Howdy From The Tci/bwi

[canibul]

Hello from the Turks and Caicos Islands. Wife and I moved here five years ago from the USA. We have been running power boats ( a necessity here) and have a Contender center console, but are looking for a sailboat as I type.

We both just took ASA sailing course all last week on a Leopard 42 in the BVI and USVI, and got back Saturday with four certifications. We know thats just a beginning, but sailing that cat shorthanded for the week (two of us and the skipper/instructor) sure seemed to be a good way to get familiar.

If we can find something like a Corsair F 24 or 27 we can afford in Florida or the Bahamas, we plan to buy one and sail it down here to Providenciales.

[redbopeep]

Originally Posted by canibul

Hello from the Turks and Caicos Islands. Wife and I moved here five years ago from the USA. We have been running power boats ( a necessity here) and have a Contender center console, but are looking for a sailboat as I type.

We both just took ASA sailing course all last week on a Leopard 42 in the BVI and USVI, and got back Saturday with four certifications. We know thats just a beginning, but sailing that cat shorthanded for the week (two of us and the skipper/instructor) sure seemed to be a good way to get familiar.

If we can find something like a Corsair F 24 or 27 we can afford in Florida or the Bahamas, we plan to buy one and sail it down here to Providenciales.

Welcome! The Corsair's look like so much fun! David and I contemplated purchase of one for many years but always managed to sail aboard other folks boats or rent a boat until we purchased our cruising boat.

Enjoy the forums and the Cruising wiki

[Lighthouse]

Welcome aboard - good to have you here.

Make yourself at home and please keep us updated about your plans.

[canibul]

Originally Posted by redbopeep

Welcome! The Corsair's look like so much fun! David and I contemplated purchase of one for many years but always managed to sail aboard other folks boats or rent a boat until we purchased our cruising boat.

Enjoy the forums and the Cruising wiki

Where we live something that does not draw much water seems to make much more sense. We overlook the Caicos Bank, which is full of totally uncharted shoals and coral heads. We feel like we are pretty much limited to a Gemini or Corsair as a "home" boat.

We'll charter the big ones in Tonga, Greece, NZ, etc. on a weekly basis.

[canibul]

Well, a few months later, and we are actively investigating every Gemini 105Mc we can find. We did manage to get onboard an F-28, and discovered that while we like the idea of a fast boat, the reality of it is that we want something more comfy to live on while exploring a lot of places we have planned.

Well, we would also consider a TomCat 9.7 but those are really the only two boats on the list, due to their extremely shallow draft.

[redbopeep]

Originally Posted by canibul' date='22 March 2010 - 10:34 AM

Well, a few months later, and we are actively investigating every Gemini 105Mc we can find. We did manage to get onboard an F-28, and discovered that while we like the idea of a fast boat, the reality of it is that we want something more comfy to live on while exploring a lot of places we have planned.

Well, we would also consider a TomCat 9.7 but those are really the only two boats on the list, due to their extremely shallow draft.

I hope you find something that fits your needs. I know you're looking at multi-hulls but have you considered a centerboard monohull? Unfortunately the only ones I know of are wood boats (and old!) because that's our interest. But, it seems you might be able to have a comfy and shallow draft and safe vessel with a centerboard monohull. What is your draft "goal" btw? Hope someone comes along with info about some good boats!

Regards,

[canibul]

Originally Posted by redbopeep' date='23 March 2010 - 09:07 PM

I hope you find something that fits your needs. I know you're looking at multi-hulls but have you considered a centerboard monohull? Unfortunately the only ones I know of are wood boats (and old!) because that's our interest. But, it seems you might be able to have a comfy and shallow draft and safe vessel with a centerboard monohull. What is your draft "goal" btw? Hope someone comes along with info about some good boats!

Regards,

thank you for thinking of us. We really haven't considered any monohulls, other than we did take a quick look at a MacGregor 26, only because there was one here to look at. Wooden boats are not really the best idea here, and many of the places we want to explore require us to get into areas over sandbars at high tide. We like the "beachability" of cats, and our draft goal is less than two feet. This is also a very tropical climate, and we like the airy layouts of the catamarans. Being able to maximize the breeze at anchor is fairly important to us.

