfortunately I was laid off in October.

I sent the wife and kid back to the states, since they don't sail well. I remember that Christmas and new years on the boat alone not a happy one. It was nice that I was on my boat, sleeping in the marina each night, but sad that I wasn't with my family.

I left her, for a while to take a job in Guam, when that didn't work out I came back, mostly because I missed my wife. Hence I've decided to stick with her for a little longer and try to find a way to accommodate her while still getting what I want, to be on the water and seeing as much of the world as I can with my wife in my boat.

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It appears you missed the big grin emoticon D) at the end of my first comment (#9) in this thread. My comment was meant to be humorous and not taken seriously.

If you have not already done so you might want to read over a recent thread in General Discussion called Best Value in a Trailerable Trawler. There are a number of posts in that thread that might help you put together a list of potential candidates.

Diesel Duck 492 said:

It appears you missed the big grin emoticon D) at the end of my first comment (#9) in this thread. My comment was meant to be humorous and not taken seriously.

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Sorry for being so insensitive. The only one I really understand is the

I have thought of just chucking it all. Leaving her and getting on the potter and sailing off, but the fact that I'd miss her and all she does for me and the pleasures of doing for her, is what keeps me here.

I will try to be less sensitive in the future. These posts live forever, you know.

Thanks for all the good advice.

BTW she was looking at 60 footers last night, two showers and staterooms, OH LORD!

The hassle is wanting to do two very different trips with the SAME boat.

The loop can be run in most anything you can be comfortable on , a 25 ft outboard or IO with a cabin that suits you would be fine.Should cost $5,000 or less not $50,000

A sailboat will require a tiny mast or it talen down which sucks.

Docking a 30ft boat with a 40 ft mast in 100 locks is asling for problems.

Finish the loop in FL, your old IO wont be worth much as up north , but the sailboat to run the Carib will be quite cheap, perhaps 1/2 of its northern price.

Florida Mariner is on line , look at the prices. A fine 40 fter should have the room and speed for the trip , and there are some in the $25,000 range.

FF said:

A sailboat will require a tiny mast or it taken down which sucks.

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I was looking at motor sailers, thinking I like the idea, but the boat would need to have a tabernacle and a electric winch up forward for raising and lowering the mast as well as the anchor.

Something like this:

FF said:

Docking a 30ft boat with a 40 ft mast in 100 locks is asking for problems.

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I motored my Ericson through the Florida canal system and Lake OkeeChobee, I had little problem. The only hassle was the bridges.

But thanks

You should look into a 34' Marine Trader. Plenty were made and they are available in any condition and price range. It will feel like a palace compared to a Potter. It will also feel nice when you dock her and walk back into your house. Good luck!

alormaria said:

It will also feel nice when you dock her and walk back into your house. Good luck!

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I'm sure the wife would like their looks, but the 11.5 foot beam would require me to get a load permit ($210.00 in Texas cheaper than marina rent, but daunting all the same) whenever I move it from the house to the water, not to mention the height would mean I couldn't drive under any bridges on the way to the water, which is doable to the Lake but to the Intracostal, OH BOY.

Since I don't want to ask her to give up her house, I'm really looking for something I can park in my back yard,up to thirty feet and no higher than 14' on the trailer, that I can pull with maybe a F350. But I also want not to feel too much like camping when on the water.

But thanks for the advice, that is a beautiful boat.

tbodine88 said:

Since I don't want to ask her to give up her house, I'm really looking for something I can park in my back yard,up to thirty feet and no higher than 14' on the trailer, that I can pull with maybe a F350. But I also want not to feel too much like camping when on the water.

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Anything you can trailer will likely feel like camping. Sounds like she won't be happy with that scenario. As suggested, look at larger boats...Plenty out there in your range in various conditions...

Heron said:

Anything you can trailer will likely feel like camping. Sounds like she won't be happy with that scenario.

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Well actually another option is to buy a camper and do the Good sam club type camping.

I was pleasantly surprised last year, when I rented a camper. The wife, myself and the two dogs took a little weekend trip and She had a lot of fun. I took her shopping at some thrift stores, her favorite kind.

