Sugestions-opinions about getting into the boat hobbie

[magna 6882]

Just entered semi retirement at 65 and my wife and i have been motor-homing the last 15 years with a 45ft diesel pusher We usually head south for better weather in the winter. We are in the pacific northwest.

We have talked about getting into the boating hobbie to play during the summer.
With the motorhomes we had we went for the high quality at the beginning and it worked since we didn't have to work our way up.
The rv world is very social. Is the boating group the same?
We had looked at a Nordic cb44. Is this to much boat for a beginner?
While both my wife and i are licensed helicopter pilots will that help the learning curve.
Are we nuts for thinking about this?
It seems a little overwhelming to us so i thought i would get some info from experts.
Thanks
Rod

 

[Greg S]

No, it isn't too much. Yes, it is starting at the top for most boaters but starting from the bottom of the scale for others. It depends on what you can afford. My opinion is to not go much bigger than that size in these waters so you can fit into the desirable anchorages, find transient warfage space and have a comfortable home-away-from-home.
The NT 44 comes with bow and stern thrusters so with minimal training and some dexterity on your part, you should be able to handle it. It still takes two and BOTH of you should know how and be able to handle the helm.
TAKE SOME BOATING COURSES. Including navigation! Yes, I know you both already know navigation from your flying but marine navigation takes that to another level. Flying, you can see your hazards. Boating, most of your hazards are invisible and only shown on your charts. A commercial pilot who was a boating student of mine pointed out that small vessel navigation is more detailed and complicated than flight navigation. I called bull. He explained and I understood.

GS

 

[Steve91T]

Hey rod! Yes you guys are absolutely nuts for wanting to into boating. But since you’re already helicopter pilots, I’m pretty sure you’re already there.

I’m kidding. Aviation and boating are surprisingly similar. You’ll have an understanding of the effects of wind and currents and what you need to counteract. I’m an airline and GA pilot and my flying experience has absolutely helped me with running a big boat. If you have any small boat experience (standard 20 ish foot lake boat), that really helps as well.

We have never done the RV thing. We have friends that do and they absolutely love it. I’m sure boating and RVing is similar but there’s something about being on the water watching dolphins swim by. And for us, it has allowed us to visit places that we would never have experienced by car or RV. We are in our late 30’s with two kids (6 and 2). We have a blast finding deserted beaches, islands and especially watching the dolphins surf our wake. We anchor as often as possible.

As far as the social aspect...meh. We were disappointed. It might be because we are always moving the boat to a new destination but we have found most marinas pretty lifeless. We commute to the boat and are constantly moving it so it’s probably mostly us.

Dropping anchor in the middle of nowhere away from it all and spending some pretty awesome time with alone with the family has been pretty awesome. It’s the reasons we try to find a place to anchor everywhere we go. Our next trip is only - hour away....we found a place to anchor for 2 nights that’s halfway.

 

[Steve91T]

Our last spot 2 weeks ago.

 

[Lou_tribal]

Our last spot 2 weeks ago.

Gorgeous

L

 

[magna 6882]

I assume maintaing a 45ft motorhome (basically constant) is similar in scope.
Battery's ,inverters,generators,water systems ect.
We were thinking 44ft since our motorhome is 45ft and seems just about right for us. It gives us some space between us.
I am looking at the nordic tug but i also have ranger in my back yard too.Are there any other brands i should be looking at.
I have learned with the motorhomes the build quality varies considerably. Some units we see just makes us laugh at how they were built. Will i find this in boats also?
Rod

 

[tiltrider1]

It’s not the skill factor you need to be concerned with. It’s the motion of the sea that might not agree with you. You might want to experience some 20 knot winds before you purchase a boat.

 

[Comodave]

Welcome aboard. We also have a DP. We rarely use it anymore since we live on the water now. Good luck.

