Does anyone else get the impression that there seems to be more people everyday walking away from their old lives and into sailing (or traveling or homesteading or etc)?
I saw a video somewhere on RUclips stating the earnings of top sailing "cruisers', aka La Vagabonde and s/v Delos, but also stating there are over 400 sailing channels now. Not sure how many of those are cruisers, but with $350,000 in annual revenue for both Delos and La Vagabonde - Obviously, people are copycatting the leaders. The ill-fated Bums on a Boat was recently good for a few laughs in a Metro-sexual kind of way, but Kelsie and (what's his name???) seem to have tapped in to the proper formula and I see a nice future for this couple (if they don't go broke before going viral). Key to these channels - Smoking hot female and skillful sailing leading man. This should be a lot of fun as we are getting to see this from the beginning. Riley often talks on La Vaga about the mistakes he made learning to sail and what it cost him, all prior to meeting Elayna. This time (more like Bums on a Boat) we will be able to see it unfold over the coming weeks. I'm already hooked. Good luck to the happy couple.
Our thoughts on this are highly biased due to us living this lifestyle, so take them with a grain of salt. I think Millennials, in general, are strapped for cash due to overbearing student loan debt. Lack of resources breeds creativity which has lead to this "tiny-minimalist movement". Now outside of Millennials, I think anyone who had to endure the Great Recession realized how little material goods matter when shit hits the fan. Package all of that with technology and platforms for people to share their alternative lifestyles and boom you got yourself a movement. I think it's a beautiful thing seeing people live with less and in turn lead a happier, uncluttered life :) - Ryan
My sincere and belated condolences on the passing of your Grandfather dude, 93 is a long live but still. Great you've got that clock and barometer as a momento to him 👍.
Super excited to follow yall's journey! My husband is prior Coast Guard and now a disabled veteran, so it's cool to see a Coastie on RUclips! Fair winds and following seas!
Thankyou Ryan and Kelsey. What a refreshing video packed with enthusiasm. Looking forward to sharing your adventure into the sailing life. Your Hallberg Rassy sure has some nice carpentry and storage, unlike my Jeanneau, though I wouldn't want your steering tube in my bed. I hope you film the first few times you begin sailing. We had a hilarious start, round and round in circles until we could barely stand for laughing. Keep smiling, take your time, and practise docking and leaving with adverse winds and currents as that's the hard part. Sail boats are just big toys to play with so keep you insurance up, your expectations down, let the weather rule and you will have a wonderful time.
You're my 8th sailing channel subscription. I applaud the transparency and example yet set on how to set a goal and achieve it. Once you get settled in a harbor chat up some sailors and see if you can have them come sailing with you. Great way to learn your boat and sailing. You'll find they work cheap - beer or rum is a reliable currency. Best wishes and look forward to the next episode.
Congrats on your new boat. I am a power boat convert as well, I've been sailing since 2007. Everyone will have their own advice to give on how to learn how to sail, from taking only ASA classes, others will say you don't need that just figure it out. My advice is to go somewhere in the middle. I would recommend waiting for a calm day at the dock and hank on each of your sails, raise & rig them, including all of the Reefing rigging. Get familiar with how the running rigging is run, how it works, etc. It is a whole lot easier and safer to do all of this at the dock when there is no wind, then attempt it for the first time in wind, and a rolling sea. When you do attempt to sail, I would recommend making friends with several experienced sailors and taking them out for a day sail. Experienced sailors love going out on someone else's boat, where they are not responsible for every little thing! Also the first time you guys try to sail by yourselves, I would recommend go small. The sails on a boat that size are fairly large and under wind will feel HUGE! So start out with a 100% jib or slightly smaller, and possibly a reefed main. Remember it is much easier for a bored Sailor to shake out a reef, than for a terrified one to try and reef the main. Just remember that you may be saving money by learning how to sail yourself until you have an uncontrolled Jibe and break $500 worth of gear in one shot, or worse send someone to the hospital. Good Luck, and keep the videos coming.
No sailing experience... then you have a wonderful experience to look forward to, when you raise sail and power off... the pull of the sails and the quiet, with only the luffing and slap of waves against the hull, is wonderful. I hope you enjoy it, both of you! Best wishes!
Congrats on your beautiful boat and new life! I learned the value of a dollar at an early age, but somewhere along the way it became too much and turned into the a hunger for more stuff. It was as if the size of my house was the monument to my success. Over the years I have realized that the more you own doesn't mean you are happier. You have to take care of your things, worry about them, protect them, insure them, store them and eventually sell them. Now we are starting over. Selling the house, living in an RV, travelling when we can and preparing for the floating life. So I look forward to your experiences, as we share ours Vlogs... Happy Sailing Ryan and Kelsey!
hey guys really cool boat, just a note about sleeping over all the solvents, paints, batteries etc. in your aft cabin, make sure there's really good ventilation, especially on those warm humid nights down the keys. might be better to keep some of them in an outside locker or your cleaning products in the heads storage cubbies. I do that just because my aft cabin only has a wee vent and it's over the prop shaft and engine. Warm and cosy on the cold nights but again I'm installing a small computer fan to vent out the build up of diesel exhaust looming around the engine space. best of luck!
Good advice! Once we remove the holding tank in the head we'll move all the paints & solvents there. Can't be jeopardizing our health just for some old paint!
Really cool to be able to have your Grandpa's barometer and clock. Bet he was a cool guy. Makes for good feelings every time you have these kind of keepsakes.
You two are fantastic. So much enthusiasm. I can see many years of wonderful sailing ahead of you. Sailing is the easy bit. Letting go of the trappings of "Normal" life is the hard bit. But you two are already 3/4 of the way there. Happy Sailing.
Really appreciate the kind words and support. Love your channel as well :) Just finished watching the tour of your 70ft boat! Man that thing is big!! All the best to you both.
Have a safe trip across the lake. Watch the water level as when it is low you will find a lot of tree stumps and sunken logs. I am in the Charlotte Harbor area and will probably be sailing up your way this summer for a week or so. Safe travels.
