Ever feel like you bought too much boat?

[rwthomas1]

Hello All,
This year my wife and I stepped up from a Catalina 22 to an Ericson 38 as some of you will know from my posts and miscellaneous ramblings. The gist of this post is that I feel maybe we went too far, purchased too much boat too soon. We fell in love with the E38, its size, layout, power, amenities, etc. when we were considering smaller boats like Catalina 30's, etc. We got a good price on the E38 which helped a lot. Recently though I have been having second thoughts on owning a boat like this.

I gave up another hobby entirely to devote time to the E38 and sailing. Maintaining the E38 is like a second job. I have taken a couple of weeks off of work just to keep up. I find I am working on the boat far more than sailing her. The exceptionally poor weather so far this summer here in NE hasn't helped either. Now I am faced with putting more money into the boat to keep it to my admittedly high standard. Its starting to feel more like an anvil on my back than a relaxing pastime. Unfortunately my wife is not so mechanically inclined and is little help in keeping up with the demands.

My/our intention in moving up from a Catalina 22 was to simply have a head and a workable galley to better enjoy days on the boat. I do not feel comfortable single handing the E38 so I cannot enjoy it as often as I did the C22. We simply do not have the time to fully utilize the "liveaboard" or cruising capabilities of the E38 so it is relegated to daysailing. Quite frankly I am begining to feel that a smaller/less complex boat would be a better and cheaper choice for this. Someday we intend to take weeks off, etc. and would need a bigger boat. I am thinking an Ericson 29 would have been a better choice for right now.

This is not to say that our E38 isn't a great boat, it is. It just may not be THE correct boat for right now.

Anyone else ever feel like this? If I could sell her tomorrow for what I paid, less all the work so far, I would. The wife claims that I will feel better about this but truth be told I have been feeling this way for a while.

RT

 

[footrope]

Well, I'm not ready to sell mine ...

but I might understand where you're coming from. We bought an E38 that was loaded (with mid-90s gear) and in good shape, but many items were/are coming up to the end of their lives. We did get two pretty good years before the leaks set in this winter AND I got very busy at work. This was the first time I began to feel a little overwhelmed. It has helped me to remember that many items are necessary, but some work is truly optional, or for "later." Hey the rest of the ports haven't leaked since the last rain - over a month ago.

It helps us to have a goal to get the boat into coastal cruising condition over the next 5-7 years - for when we retire. That has really helped me through a few low periods.

This is my first sailboat, after almost a decade of chartering sailboats, quite a step from a 17' trailerable outboard runabout. Hang in there, it'll get better! Whatever you decide to do we're all here for you.

 

[treilley]

If she is safe to sail then sail her. Have some fun. Make a list and prioritize it. I have been overwhelmed by the work I need to do on my new E35. I put safety above all else but I have decided to enjoy the boat. We went through the same process on our previous boat, a Pearson 28 but we took our time and got her shipshape just the way we wanted her. Of course we sold her and bought a new project . There is not a huge difference in equipment that is needed for sailing. For instance, the P28 was not setup with shore power and we could easily live without that now. It did not have pressure water but the E35 has a backup pump. It did not have hot water but we lived without that for many years also.

You bought this boat to have fun. Stick with it and have fun while you work on her. It will easily take years to her her the way you want. And then you will find somehting else to do! And don't think you will not be working on any boat you buy. An E29 will also require attention.

 

[CaptnNero]

Too much feels right

Hi Rob,

If you're not ready to cruise or race, then it sounds like you have a lot more vessel than you need. I never really thought about it, but I can see how without the overnight cruising, or racing, or a lot of passengers you are going to feel the burden more.

In my case there are more factors working for me. I know that I spend way too much time and resources doing maintenance and upgrades, but we plan to do some island hopping on Kokomo several years from now so it is a labor of love. The upgrades also add to our immediate use which includes many overnight trips on the Chesapeake.

Here's some things you can try to get more use out of the boat. Sometimes when we are really beat we just raise one sail. Sure we go slow, but we're still sailing and life is good. The escape is there with less effort. Perhaps there's a more experienced sailor in your area that you can bring aboard for the cost of a meal or a few beers to help mentor you and make you more comfortable sailing your E38.

I know you just had the dreaded leaky fuel tank project. I hope that experience isn't biasing your thoughts too much. It happens to many 1980's era boats. I know people on both sides of our slip who've dealt with it in recent years. Now I'm planning a pre-emptive fuel tank project this winter. If you buy a smaller boat of the same era, you will have many of the same problems on a smaller scale.