 

[OldDan1943]

Take a look at the American Tug 40 something feet long. I bought a "previously owned" 34/36ft AT.
The boats are built up in or near Seattle somewhere.
https://www.americantugs.com/models/
Give them a call and see what they have in stock or where to find a well maintained used boat.
( NOTE: Like so many industries, they are considered non-essential so they have stopped building and everyone went home.)
Their site is very informative and will give you boat layout, engines and lots pictures etc.
The folks are friendly and VERY knowledgeable. The go-to man I use is Kurt, (can't stump him). So many times he is on the floor working so be patience SMILE
Like all boats and owners', I bought the 'perfect boat' and started pouring money into to make the boat "mine." LOL Nothing was actually needed when I bought the boat, it was genuine 'turn-key' boat. Put stores on board, fuel up and head out. (of course document the boat and put a name on the stern)
No matter what brand of boat you consider, make sure the hanging closet space is enough for you and a "friend" or 2. I added 4 or 5 small cabinets, for my connivence. The ease of "learning the boat" is unbelievable. The friendly AT community and the factory are always there for you, to answer your questions. If you narrow to an AT or another brand, there is a 'secret site' to provide you more information and advice than you will find here, on the AT.
As you can see, I am obviously impressed with the build quality of the AT.
IMO, If you buy an AT bigger than a 43, you are just bragging. LOL

 

[JohnS]

Welcome aboard. Your experience in helicopters may make the transition to a large boat easier, from a DP motorhome.
Like the RV, a boat needs room to turn and stop, but like a helicopter, it is subject to head, cross, and following winds, as well as tides, which affect the bost no only by their ebb and flow, but by depth.
Nothing to be feared, but find a good training captain, and charter a boat of a type that interests you for a weekend or a week.
Boat folk are generally very friendly, and by being boat folk, have self selected for competence, self-reliance, and a willingness to help others.
We have oived aboard for a year and a half, and have found the "boat social scene" mostly at marinas, though many of our friends say that many of the best friends they have made have been made at remote anchorages, or in repeatedly finding the same people at the places they stop , as on the Great Loop.
Look at bosts online, and research them there before you go to walk their decks. This forum has a good search feature, with 10 years of posts, "boat search 101" and many sub forums listed by boat make.
There may be many makes of boat which could meet your needs, wants and desires. Don't get too narrowly focussed too early.
Look first at your needs, size, space, access, stability, range, etc. Also look at what creature comforts you need to be happy there.
We (I) needed a larger, taller shower, and wider (16"+) side decks, higher side rails, as well as 6'4" head room. We found that in a Cheoy Lee 40 LRC.
Besides the NT, other makes you might find interesting are DeFever, Selene, Grand Banks, Hatteras, Seaton, Symbol, Nordhaven, and others.
All boats are a compromise in some way. You just need to find the make and size that best fits your own needs.
Have fun with your search.
John

 

[Bacchus]

Rod
Welcome aboard TF. I think you will find you will fit right in here.
Nuts for jumping in? You bet!
But as others have alluded to, boaters are all a little nuts.
There are a lot of similarities between motorhoming and boating. We also do both and it strikes me that your thinking on boat length matches your MH. Our boat and MH are both 34s and we have moved up from 28ft each... must be something to it.
I agree with a prior comment... take some courses together with your wife / mate. Not only for the learning but it's a great way to expand your network of people with similar interests.
The other suggestion is to take your time and look at a large number of boats before deciding. At that size you want to get it right. On the other hand you dont have to wait to get started. Why not charter one or more at least close to what you are thinking. In the PNW there are so good options. Maybe start w a captain and treat is as another learning experience?
The other possibility is to charter in another area and make it a learning vacation.
The US Power Squadrons, now known as Americas Boating Club offers some very well done courses that cover everything from basic boating to, piloting with charts & GPS, Celestial Navigation, Weather, Electrical / Electronic systems, etc,etc.
There are some useful posts on getting started... Boat Search 101.
Enjoy the search and adventures.

 

[mvweebles]

It's easier to learn to operate a boat than it is to afford one. You're well over halfway there all ready. It's been years since I've been to a TrawlerFest (I was one of their core presenters in the Georgs Kolesnikov years), but they still look like a great resource.

Check out Jeff Merrill's YouTube Channel "JMYS" (Jeff Merrill Yacht Sales - an ex-Nordhavn project manager turned yacht broker. I have no affiliation beyond friendly acquaintance). He has several YouTubes where he walks the docks at recent TFs and will give you a flavor of the boats. A few on round-table discussions too that are a bit more difficult to sit through. TFs are probably still the best resource for folks like yourself as it focuses on larger boat issues. Power Squadron and similar provide universal information which is also important, but often skewed to the masses of small-boat owners versus wannabee cruisers.