Welcome over from the dark side (power boating)! We made the decision to downsize and cut the lines about eight years ago, learned everything, went through a few sailboats and ended up with what we now own.
Just found your videos yesterday. Very exciting time! We have a 1981 38' Ericson in Jacksonville. Before taking off for Tampa "Polish your fuel" Unless your tanks are empty, they most likely have all kinds of nasty stuff in the fuel. As soon as you hit any kind of waves, this gets roiled up and will clog fuel filters. Polishing is basically a filtering process to get rid of this nasty stuff. Yes, I am speaking from experience! Congrats on the new boat, look forward to more videos.
Good Luck Guys! Keep in mind, there is no need to rush when you are going sailing. Pace yourselves and be safe... Can't wait for the next video.. Fair Winds!
Wife and I are self-taught sailors and although we scared ourselves a time or two you should not fear going ahead. If either of you feel like you need help there are always lots of folks willing to help and sailing classes with the right people are probably worth it if you feel the need anytime. Best of luck and enjoy the lifestyle cruising your own boat! Regards!
The story about the Barometer and the clock was awesome. Makes you really think???? I am sure your grandfather is happy you are caretakers of them now. Lucky charm!!
Thanks for the tour of the boat guys. You may want to put on the list of projects, gluing thin strips of leather under the cabin sole(floorboards) to stop them from creaking when you walk on them.
Well done for buying from Jim. He seems like a genuine bloke to buy from, I think you got lucky there. I'm from the UK myself so can relate to his mannerisms. For all the people commenting about whether this is the right decision for you or not, just ignore them and do what you want. Everyone is different. You know when you are doing the right thing for you because it'll make you happy and you'll be motivated which you clearly are. And if\when it's time to do something different you'll know that as well Look at it this way you don't hear many people look back in life and say "remember when we worked 9-5 for x corp, commuting 2 hrs a day just to pay our bills, it was so much fun". Yet the adventures you two will have will stay with you forever. It's the relationships, adventures and experiences that you make in life that are important, not the numbers, positions or promotions. I arranged my fathers funeral last year and of all the pictures of his life that we put together to celebrate his life it was his relationships, interests and experiences that made his story. What he did for work was almost irrelevant. Life is short, enjoy it.
Working on a sailboat in Indiantown Marina, in the summer!!!! You haven't felt hot yet! It's steaming now, and it's only May!!! Get to crackin, kids!! This summer is gonna SUCK!!!! The boat cleans up nicely! Very well done. The HF Fax machine does in fact print up your weather files. Great to have when cruising around the world. Both the SSB and fax look pretty old. I'd have them looked at. However it looks like the previous owner kept that boat in excellent condition, so you may be ok.
look forward to following your adventures, triumphs and setbacks alike. best of luck, it will ALL be positive as long as you are working on the same goals....
Please ignore all of the negative comments! Find and befriend someone who does sail to give you the basics! Learn from experience and remember what you've learned and you'll be fine. Also alway always always watch your weather reports!
Good job guys! Go through the sail inventory and throw away / sell what you don't need. Find a large grassy area and inspect each one. That electronic device looks like a sat nav fax machine they used in the 80's. Dump it! Take off all wiring back to the source to keep electrical area clean. Very excited for you two! See ya around!
Yall are going to enjoy it, sailing does take a little working knowledge but i'm sure you will pick it up. Don't get frustrated and remember to have fun. We'll see y'all in Bahamas
I just came from St Pete to Daytona through the Okeechobee. When you get to the lake stick to the markers. there are spots as shallow as 4'6 unless you take the 50 mile route around the lake. I think it's if I remember correctly 39 miles across the lake. Safe travels
Just remember, even under power, your boat still has a 50ft mast and rigging and huge hull, so the effect of a 15knot wind with no sails up will be noticeable. Start thinking about the winds and currents now, and start preparing mentally (read, rehearse, hoist those sails in good conditions or no wind at the dock). And most importantly, find a sailing mentor. You're going to love the sensation of sailing. Pretty close to flying.
I've noticed that many are concerned about your inexperience in sailing. I think that is a legitimate concern. Your suggestion that it is about willingness and ability to learn is sound. Doing and learning go hand in hand. Some theory discussion in classes and books is good though. There is one thing that gives me some confidence in your success, you are starting out with a Halberg-Rassey sailboat. It's like a Bentley was your first car. You've purchased some serious safety margin there. Lovely vessel for sure. Learn systems, dig in, figure out the why of each sail, make sure your through hulls are perfect, running rigging fresh, standing rigging sound, then take her out. I am seriously, in my old age, quite envious. Good luck.
Sailing isn't rocket science, you'll get the hang of it pretty quickly. I'm sure you'll find a kind soul to come out with you and show you the ropes. Take it from someone who's been sailing for 40 years: it's a never-ending process. Enjoy it; embrace it. Your boat handling skills are actually just as important at this point. Fair winds and following seas!
Wow, I like your video! As I read most of the comments there seems to be a lot concern about your experience, let me say it will come with time, so just take your time learning, don't jump into weather that looks dangerous, sailing is best done with a captain with a good weather eye. The most important thing is to just have FUN, the boat came with all the gear you need. An important thing to do would be to find the storm sails and understand how to set and use them!
nice to see a fellow Coastie loving this lifestyle. I just got a sailboat with no sailing experience except for CG, with hopes of living on board. Fair winds and following seas to you guys.
Congratulations on your new boat and best wishes for your future adventures. She sure is a beautiful boat, you don't see that build quality much these days. Your coast guard experience will stand you in good stead but I would recommend some professional sailing tuition, be that a recognised course or taking on an experienced skipper for a week or so. It will give you the knowledge, experience and confidence to get the best out of your boat and make it a lot more enjoyable.
