New Sailors: Walk before you run!

[Bad Obsession]

I have been around here for a while and on a few other forums. Often I see these posts from a newer sailor, just getting into the sport, asking if XXXXXX boat is a blue water boat. They talk about dreams to sail to far off destinations.

Great! Good for you. Dream that big dream. One thing, if you start with such lofty goals and don't set some smaller, more immediate goals, you will get overwhelmed.

1. Learn to sail and experience some boats before you buy yours. The best part is you can often do this for free. Check with your local racing fleet. If you want to cruise you can start here and learn to crew. You will learn about boat handling, boat maneuvers, sail trim, rules of the road, etc. A lot of racers are looking for crew and being crew on a boat for one season will teach you a lot.

2. Start small: You already know that you want that blue water boat. Start with a smaller boat first. Learning to sail Lasers, Sunfish, and other dingy class boat are a lot of fun. You are learning a lot about sailing with a very small commitment.

3. Cruise small: Now you have your first cruising boat. It could be "the boat" or it could be a smaller, more affordable boat that is your starter boat. Either way, pick some nice overnight trips to start with. Talk to some local cruisers about good overnight trips that they know of. Learn how to pick your course, get in and out of a new harbor safely, what it is like to spend time on the hook, and the new basic things that are part of this new world.

4. Expand your horizon: Now that you have some overnight trips underneath your belt look towards longer cruises in your area. Try to go out for one week. Pick your destinations but be flexible. Don't ever get stead fast on a schedule or you will get in trouble.

5. You will spend lots of money and loose money when you sell: When you buy a boat you are not investing. The boat will usually loose value while you have it. If it gains value it is because you have added a upgrades to it and the upgrades will cost more than you gain in boat value. There are stories where this didn't happen but more often than not this is not true. Try not to think of it as loosing money but gaining experience and paying for your hobby. Live within your means but don't get caught up with counting the costs.

6. Have Fun: This a fun thing to do. You will see the world through different eyes and experience all kinds of different things. In the end, this is not a hobby but a lifestyle. Sailors are a different sort. Most of the time it doesn't matter if you are the cheapest and smallest boat in the anchorage, we are all long time friends and willing to help each other.

I hope that this helps. Welcome aboard.

 

[JohnVTX]

All good advice

 

[Gunni]

When someone asks if a boat is a blue water boat, included in that question is ignorance of what blue water is about. I've given up counting the number of inexperienced boaters who have gone blue water and determined that they really don't like it. Fear and uncomfortable conditions can put that dream to rest. One couple I introduced to sailing jumped in, bought a recognized blue water boat, took off south and determined that one of them could not get over seasickness and general anxiety from being "out there". And no it wasn't the girl. They were captive to their new possession. Between crewed and bareboat charters, coaches and schools there are plenty of ways to experience and come to love the freedom of blue water. But be careful what you yearn for, and don't drag someone along on your dream.

 

[cb32863]

Here is one bit of advice to add to the above; Do you want to sail it or work on it? Free boats are never free just as cheap boats are never cheap.

 

[kito]

Maybe watch the movie 'Life of Pi'. Your cruising mates may end up worse than that tiger after months on the water.

 

[weinie]

Meh...buy the boat. Learn as you go. Do it while youre young and dumb and before passion makes way for reason.

 

[Maine Sail]

Funny or not so funny story..

A customer of mine was a newbie to big boat ownership and he contacted me for advice on buying a boat for coastal cruising the Maine coast. I gave him a short list of very well suited Maine coastal cruisers. He chose an off list BWB.

He'd read on the "net" and in books that he really needed a BWB. He wound up with a kit built boat that was indeed a "blue water design". He was short on money so I let him work beside me on the re-wire. He finally launched her and sailed her for two years all the while dumping piles of money into the boat and there was still soooo much more to go..

Having been a racer he was put off by her her rather piggish performance in Maine's typically light summer winds. He was also rather distraught with the cramped accommodations for his family of four. Long and short he sold the boat and bought one of the boats on the initial list, which he loves. He paid a good price and bought a boat in mint condition. She has been a joy for him though she is far from a BWB.

I had not known the transaction had even gone down until I got a call from the guy who had purchased the boat (without a survey). He too was a newbie and all hung up on it being a BWB. I was told, not asked, that he needed some stuff fixed asap because he was leaving in 48 hours for North Carolina. When I met the guy, after regular business hours, he knew less about actual sailing than a box of cereal yet could quote all the great Blue Water authors verbatim. He had all the answers but knew none of the questions. IMHO he was 150% unqualified for a solo offshore trip on this boat.

