Complete Newbie

[The Celt]

Hi every one, new to the forum here.

Its always been my dream to own a boat and travel the world. Living from one port to the next.
But ... i have absolutely no experience in the boating world at all.
Ive always wanted a trawler to convert but i have no idea where to start or any of the other implications of owning a boat?
But one thing is for sure, its cheaper than getting a mortgage on a house!

Any advice would be much appreciated


Thankssss

 

[MurrayM]

Welcome aboard.

Everybody begins at the same place at the bottom of the learning curve. Once begun however, the paths are infinite!

Advice? Read, absorb, and dare to dream

 

[rjtrane]

You say you'd like a "trawler to convert?". That says to me you are interested in a commercial fishing boat that you will flesh out into a cruising/world voyaging boat - is this your intention?

Typically a fishing boat is designed for fishing and not for cruising. They can be uncomfortable without a hold full of ice and fish. Deep draft
Recents access to shoal-draft waters. Mechanical installations are engineered for professional seaman. But, if you have the skill-set to convert plus the time and space, go for it!

On the other hand, being a newbie, I'd suggest finding an affordable used trawler, not necessarily the final, world voyaging one, but something you can start using and learning the skills necessary for managing a world voyage. Voyaging under Power would be a good book for your library.

Getting out on the water sooner rather than later is a good thing. For all you know, you or your crew may get seasick on open water or claustrophobic in tight quarters. Don't spend ten years of your life converting a fish boat only to find out you're not suited to world voyaging. Maybe find someone crossing to the Caribbean and beg for a berth?

Welcome to the forum - you'll find all sorts of info here!

 

[sunchaser]

The Celt

My first boat was a row boat. Not meaning to sound crass, but if you cannot stomach rowing in big waves, painting and maintaining a rowboat don't buy anything bigger.

 

[The Celt]

rjtrane-


I think i have a lot to learn
You have just opened my eyes that little bit more. My first question is how would i go about finding someone that is doing a long voyage? are there any forums dedicated to it?

Thanks for the advice on the conversion as well, you have made some very valid points. so it looks like i need to buy a used one then

 

[Shantyhag]

Hi, The Celt,

We are decidedly newbies too, as such I usually stay out of the 'Welcome' area because I know that I have so little to offer in the way of advice.

That being said, we have learned immense amounts in the short time that we have been reading and participating in this forum. This is a great place to start your education... at least it has been for us. The archives are filled with discussions about everything from the arcane to the modern, and we've discovered tidbits and more that are relevant to our own search.

Good luck. We're finding the journey to be quite fun.

Shantyhag

 

[robbie]

Hi The Celt,

Welcome to the forum,

You could start by taking a drive to Grimsby, it's only 1 hour from you, get an idea of what kind of boats the local community are using in your area, the UK's east coast, "North sea" is not really the place for a beginner, I would suggest, if you are serious about getting into big boating, you should be looking at the South West, Devon & Cornwall, there's 10 times the number of pleasure craft down there.

Robbie

 

[brian eiland]

maybe a Canal Boat for a learning experience

Hi every one, new to the forum here.

Its always been my dream to own a boat and travel the world. Living from one port to the next.
But ... i have absolutely no experience in the boating world at all.
Ive always wanted a trawler to convert but i have no idea where to start or any of the other implications of owning a boat?
But one thing is for sure, its cheaper than getting a mortgage on a house!

Any advice would be much appreciated
Thankssss

You might consider a 'canal boat' to start out with. Some are pretty simple affairs that just navigate winding canals, and a number of them can be lived on. So you would get some experience with maintenance, slow speed maneuvering, and living aboard a vessel.

Google canal boats, and their is a subject thread on this forum if you do a 'search' for "canal"

 

[Moonstruck]

The Celt, Welcome. It will be interesting to watch as your plans coalesce. I hope you will let us follow along.

ShankyHag, no need to stand off. You are looking at it from a perspective that many will find interesting and could be of help to others. We are all on the water together.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Welcome aboard Mr. TC.

 

[Irdiverdan]

Hi, The Celt,

We are decidedly newbies too, as such I usually stay out of the 'Welcome' area because I know that I have so little to offer in the way of advice.

That being said, we have learned immense amounts in the short time that we have been reading and participating in this forum. This is a great place to start your education... at least it has been for us. The archives are filled with discussions about everything from the arcane to the modern, and we've discovered tidbits and more that are relevant to our own search.

Good luck. We're finding the journey to be quite fun.

Shantyhag

Well said Shanty..I too find this forum a wealth of info and am enjoying the ride as I prepare to retire and join in the fun...