Great video. You have the love the HR interior joinery. It's what makes the boat and you did well in your choice. We're close behind you guys in some ways, but not in others. We're currently under contract for an Oyster 485 in Scotland and it's killing us waiting for survey and various repairs to be completed. Our videos are way behind since we really can't post anything until we close and the deal is fully done. You never really know, so you have to wait.
Hello guys! And congrats on a great boat! I own a HR Monsun, and they are built properly! You are right about the Navtex. It is for receiving meterological and navigational warnings while sailing. They only work about 200 nm offshore though. Not widely used anymore.
HAHA! Kelsey mentioned it after the fact that you all would get a kick out of how she holds a pen. And no it definitely doesn't equate to better handwriting (as you can see) ;) That's just how she learned to write!
If you learn how to sail the same way that's going to be a very entertaining video diary :) Good luck, hope you'll travel the world with an open mind and good winds.
Hi Guys! Looks like you lucked out with a really really nice boat! Congratulations! Sailing is easy, you be masters at it in no time at all. Sounds like you have the navigations skills which are more important. That device hanging below your SSB radio is a weather fax the real old ones printed out on thermal paper. You can probably get rid of that because I'm sure you'll probably at some point get a laptop or IPad and get your weather updates on that! They're also great for repeating your chartplotter/radar, routing and navigation too!I would take the time at some point and open up and go through all those sails and make a list. You didn't say but I would assume you have hank on sails with that many sails and I would venture to guess that the majority of the sails are different size head sails for different wind conditions along with a spinnaker or two. If you have roller furling (great investment) you can roll out or in as much sail as you need depending on the wind conditions and therefore do not need all those different size sails except maybe a good storm sail which would be very heavy guage material to under go all that stress. Getting the roller furling would eliminate a lot of those sails and open up a ton of storage room for food and exquipment. You didn't mention a First Aid Kit or Med Bag you should consider getting some major first aid equipment if you plan on doing any offshore or remote location sailing. Looks like you are off to a great start with your sailing careers. Great video so please please please keep them coming, also the brim on the rain hat goes to the back so the rain water doesn't run down your neck and back....LOL! That was so funny with the red had and you saying it wouldn't work! I too was thinking of the Gordon's Fisherman! Good Call!Good luck! Bill S. s/v ODIN
Congrats you two, your new home looks amazing! I'm slightly jealous that you beat us to "the punch" but i'm grateful that I can learn more from your videos before we follow those same footsteps! Fair Winds
The ocean has plenty of room so don't worry about beating anyone to the punch! Just get out here :) Let us know if we can be of any help. Go small, go now!
dougefresh133 Exactly! Tons and tons of comments about inexperience & insurance. How did SLV get insurance with absolutely no sailing experience? Luckily for us insurance asks about boating experience in which Ryan has 10+ years of! Appreciate the support 😀
Great channel so far guys. Hope you manage to sail her soon, and wish you lots of water under keel. The little printer-box is an old navtex station. Navtex announcements are not necessarily restricted to weather reports but can also include navigational warnings issued by states (for example navigation prohibited within an area because of oil surveys / cable laying / military excercises etc). I used to have a very similar model, one of the main things to notice is to set the right channels for the geographical region you're interested in, otherwise you might find out the bloody thing runs out of paper quite fast.
That device at the nav table is likely a weather fax. It works together with the SSB to receive weather reports and print them out. I'm not certain that the service is still active. These days many people are using a small iridium sat device to allow the down loading of grin files for weather.
Kelsey....Rudder stock, aft cabin, etc. etc. Reminds me of Captain Ron The Movie. How he taught Martin Short and family the parts of a boat...nice that you right up front have familiarized yourself with your terminology. I think you should see "Captain Ron" -Get a DVD...So much fun... G.T.
It might be a little bit of a learning curve with boat-handling since even when motoring a cruising sailboat doesn't handle like a motorboat, especially around the dock. At least without a full keel it will be much more maneuverable than our Rasmus. Prop-walk is your friend, the poorman's bow-thruster :D As a coastie, you'll do fine I'm sure. One of the best thing we ever did was join a sailing school/club which sailed 30+ foot sailboats. We got a lot of experience sailing in all types of conditions over a period of 2 years. The hardest part of sailing a larger sailboat is often just casting off from the dock, and docking again when you come back in without damaging your own boat or your neighbors. Once you get docking down the rest is fairly easy. When it gets a little windy and there are currents pushing you around it can really complicate docking and raise the stakes.
I forgot to mention, when we cleaned our boat out we thought the same thing about "30 years of dust." We found out that after a few weeks it is all back again. You'll be amazed at how quickly dust and grime builds up again in a sailboat. After cleaning the "30 years of dust" out on nearly a weekly basis for a season I think we are finally getting to the bottom of it. Tearing out all the interior slats to insulate the hull before replacing them again found a lot more dust hiding behind them. Since we are doing a refit on the hard we are producing a lot more again...
It seems that the 8o's created an endless inventory of bosts... I had a 1984 C&C 30 for 20 years. Your channel make a me feel and remember my e current when I got my bost and I felt angst for the owner as he sold her.
What a great boat, and in my opinion bought for a good price. I'd like to own a Rassy myself someday. I'm an ex-Coasty who also grew up on power boats. I'm mainly an inland sailor, but take every opportunity to sail in blue water and learn from others. All the CG and power boat experience will go a long way when handling the boat under power and for boating safety, etc., but do whatever you can to learn sailing techniques from experienced sailors. Good luck and I'll be following you two along your journey to whatever comes next. The things YOU experience may help ME someday!
I am truly excited for you both. I hope that Angela and I will cross your path in the future. We take delivery on a cat in September so we will just have to follow your progress. Don't listen to the NaySayers! Your a CoastGuard vet so you have plenty of experience and will easily learn on the go. Beautiful Boat! Cheers!
Hi Ryan, I'm Ryan. Looking forward to your adventures. I'm 14 years behind you in going all the way. It's kind of a second life dream of mine. Currently Daysailing but planning my big getaway. I sent your link to my wife. I think she'll really relate to you guys. I'm depending on you to get her pumped about living aboard. Good look!! I'm watching.