Your gut is talking to you and the good thing is that you have your ears open. Whatever you decide remember to keep your motivation in line with your grasp. Matching your original motivation to your grasp can help you get through the inevitable complexities later.

Best of luck with whatever vessel that you command.

 

[Fencer21]

This is not to say that our E38 isn't a great boat, it is. It just may not be THE correct boat for right now.

Man, don't be second guessing yourself like that.

Anyone else ever feel like this?

No. I haven't. Okay I lied, I did but only for a minute. Or at least until I went sailing the next time and had a blast.

Give it time you won't regret it.

 

[Sean Engle]

I felt the same thing at one point...

Rob -

When I first bought O Barquinho (my E35-3), she was in a horrible state - pretty much ignored most of her life and almost everything on the boat was original (1986 in 2000, so 14 years old). She was filled with mold, rotted sanitation lines, and filth as far as the eye could see (I'm not kidding - the holding tank was half full - the reefer was full of rotten food).

When I bought her, I was totally in denial. I kept thinking "...oh, I can fix this, and I can paint that and blah, blah, blah...." - but I never got a clear picture of what kind of 'total commitment' in terms of time (and money) it would take to bring her up to (my standard of) shape.

About two or three months after I purchased her, I began the heavy work of ripping out the sanitation system (I figured jump right in - and take out the worst of the projects first). After the demolition, the boat was all torn apart, and I spent months down at that dock - refusing to leave the dock - and I began to feel overwhelmed, thinking that perhaps I had made a huge mistake in purchasing her to begin with.

For the three years I owned her, I spent much of it upgrading and fixing problems that had been neglected - and it was only after about a year of solid work (after many of the big changes were done) that friends started asking me if she was the same boat, because she began to look so good. Once that happened - my feelings began to change - and I realized that I was simply bringing her back up to where she needed to be.

Had O Barquinho been in the shape that I sold her at the time of her purchase - I would have been unable to purchase her originally. Had she been in the condition I sold her in when I was looking for a boat to purchase, I never would have purchased her. I realized that I had to develop a boundary of projects in order for me to use the boat on an on-going basis (so that I would spend more time sailing and using the boat) - so I would be satisfied - and be willing to leave the dock.

On handling issues: Through the first winter a buddy of mine and I would go 'down to the boat' at 11 pm at times - in 20 degree weather - and take her out - just motoring down the waterway to a local grain tower and back. Later I started dragging him down there after work for evening trips out. Those small trips helped me work out lots of issues in docking and handling that would have been much more difficult during the day. As the time passed, I became more and more comfortable with doing all this stuff myself - and Jim became just a passenger, drinking all my beer and providing no support whatsoever...

Once I got past this initial 'repair ritual' to get her back up to the line so I could actually use her, my feelings changed, and I enjoyed her a great deal more.

That's not to say that boats are inexpensive - they're not. Nor is that to say that owning a sailboat requires little time for maintenance - they require lots of time. But like everything in life, you'll need to balance them and (as suggested) set some priorities. Realize that right now you're in the very early phase of ownership - where you're busying setting up the boat and fixing things to 'your level'. Set a list of things that either have to be done (safety) or that you really want done to enjoy the boat now. Try to achieve those things, and then go sailing.

You'll find that the adventures you have 'out there' will add a wonderful dimension to your (and your family's) life/lives. My closest friends and girlfriend (now wife) all recall favorite times out, or when something happened, etc. Those are the kinds of memories that only come from using the boat and enjoying yourself on it - the reason you bought it in the first place.

This is also not to say that if some financial calamity occurs, that I would advocate irresponsible ownership. I and others on this site have personally experienced such problems (my entire department was outsourced - so I suddenly became a 'motivated seller', and have since returned to graduate school), and none of us would ever support such an idea. This assumes that you're operating within your means, and that the boat is not placing an burden on your finances, etc.

The main thing is this: Just realize that the days of your life are passing - and that making and sharing special memories with your wife/family/friends is an important thing. Some day having the memories and mementos from this period could prove to you that purchasing your boat was one decision you don't/won't regret - even if it seemed like a pain in the butt at first...

My suggestion would be in line with that of your wife and others on this thread: stick it out, make a list, do what needs to be done for you to be safe and feel happy, and then go sailing and make some memories... If the costs are creeping up, set a budget and then set some priorities.

