Well, it's a week until our first longish break here at Albany. When I go home I'll be looking at a 24' cruising boat, and asking our neighbor up the hill what his boat is and how he likes it. And if I can make it out there I might bum around the yacht club on Onondaga Lake, or an Oneida Lake Marina. So far the search is slow, and mildly promising. I doubt that I'll have time to look at many boats this fall so winter storage will have to be budgeted in if I do buy a boat this year. So far nothing has really said, "I'm the one." I'm not sure whether this is a blessing or a curse. We'll see though.
Anyways I believe I mentioned in my last post that one of the few ways I could afford to look at boats would be to hitchhike to wherever it is. Well, this and some related reading I've been doing has inspired me to what may be an impossible idea. I would like to write a book. Not just any book, a handbook. I want to write "The Adventurer's Handbook." It will be a repository of all relevant, and much irrelevant information related to travel and survival in the pursuit of adventure. I would like it to be an Earth based version of the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy." It would contain useful knots, sailing basics, hitchhiking tips, how to hop a freight train, how to live on nothing, and many other useful skills. Interspersed within the tips would be true stories about my own experiences of the topics being discussed.
I know, another pipe dream, but what can I say? I dream like it's my job, so why shouldn't it be?
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Not meant to be
Well, it turns out that the Triton I was looking at wasn't meant to be mine. It sold f0r $1500 yesterday. But it was too far away to be worth it. Shipping to get it home would have been another $1800, more than I wanted to spend on a boat. And I'd still have to store it somewhere. I do have my eye on a couple other smaller vessels closer to home. I've also been asking around some forums to see if anyone there would let me ride along on their boats sometime. I've actually had a few offers, but they're all more than 100 miles away. I guess that's all for now.
It's time (update)
It's hard to believe, but I may in fact already be approaching the first step of my plans. Ok, building Adra was actually the first step as I improved my woodworking skills, understanding of boat construction, and sailing experience. Besides that, every good cruiser needs a tender. 
The point is, I've found a boat. Maybe.
I have found a 28' Pearson Triton for sale, that may be in my price range. Problem is, it's in Mendon, Massachusetts, and I don't know how to A) get out there and survey it, and B) how to get it home. I can catch a bus to Framingham, but it will cost $72 round trip that I don't know if I can afford, and I would still be in Framingham. Unless I can get a ride, or feel like hitchhiking the last 20 miles to where the boat is it doesn't look good. So I've been spending hours and hours of the last few days getting information on boat buying, shipping, and repair, as well as looking into bus routes there and water routes home.
Oh, and did I mention the boat is "salvaged?" Yeah. Apparently it broke loose from it's mooring and hit another boat. The damage looks minimal, but there's no way to know without looking. I still have to inquire as to yard fees, and liens that may be tacked on to the boat.
But IF the boat is really as cheap as listed and IF it's seaworthy, and IF I can get enough time, it MIGHT be possible to sail/motor the boat home. If not, I'm looking into boat shipping fees. This could get very expensive...
The point is, I've found a boat. Maybe.I have found a 28' Pearson Triton for sale, that may be in my price range. Problem is, it's in Mendon, Massachusetts, and I don't know how to A) get out there and survey it, and B) how to get it home. I can catch a bus to Framingham, but it will cost $72 round trip that I don't know if I can afford, and I would still be in Framingham. Unless I can get a ride, or feel like hitchhiking the last 20 miles to where the boat is it doesn't look good. So I've been spending hours and hours of the last few days getting information on boat buying, shipping, and repair, as well as looking into bus routes there and water routes home.
Oh, and did I mention the boat is "salvaged?" Yeah. Apparently it broke loose from it's mooring and hit another boat. The damage looks minimal, but there's no way to know without looking. I still have to inquire as to yard fees, and liens that may be tacked on to the boat.
But IF the boat is really as cheap as listed and IF it's seaworthy, and IF I can get enough time, it MIGHT be possible to sail/motor the boat home. If not, I'm looking into boat shipping fees. This could get very expensive...
It's time
Well everybody, I think it's time to announce my big plans. I think most of you already know them. When I get out of college I want to cruise the Great Lakes for a year. If I can get the money, I may never stop. Perhaps the ocean will be next, but that's too far for me to dream right now.