Hey Ryan! I'm looking forward to swaying your wife towards abandoning monotony and making life a beautiful adventure :) All the best to you both and let us know if we can help move that 14-year goal into 4 years!
Before going offshore, I would definitely take a little time crewing for someone who has a sailboat to make sure you have the right ideas on how to handle the boat, and that you know how to make good decisions on that boat. Even with a Coast Guard background, (BTW thank you for your service), with no sailing experience there are some ways to really get in trouble on a sailboat that can catch you by surprise. I would at least take a couple days under sail with someone who has been doing it who can tell you about stuff like accidental gybe prevention, and, how to prevent, and handle a broach, a how to avoid the risk of loosing fingers in any winches. With your background you obviously would know the environment your putting yourself in when you to off shore. It's just a matter of knowing the machine you're taking out there.
Mark Twain suggested over a hundred years ago: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
Can't believe that is over a hundred years old but still reigns so true today. The previous owner, Jim, had this quote in the nav station onboard. Love it!
Love it! We are planning on buying a catamaran in 1 1/2 years after selling our home. We to were power boaters on Lake Michigan and have never sailed! Can't wait for our adventure and yours!
Amazing decision...I congratulate you both. No sailing experience is simply a line in the sand. However learning by mistakes can be expensive and dangerous. When you get to your destination, either get a teaching captain (money well spent), or volunteer as crew at your local marina. You need to get experience in a mentoring / coaching environment and then apply what you've learnt in a progressive way on your own yatcht. This is simply commonsense and proper risk mgt. Too many people will say you'll be right, learn from mistakes and what could possibly go wrong😁...plenty. You're both intelligent, so learning properly now will maximise your enjoyment and new lifestyle. All the best👍
Agreed! We actually volunteered at some local racing events at the yacht club and read our fair share of books about sailing. For us, the learning curve was the steepest when it came to learning all the systems on board. Sailing is cake. Understanding electrical, sea cocks, petcocks, dripless stuffing box, etc. is the hard part. There's just so much you need to know!
Fantastic! Yes...the systems. Very few previous owners document procedures, wiring diagrams, maintenance schedules etc. Great that Jim left you his maintenance history...Absolute bonus. Have fun in the challenge of learning, it's part of the journey. Look fwd to your future vids...all the best and take care. Gary.
had a 352 sail#540. truly great purchase best boat i ever had. watching with excitement. you may have a storm jib, spinika and crusing shoot sails in there. I loved the deep locker in the cockpit.
Definitely have all of those sails! I believe our spinnaker is asymmetrical but can't say for sure because we haven't put her out yet :) Our mainsail has #541 on it but the boat is #478. How long did you own your 352??
Beautiful vessel, congratulations are in order. I really appreciate it the story about the barometer and the ship's chronograph ...the family touch and timing. Thanks for sharing. s/v ...waves
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Does anyone else get the impression that there seems to be more people everyday walking away from their old lives and into sailing (or traveling or homesteading or etc)?
I saw a video somewhere on RUclips stating the earnings of top sailing "cruisers', aka La Vagabonde and s/v Delos, but also stating there are over 400 sailing channels now. Not sure how many of those are cruisers, but with $350,000 in annual revenue for both Delos and La Vagabonde - Obviously, people are copycatting the leaders.
The ill-fated Bums on a Boat was recently good for a few laughs in a Metro-sexual kind of way, but Kelsie and (what's his name???) seem to have tapped in to the proper formula and I see a nice future for this couple (if they don't go broke before going viral). Key to these channels - Smoking hot female and skillful sailing leading man.
This should be a lot of fun as we are getting to see this from the beginning. Riley often talks on La Vaga about the mistakes he made learning to sail and what it cost him, all prior to meeting Elayna. This time (more like Bums on a Boat) we will be able to see it unfold over the coming weeks. I'm already hooked. Good luck to the happy couple.
ekim andersom True, but kids, mortgage and bills usually mess up that formula.
Richard Ravarino Thank you for the insight!!! Yes, it is a great show so far!
Our thoughts on this are highly biased due to us living this lifestyle, so take them with a grain of salt. I think Millennials, in general, are strapped for cash due to overbearing student loan debt. Lack of resources breeds creativity which has lead to this "tiny-minimalist movement". Now outside of Millennials, I think anyone who had to endure the Great Recession realized how little material goods matter when shit hits the fan. Package all of that with technology and platforms for people to share their alternative lifestyles and boom you got yourself a movement. I think it's a beautiful thing seeing people live with less and in turn lead a happier, uncluttered life :) - Ryan
Wish you all the best!
My sincere and belated condolences on the passing of your Grandfather dude, 93 is a long live but still. Great you've got that clock and barometer as a momento to him 👍.
Thank you, Dutchguy. Definitely feels good to be carrying on his love for the sea.
Super excited to follow yall's journey! My husband is prior Coast Guard and now a disabled veteran, so it's cool to see a Coastie on RUclips! Fair winds and following seas!
Thank you to you and your husband for your service. Appreciate you both following along and supporting us!!
Thankyou Ryan and Kelsey. What a refreshing video packed with enthusiasm. Looking forward to sharing your adventure into the sailing life. Your Hallberg Rassy sure has some nice carpentry and storage, unlike my Jeanneau, though I wouldn't want your steering tube in my bed. I hope you film the first few times you begin sailing. We had a hilarious start, round and round in circles until we could barely stand for laughing. Keep smiling, take your time, and practise docking and leaving with adverse winds and currents as that's the hard part. Sail boats are just big toys to play with so keep you insurance up, your expectations down, let the weather rule and you will have a wonderful time.
Great insights and advice, Brian! We'll be sure to heed them! Thanks a bunch for following along and supporting us :)
Did I just find a new favorite channel? With REAL people? Wow.
