Howdy!

[Sanman]

Howdy!

I'm new around here...

Just back from my 1st charter in the BVI, ran a bareboat Jeanneau 494 from June 14 thru the 23rd.

Back home and its still sinkin in. I think I learned a lot, but by keeping my eyes and ears open I also found myself with Sooooo many questions...

A little about my sailing background...

Right now we own a Hunter 23.5 that we sail down in Pensacola.

My wife and I went through the offshore sailing school...twice.

(Hurricane Charley put a short stop to our Graduation bareboat)

Have chartered a 270 and crewed on a great friends 45' Wauquiez in the Med.

I'm an open water PADI certified Diver, a Filmmaker and an occasional actor. I've been, at various times; a Dairy Farmer, An Officer in the USAF, a Cook in a Mexican restaurant, a columnist, and Motorcycle racer...but through it all, I've been a sailor.

I try to run a tight but happy ship, an example I learned from one of the best Skippers I've ever known.

My Wife is My First Mate and she is as good a mate as you could wish for...

Having been Crew aboard 4 big Monohulls and Primary Skipper on 1; I believe I am a confident enough seaman to run a Vessel over 40 ft

as a skipper.

I feel that if my names on the line( and sometimes other lives) then I treat the boat as though she were mine until returned to owner.

Of course, what fun would sailing be without some mischief now and again? A laughing crew is a good crew.

... I sort of took a swim off the transom at the Full Moon Party in Trellis bay

Sadly there was photographic evidence.......

anyway.

I still have so much to learn... I'm really glad I found this place.

Cheers,

Sanman

[MMNETSEA]

Sanman - another good person !!

Richard

[Lighthouse]

Welcome aboard Sanman - good to have you here.

[imagine2frolic]

WELCOME SANMAN,

Sounds like you are off to a great start, and thought out. It only gets better, and we will be waiting for PICS!......LOLOLOLOL

[Sanman]

Thanks, Y'all!

I'll try to post a few since we took nearly 800 pics between 2 cameras!

As far as the folks around here, Is this mostly a live-aboard forum? or are there people who can talk about chartering? ('cause right now, I Like my trailer sailor, and when we get the itch to go somewhere different, we like to charter.)

And I have questions about areas, customs in the community and other, probably ancient topics around here, like Cat vs Mono as a Bareboat cruising platform, etc.....

Am I in the right place?

[Lighthouse]

We have all kinds of members here so ask any questions you have and I'm sure someone can assist you. Better to open a new topic on the cruising board on specifics.

We are predominately a cruising fraternity but we have a very knowledgeable member base.

[Sanman]

After a good bit of browsing last night, I kinda figured that it was mostly a cruiser-oriented site. (although y'all seem a lot more "tolerant" than other sailing forums too... thus my decision to post here)

But also presume that most of y'all started out chartering to "Figure it out" ?

Our "retirement plan" involves a nice mid-size catamaran in the Med. But, hey, you gotta start somewhere, right? So I am in the right forum... Just not the right board...

Thanks for the advice.