By the end of the summer you'll be doing what all the owners do: gripe about the expense, time and powerboaters, and then, with a smile, begin to recount all the great things that happened to you (and your family) this season...or last season, or the one before that...

Either way - get out her out on the water - you won't be sorry.

My $0.02,
//sse

ps: The E38 is an excellent boat - is actually the one I wanted - and you should be able to handle it on your own (once your comfort level comes up). She is the perfect size - small enough for you to muscle at the dock - large enough for you to entertain on, etc. You just need to spend lots of time handling her and setting her up your way so you're comfortable with her in all conditions.

 

[omgirl]

You are not alone...

Rob,

Just wanted to share my experience as my husband and I are experiencing what you are going through as well. We bought our E32-200 this past winter and have put a lot of work into her (granted both myself and my husband do the work... and not just 1 of us) but there are ALWAYS things we feel we must get done and the lists are endless.

A rule that I have made is that if we go 2 days a week to the boat - that 1 full day must be sailing only. No work. Period. That way, we enjoy her for what we bought her for and at the same time realize that all of the other things will get done in time. By the time we are back to our mooring, the problems don't seem quite as big anymore and we get even more inspired to work on the things that must be done.

I think that balance is key. Good luck!

 

[Guy Stevens]

Ah this is normal.... Relax

These issues are not with the boat, they are with the owner.....

In January of last year, M and I bought an Ericson 46. Previously we have had an Ericson 39. I have worked pretty solid 40+ hours weeks on her since we got her in March of 2005 up till Memorial day this year.

There were days when I was ready to sell her for a dollar. I knew when I started that there would be days like that, and resolved that I would work through them and not let it get me down, or make me down on the boat. About a week before memorial day I decided that I really didn't like the boat. It had been too much work, and I didn't feel that it had the "soul" that I was looking for in a boat. (NOTE that I had not sailed the boat at all, and had been working on it for over a year at this point FULL TIME). Was I pretty depressed about this? You bet.

There were a lot of issues at work here. If you will indulge me to numerate some of them:
1> I am not an introvert, I like being around people. The work on the boat had been mostly solo.
2> There had been a lot of VERY DIRTY HARD work on the boat, and no fun.
3> All I could see were the things that I had not gotten done on the boat, so progress was always one more step away. (I should have gotten out the project list and crossed off each thing that was done. It was a huge project)

The difference in boat size is huge. Being a rigger I knew that I was going to have to sail her with crew for probably the first summer if I wanted to figure out the best setup for making her single-handed capable.

For the first day sails so far we have taken out some of our friends. Pretty much every weekend since Memorial day. First sail we took out 6 other people, 4 of whom I have sailed offshore with, and were very experienced sailors. This last Saturday we took out only two friends, and one of them only skirted the jib about 4 times, meaning that we sailed her with only three people.

I have some ideas for changing some of the running rigging, some I have tried, and discarded, some I am waiting to try NEXT weekend.

The rules here are the boat goes out every weekend, even if it is a light sail up the estuary. EVERY weekend.

Now what is the upshot of all of this. Every weekend so far we have friends down that look at the boat and tell me how awesome it is, and what wonderful workmanship I have done. They generally point at some thing when saying this, it draws my attention to something that I have done, and off of the page and a half of things that remain to do. I do feel some pride then.

The other thing is that the boat is really fun to sail. She behaves very nicely and has a fair turn of speed. The boat definitely has soul, a lot of it actually.
Get out and sail her more, less projects for a while. Heck winter will be here before you know it, and then you have a lot of time for projects.

You may have of course gotten too big a boat, you would not be the first person to do so. But trying to use her just like a smaller boat is not going to really give you the insight that you need to figure out if she is too big.

The issue is that you went from something easy and light to day sail on to something bigger with more capability and more work. Remember the reasons that you wanted the 38? Try and get out there and use THOSE reasons. Trying to day sail her, at the drop of a hat alone at the end of a weekday, like you did the little lighter boat, is only going to drive home how big she is, and how much more work you have done to get to where you are now. Make the time and take her out for the weekend, even if it is the closest anchorage to you. Really go next door and anchor her out. Cook, relax, listen to the music spread out in the cockpit, enjoy what THIS boat has to offer, not what the last boat was offering.

Pay attention to what is harder on the new boat, and make part of the project list how to make those things easier. Next year, or maybe the year after if you have a short sailing season where you live, you will probably find that you can take out an E-38 rigged the way YOU NEED it to be single handed.

