Newbie to boats... but I really want to learn to sail and want a boat!

[superwormy]

OK, first, a disclaimer: I'm a total newbie to boats. I've been on boats only a handful of times, I've never owned one.

So, with that said, I really, really want to learn to sail. Despite being on only a handful of boats, I grew up on a lake and then on the beach, so I love the water. So... where do I start?

First off, I wonder if anyone knows anyone/any courses in the Connecticut area that would be willing to help me learn. Is a course the way to go? Or should I just find someone who would be willing to let me go with them and learn things?

Also, if I was going to buy a small sailboat, what would you recommend? Specific model? Used or new? If used, what should I look for in a used boat?

Eventually, I'd hope for an older larger boat, like think the Captain Ron boat. Or maybe something a little smaller, but that you can still take out on the ocean and such.

Thoughts?

 

[Tim R.]

My personal advice to you is ride on as many other people's boats as possible. Check out race crew opportunities in your are. Buy a small dinghy type sailboat to learn the finer points on a lake. You will get wet but you love the water. Dinghy sailing takes skill and attention. Things happen fast and you must learn to react without thinking. This will go a long way towards knowing how to properly and safely sail a larger boat.

Once you have some base knowledge and skill look into classes.

Get some basic books and start reading. A good first book is "Annapolis book of Seamanship"

Join the local USCGA or Power Squadron.

Good luck and have fun.

BTW, some here will tell you to go out and buy that "Captain Ron" boat first and you will learn. Not my way but it has worked for some of the lucky ones. I know of a few it has not worked for and they obviously do not frequent this board(they do not sail anymore)

 

[larryw]

Smells like a troll

 

[superwormy]

Hrm, nope, no trolls here. It was a genuine question. Genuine answers are appreciated. ;-P

Thanks for the suggestions Tim! Out of curiosity... would you ever be willing to take someone out on your boat (assuming I traveled up to Maine sometime)?

Are there people out there who would be willing to do something like: I'll work on your boat for a weekend doing whatever you want (clean? wash? whatever else you can teach me to do?) in return for the experience I'd get of going out with you and learning some stuff?

 

[dvideohd]

more info...

Need more info!!!!!

where are you? what bodies of water are close?

Want to Trailer or keep one in a slip? budget?

have you taken a local sailing class - or been out on a boat? do you know of local yacht clubs or sailing groups (there are lots...)...

go meet and talk with people......!!

--jr

 

[biorapper]

Get a used hobie 16 or sunfish for easily under a grand... learn to sail and see if the bug bites!

 

[superwormy]

Need more info!!!!!

where are you? what bodies of water are close?

Want to Trailer or keep one in a slip? budget?

have you taken a local sailing class - or been out on a boat? do you know of local yacht clubs or sailing groups (there are lots...)...

go meet and talk with people......!!

--jr

Coventry, CT and my in-laws live in Milford, CT.

Coventry Lake, and Long Island Sound.

Budget: Cheap. I could trailer it. No slip, that sounds expensive to just get started learning.

I haven't taken any classes (read my original post...). Should I? Recommended classes/places to go? Yes, I've been on a boat (read my original post...).

I am meeting and talking to people. I just met you guys. Thought this might be a good place to start.

 

[superwormy]

Suggestions on what to look for when searching for a good deal on a used boat?

 

[Todd Smith]

There is a $350 sunfish in the bargain news. http://www.bargainnews.com/catsearch.cfm?searchType=boat&cat=125&searchMake=Boats Type "sail' into the keywords and you should see the listing.

It would be a good boat for a small lake or the Milford Gulf. If you are ok with being wet that is.

 

[Tim R.]

Hrm, nope, no trolls here. It was a genuine question. Genuine answers are appreciated. ;-P

Thanks for the suggestions Tim! Out of curiosity... would you ever be willing to take someone out on your boat (assuming I traveled up to Maine sometime)?

Are there people out there who would be willing to do something like: I'll work on your boat for a weekend doing whatever you want (clean? wash? whatever else you can teach me to do?) in return for the experience I'd get of going out with you and learning some stuff?

Woudl you mind revealing you first name so we do not have to address you as wormy?

I take people out on my boat all the time during Wed. night racing. That being said I am very careful about who I take out. I took out a woman once who had zero boating experience and had trouble moving in the cockpit on a calm day at the mooring. She ended up getting hurt because she was not able to move out of the way of a sheet fast enough(minor rope burn). "Maine Sail" knows who I am talking about.

I usually do not trade for work as I am very particular about the work I do and who does the work on my boat.

