Mrcharwe
Well-known member
I guess its time for my annual update and to see if anyone else is traveling in the same area.
I sold my 30ft sailboat last Feburary. Picked up a element camper and cruised inland and visited some friends and family I hadnt seen in a while. Finally ending up in washington where i landed a seasonal gig that i will be doing for the foreseeable future. After realizing why i gave up on camper vanning (too many people, too much gas and maintenance, harder to find sleep spots) i decided to buy a boat again. I wanted a sailboat, something trailerable in case i want to move quickly, something beachable, and as much as i want to build my ideal boat the cost of materials are so high i was looking at production boats.
A few slipped away, one good sold from under me while driving to look at it. Finally, i hit craigslist where listings go to die because everyone uses facebook now. On there i found the boat i was looking for.
A 19 foot west wight potter. I have no illusions or dreams of crossing oceans on this boat, but two have crossed the pacific and another went england to norway, so thye are capable little boats. With the board and rudder up they draft about 8" and they are flat bottomed, so they sit and sail upright. Add the fact that the 6hp outboard is way more power than needed, so i get about 100 miles on 6 gallons. 5he cabin has plenty of room for two but its currently me and my dog so we have excess space.
I bought the boat in Michigan so the only logical thing to do was head south for the winter. Ive done the east coast so i decided to do the great loop and take the inland river systems south. This required going all the way around michigan to chicago, then entering the illionois river to the mississippi. From there you go up the ohio, down the tenn-tom waterway and end up in mobile on the gulf.
I am currently nearing the mississippi just taking my time heading south. If anyone is doing the loop or plan on being south this winter on a boat, hit me up.
Ive added some pictures, but i dont take many so this is just a glimpse of the trip
I sold my 30ft sailboat last Feburary. Picked up a element camper and cruised inland and visited some friends and family I hadnt seen in a while. Finally ending up in washington where i landed a seasonal gig that i will be doing for the foreseeable future. After realizing why i gave up on camper vanning (too many people, too much gas and maintenance, harder to find sleep spots) i decided to buy a boat again. I wanted a sailboat, something trailerable in case i want to move quickly, something beachable, and as much as i want to build my ideal boat the cost of materials are so high i was looking at production boats.
A few slipped away, one good sold from under me while driving to look at it. Finally, i hit craigslist where listings go to die because everyone uses facebook now. On there i found the boat i was looking for.
A 19 foot west wight potter. I have no illusions or dreams of crossing oceans on this boat, but two have crossed the pacific and another went england to norway, so thye are capable little boats. With the board and rudder up they draft about 8" and they are flat bottomed, so they sit and sail upright. Add the fact that the 6hp outboard is way more power than needed, so i get about 100 miles on 6 gallons. 5he cabin has plenty of room for two but its currently me and my dog so we have excess space.
I bought the boat in Michigan so the only logical thing to do was head south for the winter. Ive done the east coast so i decided to do the great loop and take the inland river systems south. This required going all the way around michigan to chicago, then entering the illionois river to the mississippi. From there you go up the ohio, down the tenn-tom waterway and end up in mobile on the gulf.
I am currently nearing the mississippi just taking my time heading south. If anyone is doing the loop or plan on being south this winter on a boat, hit me up.
Ive added some pictures, but i dont take many so this is just a glimpse of the trip
