just a wooden boat wannabe

[mscho59]

I grew up on an S-boat in the Chesapeake and then on a series of 'glass boats but haven't sailed in over 20 years. Kids are moving out of the house and leaving me time to work on getting back to sailing. I've been looking at a number of lovely boats from an older H28, a 'glass Herreshoff cat, and even a Choey Lee Frisco Flyer. I'd be sailing Buzzards Bay with the goal of moving the boat to Martha's Vineyard when I can get a mooring (takes several years on a wait list). Maybe a stable trailerable would be best for starters.
Any words of encouragement, suggestions for the search, ....?

[bamamick]

Wow! You are in a wonderful situation. To have a blank piece of canvas to paint upon once again? Man, what would I have done differently? What would I have done the same? I have often wished that I was in the spot you are in right now. Have fun with it. And oh yeah, welcome.

Mickey Lake

[Woxbox]

If you can be comfortable in a trailerable boat, then by all means go that route. Especially where you live, you can take the boat up to Maine in half a day, or down to the Cape or Buzzards Bay or Narragansett Bay. Superb. Or locally, Boston Harbor & vicinity is plenty colorful.

There are too many options to list. How many folks will be along or daysailing? Overnighting? Does it need to be traditional? Do you prefer speed more or comfort more?

The more you can outline what you're after, the better the suggestions here will be.

[mscho59]

I am thinking of daysailing for now. It would be best to explore the local waters, finding spots to drop an anchor for a meal and a swim. Cruising would suit my wife best and my two grown kids would join us here and there but I can't tolerate a poorly trimmed sail. And getting close to the wind is so much more fun than running.
Traditional is my preference. If I am gonna commit my spare time to her, I'd like to be infatuated. A longer cockpit is more important than a spacious cabin as overnights are not so important.
Thanks for all the advice. How does a guy find a place on a crew???

[2MeterTroll]

take your time; get a good crust of salt back on. have some fun sailing somebody else's problem for a while and look around You will find a mistress soon enough.


Ask around the docks.

[bamamick]

You're on your own on that other stuff, but for the last question just go down to your local sailing club and put a 3 x 5 card on the bulletin board with your contact info. Find out when their beer can races are and show up with your boots and pfd and a smile. Offer to help scrub a bottom. Generally make yourself useful, show a good attitude, and you'll have more rides than you'll want.

Where you are going to be living there are so many choices it's unbelieveable. Mooring/storage costs, insurance, initial budget, number of people you can count on in a pinch, etc.. All of these are critical factors. Then again you may stumble up on something in a boatyard that just looks right and have to have it. People here will expect me to recommend a Dragon because that's what I do, but you want to go sailing, not just racing, and racing boats are quite often difficult to daysail (they require a lot of attention). When you said that you loved sailing to weather that knocked the catboats out of it, imo. You know what I'd look for if I were you? Folkboat. That'd do it. Or maybe a Knarr, but a Folkboat you could trailer. You could leave it on a mooring. It's got a jib so it'd be easy for your crew to handle (as opposed to a genny). Solid and well built, but relatively lively. Reasonable costs. A Folkboat. Think about it.

Mickey Lake