I recently spoke with a fellow from FL who was interested in getting into sailing and was inquiring as to what was the best boat to learn on.
Sounds like a simple question but it isn't. It's like a lot of questions we get on various subjects, which unfortunately start in the middle. To get to the beginning I asked him why he wanted to sail? He said his friend had recently taken him for his first sail and my book & chart was on the boat. Next, I asked him what type of sailing he was interested in - cruising, charter, racing, ownership? He said cruising and maybe charter and he wanted to own the boat. Next, I asked him if he was married or had a significant other and if so what was their level of interest - he is married and his wife might (key word) be interested. I could have explained the pit falls of this setup but didn't. I could have told him of the number of years I spent on my dock and never saw the wife of my dock neighbors - they were sailing widows. I was lucky - my wife was a eager participant. She didn't care about sailing the boat but went with me anyway. I could have told him about the cost involved with ownership but didn't - "a boat is a hole in the water into which you pour money".
On his desire to charter boats in the Caribbean, I explained you just don't call the charter co and tell them you'll be down on such & such a date - you have to prove to them you can handle the boat. More importantly, you have to know yourself that you can do it - "a man has to know his limitations".
We never did get to the best boat to learn to sail on. I suggested he find a good sailing school in his area and not some fly by night outfit that provides 20 minutes of instructions and then sends you off on a 30'. The school should be accredited and have certified instructors and also check on line reviews of the school. I also suggest that both he and his wife attend the school together otherwise he'd find it to be a lonely sport. Before registering at a sailing school I suggested he have a long talk with the instructor who could determine where his starting point should be - small boat or large boat.
After I hung up I thought about the original question - I wonder what would be the best boat to learn on - I learned on Beetle Catboats sailing out of Edgewood YC on Narragansett Bay (RI). Never had a lesson -- we just did it. I don't think any of us knew what sail trim really was. The boat just felt right.
Any comments on the best boat to learn on?
Sounds like a simple question but it isn't. It's like a lot of questions we get on various subjects, which unfortunately start in the middle. To get to the beginning I asked him why he wanted to sail? He said his friend had recently taken him for his first sail and my book & chart was on the boat. Next, I asked him what type of sailing he was interested in - cruising, charter, racing, ownership? He said cruising and maybe charter and he wanted to own the boat. Next, I asked him if he was married or had a significant other and if so what was their level of interest - he is married and his wife might (key word) be interested. I could have explained the pit falls of this setup but didn't. I could have told him of the number of years I spent on my dock and never saw the wife of my dock neighbors - they were sailing widows. I was lucky - my wife was a eager participant. She didn't care about sailing the boat but went with me anyway. I could have told him about the cost involved with ownership but didn't - "a boat is a hole in the water into which you pour money".
On his desire to charter boats in the Caribbean, I explained you just don't call the charter co and tell them you'll be down on such & such a date - you have to prove to them you can handle the boat. More importantly, you have to know yourself that you can do it - "a man has to know his limitations".
We never did get to the best boat to learn to sail on. I suggested he find a good sailing school in his area and not some fly by night outfit that provides 20 minutes of instructions and then sends you off on a 30'. The school should be accredited and have certified instructors and also check on line reviews of the school. I also suggest that both he and his wife attend the school together otherwise he'd find it to be a lonely sport. Before registering at a sailing school I suggested he have a long talk with the instructor who could determine where his starting point should be - small boat or large boat.
After I hung up I thought about the original question - I wonder what would be the best boat to learn on - I learned on Beetle Catboats sailing out of Edgewood YC on Narragansett Bay (RI). Never had a lesson -- we just did it. I don't think any of us knew what sail trim really was. The boat just felt right.
Any comments on the best boat to learn on?