I am also very careful who I give advice to. A fellow showed up here a few months back from Arizona I think who would not take anyone's advice about which boat to buy. He was determined to buy a large cheap boat regardless of his needs. I spoke to him on the phone a few times but he seemed determined to go that route.

PM me if you plan to be in Maine in the future and I will see what I can do to take you out.

 

[Tim R.]

There is a $350 sunfish in the bargain news. http://www.bargainnews.com/catsearch.cfm?searchType=boat&cat=125&searchMake=Boats Type "sail' into the keywords and you should see the listing.

It would be a good boat for a small lake or the Milford Gulf. If you are ok with being wet that is.

And if you hated it you could probably get that $350 back when selling.

 

[superwormy]

Ah, sure, there, an updated signature. My name's Keith, nice to meet you!

Yeah, I totally understand about wanting to do your own work, and being careful who you're with. I race motorcycles in New Hampshire (helps get my need-for-speed out in a safe location and not on the street!) so I know the feeling. I'm the only one who works on my bike, and trusting other riders on the track is a big part of racing.

I've just always been interested in boats and not quite sure where to start. I'm going to start watching for small sailboats in the paper (those Hobie 16s look like a blast!) and troll the docks along the CT shore to see if I can make some friends.

If anyone has any thoughts about what I should watch out for when buying a used boat, I'd like to hear 'em! Or if anyone knows anyone down in Connecticut that might be able to look at used boats with me or take me out, that'd be great too!

 

[Dave D]

Keith, My first sailing experience was through the local Parks and Rec. for $25 I got about an hour or so of class time and rigging, and 4 hours sailing a Sunfish. That was all it took for the bug to bite me. Through a few steps, I'm now in a 26' trailerable boat and LOVING it. Keep in mind that there will always be something you wish you had on your boat that either doesn't fit, won't work, or is cost prohibitive.

May I ask; would you be single handing? do you have a significant other (God I hate that term), or a dog or a friend? That would have an impact on your initial path. The average reaction in today's society is "I want to do X, so I'm going to buy the biggest, shiniest. mostest I can get my hands on." take your time, it will make the learning curve easier on you, and will save you some missteps along the way (in addition to a lot of money).

You might consider finding a 17'-20' daysailer that won't take all your money, then if you so desire and can afford it, look for a fixer-upper 22'-26' trailerable that you can work through the systems on while enjoying the daysailer. Nothing will teach you more about your boat than working on it, and in a pinch, it's nice to know where everything is, what it does, who worked on it last and how it fits into the big picture.

what is your budget for this grand adventure? Keep in mind the initial purchase is only the beginning of the relationship between you, your boat and your wallet.

 

[Tim R.]

Keith, 2 more bits of advice:

Take your email address out of your sig. An internet bot will pick that up and you will be receiving all kinds of spam.

Although I have owned and thoroughly enjoyed Hobie cats, I would not consider it a good choice for a first boat. They can be a real handful for an inexperienced sailor.

 

[Salish Sea Cruiser]

Kieth, I was in a similar situation. Here is what worked very well for me.

I always loved boats and the water, but circumstances kept me from doing much boating. During the 70's I had all of the common and goofy ideas of building a boat and sailing of into the sunset. Fortunately, time and money never came together to to allow me to get started on this. Then in the late 80's I moved to Seattle with a real job that paid money and I took lessons from the Seattle sailing club. I loved every minute of it and joined the club which allowed unlimited (based on availability) day sailing on the boats in their fleet. At this time their fleet consisted of about a dozen boats ranging from 22 to 27 feet. Once again, I loved it and for several years I was their most active user, mostly singlehanding. Then I bought an older cal 29. I a a compulsive tinker, so I loved this as well, but soon discovered (as predicted) that I was spending far more time and money on it than the boat justified, so I broke down and sprung for the bucks to buy my dream boat, a Pacific Seacraft 34. I am now retired and spend four or five months every summer living on the boat cruising the waters of the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia and once again, loving every minute of it.

John

P.S. For some, those "goofy ideas" actually panned out, but for most, they ended in colossal failures.

 

[superwormy]

Nice, thanks for the advice guys! My fiance would def. come with me; she grew up in Milford and her parents have had a motorboat (pah! motor, who needs it!? give me sails!) her entire life, so she loves being on a boat.

I don't really know what my budget is yet... that's part of the reason I'd post up and ask for some suggestions, so I can get an idea of what this will cost me and if I can afford to do it right now.

I don't want to dump a pile of money into something right away as I have a house to pay for as well, but if I could pick up a boat and trailer for under 3k or 4k I think that'd be a good starting point. I definitely don't want the biggest, shiniest, most expensive thing out there for a first boat... that sounds like a gigantic recipe for an expensive, messy disaster. I want something I can scoot around on and learn on. I'm only 26, so I still have my entire life to learn to sail well so I can get something big and fancy someday when I'm old.

