Link to gif. Need to get smarter on posting.
Since I know a lot about flying and jack about sailing, I choose an aviation related gif as my newbie gift to the forum.
Here's the story. My wife and I are 62 and still very mobile. We've inland power boated on the big Missouri River Reservoirs in the Dakota's for years. I'm a 30 year retired military pilot and the wife's a retired nurse. We've always been intrigued with sailing. A few months ago I had an opportunity to rent a 35' long / 12' beam slip at Boca Chica Naval Air Station in Key West. I did it it on a whim. Here's a link on Google Earth to the marina location. I'm including it because this is where I'm going to learn and thought it might make a difference on what boat to get.
https://earth.google.com/web/@24.57630103,-81.70923344,-0.7511477a,1120.03876156d,35y,-0h,0t,0r
I'm not the sharpest pencil in the drawer but I'm pretty sure I need a "learning boat" for 6 or so months before I move up. Budget isn't the big concern since I ASSume I'll get a bit bigger boat once I figure this out. I'll sell the first boat and likely lose a little and move on. I'd like my starter boat to be able to get to the Sand Key Lighthouse area eventually for some diving and snorkeling.
We'll stay on the boat for a few weeks in Feb,Mar,Apr,May for starters figure it out from there. We still tent camp sometimes and living for a few weeks on a small boat is fine. The end goal is to get the skills and experience (and the right boat) to do the Bahamas in the future. I'm a pretty handy mechanic and have been around both outboards and farm diesels for decades.
Bottom Line: I've got "paralysis from over analysis" and would greatly appreciate any input. This is the only no bullshit sailing site I've found. I'm ready for the incoming....
Since I know a lot about flying and jack about sailing, I choose an aviation related gif as my newbie gift to the forum.
Here's the story. My wife and I are 62 and still very mobile. We've inland power boated on the big Missouri River Reservoirs in the Dakota's for years. I'm a 30 year retired military pilot and the wife's a retired nurse. We've always been intrigued with sailing. A few months ago I had an opportunity to rent a 35' long / 12' beam slip at Boca Chica Naval Air Station in Key West. I did it it on a whim. Here's a link on Google Earth to the marina location. I'm including it because this is where I'm going to learn and thought it might make a difference on what boat to get.
https://earth.google.com/web/@24.57630103,-81.70923344,-0.7511477a,1120.03876156d,35y,-0h,0t,0r
I'm not the sharpest pencil in the drawer but I'm pretty sure I need a "learning boat" for 6 or so months before I move up. Budget isn't the big concern since I ASSume I'll get a bit bigger boat once I figure this out. I'll sell the first boat and likely lose a little and move on. I'd like my starter boat to be able to get to the Sand Key Lighthouse area eventually for some diving and snorkeling.
We'll stay on the boat for a few weeks in Feb,Mar,Apr,May for starters figure it out from there. We still tent camp sometimes and living for a few weeks on a small boat is fine. The end goal is to get the skills and experience (and the right boat) to do the Bahamas in the future. I'm a pretty handy mechanic and have been around both outboards and farm diesels for decades.
Bottom Line: I've got "paralysis from over analysis" and would greatly appreciate any input. This is the only no bullshit sailing site I've found. I'm ready for the incoming....
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