Good luck and welcome aboard!

Peter

 

[Pete Meisinger]

Welcome Aboard!

Will you keep the boat on the West Coast ? I know boating there is beautiful but if you are a "Seasonal" couple you may want to consider the East Coast. I really don't know a lot about the West Coast but it looks like an awfully lot of ocean between Seattle and Mexico.

When I hear "semi retired" I generally think you can do some of your work from home or remotely. You could probably live anywhere.

The boating community is pretty social. It's funny though. I have found transient boaters who meet up at ports and marinas other than their homebase to be more social. I know most of the boaters at my marina but we rarely get together on each others boats for meals or conversation. At remote anchorages it is a different story. Lots of visiting, shared meals and wine and cheese parties.

pete

 

[Pete Meisinger]

Sorry, I forgot to add..

Fly a "Looper" flag or even a Trawler Forum burgee and you will meet all the people you want. They seem to be drawn to these two pennants.

pete

 

[mvweebles]

Will you keep the boat on the West Coast ? I know boating there is beautiful but if you are a "Seasonal" couple you may want to consider the East Coast. I really don't know a lot about the West Coast but it looks like an awfully lot of ocean between Seattle and Mexico.

That's an understatement.

OP lives in what is arguably the premier cruising area in North America, at least during summer months - Puget Sound, San Juan Islands, and SE Alaska. No need to trek further unless temperate winter weather is desired. Easy to spend a lifetime of exploration and still not run out of places to go. I personally like warmer weather, but if I lived in the Seattle/Vacouver area, I wouldn't go anywhere else for seasonal cruising, at least not for a couple years.

Peter

 

[Codger2]

I have just finished reading posts 1-14 and find all to have good information. Since I have a commercial pilot's license but have not flown since 1992, I disagree with navigating by boat is more complex that doing it by flying. Both demand your ultimate attention and pilots make great cruisers. I want to wish you the very best in your endeavor and only wish I were 65 again, but knowing what I know now. BTW, Living where you do, I would suggest a power boat over the Nordic 44 you mentioned. An acquaintance of mine has a 45 ' sailboat and lives in the Seattle area and motors 90% of the time!

 

[HiDHo]

Rving has some things in common with boating. Calling ahead for site reservation and calling marinas. Both will need length , power requirements, full hookup or pump out facilities, length of stay, etc. You will find no pull thru’s at marinas, but some have docking alongside vs pulling into a slip or backing in. Your rv may use levelers, boats require dock lines. Rv’ers requires caution with height concerns, boats only if the slip is covered or a low bridge. Boating more concerned with depth of your boat and shoal areas.
We took a few years break from boating and rv’ers the interior of the US and Canada. Big difference we noted was boaters are more friendly and when cruising or at your home marina you will meet a lot of boaters. Boaters will welcome you, help with problems, share boating experiences , share drinks and love dock party get togethers.

 

[boathealer]

Kind Sir, boating is no "hobby".

 

[RonR]

Our .2c is find a place to keep the boat before you buy! PNW is costly and most popular marinas have a wait list for boats larger than 36'.

Good luck!

 

[koliver]

I assume maintaing a 45ft motorhome (basically constant) is similar in scope.
Battery's ,inverters,generators,water systems ect.
We were thinking 44ft since our motorhome is 45ft and seems just about right for us. It gives us some space between us.
I am looking at the nordic tug but i also have ranger in my back yard too.Are there any other brands i should be looking at.
I have learned with the motorhomes the build quality varies considerably. Some units we see just makes us laugh at how they were built. Will i find this in boats also?
Rod

There are many similarities between a boat and a Motorhome. There are also many differences that will become quickly evident.

Build quality is similar. Your Magna is near the top of the quality scale, a NT is too, the Ranger, not so much.

Socially a Yacht club, even a loosely organized group such as TF, will improve the contact you will have. We joined a YC early in our 45 years of boating to date, and have never regretted getting involved. Most of our good, long lasting friendships arose in that context. For casual contact with folks that you don't connect as much as to get a phone number, RV parks and commercial marinas are similar.

