Looking for a Boat?

So I have been on line looking at sailboats. One that has caught my eye in the past is the Nonsuch. They are cat rigged sailboats with one large mainsail up front. This boat would not be a live aboard, but one to sail around the San Juan and Gulf Islands off the coast of British Columbia and Washington State until we figure out what we are going to do. The one I saw for sale reasonably local is the smallest version - 22' - It sleeps 2, has a small galley, head, diesel engine and a fair size cockpit for the boat size. I think it is a little over priced, asking $25,000 US. Having said that, they seem to be almost a 'collector boat' and seem to hold their pricing pretty well. I am in no hurry so will keep my eye on it and keep looking. Boat prices have not seemed to drop much yet, but I do see more on the market. My feeling is they will start dropping prices pretty soon with more and more coming on the market. Here is a picture of a Nonsuch with it's unusual wishbone rig. (not the one for sale).

Decisions, decisions

Decisions, decisions

Smelling like pineapples and coconuts... kind of weird huh? Well let me explain. I love the tropics - Hawaii, Caribbean, or South Pacific it doesn't matter, just give me that great smell from suntan lotions, drinks, sun and surf. Makes me smile just thinking about it.

So I want to spend more time sniffin' pineapples and coconuts, enjoying the sun, meeting new people and enjoying the rest of my life. My much better half and I have two scenarios.

Scenario one is the much ballyhooed lifestyle of living on a sailboat in the Bahamas and Caribbean. Should we, shouldn't we? Now me, I think I am all for it. A big step, absolutely. Problem is all those things that life throws at you. Family, finances, an 11 year old dog, a small degree of sailing knowledge :<) Nothing that can't be overcome if you really want it. Sell everything and go. I am sure millions of others have had the same thoughts and I am also sure 99.9% didn't, or won't do it. Not sure where we fall, but it's something we need to decide in the next year or two. We are in our mid 50's and if we are going to do it we need to start before we are too old. Crap! Too old!

The second scenario is for me to work for another 6 or 7 years and then we could retire and still spend half the year in the tropics without selling everything. Seems like a no brainer but geez working is becoming a major chore. I know with the economy gone for a crap I should feel lucky, but each day gets harder and harder. I know whoa is me... have some cheese!

One sort of compromise would be to buy a small sailboat and enjoy it in the islands off the coast here until I retire.

Decisions, decisions...