I'd love to get my hands on something like a Contessa 26 or 32, or something else along those lines (old, solid performance at sea, plus I love the folk-boat look of the Contessa 26), but honestly like you say it'll probably be another little shitbox, whatever is cheap that will float.
I'd be sailing right now if I could, but I had to sell my last little boat because I was penniless and about 6k in debt, so I'm back with the family trying to pay off the debt. Once I'm $0 in debt, I'll be back at it again. That's where I went wrong last time, you can do it on a shoestring, but that doesn't work out so well if the credit card company is constantly stealing your shoes.
Honestly I don't know why everyone thinks they need some fancy $200K (or way more) yacht to get out sailing. I bought my little sailboat "Seileastar" for $2000 last summer and lived and sailed on her for 6 months. That beats paying rent just about anywhere I can think of, that's for sure. She was a Coronado 25 from the late 70's. I attached a picture of myself sailing her up in Howe Sound (BC, Canada) if you're interested.
As to why I'd pitch in a bit of the old queen's face, well, I figured it wasn't going to set me back more than a day at the most when it all came down to it, but hopefully I'm not the only one sending something your way, and it can help you get back out there, and sooner rather than later! I've been off of my boat for 4 or 5 months now and it's killing me, and watching you do what you do is a great way to forget that I'm a long way from the sea.
"la Vagabond" and the other rich folk's sailing channels are fun and all to watch, but you're a hell of a lot closer to something I can aspire to, which makes it so much better to watch.
Sorry for writing such a wall of text, most of the folks here think that I'm a nutter for doing what I did previously, and a raving madman for dreaming of doing it again :P
-Liam
this was my reply
Love the wall of text L
perfect boat
as for old ones I was walking down a pontoon with a bloke with a 50 footer - brand new
he turned to me and said - the trouble with boats is that they burn 10 per cent of their value per year just to keep them
I thought - bloody hell if I could keep my boat for £500 a year on a marina pontoon and over all the costs I would be well chuffed.
terrible sails there on your boat - but a bad sail drives you almost as well as a new one
My son works in London - he has just bought a canal boat to live on
he borrowed 30K from Jill and is paying it back to her slowly
I love sleeping on boats - obsession it a strong word but it fits
I am hoping to get back to the rough stuff as soon as I can
the clock is ticking for me
61 and fit - but for how long I do not know
anything you as a web savvy young man to spread the word on the web most grateful
the tit shows are crap
really crap and they are bringing in $9,000 a week -
goodonthem for earning it - but their films are still crap compared to mine - not arrogance - take away the tits and no-one would watch
I spent three month filming loggers on your big island
spent my evenings looking lovingly at the sound
what a place to sail
I am have never sailed in warm water - 61 and always the cold stuff - like you I suspect
frightened to sail in warm water now
might suddenly realise what a nirk I have been
thanks for the properly written email
can't be shagged with all that
thanks L
From personal experience I can tell you that warm water sailing (coastal, that is, it can be bloody cold in the middle of the ocean anywhere) WILL spoil you for the cold stuff unless you are young enough to re-acclimatize (is that American spelling?). 61 might be young enough providing you don’t stay in the warm areas for more than a couple of years. One thing though, Great Britain (sounds better than UK) has some of the best sailing in the world when it comes to scenic variety and pubs. Your videos are helping my mind-set keep a foot in the door re returning one day………….. aw, who am I kidding, no way, too bloody cold even in the summer.
Do I get to be the first to insist that most of the nature part of your films are the most beautiful ART ?
That is my old Coronado…. had it in 2006, didn’t have enough time for it…gave it to another guy (Tim) he sailed her and lived on her for a while.