Our RV goes to a gated community in SoCal (if we get to do that again next year) so is similar to our YC at home in its social structure.

Our boat is 44', as is our Motorhome, each weighs the same and has the same total hp. The living space comparison is valid.

 

[AlanT]

The rv world is very social. Is the boating group the same?

Its not really the same. IMO you need to make more effort to be social on a boat and if you do, then the rewards will follow. With the RV its easy to meet people as you walk around the site, walk the dog, play etc. With a boat you are either at anchor or dinghying to and from shore and very unlikely to be in a situation to start a casual conversation, or you are in a marina where many of the inhabitants are storing their boats (rather than enjoying them in the marina). So even in the marina you may not generally be close to many other people. It took me over a year to even meet my two dock neighbors where I kept my boat! There are of course exceptions. In your region I would highlight Roche Harbor, Friday Harbor, Bell Harbor Marina - all of which are largely populated by folk on vacation rather than long term storage. Many summer destination marinas have potlucks etc. and other social activities.

If you are outgoing and I assume you are, you will make friends. It just takes a little more effort. The suggestion to add a Trawler Forum pennant (and MTOA) or to join a yacht club if you enjoy the club experience are all good suggestions.

~Alan

 

[OldDan1943]

Kind Sir, boating is no "hobby".

Boating is a "calling".

 

[porman]

Welcome Rod. My wife and I are both retired. We live just outside Seattle (Duvall) and our 43ft boat is kept at a marina in Lake Washington. If you would like to discuss boats, cruising, moorage, yacht clubs, etc. then send me PM and we can trade phone numbers or emails. Tim

 

[OldDan1943]

Per the American Tugs...... There are plenty on the east coast of the US too.

 

[Bacchus]

My $0.02 on the social aspects... In general I think they are more similar than different.
That said there are wide variations in both and I'd suspect that if you did both you would have similar experiences. Why do I say that?

I agree if you full time and anchor off the beaten path a lot you will have less social interaction. Same with MH if you boondock off the beaten path. The reason people do that is to get away from it all & others.
If you frequent MH resorts and partake in activities and facilities more than likely you will spend more time in marinas even when cruising.
The biggest difference we have experienced in social interaction is whether we are cruising with other boats or by ourselves. When cruising alone we spend much more time interacting and socializing with others we meet along the way than if we are traveling with even only one other boat / couple - we tend to interact with each other and have less time interest in meeting strangers.
Personally we really like traveling by ourselves and meeting others. We made it a point when cruising for a couple mos last season to try to connect w/ at least a few of our "Imaginary Friends" here on TF and we thoroughly enjoyed meeting, eating and sharing experiences and stories. Most we had never met before (and realistically may never again) but still enjoyable and we try to keep in touch. We do the same when in the MH - yes actually connecting w/ other TFers.

All one needs to do is visit the Social Knowledge "sister" RV site iRV2.com to see how the RV community interacts - very much the same as here on TF and frequently the questions and frequent contributors quickly stand out!

Anchors = Stabilizer Jacks
House Battys = House Battys (FLA, AGM LiFePO4,)
Start Battys = Chassis Battys
Fuel Additives = Fuel Additives
Single vs Diesel vs Gas = Gas vs Diesel
Solar vs Gen = Solar vs Gen
Inverters vs Gens= inverters vs Gens
???? = What brand of tires
Chain vs 3/8 Ply Rode = ????
Holding Tank Treatments = Holding tank Treatments

You get the idea - lots of similarities IMO

 

[magna 6882]

Thanks to all for your comments. I am floored and happy by the number of responses. Obviously this is not something one decides to do on a whim. We have been thinking about this for a few years and go to the boat shows ect. We have had sports boats up to 24ft but found they were not used much do to the lack of boat ramps and parking. It seemed more time was spent getting in the water but then again that was when i was working full time so only had weekends.We live 15 minuets from a marina so that helps. There is a year or two wait on a slip but it could take that long to figure out what i want and do some classwork.
From the posts it seems there are more rv folks then i would have thought.
My user name on irv2 is iasm.

