Hi all, new to these forums but not new to forums in general. I really enjoyed this thread and its distinctions. Lots of very different philosophies on cruising all with very valid well-reasoned arguments.
I and my wife of 45 years have wanted to cast of the lines and just go but have not. I put my 26' trawler in the water after an 11-year hiatus for a week on the Erie Canal with my nephew. At the conclusion of the week, I sold the boat to my nephew who was overjoyed with the boat. My wife is not disabled and not really able to get on and off the boat easily. The dream was pretty much dead.
My wife was pleased that I sold the boat but mentioned that the dream was not dead, and she still wanted to do the loop and the Carribean. I said I needed at least two years to ready any boat for such and adventure and to my shock she said, "Well I guess you had better get busy and find a boat because I want to go in two years". That was two weeks ago, survey on a boat is this Friday.
I already knew what boat I wanted and pretty much how to equip it for handicap access. I knew the layout was perfect for us and so was the boats handling and motion. The boat under contract is a Hatteras 42 LRC Mark 1.
Full wide walkaround decks, no steep ladders and the menopause layout in the master stateroom (twin beds) Perfect. Only one problem.
I am an eternal optimist with and affliction. I am a one percenter when it comes to maintaining the boat. I am at a mastery arts level of fixing things. I have never needed to hire someone to fix anything I have ever owned. On this boat there is nothing that I do not feel comfortable tackling. I know too damned much for my age.
I am buying a project boat (face palm). Not as bad as I would have 10 years ago but much more work than I really want to do at my age, I just can't help myself. The boat is rough cosmetically and dated on equipment. The boat has been under cover in fresh water for many years and used as a day boat in perfect weather. Nearly everything works. Best of all the electrical system has not been bastardized and hacked much. At one point it was set up for blue water work but hasn't seen blue water for many years. I boat operated just fine on a sea trial and an engine/gear check revealed nothing to reject the boat over. It's practically a clean slate to do what I want done and is in good enough condition mechanically to be enjoyed now. It's a grandma/grampa slow ars boat with tons of storage and room.
I should not say slow. This boat is fast! It will be the first cruising boat that we have owned that has a prismatic coefficient over 0.6 and two engines.
The boat is more than 2,000 water miles from home.
A part of me is excited and another part of me is calling me a fool telling me I am buying the equivalent of a $500 car in Guatemala and driving it back to Cleveland OH.
Coastal and river cruising it will be. Things are a whole lot easier cruising than they used to be before the internet.
All good stuff guys.
