Calling all sailors
 

I have never owned a boat. There have been periods of my life when I would have liked to have owned a boat and entertained the idea. Now I have serious heartache over not owning a boat. I have to have one. I do. I have waited long enough.


I have no idea what Im doing and dont know where to start.

The best way is to meet people who boat. Figure out if you like it at all. I you do, figure out what kind of boating you're interested in. I personally adore sailing, though I only get to do it occasionally.

I'd like to get a sloop some day and just disappear on the ocean for a few months. There's nothing in this world like being at sea.

im actually going to do that in a few years with a friend of mine. He's been talking about it forever, and he's finally going to go through with it. im stoked about the idea, ive always wanted to sail.

usually i just canoe. i have a wooden flat bottomed square stern canoe and a standard fiberglass canoe. i love the fact that whenever i want, i can just go out on the river for some peace and quiet.

what kind of boat are you interested in right now? Do you want one just for a day on the water? do you want one for fishing? or do you want one just to tear ass around a lake?

side though: before i die, i need a pontoon boat to party on. that just seems excellent.

Do you have a boaters license? If not, this is the place to start, long before you think of purchasing your vessel and setting sail on a maiden voyage.

http://www.boat-ed.com/or/index.htm

Go join your local yacht club. Most yacht owners, especially if they race their yachts are always looking for some extra crew for an evening or afternoon race. It's a fun way to get into it; it's how I started and look at me now!

Depending on the size of the craft, you may need a license. I'd recommend looking through this website: http://licenseinfo.oregon.gov/?fusea...ing&LinkType=P

You don't need a license to operate a canoe or kayak. Portland Parks and Rec offers a variety of classes to learn to kayak (amongst other selections dealing with watercraft), including one called Kayaking Begins Here. Personally, I'm a fan of canoeing or kayaking given our beautiful rivers and the ease of renting/operating a canoe or kayak on said river.

I'd recomend trying it first.

I dont know about where you live, but near me there are training courses you can do in sailing a little one man craft on a lake.

I used to have a boat, on the Deben - although I didnt take it out to sea much.

Assuming you're taking about a "sailboat"...

I'd give the Willamette Sailing Club a call or e-mail. I'm sure they're on-line or at least in the book. Not sure about now but they used to give lessons pretty cheap. If nothing else I think they can set you up for a day trip on a small S/V to see if you're actually in interested.

And Snowy (as usual) is correct. You need a license to operate pretty much any power or sail vessel in Oregon. Not sure about now but you used to be able to take an on-line course and test. There was a time then if you were over "X" age you didn't one. I think over the years it got to where everyone needed one. I know one year I didn't need it and then when springer Salmon season started the next year I did. I ended up not fishing one weekend due to lack of license. I did the on-line course. Think it ran me $35. More pain in the ass then anything else, for me anyway. I spent time in the Navy, owned a boat most of my life, built one boat, had my private pilot ticket. The course on line I took requires you spend "X" of time on each subject. I keep having to come back to the computer to see if I could move to the next subject. I spent a couple hours relearning stuff about relative bearings and "red, right, returning." Most of the questions were stuff like "If you're really drunk you should- A. Make sure at least one other person on the boat isn't as drunk as you. B. Drink a lot of coffee. C. Go boating another day when you're not really drunk." There were question like that but there were also a lot of right of way, navigation and buoy marking questions.

I think you can still do the course on-line if not check out the Coast Guard web page, I think they offer in person classes.

You can still take the course and test online; my best friend and her sister both got their licenses not too long ago, and yes, they said the questions were completely ridiculous (I presume it's much the same as the food handler's test).

I remember some technical questions about navigation, right of way and buoy markings mixed in with those nonsense questions. Also remember being able to print out a cert. saying I passed the course then they mailed me a credit card sized card for my wallet. The cert. I printed out said "do not laminate" on it. I thought "yeah, I'm going to take this out to buoy ten and hope it doesn't get wet." I laminated the thing, as did with all my basic charts. About three weeks later a small white and light blue card showed up in my mail box. I think it's good for life?

BTW- I've been stopped by the CG and the Clatsop SO several times out on the Columbia river bar. Not once did they ask to see my boating license. Nav lights? Life jackets? Fire Ex?, Engine venting? Check, check, check and check. License? Never came up.

Like my pilots license (which is basically your log book and a small yellow medical cert. card) only time I've ever been asked for it is when renting a plane at an airport where they don't know me.

A boat will likely own your life during the summer. We don't see my father-in-law from late spring until early fall, unless we choose to go on his sailboat.

