Thought on Hunter 45 for newbie.
- Thread starter BKWard
- Start date
i agree, solo sailing is not a good idea for a novice. solo sailing should only be tried after the skipper has gained a top level of sailing skills. (say on anything bigger than a laser)
just my $0.02
just my $0.02
Jon, you have to take this in context. The midshipman learn to sail on a whole fleet of Colgate 26's their first summer there (Plebe Summer). They have upperclass midshipmen who are the instructors that teach the sailing. They may or may not have any further sail taining. The Navy 44's are used for the Navy Offshore Sailing team as well as a summer training platform for some (not all) rising 3rd Class (Sophomores). Each 44 has an upperclass midshipman (rising senior or 1st Class Midshipman) who is the "Skipper" but there is an older experienced civilian who is also onboard. During the summer they sail from Annapolis to Halifax (or some other equally interesting location) and back for training. The midhsipman who are in training, are not in responsible charge but rather crew members, much as crew members who are in a sailing school would be. This training does not qualify them to skipper a Navy 44 but provides what the Naval Academy sees as valuable ship handling experience. They may also do similar training on a Yard Patrol Craft (powered vessel) My son was both a Colgate 26 instructor and a Skipper on one of the Navy 44s.
Naval Academy 44
The latest addition to the fleet combines proven principles with contemporary practicesSpend any time at sea and you quickly learn that conditions can change rapidly out there, and not always in predictable ways. That truth has always played a key role in educating the midshipmen at the U.S...www.sailmagazine.com
the navy thinks it's a great size for a starter to train sailors
I cut my teeth on a 37 ft Seidleman sailboat in the Chesapeake Bay for many years. Then Hunter 31, then Hunter 386 and now Hunter 46, which sails exactly like the 386. It is easy to single handle. I welcome all to join my wife and I on a sail in the SF Bay.
Actually, truth be told, I started many many years ago with a 16' skiff that I equipped with an old canvas sail, wooden spar and boom from my grandmother's woodshed. Sailed her on the Willapa River. That was my first sailing experience. No keel, an oar for a rudder and a homemade boom vang of sorts.
i grew up and learned to sail on bigger boats i guess. and my peers around me learned on boats in the 40' range. it's what i know and it worked for me and my friends. it just was.
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7 and a half foot Opti, here.
Then, I lived aboard and helped sail a 56' three masted schooner for 3+ years until we moved off when I was 14. I could all but handle her alone, by then. By "all but", I mean, I never planned a destination nor brought her into an unknown port. Never learned much about the engine other than where the start button was and which way to move the throttle. I never used the VHS. I sure learned how to flake a sail and pull an anchor, though.
-Will (Dragonfly)
Actually the Admiral and myself are heading that way in March for a wedding in Santa Rosa, but I am sure that there won't be any time allotted for a sideline adventure but ya never know
I agree with almost everything you have said on this thread but not this one. It really depends on the circumstances. Not everyone is sailing in the great lakes. There is absolutely nothing wrong with turning a kids loose in a dingy on a small pond. That is how I learned and yes I flipped the boat a few times. Swam the boat to shore, bailed it out and kept going. I became really skilled at keeping that boat on its feet and I could ride the gunwale and know just how far I could push her. As I got older, I took that same small dingy on several wonderful camping trips up North on larger lakes. When I moved up to larger boats, I was surprised at how EASY they were to control and how forgiving they were of minor trim errors. But my skill with trim was honed on that dinghy.
We just purchased a 2002 Hunter 386 sailboat in October. We have limited sailing experience, although we did have a powerboat for years. I did not want to purchase a 30', as we figured after a year or two, we'd want to upgrade anyway. We'll be sailing on the Great Lakes, so once we get out of the marina, we'll have lots of room to practice. Sometimes you just have to jump in with both feet. Either way, we'll learn it and be fine.
singlehanded sailing in prams and lasers is great for kids of any age. i have a trinka for the little ones to use. tiller, mainsheet.
thats what i tried to imply.
single handing a 30' sailboat with beginner skills i would not recommend.
just my opinion, nothing more
thats what i tried to imply.
single handing a 30' sailboat with beginner skills i would not recommend.
just my opinion, nothing more
I think the one suggestion on hiring an on-board instructor is sound one. Close quarter maneuvering is the thing that most people overlook until they have dinged the hull a few times and embarrassed themselves returning to their slip on a busy Sunday afternoon. Ideally, find someone that also give you some guidance on other basic skills and maintenance issues. I can recommend someone if interested.
Looking at what the OP wrote and accepting him at his word.
It would appear he possess "beginner skills". If a 30ft boat solo is not recommended, then a seasick crew on a 45 foot boat in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay during a squall might be a disaster.
BKWard, unless you are understating your sailing skills and have had experience handling sailboats 25-35 feet in length under good conditions and not so good conditions, you may find that the 45 foot dream boat in bad conditions will be a nightmare you might want to avoid.
It is not about handling the boat when the sun is shining and everyone is helping and enjoying your boat. It is about being the only person not puking out their guts, with eyes the size of half dollars, looking at the 15 to 20 foot waves crashing over the boat and then looking at you with fear for their lives and expecting you to save them. Are you ready to take on that responsibility on a 45 ft boat.
A lot of boat buyers never think about that issue. Many never get their boat outside of the marina unless the breezes are gentle and the sky is blue.
Building your skills beyond the safety of a qualified instructor in your own boat can, in my opinion, be more safely accomplished on a boat that you can do all of the jobs (solo sailing) in nearly any kind of weather. Or hire a captain with said experience to take you sailing.
Another though or way to look at this,
- buy the smaller boat (ie 30 foot) and go out and sail it.
- Build your skills in boat handling and ownership.
- Sell the boat and buy your 45 dream boat
- Look at and boat price costs as the cost of self education and experience building.
If you want a "specific skill" then hire a friend or instructor to help with that skill on a boat you understand, know, and can practice on for weeks or months after the lesson. You may find a friend that will share the skills for a good drink and a fun time together. You can not always buy an instructor for that price.