The plan is set. Now begins the implementation of said plan. Not many people have the freedom to choose to do such a thing, the means to do so, or the mindset to work for it. Even rarer in a life decision of this nature is the joy of sharing your life with someone who wants it as much, if not more, as I do.
What is the plan?
In its simplest form it is buying a boat and sailing off into the wild blue yonder.
Oh ok, that's it? That's not that big a deal, you might be saying. But ask yourself realistically what it would take for you to really be able to do that? Let me elaborate our current plan so for while you follow along at home.
We want to purchase a live-aboard sailboat in roughly the 30-35 foot range. Then, starting with day and weekend trips, learn our boat and what we need as far as gear and provisions are concerned. We would like to move up to working say 9 months and sailing 3 with the ultimate goal, if we really love it, to live-aboard in the Bahamas. We are both very experienced at serving and bartending and could shine at any restaurant we would work at.
This is not really a new plan either. For the last year or so we have flirted with the idea of doing this but after a recent trip to the Abacos we are sold. After 3 days of permanent smiles and seeing other people doing exactly what we want to do we left with the powerful feeling that this is what we have been drawn towards with our life choices.
Amber is even more easily mobile than myself. She has only a few bills, the only permanent ones being a storage unit, cell phone, and automobile insurance. She grew up on boats as a kid since her dad is a lifetime fisherman. She is never more happy than when she is by the water. I don't think I've ever seen her more at peace than when she spent those days looking out over the crystal clear turquoise water of the Abacos and told me "I want this."
I, on the other hand, am slightly more difficult. Even though I have whittled my life down to a fraction of what my previous life consisted of I still have a few hurdles to overcome. I have a pending divorce for one. Not fun but it was a choice I should have made years ago. I have never felt happier or more like myself and I have never once regretted the decision. That also brings into play my daughter and stepson. I see them weekly and will continue to do so. They just have to get use to spending time at sea. :) That also ties into my bills. My permanent ones are child support, automobile insurance, and student loans. There are other bills that I can cut ties with like satellite, internet, Spotify, magazine renewals, Xbox live, Warcraft, rent, the x-wifes cell phone (don't ask), and Amazon prime membership. My little wiener/Chihuahua Hercules will becoming too.
Luckily we both have extremely supportive family and we will have a place waiting if we change our minds or something happens
So now to the nitty gritty. This is our plan to implement over the next 2 years. The main reason for that length of time is because that is how long it should take us to save the 10k we feel we need to get a decent boat. We then plan to spend the third year, saving, getting the boat equipped and provisioned, and sailing on day and weekend trips to learn how she behaves and what she needs for extended sailing. After that we will have to see where we are and what are potential work/sail ratio can be.
- 1st step: Save money
- This may sound obvious and that's because it is. But I do not intend this information to be generic, but rather specific. You can find general information anywhere. Lets talk numbers. Our savings is basically zero right now. I'm not really exaggerating either. If I had to gather all the cash and account money right now and put it on the table it would probably amount to 500-600 dollars. No lie. This is mainly because we, Amber and I, do whatever we want. If we want to eat or drink out, we do. If we want to take my kids to Busch Gardens, we do. If we want to have a bbq at the house with friends and family, we host that too. We do not live extravagant lives but we do enjoy ourselves.
- Our goal is to amass about 10,000 to buy a decent sailboat. I can find decent 30ft boats for this price range and sometimes cheaper. Ideally we would like around 33-35ft but for our dollar we would rather get a better condition, seaworthy boat that is a little smaller. We figure we can do this saving 50 dollars each, every week, for 2 years
- 2nd step: Reduce our debt to income ratio
- Sounds obvious but it is a complicated step. Some of the bills we have can't disappear easily but essentially it is getting rid of satellite, internet, Spotify, magazine renewals, Xbox live, Warcraft, rent, the x-wifes cell phone, and amazon prime membership. Most of these will have to take place right before we go sail but so be it.
- 3rd step: Gain more sailing experience
- I have only been sailing for 3-4 years now, and only really delving into everything sailing in the last year. Before I jump headfirst into this and put my love's, my kid's, and my wiener's (my dog Hercules just to clarify) safety squarely on the shoulders of my sailing ability I want to know everything that I can. I have an O'day daysailer 17 and a 12ft Buckboard that I sail currently. A friend of mine has a Hunter 26 and a Lagoon 450 that we will probably get to crew on soon for some valuable experience. For now I will sail my boats and read up in a few books I have. Namely Royce's Sailing Illustrated that my grandpa gave me, and Sailing Fundamentals given to me by an incredibly generous man named Mike who comes into the restaurant I work at and owned an O'day daysailer 17 just like mine.
