- Joined
- Feb 14, 2018
- Messages
- 713
- Location
- United States
- Vessel Name
- Wanderlust
- Vessel Make
- 1999 Jefferson Rivanna 52'
Good Morning,
We've been hanging out over on cruisersforum.com for about a year and a half but it's largely about sailboats so we've decided to join here.
We live in central Florida. I'm a web developer for a major insurance company and my wife Debbie works at a theme park. We're three years and 25 days from retirement (countdown clock is running).
We started on a 42' Chris Craft Catalina and loved it. We also learned a huge amount! She served us well as we cruised the east and west coast of Florida, the Okeechobee, and a two week tour to the Keys. We sold her last fall and are looking for, but in no rush, our next one. We kept our dinghy, a fiberglass, center console job with a 15 hp, electric start outboard. The dinghy is nicknamed Baby... because she comes from the mother ship.
The intention is to sell the house when we retire and spend the first year cruising up the east coast to Maine and back. A portion of the next winter will be in the Bahamas. We also plan to spend time cruising the Gulf coast to see places like New Orleans and Texas.
Our cruising style has evolved toward running at displacement or hull speeds and anchoring out or grabbing a mooring ball with the occasional stop at a marina. I have learned to handle most maintenance work. Debbie can grab a line on a mooring ball or a dock line in a lock like a world champ.
Our next (last) boat will be 50' to 60' with twin diesels, an enclosed bridge or a pilothouse, a covered and enclosed aft deck, a cockpit or stairs (not a ladder) to a respectably-sized swim platform, a washer/dryer or combo unit, a water maker, a davit and cradle, and satellite TV. If there is no pilothouse, the bridge will need to be enclosed and air conditioned. The engine room doesn't necessarily need to be stand up height but there needs to be plenty of access all the way around the engines. You know... a home. We really like the elbow room of an aft cabin with a centerline queen berth. Freshwater heads and separate shower stalls are a must. Yeah, we have some criteria. We're flexible on some things. Like, if there is no water maker or satellite dome on an otherwise-perfect boat, we'll install it.
Thanks for adding us to the group.
John
We've been hanging out over on cruisersforum.com for about a year and a half but it's largely about sailboats so we've decided to join here.
We live in central Florida. I'm a web developer for a major insurance company and my wife Debbie works at a theme park. We're three years and 25 days from retirement (countdown clock is running).
We started on a 42' Chris Craft Catalina and loved it. We also learned a huge amount! She served us well as we cruised the east and west coast of Florida, the Okeechobee, and a two week tour to the Keys. We sold her last fall and are looking for, but in no rush, our next one. We kept our dinghy, a fiberglass, center console job with a 15 hp, electric start outboard. The dinghy is nicknamed Baby... because she comes from the mother ship.
The intention is to sell the house when we retire and spend the first year cruising up the east coast to Maine and back. A portion of the next winter will be in the Bahamas. We also plan to spend time cruising the Gulf coast to see places like New Orleans and Texas.
Our cruising style has evolved toward running at displacement or hull speeds and anchoring out or grabbing a mooring ball with the occasional stop at a marina. I have learned to handle most maintenance work. Debbie can grab a line on a mooring ball or a dock line in a lock like a world champ.
Our next (last) boat will be 50' to 60' with twin diesels, an enclosed bridge or a pilothouse, a covered and enclosed aft deck, a cockpit or stairs (not a ladder) to a respectably-sized swim platform, a washer/dryer or combo unit, a water maker, a davit and cradle, and satellite TV. If there is no pilothouse, the bridge will need to be enclosed and air conditioned. The engine room doesn't necessarily need to be stand up height but there needs to be plenty of access all the way around the engines. You know... a home. We really like the elbow room of an aft cabin with a centerline queen berth. Freshwater heads and separate shower stalls are a must. Yeah, we have some criteria. We're flexible on some things. Like, if there is no water maker or satellite dome on an otherwise-perfect boat, we'll install it.
Thanks for adding us to the group.
John