You're my 8th sailing channel subscription. I applaud the transparency and example yet set on how to set a goal and achieve it. Once you get settled in a harbor chat up some sailors and see if you can have them come sailing with you. Great way to learn your boat and sailing. You'll find they work cheap - beer or rum is a reliable currency.
Best wishes and look forward to the next episode.
Appreciate the kind words and support. Thanks for subscribing and following along!
Congrats on your new boat. I am a power boat convert as well, I've been sailing since 2007. Everyone will have their own advice to give on how to learn how to sail, from taking only ASA classes, others will say you don't need that just figure it out. My advice is to go somewhere in the middle. I would recommend waiting for a calm day at the dock and hank on each of your sails, raise & rig them, including all of the Reefing rigging. Get familiar with how the running rigging is run, how it works, etc. It is a whole lot easier and safer to do all of this at the dock when there is no wind, then attempt it for the first time in wind, and a rolling sea. When you do attempt to sail, I would recommend making friends with several experienced sailors and taking them out for a day sail. Experienced sailors love going out on someone else's boat, where they are not responsible for every little thing!
Also the first time you guys try to sail by yourselves, I would recommend go small. The sails on a boat that size are fairly large and under wind will feel HUGE! So start out with a 100% jib or slightly smaller, and possibly a reefed main. Remember it is much easier for a bored Sailor to shake out a reef, than for a terrified one to try and reef the main.
Just remember that you may be saving money by learning how to sail yourself until you have an uncontrolled Jibe and break $500 worth of gear in one shot, or worse send someone to the hospital.
Good Luck, and keep the videos coming.
No sailing experience... then you have a wonderful experience to look forward to, when you raise sail and power off... the pull of the sails and the quiet, with only the luffing and slap of waves against the hull, is wonderful. I hope you enjoy it, both of you! Best wishes!
I wanna cross the ocean with her, the most nice boat tour I have seen.
Congrats on your beautiful boat and new life! I learned the value of a dollar at an early age, but somewhere along the way it became too much and turned into the a hunger for more stuff. It was as if the size of my house was the monument to my success. Over the years I have realized that the more you own doesn't mean you are happier. You have to take care of your things, worry about them, protect them, insure them, store them and eventually sell them. Now we are starting over. Selling the house, living in an RV, travelling when we can and preparing for the floating life. So I look forward to your experiences, as we share ours Vlogs... Happy Sailing Ryan and Kelsey!
Thanks for sharing and congrats on taking the leap!! Truly admirable. Wish you guys all the best on your RV adventure and thanks for following along!!
hey guys really cool boat, just a note about sleeping over all the solvents, paints, batteries etc. in your aft cabin, make sure there's really good ventilation, especially on those warm humid nights down the keys. might be better to keep some of them in an outside locker or your cleaning products in the heads storage cubbies. I do that just because my aft cabin only has a wee vent and it's over the prop shaft and engine. Warm and cosy on the cold nights but again I'm installing a small computer fan to vent out the build up of diesel exhaust looming around the engine space. best of luck!
Good advice! Once we remove the holding tank in the head we'll move all the paints & solvents there. Can't be jeopardizing our health just for some old paint!
Really cool to be able to have your Grandpa's barometer and clock. Bet he was a cool guy. Makes for good feelings every time you have these kind of keepsakes.
You two are fantastic. So much enthusiasm. I can see many years of wonderful sailing ahead of you. Sailing is the easy bit. Letting go of the trappings of "Normal" life is the hard bit. But you two are already 3/4 of the way there. Happy Sailing.
Really appreciate the kind words and support. Love your channel as well :) Just finished watching the tour of your 70ft boat! Man that thing is big!! All the best to you both.
Have a safe trip across the lake. Watch the water level as when it is low you will find a lot of tree stumps and sunken logs. I am in the Charlotte Harbor area and will probably be sailing up your way this summer for a week or so. Safe travels.
A new adventure, a beautiful sailboat, and a pretty girl! What's not to like?
Fantastic boat tour, we know both will be sailor's in no time. Enjoy and thank you so much for sharing.
Welcome over from the dark side (power boating)! We made the decision to downsize and cut the lines about eight years ago, learned everything, went through a few sailboats and ended up with what we now own.
Lovely OI 41 you have! Thanks for following along :)
She's beautiful! And the boat is pretty nice too😉. Love the character of the boat.
Two young and beautiful people following their dream. I like it!
Appreciate the kind words and support!! Thanks for following along and supporting the dream :)
Just found your videos yesterday. Very exciting time! We have a 1981 38' Ericson in Jacksonville. Before taking off for Tampa "Polish your fuel" Unless your tanks are empty, they most likely have all kinds of nasty stuff in the fuel. As soon as you hit any kind of waves, this gets roiled up and will clog fuel filters. Polishing is basically a filtering process to get rid of this nasty stuff.
Yes, I am speaking from experience!
Congrats on the new boat, look forward to more videos.
Good Luck Guys!
Keep in mind, there is no need to rush when you are going sailing. Pace yourselves and be safe... Can't wait for the next video..
Fair Winds!
Great job cleaning below decks. That was a monumental chore.
Good on you for taking the plunge. That yacht will look after you if you look after her. Best wishes on the future.
Condolences to hear about your father. Small World, I'm in South Jersey! Look forward to your future adventures!
Wife and I are self-taught sailors and although we scared ourselves a time or two you should not fear going ahead. If either of you feel like you need help there are always lots of folks willing to help and sailing classes with the right people are probably worth it if you feel the need anytime. Best of luck and enjoy the lifestyle cruising your own boat! Regards!
You totally scored on the boat find. Looking forward to the refit.
Oh it's coming!! We'll be showing our refit on the water then our final projects once she is back on the hard.
I really enjoy your openess and honesty. Brave undertaking to go for liveaboard with no sailing experience, but we all have to start somewhere.
The story about the Barometer and the clock was awesome. Makes you really think???? I am sure your grandfather is happy you are caretakers of them now. Lucky charm!!
