Before it's too late
Posted by Rubberman2054@reddit | sailing | View on Reddit | 36 comments
Experienced sailors with life miles imagine this situation and tell me what you'd do:
You're mid forties. you thought you'd end up living on a boat. you made enough money to make it happen but life happened and you ended up buying a farm. you lost the farm (woman). you have/had a decent paying tax free job, which you never really enjoyed. you live in asia and have done for 30 years whilst working everywhere besides south america. you need to find some peace, and being on the water has always 'zenned you out', but are miles away from being able to just 'buy a boat'. you don't want to die without knowing what it's like to make an ocean passage. you windsurfed as a kid and are a very competent diver (who normally enjoys the boat ride more than the diving). you have no idea how to maintain a diesel engine, have no idea how to use knots, and less of an idea how to make sail. hotels and planes and expenses and weekends where you just spend 20 hours regrouping for the next week of corporate BS will do that.
you have limited funds. you have no motivation to pretend on linkedin that you care enough to go back to corporate BS. you think if you experience actual sailing you may re-motivate yourself to do corporate BS to raise money to buy a boat and thus realize the lifelong fantasy.
AI said go on findacrew dot com. ? you can cut rope off props and you're a pretty decent cook. you sort of need the accelerated plan. how do you get on a yacht and spend time with somebody that has thousands of miles under their belt and get them to teach you the ropes? you could board a boat in thailand, philippines or malaysia within 48 hours. you weirdly have a Seamans license and a BOSIET cert from being offshore if that helps, but they were acquired for oil and gas work to be a laptop jockey unfortunately, no actual skill. you think if you can split your future years up between money making contractor corporate projects (to make cash) and long yacht deliveries (to make soul and maybe some cash), you may be able to handle the regret of not doing this when you were 30.
What would be your 5 year plan? if year 5 involved buying a boat in the Americas and sailing her back to Asia? unless there are good options to buy in Phuket or Langkawi that aren't visible on yachtworld.
your yacht searches are normally: valiant, pacific seacraft, tayana. anything that can take you from thailand to philippines and around than can hit bottom and not kill you. you don't have the energy to build another house in a country that can take it off you, so you're going to lean into being in the international zone of the sea. you'll register it in Panama under your brothers name or something just to make double sure.
klaagmeaan@reddit
I quit my job at 45 and sailed for 6 years halfway around the globe on a '85 sailboat that we bought under 50k. Best decision ever.
Extreme_Map9543@reddit
How about you just buy an old boat and start figuring it out. And old mentor of mine once said to me “you gotta stop thinking and just start sweating”
OddRoof5120@reddit
True. We are so affluent we think we need a fancy boat. I like to recommend reading Princess by Richard something. He buys a really cheap Friendship sloop znd foes a bunch of fixing but it never really stops leaking. Hull and deck are probably shot by modern standards but he sails it down ghe east coast. A trip like that would season up the greenest of sailors.
Cochrynn@reddit
Joe Richards - my grandfather! Nice to see his book mentioned here. He was a great role model for any sailor. I’m following in his footsteps! My sailboat is (slightly) less leaky, though :-)
spongue@reddit
Define "limited funds". I don't know if you mean $500 or $500,000 and it could be closer to the latter given your context
Rubberman2054@reddit (OP)
i already spent the 350k over last 10 years on land that i no longer own. i'm broke. less than 50k. not enough to buy a boat. not here in asia anyway. the point is if i get the bug, i may be motivated to do it again and raise the cash as there's something to aim for. i was supposed to travel to west africa and flight disruptions screwed it. war. work in my area is a bit dead right now. i figured its a good time to actually get on a boat meanwhile. normal dude, bad decisions. it is what it is
OddRoof5120@reddit
Maybe learn AI, creat your AI clone to handle the "sorting out life" stuff. It sounds like you pretty much layed out a plan without really planning. There's a lot of stress worked into life. Get your AI self to straighten it out and get started. 40-something isn't too old for anything. You've got 30 more good years ahead. What did you do with your first 30? ... when you started out knowing nothing! In your first thirty, the first 15 is just living to learn. Now, you've got all you know and twice that much time!
Pattern_Is_Movement@reddit
50k is plenty to buy a boat, not that I would do so I'm your present situation.
If you can find a place to crew for free, it should not be too hard. I would join a local yacht club, get some experience crewing on other people's boats. Then crew for transits/deliveries.
spongue@reddit
Ah, well I think others have given some good advice about how to start sailing without needing to buy right away
Extreme_Map9543@reddit
I hate when people pretend to be broke sailors then talk about there modest $200k boat budget, and investment returns for their cruising fund.