Your mileage may vary.
Guy

 

[CaptnNero]

a few more ideas

I like Guy's approach of making the vessel more manageable and experimenting with using it's capabilities at the low end.

Here's a couple projects that may help:
1) Upgrade the mainsheet traveler until you have plenty of purchase for relatively easy adjustment. I've also enjoyed the Harken windward sheeting cars sometimes available used in a local consignment shop.
2) For docking issues, there are simple line cradles that can be made for guiding the vessel in and out of your slip (assuming you have a slip), particularly when short handed.
3) For navigation I upgraded the GPS display to a size easily readable with my aging eyesight. That made a huge difference, particularly when anchoring in strange waters on a Friday night.
4) Get one of those fancy switches sold by WM for controlling all of the navigation lights from the cockpit so you don't have to duck below when single handed. Though you will have to run some wiring, they are small wires available in a bundle.

These days we sometimes spend the night in the slip just to get away and enjoy the ambience of our local harbor. Or if we're taking someone out on a Saturday, we'll sleep on the boat the night before and it makes the events of the next day seemed less compressed. The vessel's capabilities may grow on you.

 

[Chris Miller]

Support group...

Our 38 is at that age where everything needs to be replaced as well.
My thoughts would be to try to stick with upkeep for a while and let "upgrade" go by the wayside. This will help keep the costs and frustration down a little. It sounds like the boat is on the upside of the "make it like I want it" curve. You'll be in back in love with the boat in no time as the projects get smaller and less frequent.
I like the idea of saying the heck with maintenance for this weekend, I'm doing an overnighter to ----- (someplace within 30 miles). BBQ, drink rum, read a good book, and enjoy!

It really is worth it. Friends and family here have recently bought brand new beneteaus where no work is needed-- the only issue is that they don't sail worth a darn compared to our old faithful!

Chris

 

[CaptnNero]

The winner is...maintenance & mechanical

I just looked at the post counts for the general Ericson forums. The overwhelming winner is: Maintenance & Mechanical. Over half of the posts are to that forum. When buying a used boat most of us inherit some maintenance projects that we just need to lean on for a while to make it more manageable.

 

[HGSail]

I too have felt as you do. But you must remember is that a boat is nothing but a big hole that needs constant filling. My E29 has brought me great joy but at the same time it has brought alot of stress. For the first few years I dumped more than twice the money than what I had bought the boat for and spent more weekends with her than with the family. But in the end it was worth it. I know that the next owner will get a much better boat that the one I got.

Just remember a hole is a hole, Size doen't matter.

Don't give up

Pat
E29
'73
#224
Holy Guacamole

 

[wurzner]

Wow,

What an interesting email given all your previous posts…it was interesting, worrisome, and troublesome if that makes sense. Boat ownership means many different things to many different people so what I write is an insight into my thought process. Part of what I write may represent aspects of how you feel or may be completely out of sync I’m not saying anyway is right or wrong.

My E32 which I recently sold before getting the 38 was a perfectly fine boat for me. I purchased it for 3k and proceeded to put about another 12K into it and sold it 4 years later for 15k; not bad as far as boat ownership goes. In the process, I put on a new epoxy bottom which required a lot of time and 6 plus months on the hard. I also did sail upgrades, replaced all the below water gate valves, redid teak, redid the upholstery, installed a nice battery charger, electronic ign, new water pumps, you get the point. I was also at the boat that I could sail that boat with my eyes closed and even when the combings were in the water, I knew what I could expect out of the boat and how far to push it. Also, I could dock it in any conditions by myself given it only weighted around 9k lbs. That being said, I loved the boat and it suited me fine…there was no need to get a bigger boat in my opinion. While she still was a 30 year old boat and by far not Bristol, I was proud to have people on board and more importantly, I liked being on board. I could have done a lot more to make her shine a little more, but I also due between 1000 and 1500 miles a year which is not bad for a Monday to Friday chap. If I only did 200 miles a year, then she would have looked a lot better, but my interest in owning a boat would have waned.