I'm sure I know all about the relationship between a hobby like this and my wallet... my three motorcycles have the exact same relationship with me and my wallet.

 

[Dick Westwood]

wormy:

Regarding the learning part: I think a school is a good idea. In 3 or 4 days of classroom + on-the-water, you can learn an enormous amount. I used Offshore Sailing for both basic and more advanced courses, and found them terrific. They've closed their Connecticut operation, though: you have to go to Jersey now - too far for basics, imo.

Personally, I'd suggest using a local school for the basic stuff (such as Basic Keelboat), then Offshore for more advanced levels (such as Bareboat Cruising). A couple of my friends learned with Sound Sailing Center, out of South Norwalk, and were very pleased. That may be a bit too far west for you, though. I've also heard good things about Longshore Sailing in Westport. I'm sure there are others. Just make sure wherever you choose is either US Sail or ASA certified.

Regarding boats: it depends on how athletic you are. If you're young and/or fit & active, that $350 Sunfish mentioned by Todd Smith sounds just the type of thing you should be looking for. If you're an old codger like me, I'd recommend starting with a (very) used boat, with a keel, in the 20 to 25 foot length range. You can find them (very) inexpensively on bargainnews.com. I'm talking about $1,000 to $2,000 for something pretty nice. Don't listen too much to the individual brands/models we'll all recommend – we're all in love with the boats we happen to own! And, really, your first "learner" boat isn't that critical.

In either case, when you've got all your skills down, you can sell the starter boat and buy your dream boat. You'll see tons of vessels during the initial period, and will develop a good idea of what your dream consists of.

 

[superwormy]

Ah, Norwalk and Westport are good places! My fiane's parents live in Milford and her grandparents live in Norwalk, so I know that area well!

That Sound Sailing Center looks pretty sweet, def. not too hard on the wallet either for the basic courses to get me initially comfy.

I'm only 26 and pretty athletic (martial arts, motorcycles and gymnastics, yea!) so I'll look for something along those lines. Def. will have to watch the bargain news, looks like there's a lot of boats there.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Au Contraire, Tim!

A beach catamaran may be just the ticket! I don't think that there is anything all that difficult for a 26 yr old motorcylce racer to handle with a Hobie 16 or even one of the larger beach cats. If you have a wife or girlfriend that wants to sail, definitely get something at least the size of a Hobie 16 or Hobie 18. If you are strictly single-hand, then look for the models that are designed for single hand. Hobie made a 17' single hand and you could look up the A-Class catamarans. These would be an ideal boat on the beach off Milford. Personally, I think Sunfish is a toy for teen agers. A Laser could be a good choice, but they are a bit small if you want to sail with a partner. If you like speed in sailing, though, there really is no other choice for a small boat besides a beach catamaran. On lakes, they rule there as well. You'd be surprised how much fun they are in a swell off the beach, though. Be carefull about what you choose if you are primarily single-hand. A full grown man can't turn a Hobie 16 right-side up after a capsize on his oiwn and if your partner is very light (say 110 lbs) you could have difficulty leveraging the boat over, at least in my experience with them. and they are relatively easy to pitchpole if you bury the leeward bow.

Catamarans are loads of fun and can easily give you the bug for sailing. For more relaxing times, then you will want something in the 22' to 27' range. Many are available at low prices. Don't let a lack of knowledge for boat brands put you off for shopping. You won't go wrong even with an older boat if you pay more attention to the condition. There is no reason to get anything that needs a load of work to make sailable. The cost of fixing up a project will easily exceed the cost of buying a perfectly sound and functional boat that is ready to go right now. Just do the due diligence while shopping. Oh, if you are thinking more in line with a traditional small cruiser, don't underestimate what a drag set-up is for you sailing partners. Far more economical than a slip is finding a mooring field. It beats trailering but isn't quite as cushy as a slip, but it's a nice, easy compromise!

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Catamarans are definitely a wet boat, as is any small dinghy sailer that you can capsize. With the speed and the spray, though, you will be far more comfortable sailing beach cats in a wetsuit. A wetsuit is essential equipment and necessary for extending your season. Don't ever get in a situation where a capsize and difficulty in righting the boat can lead to exposure to hypothermia. We had a poster here one time describe a capsize on a Hobie Cat in March in Maine. The two sailers were not wearing wetsuits (far more important even than a life preserver) and were lucky to survive because they had help almost immediately. You will die from hypothermia if you are in the water with a life jacket. A wet suit is your only real protection, and they easily help you float enough to make a life jacket redundant anyway.