Hindukush1234 it definitely makes you think. Universe works in mysterious ways! Thanks for the kind words & support 🙂
Thanks for the tour of the boat guys. You may want to put on the list of projects, gluing thin strips of leather under the cabin sole(floorboards) to stop them from creaking when you walk on them.
Well done for buying from Jim. He seems like a genuine bloke to buy from, I think you got lucky there. I'm from the UK myself so can relate to his mannerisms.
For all the people commenting about whether this is the right decision for you or not, just ignore them and do what you want. Everyone is different. You know when you are doing the right thing for you because it'll make you happy and you'll be motivated which you clearly are. And if\when it's time to do something different you'll know that as well
Look at it this way you don't hear many people look back in life and say "remember when we worked 9-5 for x corp, commuting 2 hrs a day just to pay our bills, it was so much fun". Yet the adventures you two will have will stay with you forever.
It's the relationships, adventures and experiences that you make in life that are important, not the numbers, positions or promotions. I arranged my fathers funeral last year and of all the pictures of his life that we put together to celebrate his life it was his relationships, interests and experiences that made his story. What he did for work was almost irrelevant.
Life is short, enjoy it.
i think you 2 are perfect for each other -let the good times roll
my Lord you got a great deal with that boat. the amount of supplies is crazy.
We really lucked out. Jim was extremely gracious with leaving us with so many back-ups & supplies.
Abandon Comfort yes. I remember when you stumbled upon him. the care that has gone into that boat is insane. best of luck! safe travels!
Working on a sailboat in Indiantown Marina, in the summer!!!! You haven't felt hot yet! It's steaming now, and it's only May!!! Get to crackin, kids!! This summer is gonna SUCK!!!!
The boat cleans up nicely! Very well done. The HF Fax machine does in fact print up your weather files. Great to have when cruising around the world. Both the SSB and fax look pretty old. I'd have them looked at. However it looks like the previous owner kept that boat in excellent condition, so you may be ok.
Congratulation Guys, Your Swedish Lady is beautiful. Good Luck with your project of life. Far winds and following seas.
What a great old boat. Gorgeous woodwork.
We really lucked out with her. Thanks for the support!
look forward to following your adventures, triumphs and setbacks alike. best of luck, it will ALL be positive as long as you are working on the same goals....
Congratulation guys, fair winds on your new beautiful home
Utterly beautifully architectectured boat
Please ignore all of the negative comments! Find and befriend someone who does sail to give you the basics! Learn from experience and remember what you've learned and you'll be fine. Also alway always always watch your weather reports!
That must be the weirdest, yet cutest way to hold a pen! Lol...god speed guys!
I look forward to a new adventure I can follow along.
Good job guys! Go through the sail inventory and throw away / sell what you don't need. Find a large grassy area and inspect each one.
That electronic device looks like a sat nav fax machine they used in the 80's. Dump it! Take off all wiring back to the source to keep electrical area clean.
Very excited for you two! See ya around!
Thank you, Henry! Great insights and advice :)
Congrats! You have sv/Abandon Comfort looking awesome. In no time you'll find you've found "comfort" anew!!
Yall are going to enjoy it, sailing does take a little working knowledge but i'm sure you will pick it up. Don't get frustrated and remember to have fun. We'll see y'all in Bahamas
Remembering to have fun is key with boating! Thanks for following along - we'll see you out there next year :)
Oh and Palm Bay resort on Long Island was beautiful. We had Curlews walking among us in the restaurant.
Nice that you got to replace the clock and barometer with something so meaningful
I just came from St Pete to Daytona through the Okeechobee. When you get to the lake stick to the markers. there are spots as shallow as 4'6 unless you take the 50 mile route around the lake. I think it's if I remember correctly 39 miles across the lake. Safe travels
Appreciate the insights!! Fair winds on your journey!
Just remember, even under power, your boat still has a 50ft mast and rigging and huge hull, so the effect of a 15knot wind with no sails up will be noticeable. Start thinking about the winds and currents now, and start preparing mentally (read, rehearse, hoist those sails in good conditions or no wind at the dock). And most importantly, find a sailing mentor. You're going to love the sensation of sailing. Pretty close to flying.
I've noticed that many are concerned about your inexperience in sailing. I think that is a legitimate concern. Your suggestion that it is about willingness and ability to learn is sound. Doing and learning go hand in hand. Some theory discussion in classes and books is good though. There is one thing that gives me some confidence in your success, you are starting out with a Halberg-Rassey sailboat. It's like a Bentley was your first car. You've purchased some serious safety margin there. Lovely vessel for sure. Learn systems, dig in, figure out the why of each sail, make sure your through hulls are perfect, running rigging fresh, standing rigging sound, then take her out. I am seriously, in my old age, quite envious. Good luck.
Sailing isn't rocket science, you'll get the hang of it pretty quickly. I'm sure you'll find a kind soul to come out with you and show you the ropes. Take it from someone who's been sailing for 40 years: it's a never-ending process. Enjoy it; embrace it. Your boat handling skills are actually just as important at this point. Fair winds and following seas!
Stumbled upon this channel randomly, this will be interesting
Good luck!
yea they do well with vlogging AND have a cool plan based in the same sense of freedom that brings use to these channels; looking forward to it!
Wow, I like your video! As I read most of the comments there seems to be a lot concern about your experience, let me say it will come with time, so just take your time learning, don't jump into weather that looks dangerous, sailing is best done with a captain with a good weather eye. The most important thing is to just have FUN, the boat came with all the gear you need. An important thing to do would be to find the storm sails and understand how to set and use them!
Good deal. Keep an eye on the weather for your passage and you'll be fine. Fair winds and following seas.
nice to see a fellow Coastie loving this lifestyle. I just got a sailboat with no sailing experience except for CG, with hopes of living on board. Fair winds and following seas to you guys.