Skip to Christmas of last year, my wife says she will never like sailing like I do, but there would be better interest if we had a nicer boat (read, larger, more expensive, and hot waster and a shower). That being said, here comes the 38-200 which I knew would be my next ride if I lived long enough. That being said, I went from having a boat that I knew like it was part of me, IT WAS PAID FOR opposed to owing 80k, insurance was 600 opposed to 1350, And moorage was about 150 a month less. When I think of it from that aspect, am I getting that much more enjoyment out of the boat…no I’m not. But keep in mind, I could sail a west wright potter or a cast iron bath tub and still have a great time, so a larger boat doesn’t or didn’t increase my enjoyment of sailing. Since I race, the 38-200 is a better handicapped boat in my opinion or perhaps, our club has better reference points in the ~140 rating. The 197 32 rated put me against smaller, lighter boats like tbirds and such which are really hard to beat unless it is so windy, they get dismasted! In this case, the 38 is a much more enjoyable boat so sail. Oh yeah, forgot to mention that sails are almost double in price, as is all the running rigging and hardware.

Is my new boat pristine…absolutely not! Am I going to be a lunatic and fret about getting it that way…No way in hell. My goal is to use the boat and continue to maintain /upgrade here over time, BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF USING IT! That being said, I don’t freak out about the condition of the boat. Since I’ve owned her, I’ve put on an autopilot, a nice used 130 from an Ericson 38, a new engine (unexpected) and new spinnaker ripped the old one racing and a nice used 130 kevlar sail since March. I also plan on doing radar, a new roller furled, forced air heating, and a new main as the next upgrades. How long that will take, could be a year or 2…who knows. What I can tell you is it will not be at the expense of using the boat!

When I think about the increased costs between the 32 and the 38, I can certainly see and perhaps share your point for a fleeting moment. I have chosen to make sailing my passion in life and for that; I have no regrets based on the usage of the boat. I do, however, think many people would benefit from chartering a boat once or twice a year based boat usage I see in the marina and the 10~12K a year I figure the boat costs. For me, it isn’t an option since I just like being on the boat, be it motoring, cruising, racing or at the slip. I’m not at the point that Guy is, but I’m not too far behind. Guy is the kind of person who buys a set of spark plugs and builds a car around it! Perhaps if I had more skill, I would pursue the same approach since as I said, I just like being around the boat.

Don’t despair and give it some time. Take a few cruises, get to know your boat, and don’t be too impatient to get everything done! In the end, it you do decide to downsize, it is doubtful you will lose a lot of money, if any at all with the exception of your time. Don’t put too much stake in the upgrades (you have already done a lot), they may in fact be part of the problem since while they help and are nice to have, the boat was likely fine the way it was when you purchased it. More time sailing and less time trying to determine where to spend your boat buck or 20 hours of time may be better suited on buying more chain or guest moorage fees!

Good luck and you have a great boat, but I’m a little biased.

Shaun
S/V Sorcerer 38-200
Everett, WA

 

[Frank Langer]

A different perspective....should I have bought a larger boat?

My wife and I recently bought an Ericson 30+, having also looked at the 32 and the 35, because the 30+ was in great shape (though still some projects to do) and a good price and available near our home port. Although she is great for the two of us, we also have 4 young adult children and a daughter in law, none of whom still live with us, but they still want to come sailing now and then (having sailed on our previous smaller boats during their teens). This is all great, except that the 30+ gets a bit crowded when we have more than 4 people aboard, especially sleeping on board for a weekend or more. That has got me wondering a few times if the 30+ is too small for us, and perhaps I should have bought the 32 or even the 35 instead.

But I recently had to dock her in a tight slip on a very windy day with the current running, and although I did fine, I was sure glad that day that I had the smaller boat. I also put another coat of wax on the topsides--again, after two hours of work in the sun, I was glad the boat was no bigger. And I can raise the mainsail on our 30+ to within a foot of the masthead without resorting to the winch/winch handle, but I'm sure the weight of the mainsail on the larger boats would make that unlikely.

And when I look at our 30+ (especially with the new coat of wax), I love how she looks, and she sails really well.

Bottom line for me is that no boat can be all things all the time, and they are all compromises, which at times is frustrating and gives rise to doubts. So far, I have accepted that there will be times where I wish our boat was a bit bigger, but also times when I am very pleased that she isn't. Unless something changes for us so that it becomes absolutely clear that our 30+ is not the right boat for us, we will keep her and enjoy her strengths, live with her periodic shortcomings and be thankful that we bought an Ericson!

So while you wonder if you should have bought a smaller boat, I sometimes wonder if I should have bought a larger boat....I think we need to enjoy what we have, and only change if it becomes absolutely clear that that's necessary.

Just my opinion....

Frank.

 

[CaptnNero]

sharing is caring

Doesn't it sound like maybe Frank and Rob should swap boats for a while ?

