Accidentally bought a yacht

[AbdullahD]

It all happened innocently enough, I was moaning, whining and crying about work and how I couldn't chase my lifelong dreams with it...

So I called Mommy dearest and continued with her and during the course of this conversation she informed me that my brother.. who happens to build boats for a living.. was looking at sailboats himself. She then stated that it was such a reckless, childish, silly thing to pursue.. so naturally I was interested. I have always wanted to sail the world and to have a dear brother of mine interested as well... well by george it would appear to me as a sign.. God does work in mysterious ways, ya know.

Then I did what any sane, responsible, mature, father of two, husband would do.. I googled prices of sailboats or well yachts as some call them.. assuming only the truly rich could afford them.. and well I was wrong.

So I, you could say, "tripped" with my fingers, ya know how sometimes they just type things out of their own accord and before you know it your looking at something you never intentionally meant to look at it? Well see that exact thing happened to me and I was looking at long term cruising cost data in a very nice excel spreadsheet with itemized inputs. Oddly enough that was affordable too.. at this point, my wife surmised or realized I was a goner and gave me a list of seemingly impossible qualifiers to fulfill... good idea no?

Sadly, it was not, at least not for her... she had very few boats that fit her list and certain specifications that had to be fulfilled so assuming I would not find a boat that would meet those requirements any time soon.. we maturely and wisely decided, between the both us to not aggressively seek a boat to buy and that was that.

Except.. it wasnt... I may have, sort of, kind of kept an eye out on yacht world. Research purposes only mind you, I did not want to be taken for a ride when we did finally buy a boat... and well I saw this beautiful sailboat the fit all the requirements a 1977 40' Valiant, you could say it was another sign from God .. so me being the calculated, intelligent person I am decided to tell the wife that if they would sell it at a certain price, we would take it. Then they said yes, so I put on conditions for a survey, financing etc and they all came back good... another sign I swear!

So now here I sit, the proud new owner of a 77 Valiant 40' that is in solid condition and I'm still not sure how it went from a whimsical dream of sailing the world to owning a great blue water boat... it was quite by accident I swear.

Now I am curious do we have any sailors of sailboats on here who could offer some advice, my fraulein and I do plan on taking a few courses over the next couple years. I plan on addressing all issues that are shown on the survey within the next couple years and who knows maybe instead of joining up when I'm 40 I'll go sail the world first.

Any rate any input guys?
Abdullah

P.s yep, it's all true.

 

[Kat Stevens]

A man after my own heart. I'm on my last snowblower, I swear, when this one shits the bed, it's me, the dog, and a 40 footer somewhere a lot warmer than this.  My quals are about 25 years out of date, but was a not too bad sailor once upon a time. Bear in mind, the two happiest days of a man's life are when he buys his first boat, and sells his last one, and in between it's a big hole in the water you pour money into.

 

[Old Sweat]

Got any tips for the Canadian government on purchasing ships for a good price and on time?

 

[AbdullahD]

A man after my own heart. I'm on my last snowblower, I swear, when this one shits the bed, it's me, the dog, and a 40 footer somewhere a lot warmer than this.  My quals are about 25 years out of date, but was a not too bad sailor once upon a time. Bear in mind, the two happiest days of a man's life are when he buys his first boat, and sells his last one, and in between it's a big hole in the water you pour money into.

I hear Fiji is nice cheap too or Thailand

Breaking my wife to it easy though, starting with Van Island then the Bahamas, who knows after that.

Got any tips for the Canadian government on purchasing ships for a good price and on time?

Haha no comment lol

Abdullah

 

[blacktriangle]

I plan to retire in Kingston and get a boat. It's such a nice place to be on the water in the summer. There's some nice places to zip around if you head out toward Thousand Islands.

 

[AbdullahD]

I plan to retire in Kingston and get a boat. It's such a nice place to be on the water in the summer. There's some nice places to zip around if you head out toward Thousand Islands.

I've seen some pictures of boating on the great lakes, I dare say it is amazing country there.

If I remember  correctly isn't there a waterway to get down to the gulf of Mexico if your draft isnt to deep and your mast isnt to tall... watched a couple do it or something close to it on YouTube beautiful country.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

If you don't have a background in boating, Power Squadron is your friend http://www.cps-ecp.ca/

 

[AbdullahD]

If you don't have a background in boating, Power Squadron is your friend http://www.cps-ecp.ca/

Thanks Colin, I will hopefully be taking some courses through them. They have an outlet in Terrace I believe, a bit of a drive but well worth it. I do not want to become one of those stories of idiot buys a boat and then sinks it.

Thanks again!

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

I've seen some pictures of boating on the great lakes, I dare say it is amazing country there.

If I remember  correctly isn't there a waterway to get down to the gulf of Mexico if your draft isnt to deep and your mast isnt to tall... watched a couple do it or something close to it on YouTube beautiful country.

Yes Abdullah, there is.

You pick up the canal system at Chicago. It's down the Chicago River South fork to the Des Plaines River. Then on the Des Plaines to pick up the Illinois River, which you go on until it drains into the Mississippi River at Chautauqua. Finally, down the Mississippi to New Orleans and the Gulf.

But it's motoring all the way and you will likely need to lay down your mast until at least you get on the Illinois.

BTW, no one mentioned it here, but in Canada, you need your Boat Operator's license to operate any type of boat/yacht. Again here, the Canada power Squadron are your good bet. However, if your plan is sailing (as opposed to motoring) and you have not really sailed before, I strongly suggest going on the water with an experienced sailor for little while, until you become comfortable. In a 1977 boat, you likely don't have any self furling sails, so you need to learn the ropes (BTW, that's exactly where the expression comes from: In the days of sailing ships, the first thing a new seaman or midshipman had to do was learn the purpose and operation of each individual rope on the ship.) 