Congratulations on your new boat and best wishes for your future adventures. She sure is a beautiful boat, you don't see that build quality much these days. Your coast guard experience will stand you in good stead but I would recommend some professional sailing tuition, be that a recognised course or taking on an experienced skipper for a week or so. It will give you the knowledge, experience and confidence to get the best out of your boat and make it a lot more enjoyable.
Great video. You have the love the HR interior joinery. It's what makes the boat and you did well in your choice. We're close behind you guys in some ways, but not in others. We're currently under contract for an Oyster 485 in Scotland and it's killing us waiting for survey and various repairs to be completed. Our videos are way behind since we really can't post anything until we close and the deal is fully done. You never really know, so you have to wait.
Guys!! You are Amazing!!
I wish you happiness and Fair seas and following winds!!!
Happy times !!!
Live Life ,There's nothin like the Ocean! Fair winds!
Can't wait to see your journey !....please keep videos coming.... excited to see how you learn and grow....take us with you!
Hello guys! And congrats on a great boat! I own a HR Monsun, and they are built properly! You are right about the Navtex. It is for receiving meterological and navigational warnings while sailing. They only work about 200 nm offshore though. Not widely used anymore.
I never saw anyone hold a marker like that to write.
Bestiverhad, I was thinking the same thing, would be interesting to know how that came about. Oh yea, the boat is cool too.
yes. I thought the same. maybe a trick for nice writing? with markers- mine is worse...
HAHA! Kelsey mentioned it after the fact that you all would get a kick out of how she holds a pen. And no it definitely doesn't equate to better handwriting (as you can see) ;) That's just how she learned to write!
If you learn how to sail the same way that's going to be a very entertaining video diary :) Good luck, hope you'll travel the world with an open mind and good winds.
Actually tried to mimic it, think I sprained something.
Hi Guys! Looks like you lucked out with a really really nice boat! Congratulations! Sailing is easy, you be masters at it in no time at all. Sounds like you have the navigations skills which are more important. That device hanging below your SSB radio is a weather fax the real old ones printed out on thermal paper. You can probably get rid of that because I'm sure you'll probably at some point get a laptop or IPad and get your weather updates on that! They're also great for repeating your chartplotter/radar, routing and navigation too!I would take the time at some point and open up and go through all those sails and make a list. You didn't say but I would assume you have hank on sails with that many sails and I would venture to guess that the majority of the sails are different size head sails for different wind conditions along with a spinnaker or two. If you have roller furling (great investment) you can roll out or in as much sail as you need depending on the wind conditions and therefore do not need all those different size sails except maybe a good storm sail which would be very heavy guage material to under go all that stress. Getting the roller furling would eliminate a lot of those sails and open up a ton of storage room for food and exquipment. You didn't mention a First Aid Kit or Med Bag you should consider getting some major first aid equipment if you plan on doing any offshore or remote location sailing. Looks like you are off to a great start with your sailing careers. Great video so please please please keep them coming, also the brim on the rain hat goes to the back so the rain water doesn't run down your neck and back....LOL! That was so funny with the red had and you saying it wouldn't work! I too was thinking of the Gordon's Fisherman! Good Call!Good luck! Bill S. s/v ODIN
lovely I used to sail did a lot of urupe now am blind so I don't sail any more but am looking forward to listening to your adventures have fun
Congrats you two, your new home looks amazing! I'm slightly jealous that you beat us to "the punch" but i'm grateful that I can learn more from your videos before we follow those same footsteps!
Fair Winds
The ocean has plenty of room so don't worry about beating anyone to the punch! Just get out here :) Let us know if we can be of any help. Go small, go now!
Keep up the great videos. Enjoy the sailing world. You are in for such an adventure.
Nick Benfell Thanks for the support and kind words! Welcome to the AC crew 🙂
Check everything - Twice!
The owner of Sailing La Vagabonde started out with zero sailing experience also. So, be encouraged. You can do this! 😊
dougefresh133 Exactly! Tons and tons of comments about inexperience & insurance. How did SLV get insurance with absolutely no sailing experience? Luckily for us insurance asks about boating experience in which Ryan has 10+ years of! Appreciate the support 😀
Great channel so far guys. Hope you manage to sail her soon, and wish you lots of water under keel. The little printer-box is an old navtex station. Navtex announcements are not necessarily restricted to weather reports but can also include navigational warnings issued by states (for example navigation prohibited within an area because of oil surveys / cable laying / military excercises etc). I used to have a very similar model, one of the main things to notice is to set the right channels for the geographical region you're interested in, otherwise you might find out the bloody thing runs out of paper quite fast.
Good info! Appreciate the insights and support, Alexander :)
Beautiful boat! Noisy floors though and your not even at sea yet! You look well organized so I'm eager to watch you go!
I think I will enjoy seeing you two become sailors. It looks like a brave adventure for you both. Good job.
That device at the nav table is likely a weather fax. It works together with the SSB to receive weather reports and print them out. I'm not certain that the service is still active. These days many people are using a small iridium sat device to allow the down loading of grin files for weather.
I believe it stills operates. www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=NAVTEX
Kelsey....Rudder stock, aft cabin, etc. etc. Reminds me of Captain Ron The Movie. How he taught Martin Short and family the parts of a boat...nice that you right up front have familiarized yourself with your terminology. I think you should see "Captain Ron" -Get a DVD...So much fun... G.T.
Looks like he left you a good amount of useful stuff. Looking forward to see more of your videos.
Love the Lucy and Ricky sleeping arrangement you have.
Awesome ! Thank you for sharing your adventure. Fair Winds !!!
Jamey Mathis Thank you for following along and supporting our adventure!
100% divine intervention with the clock and barometer. God works in awesome ways!
Nice tour. You two got a great looking boat that's outfitted well.
Nice story on the clock and barometer. Those are nice pieces.
she's a real beauty...and the boat is pretty nice too!!
Sorry about your grandfather passing. At least a part of him will be sailing with you. Happy motoring.
the unknown box looks to be a weather Fax
It might be a little bit of a learning curve with boat-handling since even when motoring a cruising sailboat doesn't handle like a motorboat, especially around the dock. At least without a full keel it will be much more maneuverable than our Rasmus. Prop-walk is your friend, the poorman's bow-thruster :D As a coastie, you'll do fine I'm sure.
