Beginner Sailors

[Don Guillette]

Paul Mermelstein talked about teaching beginner sailors and since it's a bit slow on the SAIL TRIM FORUM I want to relate a story that made things all worthwhile for me.

I love BEGINNERS and I've never forgotten how hard it was for me to learn how to sail a silly sailboat. I had completed a SAIL TRIM SEMINAR for Marina Sailing, which is a big charter company located in Long Beach, Ca. The have about 5 locations from Ventura to San Diego and their Newport Beach operations conducts sail trim seminars using my material.

Anyway, after the 3 hour seminar I conduct a 4 hour "On The Water" seminar where each crew member goes through each position on the boat for every point of sail. The first hour is a mess but on the way back to the marina I'll stack their sail trim against anyone on the water.

Anyway, before the start of the start of the classroom seminar I was chatting with a husband and wife who told me they were ready to give up on sailing and drop out of Marinina Sailing. They said they only sail with the jib and were afraid to raise the main. After the seminar I asked if they would attend the "on the water" session. With some arm twisting they agreed. As I said, they go through each position on the boat including the helm. The wife didn't want to drive. I told her "to bad the wheel is yours". During the 3rd hour I couldn't get the wheel away from her!!

When we got back to the dock they both jumped off the boat and headed up the dock. Well, I thought, I gave it my best shot and you can't win them all. About 10 minutes later both of them come back on the boat and told me they just chartered a 30' for the next weekend!!

Paul M probably knows how I felt at that moment. It made my day.

I can't tell that story at seminars - I get too emotional!!

 

[shemandr]

That's great. To turn the "Admiral" around is an accomplishment. I advise guys who want to interest their spouses in sailing to put them at the helm. It works.

 

[inarathree]

I advise guys who want their spouses to get interested, send them to a sailing camp/school, without them. This way they can learn from someone else, without the dynamics of home life. How many "admirals" take advise from "captains", anyway? My wife came back, and now wants to tell me how it should be done. I am happy to go along with it, just cause she now wants to be there.

 

[bruce1309]

My wife and I just returned from captaining a bareboat charter in the BVI. We convinced two motor boater couples to join us. We had sun, rain, big wind, 10' swells and awesome sailing. Everyone handled the wheel, with me right next to them and all four said they would do it again in a NY minute! The only downside was that my time at the helm was reduced, if you can call that a downside!

 

[Don Guillette]

I was on the same dock at Shoreline Marina (Long Beach, Ca) for over 10 years. There were 2 or 3 married guys on my dock and over that period of time I NEVER once saw either of their wives. I did not want to join that group so everything my wife wanted on the boat, which was every creature comfort known to man, she got. It went to such an extent that when I sold the boat I had 2" extra of water line I didn't even know I had!!! I never formally raced the boat because it would have taken forever to unload it and then put everything back on board.

What I did do to satisfy my race craving and to test the capability of the boat and my sail trim was I'd line up about 200 yards away from the start line and take off with them on the first leg. Even with all the baggage I had on board I could keep up with say the 3rd and 4th boat. If any beginners are interested in racing their boats you could try my little game to see how you would stack up.

 

[sinnettc]

I lucked out. My wife is the one who convinced me to upgrade from my old laser to our first 2-person boat (Capri 16.5) and she's the one who pushed me to buy the Capri 22 18 months later so we could overnight.

She has powerboat experience but I haven't been able to interest her in taking any sailing classes, she is learning though and has shown some interest in taking the boat out herself with the ladies.

 

[Don Guillette]

After years of high speed jets boat we started out with MacGregor22, which I bought at Lake Havasu, AZ. After about one year my wife said those magic words, "perhaps we should look for a larger boat". BANG and I was on it in a flash and shortly found a Catalina25. It was a great boat but after a while she said those magic words again and I was on it in a flash and found a Catalina 30. After that boat she NEVER said the words again and I had the boat for about 8 years even though I promised if we bought a Catalina34 I'd never bring up a bigger boat again. As most gals know, they don't buy that line.

Same thing happened with our motor home. We started out with a 25' and traveled all over the place in it. One day in Portland, OR she suggested that it was getting a little cramped. Not exactly the magic words but I was all over it and couldn't wait to get back to So Ca and shortly thereafter we had a 33".

So guys, if you're lucky enough to hear those magic words you should act quickly because woman change their minds very fast.