 

[Kirkhill]

It's not good to be clewless at sea.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Thanks Colin, I will hopefully be taking some courses through them. They have an outlet in Terrace I believe, a bit of a drive but well worth it. I do not want to become one of those stories of idiot buys a boat and then sinks it.

Thanks again!

Apply for this job at Van Isle Marina. They're great people.

If you get it, you might be able to moor at a discount, live aboard onsite, and get some time on the water with skilled sailors:

https://vanislemarina.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Seasonal-Fuel-Dock-Crew-2019.pdf

 

[AbdullahD]

Yes Abdullah, there is.

You pick up the canal system at Chicago. It's down the Chicago River South fork to the Des Plaines River. Then on the Des Plaines to pick up the Illinois River, which you go on until it drains into the Mississippi River at Chautauqua. Finally, down the Mississippi to New Orleans and the Gulf.

But it's motoring all the way and you will likely need to lay down your mast until at least you get on the Illinois.

BTW, no one mentioned it here, but in Canada, you need your Boat Operator's license to operate any type of boat/yacht. Again here, the Canada power Squadron are your good bet. However, if your plan is sailing (as opposed to motoring) and you have not really sailed before, I strongly suggest going on the water with an experienced sailor for little while, until you become comfortable. In a 1977 boat, you likely don't have any self furling sails, so you need to learn the ropes (BTW, that's exactly where the expression comes from: In the days of sailing ships, the first thing a new seaman or midshipman had to do was learn the purpose and operation of each individual rope on the ship.)

Thanks for confirming that for me. I have set up an experienced sailor to help move the boat to sooke with me, he is saying a two day trip. I have also talked to some sailing schools down south for getting a week long training session my wife, brother and I on our boat. My brother has more time on the water then I, but will be joining us for the classes anyways. Thanks for the concern

It's not good to be clewless at sea.

Lol true and true

Apply for this job at Van Isle Marina. They're great people.

If you get it, you might be able to moor at a discount, live aboard onsite, and get some time on the water with skilled sailors:

https://vanislemarina.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Seasonal-Fuel-Dock-Crew-2019.pdf

Sadly, that option is not one I can take. With this job in eight years time, I can retire. We are living off of the money I used to make while banking the difference. I'll be completely debt free in 3 years times aside from the mortgage.

I did look at jobs that would get me experience and at this point it does not work.. the wife wont allow a huge pay cut like that because we have a plan and we are following it. Basically get financially independent and then if we want to change jobs we can.. or sail the tropics or w.h.y.

May be once I'm set up, ill do that for a bit before attempting any long distance cruises. Sorry if I come across as a posh fool, I'm not trying to, it's just if I keep this job I can refit nicely etc but who knows. If I decide to rage quit at CN maybe I'll have to haha (the job really is not enjoyable lol)

Abdullah

 

[childs56]

Check out "sailor doodles"on YouTube. Then there are links to a few others. Some good information on buying and maintaining sailboats. Some great scenery.

 

[AbdullahD]

Check out "sailor doodles"on YouTube. Then there are links to a few others. Some good information on buying and maintaining sailboats. Some great scenery.

Yep I watch him, he is pretty good.

I also follow Patrick Childress he has a valiant 40 too
Rigging Doctor
Sailing soulianis
Ulma
Lady K

And a few others, lots of good content. I'm lucky though my little brother builds boats for a living.. well aluminum ones..  but still I'll be abusing him in exchange for time sailing lol

 

[Good2Golf]

It's not good to be clewless at sea.

I see what you did there... ;D

 

[stoker dave]

If I remember  correctly isn't there a waterway to get down to the gulf of Mexico if your draft isnt to deep and your mast isnt to tall...

From Lake Ontario you can get access to the Erie Canal, that takes you to the Hudson River, that takes you to New York, that can get you to Delaware Bay, that gets you to Chesapeake Bay that gets you to the Intra-Coastal waterway that gets you to the south of Florida.  I have transited some of that in a sailboat.  You have to take down the mast to transit the canals.  There are hundreds of boats that do this every year. 

You can also access the Hudson River from the St Laurence River just east of Montreal. 

For all things yachty, try www.sailinganarchy.com.  Those guys have a reputation for rudeness but are extremely knowledgeable.  It just takes a while to get that information.  The designer of the Valiant 40 (Robert Perry) is a regular on that site (along with lots of Valiant owners). 

 

[Kirkhill]

And if you combine stoker's advice with that of OGBD you get NOAA's great loop...

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/great-loop.html

You can always include the Trent-Severn Canals through the Kawarthas if you want to jump from Lake Huron to Lake Ontario.

 

[SeaKingTacco]

Welcome, to sailboat ownership! We were given my wife's father's boat this past summer, so no upfront cost, but we certainly are into the maintenace, upkeep and fitting out costs!

 

[daftandbarmy]

Or you could paddle a canoe from Winnipeg to the Amazon and back. And I'm still wondering why Don returned?

"In 1986, the names of Don Starkell and his son Dana were entered into the Guinness Book of World Records for having completed the longest canoe journey ever, a distance of 12,181 miles (19,603 kilometres)."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Starkell

 

[Pusser]

It's not good to be clewless at sea.

Place your tongue between your teeth and then hit yourself on the top of the head!