[redbopeep]

I agree that wooden isn't the right thing when you suspect you'll be in very shallow waters as you can take the paint right off the hull and expose the wood to beasties that eat wood! On the other hand, many (old) wood hulls are incredibly "clad" on the bottom against such things. Our boat, too deep for what you're talking about but which has a shallow draft for its length, (54' LOD, 68' sparred, 6' design draft...actually sitting at 6'3" draft) has a lead keel along the forward 3/4 length of the keel and then has an amazing 3/8" and 1/2" thick bronze plate system on the bottom of the rest of the keel so that if it is grounded the thick bronze plate is actually the thing which is scraped. Hubby calls it the "skid plates" In addition to all this on the bottom of our boat, we have what many old/traditional wood boats have and that amounts to sections of wood along the bottom called "worm shoes" which basically amount to throwaway wood--if the paint is scraped off and beasties manage to get ahold, this bit of wood is removable/replaceable without disturbing much else.

Onto other things--

I once saw a picture of a lovely--and large--french aluminum monohull on the beach among all the catamarans. Rather than a single keel it had twin little keels that were canted at an angle to the main hull. Someone more knowledgeable about this type of keel might be able to name it. I'm almost certain that the boat had a centerboard or something along that line as well but it wasn't evident in the pic.

I would still think there are centerboard fiberglass boats out there which would suit your needs. The MacGregors aren't the best of sailing boats but it is a wonderful thing if you get into one of the later ones with the water ballast. You can sail/explore all day long and then use the engine to go high speed on a plane back to your home. They also have "room" for creature comforts if you are comparing them to a similarly small multihull.

A shallow draft is wonderful in the right circumstances. And gunk-holing is the main reason many folks have for shallow draft. What fun you'll have once you find the right small boat for your adventures.

[canibul]

After years of research, and much thought, we have decided that a post 2001 Gemini 105Mc is the boat for us. In fact, we can't find a more suitable boat for us at any price. Which makes the fact that the Gemini is very competitively priced a welcome bargain. IF we could find a better boat for our application at twice the money, we would probably buy it. But nothing is close to the Gemini.

[seawitch]

Admiral...........

Your twin fin type keel on a monohull vessel is called ( Shoal Draught Keel ).

Most do not have a retractable center board, but it sure would be and avantage do to side slip when under full sail.

Very popular in shallow waters as one can beach vessel as per catamarans.

Seawitch

[canibul]

We have recently been looking at the Telstar 28 trimarans as well. Unfortunately, they are pretty rare to find for sale these days.

[canibul]

Well well. Now it's a year and a half later.....
and we are back on track.

[canibul]

after all these years, we finally done it. We are flying up to Jax next week to close on our old english catamaran. After a few days of getting ready and provisioning, we are planning to depart the first week of May, sail down through the Bahamas, and back to the Turks and Caicos Islands. I reckon that's a pretty good shakedown cruise for a couple old geezers in their first cruiser.

Oh, we didn't go for the Gemini. Bought a boat called a Catelac 12M.
Three feet draft, 41 ft. loa Catamaran.

[redbopeep]

Welcome back

Pictures? Stories? Can't wait to hear how it's been going as you work through your decisions.

Fair winds,

[canibul]

Thanks. As I imagine most of you know first hand, this first cruising boat is the result of years of dreaming. I wrote a silly story as part of a homework assignment when in grade school about a '36 Foot Sloop'. And I didn't even really know what a sloop was. But I knew I wanted a sailboat someday, a boat I didn't have to hurry home before dark with. Something to take me beyond that horizon, and the next.

and now it's happening.

[canibul]

We haven't started cruising just yet. We accepted the boat last weekend, and I've just arranged insurance today. Older boat, had to have a couple surveys done. But we did that.

We are flying up to Florida Sunday, and hope to be underway enroute Bimini late next week.

[canibul]

And now we've bought a boat and sailed it from Jacksonville to the Turks and Caicos Islands.

[Lexx]

Good for you, getting out there and doing it ... how are you enjoying the trip so far?

Lexx

[Auzzee]

Originally Posted by canibul

after all these years, we finally done it. We are flying up to Jax next week to close on our old english catamaran. After a few days of getting ready and provisioning, we are planning to depart the first week of May, sail down through the Bahamas, and back to the Turks and Caicos Islands. I reckon that's a pretty good shakedown cruise for a couple old geezers in their first cruiser.

Oh, we didn't go for the Gemini. Bought a boat called a Catelac 12M.
Three feet draft, 41 ft. loa Catamaran.

Very good blog; excellent adventure. What does the future hold for your floating lifestyle?

[canibul]

Originally Posted by Auzzee

Very good blog; excellent adventure. What does the future hold for your floating lifestyle?

It will only be a part-time floating lifestyle for the next year and a half. We figure we'll be making relatively short trips as we get the boat the way we want it. It's floating four inches higher now than it was when we bought it.

Thanks for the kind words on the blog. I should be posting another installment later today, with photos of some of the many DIY projects going on with the boat. We have a lot of plans for it. I suspect most new boat owners go through this.