You make that sound like a bad thing.

:lol: Actually, I wasn't including any value judgment in my statement. My FIL is fine, I don't mind seeing him. I personally don't like sitting on boats.

My point was that it can fill all of your available time. If that is a way that you want to fill your time, go for it.

Well, a boat can be hole in the water you throw money into; a plane's just the opposite, you end up throwing cash at the sky then.

Both can also be a time consuming endeavors regardless of cost. But sitting on a boat and watching the sight and or lights of shore disappear over the horizon brings me a smile unlike any other sight.

Ahoy there! These are all great suggestions.

I am looking to get the most versatile, least maintenance needing vessel. If I had my druthers I would use the boat to commute to work, but this is a tall order as I would need cover in the winter. I want something I can leave in the water year round or that is lightweight enough that I can wrangle it by myself or with another person up onto the pier. I dont want a boat that I would need a trailer for. I want the option of oars, a lightweight electric motor, and a sail. On the other hand, I might like to have a small speed boat sort of thing instead, but Im not sure about the upkeep.

Sorry this posting is so dull and pointy. Im tired tonight, but wanted to get back to it.

Thanks for your help.

Leaving it in fresh water year round, I'm assuming Willamette, Possibly the Columbia, shouldn't be that big of a problem. You're still going to want to take it out a couple times a year and pressure wash, etc.

The "least maintenance needing vessel" is known as SBEB. Or some body else's boat. Boats need maintenance, they're like dive gear. Their job is done in water. Things that sit in water a lot need regular maintenance. But don't worry you can get a sales man to tell you his model brand needs nearly none. So if that's what you want to hear you can get someone to tell you that.

I fully expect that there will be maintenance with a boat and I plan to do it myself. Im not afraid of hard work, and I often look for it. Obvious, if you take a look at my life. I will look after it and make sure to have any repairs taken care of quickly whether I learn to do them or have them done. I do the same with my car that is still in good shape after 13 years. I sometimes sorta enjoy the doingness of it, I take an almost pleasure. Other times I do it in a more surefired fashion, taking care of what needs ot be taken care of. Depends on time.

I have already looked into boating license classes and the test itself. I pass and live near boat stuff. I want to go in and look at stuff, but havent yet because I dont know what Im looking for or what to ask about. Do I want a canoe? Yes!! Do I want a sloop? Yes!! Do I want a speedboat? Yes!! A bateau? Yes!! A barge? Of course.

What Im askin here in my usual funky way is : Want to go boat shopping with me?

Hey there mates. I was just reading about various water craft, including jet skis (the newer ones=much less noise). There was mention of a four-seat craft (slower in the uptake). Has any of yous ever seen one?

Also, when Googling maintenance of jet skis I could only find reference to keeping them in saltwater year round. Of course my water isnt salty so I wonder about the water wear on the metal (engine).

I dont know that I want a jet ski, but Im doin all the research. I think I really want something I can lounge in while fishing.

Can't help you here. The only thing I know about jet skis is they're hazard to my spear fishing career. Freaking things are everywhere down here and apparently their drivers don't understand, or don't care, what a "diver down" flag looks like.

I have a Puffin Pacer sailing dinghy myself. My next boat will be a one man craft for double paddling down rivers. Kind of a kayak/piroque cross. Turns out no one wants to go sailing with me, so I might as well be on a single hander. (I don't know yet if it's the boating or me they don't like ?)

Why not buy some boat magazines to read about various boats to see which might best fit your needs. "Wooden Boat" is my addiction personally. Also browsing boat plan sellers on the internet is a good way to read about what style of craft would best suit your needs.

I'm planning on building this one....

http://www.jemwatercraft.com/proddet...ouringPirogueT

There are many many plans to read about online. Great sources of info on what boat meets your needs.

Get a San Juan 21. It can be rigged for one person sailing. Or if you have a first mate, SJ21 races take place anywhere there's a body of water bigger than a stream.

But cruising down a sound on a SJ21 is as boaty as it gets.

A friend of mine had one he titled Win Fever. The F washed off so he re-titled it When Ever. That pretty much describes the attitude.

Many moons later, I think I am going to have myself a small Boston Whaler, 13'4". I will keep it moored below my window.

I have a 13' kayak, I took it out last weekend on a perfectly clear day.

I would either like to have a catamaran someday, or to build my own floating island... It is what I am saving my money up for now. :) Then again, I would need to move a lot closer to the ocean to do something like this too.

Post some pictures of the boat, it sounds like it will be fun.