OddRoof5120@reddit
Hey! There's "boat money" and then there's "everything else" money. Just saying.
Raneynickelfire@reddit
Is your name Troy?
PermanentRoundFile@reddit
Just gonna say, I'm in a lot of the same spots as you. I made a post like this and someone happened to be in my area and invited me on their boat and now I sail at least once a week if not twice a week, and I've joined a race team to really get in tune with the sails.
Dnlx5@reddit
I think you need to move to a costal coty and find a job you dont hate, even if you make half what your corporate job did.
Then you can save up and buy a small 20-omething foot boat and sail long weekends around your area. Then youll get good, then you can do what you want!
budgester@reddit
Do a week long competent crew course, with accommodation onboard. I bought our first boat a westerly griffon 27ft for 12k. It was a great coastal boat and had done around the UK multiple time with a windvane installed before I got it. I did an Atlantic crossing with the Tall ships in January-feb from Antigua to Portsmouth. We now have a Gemini 105 catamaran. Do something, even if its taking out your shoe laces to use to teach yourself knots. But watching other peoples YouTube channels isn't gonna get you any where other than green with envy.
SVLibertine@reddit
Stop planning my man, and start living/sailing!
redaction_figure@reddit
I was only 8 years into my 5 year plan when I put in my notice and sailed across the Pacific. It was the best decision I ever made.
If you are looking at a starter package then go to Panama and hang out near Balboa and Flemenco Island. Put your name on the bulletin boards for crew. Hang out in the bars close to the marinas there. Talk to people, walk the docks and put in a little effort. Try to present the best version of you.
alex1033@reddit
You outlined a great plan of what and when must happen, but the how part is missing. The problem is the plan too big, and you're already emotionally attached to it.
Start smaller. Step by step you'll get closer to your goals, and you'll get clarity.
Lord-of_the-files@reddit
Sailing is easy. Keeping the vital parts of the boat functioning isn't too hard. Paying for the whole thing? That's the hard part.
If you have the opportunity to pick up well paid work whenever you want, then go out and buy a boat and figure out the money later. If, oh the other hand, this change in lifestyle will shut the door on future earning potential, then you might want to be a bit more cautious.
You don't need a huge budget to buy and maintain a boat, but certain things cannot be skimped on (I've just put on a complete new standing rig, and I'm about to replace my anchor chain too. Ouch). I've met a few people who have near enough run out of money and frankly it doesn't look like a lot of fun. OTOH, I've also met people on $1m+ yachts who have made life very complicated for themselves and spend all their time chasing up warranty repairs for bit of kit they don't really need.
You've got to figure out what a comfortable life afloat looks like for yourself, and then see how you can afford to do it
johnbro27@reddit
Do a skippered charter somewhere. Ask a lot of questions. Get a boat--either buy one or join a sailing club or do a partnership (not recommended). As u/SeaAndSkyForever and Nike say: just do it.
Rubberman2054@reddit (OP)
thanks for the supportive comments, and advice.
apologies, haven't been on reddit in years. if there's anybody that sees this that lives in Asia and understands what i'm saying, let me know which marina out of: Puerto Galera, Subic Bay, Jomtien Ocean Bay, Langkawi or close, not listed online, would be the best to do a 'walk around with a six pack'. maybe someone transited from the US and left the boat or died. that's probably my market. right after i get some actual skills. which i'm still totally clueless about. there's 5 boats looking for crew in the philippines. i'll contact them. do a month of sailing and pay my way. and lock my cabin door and keep my dive knife handy in case theyre complete nutters i guess.
RedPh0enix@reddit
Pangkor marina and Langkawi tend to be decision points for skippers in South East Asia after cruising locally. Continue around the horn and then up to England? Sneak in the back way to the Med? Turn tail and fight the trades back to Darwin and then the Pacific? Sell the boat and head home?
This tends to mean that there are some reasonably priced vessels in reasonable condition at these locations. Once you start filling in your skill set, and are actively looking, consider contacting John Champion in Langkawi; he's a surveyor, and may be aware of vessels that fit the bill.
Potentially contact James Khoo, the owner of Pangkor marina, and ask whether you can attend one of his upcoming famous yard BBQs for yachties if you're in the area.
FarAwaySailor@reddit
Crew on a boat across the Atlantic from Gran Canaria to St Lucia. Either talk to the ARC directly to find a boat that needs crew or joint the OCC and talk to them about crewing to learn.
I have no idea what you think a boat costs, but mine cost me £35,000 11 years ago in Ipswich (UK). I'm now living aboard with my amazing family, currently in Fiji.
