New member in St Augustine

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GFY

Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2020
Messages
14
Hello all

I am approaching retirement for a second time. I retired at 50 but went back after two years because I was not "technically challenged". After living and working in South Carolina for 35 years we moved with work to Portland OR for 5 years. We moved to St Augustine last fall. I am intending to work for a “few” more years, which in these times of COVID-19, I can do from anywhere with decent internet.

I grew up on Mississippi Gulf Coast and worked as deckhand on charter fishing boats. One that my Dad built and owned and others at local marinas.

I think owning and cruising on a boat would allow us to travel, which we have done a good bit of, and for me to be technically challenged.

I am looking forward to extended cruising but do not plan any ocean crossings. I think if we ever go that way we would ship the boat. We have vacationed frequently on St. John US Virgin Islands, so I see a trip to the Caribbean in our future. Maybe even a trip through the Panama Canal and around to Alaska!

I had been thinking about Selene 54ish type boats, but after seeing an Offshore Yacht 54 in St Augustine marina think I am headed more that way. I.e. Reasonably good economy at cruising speed but capable a faster speeds when necessary. High on our priority list is good galley and a walk around bed.

We were blessed with a great job and have been blessed to save for many years and now believe we have a reasonable boat budget for something like that and the much talked about 10% maintenance. That is in addition to a reasonable living on land budget.

My wife has never spent much time on a boat so this will be a new experience for her. That being the case I want to try to get her some on the water experience over the next year or so.

Looking to listen and learn,
Gene
 
Welcome Aboard, The Selene would be a great choice, or a K.K. or Nordhavn.

pete
 
Welcome aboard. Good luck in your search and have some fun doing it.
 
Welcome, Gene! It was great to meet you guys in St. Aug. Keep us up to date on your search!
 
I'm also in your neighborhood...and also here to learn. Sounds like we're close to in the same "phase of life"...although my ultimate full-on retirement is a bit further out....
I've been hoping to get to a big boat show to set foot on a few...I too need to get my DW onboard a few boats!
 
Hi Gene, I replied to your other post but am seeing this for the first time. As I mentioned in my other reply, we were similarly attracted to some of the better known passagemakers like Selene, Nordhavn, and Kadey Krogen. They are all great boats with many exceptional attributes. But as my wife and I discussed realistic plans for long term cruising, we realized an ocean crossing was not in our future, and expanded our search parameters. Of particular interest to us was a boat with a little shallower draft, since we were boating in the Chesapeake Bay and the Bahamas. We also intend to make our way through the Panama Canal and up to Alaska, so we wanted a capable vessel, but again not a true ocean crosser. I think the best thing you can do is prioritize what matters most to you - things like living spaces, range (fuel capacity and engine performance), engine room access, stabilization, etc, with an eye to what is difficult or impossible to modify. Then I recommend you attend a big show like the Ft. Lauderdale boat show and get on as many boats as you can. We ended up looking at many different manufacturers and we narrowed it down to Outer Reefs, Grand Banks Aleutians, and Offshores based on our criteria, budget, and desired size of boat. Then it came down to individual boats (since we were buying used) and their configuration and condition. Sorry if this is a ramble, but best of luck in the hunt and even more in the adventure ahead of you!
 
Any recommendations for a winter slip in St. Augustine for a Selene 53? Home port is currently Norfolk. Looking at relocating our residence to FL from the Indianapolis area and St. Augustine appears to be a very nice area. Thanks!
 
Any recommendations for a winter slip in St. Augustine for a Selene 53? Home port is currently Norfolk. Looking at relocating our residence to FL from the Indianapolis area and St. Augustine appears to be a very nice area. Thanks!



Comachee cove is nice. For
a better price, you might want to check out Marineland marina or Palm Coast marina.
 
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