How regulated is sailing and what kind of barriers would someone face? | Squat the Planet

How regulated is sailing and what kind of barriers would someone face?

Hudson

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I have no idea how to sail or where to start. But im about to come off of workmans comp after a Muscoskeletal accident I faced at work last year. I'm not sure if I will still have a job after all is said.

I have given myself two choices. Hope for a settlement and go to school for nursing in my 30s or use my savings to go somewhere. Sailing would be interesting and a hell of an adventure I imagine.

I did some military time in Iraq and I've been a long haul truck driver so characteristically I think I could handle the lifestyle.

Im curious what kind of barriers there are other than financially getting a boat. And how regulated it is?

Like if I got a boat that was seaworthy would the coast guard flip out on me? Or is it go at your own risk kinda sport like motorcycling?

I really don't see myself being a wage slave to get hurt at another job unless its a nursing career.

Anybody with experience on here?
 
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Dameon

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Minimal regulation. As long as your boat meets basic safety regulations (certain amount of fire extinguishers per length, crapper doesn't empty straight into the water, lifejackets for everybody on board), you're good to go. Licensing is only required if you want to take on passengers for money. If you've got half a brain, you should be okay to do basic solo sailing after a couple of lessons.
 

Dameon

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Seems a daunting task for a land dweller like myself in the midwest. Intrigued to see this unfold though. Good luck! An keep us posted!
It's really not as hard as people think. Used boats are cheap, and sailing is easier than you'd believe. There's lots of details to learn, but just getting out there and putting up sails isn't hard.
 
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Hudson

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How difficult is it to survive on the coastlines is my biggest fear so far. I mean how do you avoid storms and hurricanes kinda thing. I need to find resources on how to navigate.
 
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Dameon

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How difficult is it to survive on the coastlines is my biggest fear so far. I mean how do you avoid storms and hurricanes kinda thing. I need to find resources on how to navigate.
You avoid storms and hurricanes by checking weather apps. Heavy winds are usually predicted well ahead of time. Other than that, it's not too hard to tell when a storm is coming and from what direction. Along the coastline, navigation is easy. Land is always either to your east or west, depending on the coast. You can put a free chartplotter on any phone that'll be as accurate as most fancy chartplotters.
 

Hudson

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Do you do this? Sail free and clear of the man?

I have a little under 10k saved and i am not counting on the settlement to happen but my lawyer said its very likely.

I have a good fallback, I inherited a home in the pnw and have free va healthcare for life.

I am really intent on this as I want to spend my 30s doing something instead of getting fat and old. I have a clean passpor with no record and no duis.

Is it doable with nothing but shear willpower? Or does it take more?


Im tired of this wage slave crap and my body hurts from making other people richer. I dont see myself paying taxes anymore. To an extent maybe, but I feel my service in Iraq should have been enough.

So if I get a windfall this is probably the course of action I will take. It sounds doable and I have a brain. I figure the worst that happens is I die. And I've come to terms with the prospect of death a long time ago.

Valhalla
 
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Dameon

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Do you do this? Sail free and clear of the man?

I have a little under 10k saved and i am not counting on the settlement to happen but my lawyer said its very likely.
I lived on a sailboat for a while, but didn't go much of anywhere. Sailboats are cheap to buy, but they do have a tendency to suck up money quickly, especially because when you buy your first boat you won't really know what to look for, or what will be expensive to fix, or how to maintain what you do have. Expect to suck up that 10k pretty quickly between buying your boat and making necessary repairs. A used winch can easily be $500. A new sail will run you over $2k, depending on the boat's length.
 

Shane1031

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Hello Hudson.
You may want to consider hitchsailing around the world before commiting to a boat. Check out the oceanpreneur.com for advice. Also look for crew opportunities on crewbay.com, findacrew.net or oceancrewlink.com. If you still are feeling like getting your own boat, check free-boat.com, you may be able to score something cheap or free. Then i would recommend using the money to get some certifications under your belt. You can do that cheap in thailand, barcelona and south africa. It will help you in ways you don't realize. Plus it would help with job prospects if you decide that sailing is for you.
 

CrowTheBard

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I suppose I should sound off here...

Been crazy busy and haven’t had time to pop in here to StP in a bit. I’ve only been home a week after helping to shove my buddy’s boat north up the coast from San Diego to the San Juan Islands. What a trip! But that’s stories for another time...

To broadly answer your questions, I think living on a sailboat affords one the ultimate freedom from The Man.

The west coast of the US isn’t the best spot to be however, unless you end up in the inner sea (Salish Sea/Puget Sound) where I love. Literally the rest of the west coast sucks from a sailor’s perspective (the harbors all suck, dangerous bars, aweful storms, no where to sail to) but up here we have a PNW sailor’s paradise.

Quite literally thousands of anchorages and hundreds of thousands of miles of protected shorelines and a lovely used boat market make it the best place in the US to live and sail. The cooler weather is usually the biggest deterant, but I find the four season rythem quite agreeable.

As far as boats go, do your research now. There is so many variations and there is much to learn. I prefer old school boats, dripping with character, and possessing the wisdom of a hundred generations before me. “There’s no replacement for displacement” being an old adage I happen to agree with.

In any case, not only is your dream achievable, but there’s plenty of us out there already doing it!

I’m here to answer any questions ya got.

Cheers,
Crow
 

NovaBadour

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Hi Hudson,
I think it's a great idea, the lifestyle is very liberating and different from what a lot of people know but definitely amazing!
You could read up a little on maritime law but from what I remember you're free to sail along the coastline till about x miles out. Also it's not that expensive to get a license, different countries have different regulations so it depends a little on where you'd want to travel to..

You mentioned you had an accident? Sailing can be very intensive on your body, so I hope it's nothing serious..
Good luck and happy sailing!
 
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Dunedrifter

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Go to the library and find a good book on “how to buy a sailboat”. Knowing what to look for is invaluable, otherwise you’re going to buy a money-pit...well, they’re all going to be money pits, but at least you’ll have a better idea as to how much work and money you’ll be in for. Go for it!
 

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