First things first, 1) sell my current boat; 2)buy my next boat; 3) spend all my $ and time fixing said new boat. But buddy boating is always a good idea, particularly in unfamiliar waters. good luck!

So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the support 🙏

You sir are a prince among men.

Thanks so much. Yes that was an Island Packet next to me at TYC. There are tonnes Nonsuchs on Lake Ontario. It is their home waters after all!

I mean... you're not wrong!

Hmmmmm. Not sure if it’s specifically Canadian, but (at least as far as I’ve been taught) the topping lift is the line that exits the mast to the rear that holds the boom. The uphaul exits the mast facing forward and is used to raise the whisker pole/spin pole. If you’re extra fancy you’ll also have a downhaul on the pole as well to really stabilize it…. Make sense?

Less annoying, but still annoying. That is our solemn promise here at Southern Cross Industries!

Don't you bail on me Dave! Thanks for sticking it out.

Thanks for watching and for your kind words. Before I attempt to answer your questions, first the caveat: I am not an expert. This is just my view. The online sailing community is full of views. So take everything you hear/read with a pinch of skepticism. As the saying goes: Trust but verify. With the legal waiver out of the way, let me first say that when it comes to buying your first boat, there are a number of considerations you need to sort out. For example: what are your home waters like? Where will you store the boat during the season and off season (assuming there is an off season where you are)? There are people who start with a 38 footer or larger, but that's a lot of boat to handle, especially if you're a novice dealing with a tight marina/club. Instead of falling for a particular boat, I'd suggest you consider your use case and then build out a set of priorities from there. It's VERY hard to judge the boat you're describing without knowing anything about it, but I'm a little surprised to hear that a sailboat (particularly one 38' long) has had its winches removed... I cannot imagine it would be possible to handle the sails needed to move a 38footer without winches, regardless of weather conditions. I also don't know what "built in boxes" means. Is that referring to a rope clutch? Properly sized clutches that are in decent shape will hold a line and keep it in a desired state of tension, but they do not assist in providing leverage needed to pull the line in... Finally, although I've not personally sailed a boat with a jib boom, I understand that they are intended to make life easy. They act as a sort of "self tacker" in that once the jib is set for a particular point of sail (say 35 degrees off the wind) the boat can tack back and forth to 35 degrees off in either direction without having to touch a sheet. It's a common feature on boats which are cutter rigged like island packets. It's a neat idea. One can combine roller furling with a jib boom... Final thought: there are lots of fish in the sea, and boats on the water... keep looking.

@@TheAwakeford Thanks a lot for this thorough reply. Greatly appreciated !

Totally. I completely agree with every suggestion and I already follow each one.

Thanks for the comment. Good call on the lazy jacks, those are important! thankfully they're easy to install. Powered winches eh? You Fancy! 🤑 Gozzard's are a little outside of my snack bracket! Fair winds!

@@TheAwakeford I broke my shoulder a few years ago and couldn't crank a winch for a couple of years after that - hence electric winches.

Hahaha! Fair enough I suppose. The song is based on an inside joke, but I thought that since it says hello so much, it worked as a funny intro. Can't please all the people all the time...

@@TheAwakefordok, but maybe not for so long / loud

I scrolled past the music too.

Thanks so much for your kind words!

OK, I've actually watched it now, and those are some sound tips! I agree with all of them, except the one about having a noisy and smelly diesel engine. I dreamt of becoming a sailor, not a diesel mechanic 😉 So that does limit the size of the boat. I'm currently looking at small proven offshore boats like the Contessa 26 and Marieholm 26 (International Folkboat hull). I would first of all convert it to a junk rig (balanced lug sail with battens and sheetlets). It's much easier to manage for a solo sailor, safer, cheaper to maintain and IMO more beautiful. Not the best rig for racing, admittedly, but it's objectively speaking a better rig for cruising. The Junk Rig Association is a great resource for anyone interested. I'd also consider making a fiberglass hardtop using the existing canvas sprayhood as a template. That's a fairly big project, but it will last so much longer than expensive canvas. And it will look much nicer than those clunky hardtops you often see tacked on to otherwise pretty boats. I'm also looking at cheaper alternatives to a battery hungry autopilot that will inevitably stop working: - Bungee - Sheet-to-tiller/helm - Mizzen if you have a yawl and the skills So that's what I am looking for in a boat. Simplicity and durability. I probably won't find a boat like that on the market, so I'll have to put in a fair bit of work and money myself. But for me, that's part of the attraction. It will take years though. I definitely understand why people wouldn't want to go through all that, and I do get the attraction of having a diesel engine and an autopilot. It's just not for me.

Sounds amazing. All boats are an exercise in compromise. The hard part is figuring out your priorities, the list makes itself thereafter. It sounds like you're well on your way to a decision, good luck!

@@TheAwakeford Thanks! And yes, I've spent way too much time thinking this over. Time to actually buy a boat and get started. Good luck to you too!

@@ximono As much as my sentiment is with you, against motors, I think you would quickly find that some kind of engine or motor is essential to do much on a sailboat. I even rigged our Melonseed skiff for a small kayak trolling motor. It was the best improvement I made. It opened up many more launch possibilities. Some places are difficult to impossible to navigate from the launch or dock or mooring without alternate propulsion.

@@saabtech3510 Oh, I should have written that I do want an outboard for the reasons you mention! I thought I put that in, but must have forgotten. Ideally I'd do without any motor, but I notice how those who go to that extreme rely a lot on towing (and they are expert sailors).

You know helpful internet stranger, that’s a great idea. This helpful man on my dock just took such a video. Look for it in KZbin shorts!

Brother all I can say is whenever you get discouraged when working on it remember this "How do you eat an Elephant one bite at a time"

shed a tear for our sweet beloved manuals. VW has announced that 2024 will be the last year for them... 😪

They are asking $27,500 they were asking 40k

@@ccook1981 wow I only gave $8000 for my Catalina 30 and it was ready to sail and I love that boat the only issue I have is the windows leaking I can't seem to stop it

@@ccook1981 40k ahahah full of cracks and moisture...I'd say 20k is the top they can hit.

Amazing, thanks so much. Hopefully a few "boat hunting" vids are on the horizon to whet the appetite for the project vids to follow!

I strongly recommend instagram.com/scugogcustomelements/?hl=en for all merchandise options!

Hey, thanks for reaching out! You’re lucky to have such a beautiful home port!

@@TheAwakeford Yes, not too many natural harbors on the south side of Lake Ontario. A small cottage with a dock, on the island across from where you were docked, just sold for about $175,000. Listed for a few days and went fast. Best of luck selling the boat. I would seriously think about purchasing it, but I have 3 already and short on $. Wishing you success on finding a nice project. There are lots of potential ones out there.

Amazing. Thanks for reaching out.