We plan to visit the Houston Boat show in January, and try some trawlers on for size

tbodine88 said:

I have thought of just chucking it all. Leaving her and getting on the potter and sailing off, but the fact that I'd miss her and all she does for me and the pleasures of doing for her, is what keeps me here.

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Then there is the little matter of the wedding vow.

"... for better or worse, unless it proves inconvenient..."

dhays said:

Then there is the little matter of the wedding vow.

"... for better or worse, unless it proves inconvenient..."

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We didn't take that vow, since we wrote our own vows, which I have forgotten. I'm sticking with her as I am a romantic. I need her and she seems to want me around.

I'm not going to suggest a particular brand, but maybe a change in your tactics. Take her to marinas and boat shows and look at a LOT of boats. Have her tell you what she likes and dislikes about each one. Pretty soon she'll realize that if she really wants a boat with more "likes" than "dislikes", she's probably going to have to step up with her $50K spending limit.


At least at that point it will be HER decision not yours. Remember......


....."If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody gonna be happy!"

We tow an Albin-25 (no sail rig) with an old 1993 Dodge 250 Diesel. It cost $7000 7 years ago. The Cummins engine is bullet proof. The rest of the truck does cost significant $$$ for maintenance, but that is to be expected. A newer truck chassis with essentially the same motor would cost several times $7000.


I love that Dutch barge with leeboards (most of my sailboats had leeboards) however, you ain't going to tow that vessel anywhere on a truck/trailer you can afford.


Regarding between the lines about your wife, I don't believe there exists a trailerable trawler in which she would be comfortable. Sorry; just being frank.

There just happens to be an Albin 25 for sail near me

Regarding between the lines about your wife, I don't believe there exists a trailerable trawler in which she would be comfortable. Sorry; just being frank.

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We went camping in one of these

, we had fun.

Frank, we'll see if she'll do what she says.

First off, welcome aboard.

You do sound like an incurable romantic, for which your wife should be grateful. Not many of us left around.

Next, top me it sounds more like an "the right tool for the job" equation.

Not that it can't or hasn't been done, but the Great Loop and Cruising the Caribe, seems like two different kinds of cruising with differing requirements for each boat.

If you want to do the loop first, do the loop.
See how well the bride acclimates to longer periods underway in a smaller vessel?

Once that's done, if you want to head to the Caribbean or ????, find something that suits your needs (size, comfort, safety, range, etc.) and upgrade.

As far as the truck, you really don't "need" a diesel to pull most things under 28'. Most big block gassers will do just fine. The problem is, the fuel efficiency. While nothing will be "efficient" in this situation, the gasser will probably double the consumption or close to it, to do the same job. Now you have to factor in the cost of fuel in your area and see where it ends up.

The diesel will do the job with less effort than the gasser, and engine life will likely be double that of most gassers and then some. That said, there is more maintenance on a diesel than a gas engine, so additional cost.

In the end, it's all a trade off.

How often and how far are you going to tow?
What weight will you be towing?
Flat land or mountains?

If you can round up an older 7.3 diesel or the dodge as mentioned above, the price tag "should" be more reasonable, and both will do the job admirably. May not be the best looking things on the road, but you never know, and if you're handy, body work isn't all that bad.

My buddy bought a 7.3 Ford quad cab in very nice condition, with less than 160k on the clock, for 9k and change.
The guy used it to tow their travel trailer and that was it.
The last tow he made was to Florida to stay. Said he wasn't leaving again, and if he did, would not be taking the trailer, and no longer needed or wanted the truck.

That rig is probably good for at least 250-300k before even starting to think of doing more than general maintenance. 160k is barely broken in for most diesels. That on most gassers is a much different story.

My buddy's still using it today to pull his boats around and as a DD.
So look around, the deals are out there.

All the best

OD

We went to the boat show in Kemah. Now the wife suggests that I cruise with out her. She'll meet up with me from time to time in which ever port I'm in.

Now to find a boat she'll want to visit and I want to sail.

Maybe someone can find the link to the Youtube vids made by Sackman1. He uploaded a series of 10 vids of his solo trip down the ICW without his wife. My wife and adult son think they are the most boring vids ever. I loved them.

Xsbank said:

Buy her a silk hammock and just go...

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Buy mine and hang the hammock from the roof in the shade with the ceiling fan above . Forget towing it though . It's already on the loop and ready to go .