 

[Martin King]

small can be beautiful

Rob,
Here's my story. I owned an E39 that I spent 10 friggin years on restoring
her to better than factory new. Every system and part was gone through
from the bottom of her barrier coated keel to the top of her
awlgripped tapered spar. She was big, beautiful and fast for her age and
admired every where we went. The real truth though was she was a
real handful in any kind of a blow for me and my 115 lb. wife, and docking
this 20,000 lb beast in our usual crosswind slip was always a nail biter
for us and worrying about scratching up an expensive paint job all the time
took some of the fun out of using the boat. The maintenance and escalating
slip fees for this size boat in Newport Beach finally became too much of a
burden for a couple of working class peons like us, and we sold her. We
wound up buying a beater E31 and have never looked back. The new boat
is like a toy by comparison and my wife loves this smaller, easily handled
boat-a big plus. This boat has received plenty of TLC from me as well but
I must say the satisfaction ratio to dollars spent has been very favorable.
Don't be afraid to move down in size if that's what your gut tells you.
Best,
Martin

 

[Bob in Va]

Swapping boats

It sure does! In fact, Rob might even want to step down a little farther and swap with me (E-23), and he'll REALLY appreciate what standing headroom is all about. I think that one aspect of boat ownership that needs to be considered is that if the boat costs above a given amount or is located farther than a given distance away, it can start owning you, rather than the other way around. By that, I mean you can have so much tied up in it that you HAVE to sail it, even when you might not want to, in order to justify the cost. Or it is so far away that you HAVE to schedule long weekends aboard in order to justify the trip, even when that might not be your preferred activity. For most of us, the love of sailing is such a passion that we might never reach these threshold values. But I know people whose boats dictate their leisure activities, even when they would rather do something else. Rob's consideration of moving down to a 29 (or perhaps 32?) is certainly reasonable and might just solve several of his problems. When he went from a 22 to a 38, he jumped about 4 orders of magnitude and that is a large change to make for anyone. My boat is about the right size to be a tender for his, but I sure love being able to take her out within less than 5 min of boarding her at the slip, and singlehanding is easy (well, it can get a little exciting when racing in a fresh breeze). No crew? No problem. But Rob can bet I'll do some drooling when he sails by, and maybe think about buying an extra lottery ticket that week. And an old East Greenwich boy would love to put in some sailing time on Narragansett Bay

 

[CaptnNero]

A boat too far

Bob's post reminds me of a dilema we reached in 2000, after 4 years of sailing. We loved it but the weekly 90 minute one way commute from west of central Maryland across the Washington, DC beltway to the marina had grown to 2 to 3 hours. It became depressing at times. The summer of 2000 was the breaking point and we decided to either sell the boat or the prime piece of real estate we were about to build on and move to the Chesapeake.

One nice evening we took a walk and within a mile or two decided to dump the real estate and our current house and migrate to the Bay. In the next few weeks we bought a house near the boat and sold the prime real estate. By December we were relocated and quite content. I knew our type of jobs would be scarce by the Chesapeake and it has not always been easy but somehow we have managed to do mostly outsourcing to our home/office and it has worked out. Timing was good as broadband arrived in our neighborhood the second spring after we moved in. It has become essential for the outsourcing that we do now.

One thing leads to another as I now have one foot in the marine industry (see recent Raftup thread: A personal transition). For me, "Life happens while you're making other plans..." (Tom Smothers)

 

[wurzner]

There were some really good points that came up after my post. We too (I'm 40, my wife is 35) purchased a nice piece of land (look at the NW group of places to live in WA state) with the down road expectation of retirement. God willing, it is at least 15 years away with no kids, but it IS close to John Wayne Marina. That being said, I am 13.5 miles to my slip which in puget sound conditions, can be ` hour. From work, it is is 27 miles so overall, I'm in good shape. If my commute were significantly different, I can not say my previous posting would reflect my viewpoint...proximity to my slip is a HUGE factor even in seattle traffic which is horrible.

Once again, hang in there and go for a sail!

shaun

 

[evm]

Bigger boat

There are so many good comments in this thread that I cannot say more.

Sometimes I think that I want a bigger boat. Currently I have an E39 and end up single handing her more than not. At times she is a pain and other just a pure joy. But in all cases she is not a toy boat (no slight intended to ANY boat). She is a real boat and requires real seamanship.

So back to bigger boats... Sometimes I would really like to have a Swan 65. That boat is so far far over my head in all ways. More money than I have, more time than I have and How would I singlehand her?

And with all that said I would love to own one and just spend my days messing around with her