After confirming that yes indeed his radar, GPS and depth sounder were toast, I sat him down and told him flat out the boat was not ready for off shore passage making. It went in one ear and out the other.

He was more concerned about organizing his new set of dishes and could have given two $hits about; the standing rigging with fractured strands, the three leaking seacocks, the non-existent cutlass bearing, the 32 year old hoses connected to the seacocks, the bad transmission, the out of calibration compass, the non operational tri-color and steaming light, or the torn sails, the seized Pro-Furl furler and halyards that looked like a worn out Raggedy Ann doll. Yes the new dishes where his top priority and he was heading off shore from Maine to NC in less than 24 hours regardless of any advice anyone could give him because he had a "rugged blue water boat".

Long and short I got an email from the original owner a few weeks later with a link to the USCG rescue & a photo, where the boat was lost at sea. Interestingly enough another customer was within 200 miles of him, in the same storm, and sailed onto Bermuda unscathed and just fine in his Sabre 34..... Difference being the Sabre 34 was in top shape and the owner actually knew what he was doing.. Same storm one blue water boat and one coastal cruiser. The condition of the boat & the skipper do matter....

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

Excellent post sir. I first stepped onto a sailboat ( a 12 foot Penquin) in 1957.

Went from a San Juan 21, to 35 foot trimaran, to a 21 foot trailerable,, and now my Meridian 25. Since the rebuild on THAT boat, have logged 11,800 miles, including two gulf of Mexico crossing, one single hand

And I'm still learning !!!

 

[Stu Jackson]

Excellent, Maine Sail. Thanks for a great reality check. I've already linked this to the same dumb question on CF.

And thanks to Bad for posting this very important concept.

 

[justsomeguy]

Long and short I got an email from the original owner a few weeks later with a link to the USCG rescue & a photo, where the boat was lost at sea.

Dishes too?

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

Dishes too?

You bad!!!

 

[justsomeguy]

You bad!!!

Yes, I am.

 

[Joe]

Maybe watch the movie 'Life of Pi'. Your cruising mates may end up worse than that tiger after months on the water.

You mean the Jackal.... the tiger saved Pi's life.... if you want to believe the better story, that is.

 

[Raven34]

This is probably beating a dead horse but I agree about starting out within reason and ability. I started out sailing C-Scows and took a break before deck handing on a 50 foot schooner for 7 years. Listening to other captains, sailing OPB's(other peoples boats), being part of a crew stranded in the middle of Lake Superior with a broken motor were invaluable when it came time to purchase a personal boat and choosing to get my charter captain license. The romance of sailing can cast a spell both good and evil. A good mentor/teacher are always priceless.

 

[Chris & Lenore]

I have told a few people over the years to listen to those who "have done it" vs trying to impress or assume they "know better". And then get out there and gain actual experience.
But I must confess it took me more than a few years to figure this out myself
Now I cherish the time I get to spend with people (and listen to ) like those "Meridian 25" sailors Always something to learn and the benefit of making lifelong friends.
And I have absolutely no idea what our dishes even look like!!!

Chris

 

[gettinthere]

I never listen!
First and only sailboat is our Endeavour 42. Never sailed except as a rider, never took lessons. Been full time cruising now for over 4 years. Dock neighbors back home admitted later that they were all expecting me to fail! It aint brain surgery! Flame on RC ;-) !

 

[Jackdaw]

The calculus of a safe and successful voyage is made up only three things:

SKILL: Your learned ability to manage routine, expected and unexpected circumstances on the voyage
PREPARATION: Your boat, your gear, your crew, your planning
LUCK : Yea dumb luck.

It's very simple. The more you have of the first two the less you need the last.

 

[Bad Obsession]

The calculus of a safe and successful voyage is made up only three things:

SKILL: Your learned ability to manage routine, expected and unexpected circumstances on the voyage
PREPARATION: Your boat, your gear, your crew, your planning
LUCK : Yea dumb luck.

It's very simple. The more you have of the first two the less you need the last.

Great post and I agree with this. It makes a lot of sense. Plan your trip well to include equipping the boat for the trip and also the OH CRAP moments and also watch the weather, the tides, and other factors that could effect the voyage.

 

[Bad Obsession]

Funny, just saw this post on Liveaboard Sailboat on Facebook:
Chris Wales Evans
Yesterday at 2:22pm
New to the sailing life and looking to buy my first boat. Something to go from Florida and around the Caribbean. What makes a coastal cruiser vs blue water cruiser? All and any advice is helpful