So, I've been looking on yachtworld.com for boats might stand up to light cruising, and are in my price range. Surprisingly there are one or two. No guarantee that they're in good shape, but it's a start. Pearson 26's are regularly available for that price, but they usually have some structural issues, and no inboard engine. I think I would like a Catalina 27, but they're usually pretty expensive. Who knows, there might be some gem out there just waiting for me; we'll see.
So far I'm looking at doing the whole thing on $5000. That's $2,500 for the boat and the rest for outfitting and supplies. Right now it's not looking good. If I could get an investor... yeah, like that's going to happen. Maybe an investor would pop up if I were cruising the world like Nick on Bigoceans.com. Anyways, That's my dream, so this year is all about saving money, and next summer is for making more. That fall I suspect I'll buy whatever boat I decide on (I think fall prices are usually better). Vacations will be repair time. And, somewhere in there I'll have to get some sailing time on similar sized boats.
Anyways, that's my dream. We'll see how it goes.
(Note: I am not a licensed captain nor do I pretend to be. Although, I hope to be one someday.)
So, I've been looking on yachtworld.com for boats might stand up to light cruising, and are in my price range. Surprisingly there are one or two. No guarantee that they're in good shape, but it's a start. Pearson 26's are regularly available for that price, but they usually have some structural issues, and no inboard engine. I think I would like a Catalina 27, but they're usually pretty expensive. Who knows, there might be some gem out there just waiting for me; we'll see.
So far I'm looking at doing the whole thing on $5000. That's $2,500 for the boat and the rest for outfitting and supplies. Right now it's not looking good. If I could get an investor... yeah, like that's going to happen. Maybe an investor would pop up if I were cruising the world like Nick on Bigoceans.com. Anyways, That's my dream, so this year is all about saving money, and next summer is for making more. That fall I suspect I'll buy whatever boat I decide on (I think fall prices are usually better). Vacations will be repair time. And, somewhere in there I'll have to get some sailing time on similar sized boats.
Anyways, that's my dream. We'll see how it goes.
(Note: I am not a licensed captain nor do I pretend to be. Although, I hope to be one someday.)
Links
Liveaboard Simulator Amusing and true.
Life for Sail Blog of Impulse, the artists from Kentucky who sold everything and moved onto a Hunter 27.
Nick Jaffe's Site This is the guy who inspired me. He's doing a trip from England to Australia in a Contessa 26.
Cruising the Great Lakes and Bahamas This site chronicles the adventures of another guy who wanted to circumnavigate the Great Lakes. Unfortunately defunct now, but you can read a good bit of it with the Wayback Machine.
Life for Sail Blog of Impulse, the artists from Kentucky who sold everything and moved onto a Hunter 27.
Nick Jaffe's Site This is the guy who inspired me. He's doing a trip from England to Australia in a Contessa 26.
Cruising the Great Lakes and Bahamas This site chronicles the adventures of another guy who wanted to circumnavigate the Great Lakes. Unfortunately defunct now, but you can read a good bit of it with the Wayback Machine.
What it's all about
 |
| Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) |
Hello potential readers. I would like to welcome you to my sailing blog. Here I will discuss anything relating to boating and/or cruising.
So, I should tell you all about what exactly it is I plan on doing. It was my intention on graduating college in 2010 to find a boat, Cassandra, and sail it around the Great Lakes that following summer. I made it only two weeks into that trip before giving up, but it taught me about my boat and about myself. I have now sailed Cassandra thousands of miles down the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway to Florida, the Bahamas, and back.
Thank you all for your interest, and I hope you come back to see what I'm up to.
The Boat
The boat I have been making my way down the eastern coast of the US in is the lovely Cassandra. She's a 1979 O'day 25 built by Bangor Punta Marine. I bought her off of the third owner. Among all the paperwork I got along with the boat were the original sales literature and receipts. The boat lived it's entire life on the pleasant Finger Lakes, specifically Keuka Lake. She has now taken me more than 2500 nautical miles, and should have many more yet to come.
Contacts
- E-mail:
- tench745@hotmail.com
- Facebook:
- https://www.facebook.com/brian.mcburney.54
(I'll upload photos here before my flickr account usually.) - Twitter:
- seastepping
- Skype:
- brian.straw1
(I am not often on, but if I know you want to talk I'll make an effort to be on.)
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