 

[Mako]

Irv, you asked "The rv world is very social. Is the boating group the same?" and I'd say that boaters are just as anti-social as campers or new homeowners, or two guys in cars who pull up to each other at the beach.

A guy in a 45 ft motoryacht anchors next to a 27ft saiboat. A guy in a $300k diesel pusher pulls up next to an old Chrysler with a pop-up trailer behind him. Guy moves into a huge new home next to some run down old ranch. Guy with a Ferrari parks next to the LoveBug.

Jealousy. Perceived wealth. Preconceived notions. Becoming friendly with the guy next to you is all about how open and friendly you are. Of course, boats are inherently isolated, and we don't anchor 30ft away from the next guy like in a campground, so it takes a bit more effort to make friends.

IMO

 

[Pdxstriper]

When I bought my first boat the sales guy told me two lessons that are forever in boating, and now I will pass this timeless logic on to you:

1) Red Right Returning
2) Crash Slowly

The rest I learned one the street ... err....water.

Thank me later.
pete

Just entered semi retirement at 65 and my wife and i have been motor-homing the last 15 years with a 45ft diesel pusher We usually head south for better weather in the winter. We are in the pacific northwest.

We have talked about getting into the boating hobbie to play during the summer.
With the motorhomes we had we went for the high quality at the beginning and it worked since we didn't have to work our way up.
The rv world is very social. Is the boating group the same?
We had looked at a Nordic cb44. Is this to much boat for a beginner?
While both my wife and i are licensed helicopter pilots will that help the learning curve.
Are we nuts for thinking about this?
It seems a little overwhelming to us so i thought i would get some info from experts.
Thanks
Rod

 

[ssobol]

Just entered semi retirement at 65 and my wife and i have been motor-homing the last 15 years with a 45ft diesel pusher We usually head south for better weather in the winter. We are in the pacific northwest.

We have talked about getting into the boating hobbie to play during the summer.
With the motorhomes we had we went for the high quality at the beginning and it worked since we didn't have to work our way up.
The rv world is very social. Is the boating group the same?
We had looked at a Nordic cb44. Is this to much boat for a beginner?
While both my wife and i are licensed helicopter pilots will that help the learning curve.
Are we nuts for thinking about this?
It seems a little overwhelming to us so i thought i would get some info from experts.
Thanks
Rod

Boating is not a "hobbie" in the same sense that painting or stamp collecting is a "hobby".

However, since you have experienced the RV world, you should know that boating is a lifestyle similar to the RV lifestyle. However, a big difference is the social aspect. In the RV world people get together at RV parks and campgrounds and interact. Probably more often then not (measured in nights/year). The boating community tends to "get together" more through interactive websites and forums (like this one) than actual physical get-togethers. Yeah, get-togethers can happen. But they are sorted by boat brand or boat type rather than "This is a busy campground and let's have party because well, you know, it's Tuesday." A boat rendevous for a particular group/type of boat may happen only once or twice a year.

Boaters are friendly with other boaters. But you are only likely to encounter a few people at a time, not a campground full. In the last 6 years of boating, I have only had one evening when other boaters were actually invited to have cocktails on my boat, and one instance where I was invited for cocktails on someone else's boat. That was plenty for me, but then maybe I'm not the usual type of boater. FWIW, for me the best part of boating is getting the **ll away from other people. Anchored out with no one else around is the best place to be.

 

[Spinner]

Welcome to the group! I think the 44 NT is a great boat! My 42 is the same boat; they just extended the hull under the swimstep By the way, it can certainly be run single-handed if you have bow and stern thrusters. Oh, and get a side gunnel door put in if there isn’t one already. I can recommend CSR boatyard in Seattle for that!

Re sociability/friendliness of boaters:

It may depend on your location. I boat between the San Juan Islands, British Columbia, and Alaska. It some locations, such as the Broughtons in BC, nightly appetizer or dinner potlucks are the rule. All are invited, and many participate. South of that area, people are very friendly also, but docks/marinas don’t have that tradition, although impromptu gatherings happen a lot. Northern BC, fewer docks, but people are still pretty welcoming. I could go on, but it seems to me that if you bring friendliness and openness to your encounters, that’s how most other boaters respond.