Boating at Primary and Advanced locations?

[PigzFly]

I am currently waiting in A-pool, and interested in buying a boat. My main concern is that I dont know what the boating is like after i leave Pensacola, or if there is even anywhere to do so. I dont want to spend a bunch of money and only be able to use the boat for a couple of months, then have it sit for a another year. I know there is always water somewhere, but obviously some spots are better than others. Any thoughts?

Im not looking at anything to crazy. Probably just a little (18' or so) ski boat that I can zip around the bay and pull a tube/wakeboard. Just trying to get some input before I get too serious. Thanks

 

[scoolbubba]

Unless you go to vance, you can use a boat pretty much anywhere. Corpus is set up better for something for either offshore, or a skeeter for the flats...

 

[OUSOONER]

Unless you go to vance, you can use a boat pretty much anywhere. Corpus is set up better for something for either offshore, or a skeeter for the flats...

Hey man, we have lakes!

 

[FlyBoyd]

Waiting in A-Pool and you want to buy a boat? Have you read this thread http://www.airwarriors.com/forum/showthread.php?t=147238? In short..DON'T DO IT. In the long run it will be a huge money waster and you will sell it at a loss. Moving, storage, insurance, maitenance, etc. are just a few headaches.

The second happiest day of your life is when you buy a boat. The happiest day is when you sell it.

 

[Godspeed]

You can rent a boat on base for much cheaper than it would be to buy one.... If you have your boating license, I think you can rent a decent/nice boat for $15-$20/hr (gas included). When I was there they had everything from small fishing boats to larger boats available... I strongly reccommend you go this route.

 

[MIDNJAC]

Yeah dude, don't buy a f**king boat right now. You will have other friends who were dumbasses and like to 1) take you out fishing/boating and 2) pay for it all including the bags of $$$ everyone ends up dumping into a boat. If you go to Corpus, yeah you can live on the water out on the island but you also have to tend to your boat there. Just a PIA I wouldn't want to have during primary to say the least.

 

[eddie]

Hey man, we have lakes!

I was told some of the best sailing in the world is in Kansas...



ALSO, Anyone heard of folks (naval services types, I'm thinking) living aboard?

 

[PropAddict]

ALSO, Anyone heard of folks (naval services types, I'm thinking) living aboard?

I knew an 0-5 who was a slightly better-monied version of MB who lived in a Catalina 30 he kept tied up at the base marina. The plan broke down for him pretty quick when he changed duty stations, had to have the boat shipped there to make it ain any kind of time, and then the base marinas started closing.

After he retired, he got another boat and lives on it in a marina in Corpus, FWIW.

 

[Flash]

I was told some of the best sailing in the world is in Kansas...

And I have oceanfront property in Arizona I am selling, interested? My guess is that the people saying this have never sailed anything bigger than a Laser and are from Kansas or another landlocked state where the local reservoir is 'just as good as the ocean'. :icon_roll

ALSO, Anyone heard of folks (naval services types, I'm thinking) living aboard?

I know a reserve Senior Chief who lives in one of the marinas in DC, he seems to like it. Though he also acts like he is still in high school, so that might have something to do with it.

 

[tdimarco]

My guess is that the people saying this have never sailed anything bigger than a Laser and are from Kansas or another landlocked state where the local reservoir is 'just as good as the ocean'.

When I lived on the West Coast, I sailed on 70' Turbo Sleds and Stars. Granted, you can't sail a sled on most lakes, but that doesn't mean there isn't great sailing. I've gotten into racing E-Scows, which are an awesome boat. The tactics and boathandling are different, and the season is shorter, but it is still a blast.

By the way, living aboard gets old in a hurry for most people, especially if you don't have standing headroom.

 

[Pugs]

Whidbey is a great place to own a boat but don't plan on a long water skiing season unless you're a hardy soul. People do it on Lake Campbell and up towards Bellingham but even with wet suits you have to be pretty desperate.

I owned a San Juan 24' sailboat up there. Bought it in the RAG with another Ensign and we owned it for 8 years until we both PCS'ed. Worked out great. He was west coast and I was east and we never sailed it together in 8 years but it got plenty of use and we sold it for what we bought it for ($10K)

Sailed other peoples boats at NPA, J24's and J30's that built on the dingy racing I had done in college.

I'd wait and rent and see where you end up.

 

[FlyBoyd]

ALSO, Anyone heard of folks (naval services types, I'm thinking) living aboard?

When I was in Primary in Corpus, one of my squadron mates lived in a sailboat on the canal behind another students house. She used their shower/bathroom and kitchen but slept on the boat.

 

[armada1651]

When I was in Primary in Corpus, one of my squadron mates lived in a sailboat on the canal behind another students house. She used their shower/bathroom and kitchen but slept on the boat.

I can't decide if that's kinda cool or really weird.

 

[eddie]

And I have oceanfront property in Arizona I am selling, interested? My guess is that the people saying this have never sailed anything bigger than a Laser and are from Kansas or another landlocked state where the local reservoir is 'just as good as the ocean'. :icon_roll

Nah. Prior enlisted (I think an AW?) who often helps rich people crew these things:

Friggin starship...

But yeah, he said he used to truck Lazers and Hobie Cats for tornado-force adventures in Flatland. Different from open ocean, but still lots of fun.

 

[eddie]

I can't decide if that's kinda cool or really weird.

Both???

I mean, if I actually could sail worth a damn, and I had some awesome, fast boat instead, I might briefly consider it as a lifestyle choice. I guess it would be like sleeping in your Corvette outside of a Public Storage to save on house payments. You still have a cool car... ???