SeaAndSkyForever@reddit
Sometimes in life you have to stop planning and just start living the life you want
overthehillhat@reddit
WOW --
I can't upvote this
any-where near
enough times
overthehillhat@reddit
I borrowed stupid money to have a Payment 27 in my early 20's
Still BoatBroke in my late 70's
Hint:: There are many others -- who also want the Zen
YOU WILL meet them along the way
Rubberman2054@reddit (OP)
i want to meet those people man. i've seen 3 sailing channels now on you tube that bought boats, got sponsors, had kids and then decided to live on a farm or buy a school or something. i'm in reverse but my investment has gone, because, if you're a foreigner in asia you're not entitled to anything. it's gone. it just is. because you don't have rights out here. now it's gone i need to get myself together and re-invigorate and get my own place. and the best place is international waters where nobody can touch me. without skill that's more stupid than buying a farm in thailand. i can stomach one massive F UP in my life, not 2. i need training first. to develop motivation to follow through, second, and finances to pull it off third.
or just screw it all off drink san miguel in Cavite and call it a day.
Rubberman2054@reddit (OP)
agree with your sentiment 100%. go on yachtworld and find a decent boat under 50k. mark your location as langkawi and expand to 1000NM. nada. it's not happening. i'd probably need 200k and time, plus monthly income of at least 2500 USD to make it work. this is the killer when you're out of your country. absolutely everything costs money and i can't just pick up work anywhere. work means travel. i'm simply looking for an entry, to figure out if that's the way to go. then i disappear, work, earn, buy, fix, sail.
Purple-Hearing-3893@reddit
Plenty of people will take inexperienced crew on long ocean passages just to have an extra pair of hands. The majority of these passages leave from certain ports at certain times of year- decide which passage you want to do and start looking for a boat. If you aren't firmilar with the major sailing routes look up the world arc rally. It goes around the world in about 18 months but will tell you the right season and ports to consider for big crossings. You could also see if there is a rally that starts or ends near you contact the organizers about crewing. I personally don't like to sail with rallys but as crew there are some advantages- for instance more confidence that the boat you are joining is well outfitted and will actually leave port.
Given your situation there is really no reason to buy a boat without sailing on the ocean first. Do a passage and then decide for sure if this is something you need. If it is- I sailed all over the East Coast and Caribbean on a very basic 30ft boat I bought in my early 20s. I didn't have a shower but I got to go all the same places the fancier boats did and spent very little money doing it.
Advanced_Link_5753@reddit
Take an online diesel engine service/repair class, or maybe learn to fiber glass things, so,e ninja skills wouldn’t hurt, you will shine in the eyes of someone looking for crew.
Both-Activity6432@reddit
I do not have advice on this, but I do commend you for Knowing what you want Putting that to paper Seeking advice And moving in that direction!
hwolfson@reddit
I did an ocean passage last year across the Atlantic just by taking a flight to Gran Canaria, walking the docks & talking to skippers. The sailing community is a friendly one and if you show you're willing to contribute there's a strong chance you can get yourself on a passage.
I have also used findacrew.com to some good success. Both for local 1/2 day trips and for a longer stint in the Carribbean.
Great way to build experience before diving in and buying your own boat. Use the skills you already have to make you stand out & show how you can contribute (be that cooking, cleaning, etc). Also look at common routes sailors take & the general times of years they go through these areas according to the seasons, weather patterns etc. Means you'll be looking in the right places at the right time.
Get yourself out there, good luck & enjoy yourself! Never too late to pursue what you want in life, we only get one go around...
barefootviking@reddit
You’ve got the skills. Just start w easy & short trips. Nothing heroic but you can do it. Easy.
SE Asia is a great place to buy a boat! So much cheaper there. However…it’s quite a long slog to AUS and Cape Town…starting out in FL, Caribbean or Med would be a softer start.
Sir-Realz@reddit
I think you can afford a 30ft boat in Malesia your just to scared. I say buy a cheep boat, hop along the safety of coast until you get somewhere you can make enough money to trade up or renovate the one you bought, seams to me most of the sailing life is learning to repair and maintain the boat, what better way to learn than to rebuild it. you just need steady part time work, not at 2nd world country wages. I'm tempted to team up with ya. lol Im a mechanical engineer/ auto mechanic / home designer / home contractor, i think i could handle refirbing a boat.
kapnRover@reddit
You can learn knots at your desk or anywhere.
There are people looking for crew out there. Some know what they are doing and you’ll learn. Others are crazy and you’ll learn what not to do. Important to go with both early on!
Buying a cruising boat is easier in Hawaii. First stop on the way around the world from California so they might pretty well outfitted with an owner who decided offshore is not for everyone.
canadianbeaver@reddit