- 4th step: Shop for a marina
- Wow! have you checked the prices of wet slips at marinas lately. It is still cheaper than rent but damn. Our real quandary about the marina lies in the question of east or west coast? Of Florida by the way. Amber and I both prefer the west coast. We love Crystal River, Yankee Town, Treasure Island, and Homosassa. (is there a gayer name than homo-sassa? haha) We aren't the only ones that feel the pull of the gulf coast. My Grandparents spent a lot of time in their 23ft Kenner sailboat cruising in and around Tampa Bay when my Mom was a kid. My parents have a 21ft pro-line center console they keep at Keaton beach marina for fishing and scalloping. The east coast is only good for two things: surfing, which I love to do, and getting to the Bahamas! The negative part is the east coast is more expensive for marina fees and the wave are bigger and unrulier. We want to sail to the Bahamas but not just for a day or two anyway. So we will probably try and find a reasonably priced, low key marina to keep the boat at on the west coast and enjoy smaller voyages until we make the big trip around to the Bahamas. If anyone knows of a reasonably priced, out of the way marina on either coast let me know at kaseynesselrotte@gmail.com.
- 5th step: Shop for a boat!
- Oh boy! The big one! Exciting and terrifying all at the same time. Like I said before we want 30ft+. At first, and it would be more practical, we were looking for a larger trailer/sailor. But if we end up living on this thing full time 26-27 feet would not be enough. And there are very few trailerable boats the are still seaworthy. There are some exceptions like the Nor'sea 27 but they are still going for 40,000 dollars! We do not have our heart set on anything at the moment but we are both certain the right boat is out there and we will know it when we find it.
- 6th step: Outfit and equip the boat
- Now we get more vague. We can't predict what the boat will need, what it will already come with, what repairs need to be made, or what we will need personally to live and be comfortable. Only time will tell,
- 7th step: Day and weekend trips
- This will be an exciting time. Learning the new boat. Experiencing the highs and lows of sailing, navigating, and weather. Experiencing life at sea, just us cut off from the rest of the world.
- 8th step: Cut ties
- This is a tricky one. Quitting our jobs, reducing our bills, establishing our plans for my kids, mail, and banking. Having the money to go is important but also tying up loose ends and making provisions for others is critical. Having someone at home to handle mail and banking on our behalf. Having plans for renewing tags and registrations along with handling taxes or legal necessities. I think as we narrow down our bills and get closer to sailing these things will become more clear. The really critical part will be spending time with my kids. How we will arrange meeting and sailing with us on board if and when we are full time. This will definitely have to be reexamined closer to sailing and after the divorce pans out.
- 9th step: Chase the sun
- What more is there to say on this part. We sail, we work b.s. jobs to keeps us afloat, we enjoy each others company and our freedom. Even if we don't live aboard permanently we will be able to take some amazing vacations! But first lets take this a step at a time. Follow us on this journey as we pursue our dream and stay tuned for updates on our progress.
Cheers!
What a blast! We took the O'day Daysailer 17 out for a spin around Lake Harris in Leesburg. The wind was gusting pretty good so we were moving along at about 5-6 mph with occasional gusts that had us going above 7. I have this nifty Timex Ironman GPS watch that tells speed and distance for biking and running but it worked great for this too. Now I know what you are thinking. "You were going 7 mph and you thought that was a blast?" "Yes I do," I reply. When you are on a beam reach heeled over nearly 45 degrees where you feel like you are standing up straight, pounding through waves, side rail in the water, that's pretty fricking intense! 
The first was a technique for getting out of irons in a controlled manor. I screwed this up on a Hobie cat wave while in the Bahamas. I ended up putting us into the rocks that time. So the book said when you are in irons and want to move to starboard on a port take you sit on the port side and push both the boom and tiller handle to the starboard side. After doing this the bow of the boat immediately turned to starboard, the main filled, and we were off on a port tack. It was brilliant! and while this is a basic technique for most sailors I had not learned it yet. I believe I was pulling the tiller towards me thinking that when the boat started moving forward from the wind on the main sail and I would need the rudder turning me starboard. Now I realize the wind is pushing you backwards first. and then the sail fills to move you forward.
The second thing I tried was using the jib. Correctly. I definitely don't know all the tricks with it but we at least played around. We had tacked to the far west side of the lake and went on a run back. We had the main to starboard and Amber pulled the jib over to port and we were off. Were sailing smooth and fast. It is such a difference from the heeling on a beam reach. I had never before had the jib to one side and the main to the other. It was very cool and a very breathtaking view with both sails filled and towering above us.
There is something truly magical about sailing. Its calming and peaceful. Its just you and your chosen company at one with the wind, the water, and the boat. The only sounds other than your conversation is the splashing of waves on the bow, the bubbling of a wake behind you, the ruffling of the sails in the breeze, and the light slapping of lines on the mast. We had brought a cooler with drinks, we didn't have a destination, and we didn't have a time limit. It doesn't get any better. 