One of the best thing we ever did was join a sailing school/club which sailed 30+ foot sailboats. We got a lot of experience sailing in all types of conditions over a period of 2 years. The hardest part of sailing a larger sailboat is often just casting off from the dock, and docking again when you come back in without damaging your own boat or your neighbors. Once you get docking down the rest is fairly easy. When it gets a little windy and there are currents pushing you around it can really complicate docking and raise the stakes.
I forgot to mention, when we cleaned our boat out we thought the same thing about "30 years of dust." We found out that after a few weeks it is all back again. You'll be amazed at how quickly dust and grime builds up again in a sailboat. After cleaning the "30 years of dust" out on nearly a weekly basis for a season I think we are finally getting to the bottom of it. Tearing out all the interior slats to insulate the hull before replacing them again found a lot more dust hiding behind them. Since we are doing a refit on the hard we are producing a lot more again...
I don't believe that I have ever seen anyone hold and write with a pen like this lady.
It seems that the 8o's created an endless inventory of bosts... I had a 1984 C&C 30 for 20 years. Your channel make a me feel and remember my e current when I got my bost and I felt angst for the owner as he sold her.
So happy for you guys. What a great find at a great price. She's a beaut!
What a great boat, and in my opinion bought for a good price. I'd like to own a Rassy myself someday. I'm an ex-Coasty who also grew up on power boats. I'm mainly an inland sailor, but take every opportunity to sail in blue water and learn from others. All the CG and power boat experience will go a long way when handling the boat under power and for boating safety, etc., but do whatever you can to learn sailing techniques from experienced sailors. Good luck and I'll be following you two along your journey to whatever comes next. The things YOU experience may help ME someday!
Subscribed. I'm tickled to find this so early in the journey. Good luck to you!
Thank you! Stoked to have you along for the journey :)
4:14 that's a cool story, glad to hear you get to have that on the boat!
I am truly excited for you both. I hope that Angela and I will cross your path in the future. We take delivery on a cat in September so we will just have to follow your progress. Don't listen to the NaySayers! Your a CoastGuard vet so you have plenty of experience and will easily learn on the go. Beautiful Boat! Cheers!
Hi Ryan, I'm Ryan. Looking forward to your adventures. I'm 14 years behind you in going all the way. It's kind of a second life dream of mine. Currently Daysailing but planning my big getaway. I sent your link to my wife. I think she'll really relate to you guys. I'm depending on you to get her pumped about living aboard. Good look!! I'm watching.
Hey Ryan! I'm looking forward to swaying your wife towards abandoning monotony and making life a beautiful adventure :) All the best to you both and let us know if we can help move that 14-year goal into 4 years!
Wow, Good Luck and don't forget your water wings.
Before going offshore, I would definitely take a little time crewing for someone who has a sailboat to make sure you have the right ideas on how to handle the boat, and that you know how to make good decisions on that boat. Even with a Coast Guard background, (BTW thank you for your service), with no sailing experience there are some ways to really get in trouble on a sailboat that can catch you by surprise. I would at least take a couple days under sail with someone who has been doing it who can tell you about stuff like accidental gybe prevention, and, how to prevent, and handle a broach, a how to avoid the risk of loosing fingers in any winches. With your background you obviously would know the environment your putting yourself in when you to off shore. It's just a matter of knowing the machine you're taking out there.
Mark Twain suggested over a hundred years ago:
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
Can't believe that is over a hundred years old but still reigns so true today. The previous owner, Jim, had this quote in the nav station onboard. Love it!
looking forward to some epic adventures! loved the rawness of this video during the boat tour. Gordan's Fisherman. lmao
Love it! We are planning on buying a catamaran in 1 1/2 years after selling our home. We to were power boaters on Lake Michigan and have never sailed! Can't wait for our adventure and yours!
Amazing decision...I congratulate you both. No sailing experience is simply a line in the sand. However learning by mistakes can be expensive and dangerous. When you get to your destination, either get a teaching captain (money well spent), or volunteer as crew at your local marina. You need to get experience in a mentoring / coaching environment and then apply what you've learnt in a progressive way on your own yatcht. This is simply commonsense and proper risk mgt. Too many people will say you'll be right, learn from mistakes and what could possibly go wrong😁...plenty. You're both intelligent, so learning properly now will maximise your enjoyment and new lifestyle. All the best👍
Agreed! We actually volunteered at some local racing events at the yacht club and read our fair share of books about sailing. For us, the learning curve was the steepest when it came to learning all the systems on board. Sailing is cake. Understanding electrical, sea cocks, petcocks, dripless stuffing box, etc. is the hard part. There's just so much you need to know!
Fantastic! Yes...the systems. Very few previous owners document procedures, wiring diagrams, maintenance schedules etc. Great that Jim left you his maintenance history...Absolute bonus. Have fun in the challenge of learning, it's part of the journey. Look fwd to your future vids...all the best and take care. Gary.
had a 352 sail#540. truly great purchase best boat i ever had. watching with excitement.
you may have a storm jib, spinika and crusing shoot sails in there. I loved the deep locker in the cockpit.
Definitely have all of those sails! I believe our spinnaker is asymmetrical but can't say for sure because we haven't put her out yet :) Our mainsail has #541 on it but the boat is #478. How long did you own your 352??
Glad to see a tartan of Clan Donald on the bench there.
Beautiful vessel, congratulations are in order.
I really appreciate it the story about the barometer and the ship's chronograph ...the family touch and timing. Thanks for sharing.
s/v ...waves
Beautiful boat.
good luck on your maiden voyage.
looking forward to sharing your experiences.
Awesome adventures ahead for you. The unknown box looks like a weatherfax plotter. Useful for getting weather info offshore.
Looking forward to your next video. Good luck guys, with your new adventures !