#boatlife

One-Off

Tom Curren status
Jul 28, 2005
14,128
10,250
113
33.8N - 118.4W
I bought my first vanagon long before #vanlife was a thing. Even longer ago I lived on a boat for three years (CF27- a little racing boat- it was like living in...a van). I don't want to be responsible for a boom in boat lifers, but figured surfers might find this interesting. I was always puzzled why more surfers don't get into sailing. I always had a hard time finding crew amongst my surfing buddies when I had my boat. It's really the perfect compliment. When the surf gets blown out, guess what gets good?

I once talked an employer into buying a boat. He was a custom furniture maker (Neil Young was his oldest and most frequent customer). Got me a gig fixing up the interior. After having the boat a while, he told me he realized , "If you ask a girl 'Hey, you want to have coffee some time,?' it was hit or miss. If you asked her, 'You want to go for a sail on my yacht?' she was there!"

Anyways, I came across this video and I like some of their solutions. Some, I wasn't crazy about. I come from the racing scene therefore have an obsession about strength to weight ratio, so using ceramic tile might not be my first choice,. But all in all they made a really nice platform for some exploration.

 

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Phil Edwards status
Sep 17, 2012
6,910
3,176
113
I owned a Pearson Commander for a while and sold it to a someone who moored it offshore and neglected his tackle, didn't get a guest slip during a big storm, and it washed aground. The only fun part of the story is someone painted it. It's the "Allegro" on this page below. Fun heavy wind day sailing for such a tank of a boat.


In an article (below) he tells about the storm, and a guy named "Jack" who thought his boat and mooring system were invincible and, he would never get shelter in the harbor during a storm. Jack's boat also ran aground a few years later and he moved to the midwest.

 
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crustBrother

Kelly Slater status
Apr 23, 2001
9,084
5,174
113
"If you ask a girl 'Hey, you want to have coffee some time,?' it was hit or miss. If you asked her, 'You want to go for a sail on my yacht?' she was there!"
And it doesn't even have to be *your* yacht. "Hey, you want to go sailing?" is perhaps the greatest pickup line known to mankind. Sailing clubs are the BOMB. That is all I will say on this topic.
 
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TangTonic

Nep status
Feb 24, 2011
775
626
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These vlogs of kook first time sailors are lame!

There are some good ones out there though, like the couple in Aus who are pretty self sustainable.

I'm so over monohull sailboats though. Did a channel crossing a couple weeks ago on a 53 monohull. Top speed on the crossing was 7 kts in 15-20 kts of wind, and we were well heeled the entire time on a beam reach. Took about 7 hours to go the 40 NM.

I couldn't stop thinking how if I was on my old trimaran we'd be doing 12 kts and cut the crossing time in half and not be heeled over. Sailing fast is way more fun than sailing slow!
 

crustBrother

Kelly Slater status
Apr 23, 2001
9,084
5,174
113
Sailing fast is way more fun than sailing slow!
I've never sailed a cat or a tri, but they make me drool big time.

How about the shallower draft opening up more possibilities on anchorages? In my dreams I'm anchoring a 30' cat inside of a shallow lagoon on a deserted island for weeks at a time while surfing the other side of the island. Is there anything improbable about this other than my lack of sufficient funds?
 

r32

Administrator
Staff member
Apr 1, 2005
17,937
9,462
113
Cambria
I've never sailed, but seriously envious of that lifestyle and want to give it a go. I live for the ocean and mountains.
 
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sussle

Rabbitt Bartholomew status
Oct 11, 2009
8,390
7,766
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Boats are fricken AWESOME when they are owned by your friends.
we live in a beach community where half the neighbors own boats, so once or twice a summer, we get invited out for a day trip. it's always a fun day, but my takeaway is always the same: i'm glad i don't own one.
 

ghostshaper

Phil Edwards status
Jan 22, 2005
6,244
2,869
113
1134
we bought a little 2001 13' boston whaler to watch my 11 yr old's regattas: PITA. Took apart the carb so many times now, I can do it in my sleep. Still won't start right up if it's been sitting more than a week. Thinking about getting a brand new Yamaha motor. Sail boats are so much easier to deal w/.
 

Autoprax

Duke status
Jan 24, 2011
68,237
22,990
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62
Vagina Point
To live on the boat you need to be someone who compulsively cleans in order to self regulate.

If not.

Don't do it.
 

PRCD

Tom Curren status
Feb 25, 2020
12,514
8,551
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These vlogs of kook first time sailors are lame!

There are some good ones out there though, like the couple in Aus who are pretty self sustainable.

I'm so over monohull sailboats though. Did a channel crossing a couple weeks ago on a 53 monohull. Top speed on the crossing was 7 kts in 15-20 kts of wind, and we were well heeled the entire time on a beam reach. Took about 7 hours to go the 40 NM.

I couldn't stop thinking how if I was on my old trimaran we'd be doing 12 kts and cut the crossing time in half and not be heeled over. Sailing fast is way more fun than sailing slow!
Don't you sleep in the amas on a tri? What kind did you have?
 

PRCD

Tom Curren status
Feb 25, 2020
12,514
8,551
113
we bought a little 2001 13' boston whaler to watch my 11 yr old's regattas: PITA. Took apart the carb so many times now, I can do it in my sleep. Still won't start right up if it's been sitting more than a week. Thinking about getting a brand new Yamaha motor. Sail boats are so much easier to deal w/.
Is it the fuel? Ethanol based fuel is awful for older small engines. In fact, it's just awful.
 
Mar 21, 2010
34
4
8
delmarva, md
Check out, parlay revival on you tube, good stuff. Kiwi surfer buys a hurricane damaged cat and currently sailing it. Stuck in panama due to pandemic right now.
 

One-Off

Tom Curren status
Jul 28, 2005
14,128
10,250
113
33.8N - 118.4W
I was looking at listings and the very first boat I worked on is listed. I could afford it now. When I was varnishing the wood work just out of high school it was beyond my wildest dreams.

 
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