FIRST TIME EVER OUT SAILING

Jun 4, 2017
15
Hunter 23 Kennewick, WA
Ok. I know there is a million things I most likely did wrong in this video. I know so be nice. This is my the very first time I have ever sailed. I had never even been on any sailboat until I went to look at this boat. No lessons from anyone, just me reading every book i could get and watching what seems like thousands of videos on how to sail and reading tons of forum posts. lol. Here is my very first go at it sped up.

I watched the video back in real time and here are my thoughts on my first trip out.

When I first start I'm pointing into the wind to stop. There were a few times when raising the main that the slugs kinda jammed up. Any way to make that pull smoother. Does something need oiled up or is this normal maybe. I dont know.

There was not much wind so didnt push me much. But I think i learned alot about just how the sail reacts to the wind. Or I wasn't moving because I dont know what i'm doing lol. Who knows. haha. I do have a "drifter sail". Not really sure what it is but thats what the bag is labeled. I took it out of the bag and its real large baggy triangle type shape. Bottom measures 20'4" long. I think I would use that in a time out like this but correct me if I'm wrong.

I didnt really understand what I was looking for to trim the sails. I may have things to tight and/or to loose. I dont know but tried to make adjustments all over at just to see how the seal reacts to different things that I do. I do think I have good understanding now of what everything does though. I need to better understand how to trim my sail and understand the points of sail better. I' I better off leaving the main straight back and just adjusting my boat to the wind or should I point my boat in the direction I want to go and adujust my sail with the traveler? Do both work and one is more efficitant or does one not and I wasnt gonna move no matter what i did. lol.

After dropping sail and mottoring back. I got back to the dock. I realize I had never docked by myself either. lol. Since usually my wife is with me we creep up along and she jumps off and cleats the bow. I was trying to decide between going big around and creeping up sideways slowing down next to the dock and hoping off the back (which i did) or maybe backing in? Thoughts there?

All in all I think I learned from outing and can't wait to research all my questions and hopefully have a little more wind and give it a second go! Either way I had fun and excited to try again. Thanks for watching and don't bash me to hard. LOL.

Here is the link to a sped up version but I do have the full real time version too of course. Hope this works. I couldnt post the real time b/c the file is not accepted.

 
Oct 26, 2008
6,045
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
Next time try it with wind! :) Reading is a good start. Now use the terminology that is used in the books. For instance, "leaving the main straight back" has no meaning. By all means, choose your direction and adjust your sails. Setting your sails and adjusting your course implies that you have no purpose. Report back after your next sail with wind. :wink:
 
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Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
Use a dry lubricant on your sail slugs like SailKote. It would be better to drop the mast, clean out the slot and dry lube it also.
Sounds like it would have been a good day for the drifter, but get familiar with your other sails first. Reading is good, try some videos too. Better yet, take sailing lessons. That's how we learned.
As Scott said, it works better with wind ;) Have fun!
 
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Jun 4, 2017
15
Hunter 23 Kennewick, WA
I was pretty bumed out about the wind that day. I was told by someone (who does sail) that we wind that day would be a good first day for me. Cant wait to get it out in some real wind. lol
 
Oct 26, 2008
6,045
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
I was pretty bumed out about the wind that day. I was told by someone (who does sail) that we wind that day would be a good first day for me. Cant wait to get it out in some real wind. lol
Unfortunately, you only learn how to raise your sails on day like that. (You did a great job flaking your sail at the end of the video!) It is pretty much useless to learn anything else when they hang limp no matter which way you point. Eventually, you will find a level of wind force that will make you uncomfortable. There is no way to avoid it, it is going to happen sooner or later. A day where it is about 5 to 10 knots would be about perfect for your 1st trial with wind. You will need enough wind so that it spanks you a little bit when you are doing the wrong thing. If it is too light (a zephyr) you won't get that impetus.
Sailkote is really good stuff for reducing friction. Don't use anything that will attract dirt and eventually make friction worse.
 
Aug 1, 2011
3,972
Catalina 270 255 Wabamun. Welcome to the marina
Looks like it was a great day for pictures of the hull reflecting on the water. You didn't have enough wind to make mistakes, and that's the fun of this whole thing, it's rarely the same every time, you need to be as prepared to enjoy the calm as enjoying the sail. Keep going!
 

Ted

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Jan 26, 2005
1,254
C&C 110 Bay Shore, Long Island, NY
For your first time on a sailboat you did great. Glad to see you were wearing a PFD even though the conditions were light. We sometimes assume that bad things can't happen on light air days and that's when the unexpected bites us. Stay safe and enjoy. The learning curve is steep at the beginning but rewarding as you progress.
 
Sep 30, 2016
339
Island Packet IP 44 Ventura, CA
Nice time-lapse vid. Here are my comments from one newb to another: You do want to raise the sails into the wind, normally. Also, as an exercise, practice sailing in all directions, or points of sail. Pick a heading or land mark and make the boat go where you want it to go, not where the boat wants to go. Be careful for unintentional jibes going down wind. I personally would not recommend trying to fly the spinnaker until you are comfortable with the main and jib. Also, the spinnaker is only used for downwind sailing. So if you need to do a lot of maneuvering it may not be worth setting up. Learn how to reef the main and jib before trying or needing to in high wind. Reefed sails can make a windy day much more fun rather that trying to sail in overpowering winds. As for docking, I single-hand dock frequently. Dont go into the slip any faster than you would want to hit the dock. Be mindful of wind drift. I have cleats on both aft corners. Ill have the dock lines already set on all the cleats before I pull in. Then I just try to catch the upwind dock cleat to "capture" the boat. If you are by yourself, it seems risky to me to do any hoping off of the boat before it is secure. In any case, I like to try and pull in to the slip and "dead stop" it with a little reverse, then tie it up. But a windy day can complicate that. And last but not least, learn some good useful knots! What I love about sailing is its a thinking mans boat. You always have to think ahead and stay smart, or you will learn the hard way. Have fun!
 
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Oct 26, 2008
6,045
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
Nice time-lapse vid. Here are my comments from one newb to another: You do want to raise the sails into the wind, normally. Also, as an exercise, practice sailing in all directions, or points of sail. Pick a heading or land mark and make the boat go where you want it to go, not where the boat wants to go. Be careful for unintentional jibes going down wind. I personally would not recommend trying to fly the spinnaker until you are comfortable with the main and jib. Also, the spinnaker is only used for downwind sailing. So if you need to do a lot of maneuvering it may not be worth setting up. Learn how to reef the main and jib before trying or needing to in high wind. Reefed sails can make a windy day much more fun rather that trying to sail in overpowering winds. As for docking, I single-hand dock frequently. Dont go into the slip any faster than you would want to hit the dock. Be mindful of wind drift. I have cleats on both aft corners. Ill have the dock lines already set on all the cleats before I pull in. Then I just try to catch the upwind dock cleat to "capture" the boat. If you are by yourself, it seems risky to me to do any hoping off of the boat before it is secure. In any case, I like to try and pull in to the slip and "dead stop" it with a little reverse, then tie it up. But a windy day can complicate that. And last but not least, learn some good useful knots! What I love about sailing is its a thinking mans boat. You always have to think ahead and stay smart, or you will learn the hard way. Have fun!
Excellent summary! This hits the highlights very thoughtfully!
 
Jan 1, 2006
7,040
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
My first time sailing my Bandit 15 I lost the halyard up the mast. So, you didn't do that and it was a successful venture. I think you were well advised to go out in little or no wind first. You probably got a good schooling on how your weight affects the position of the boom. It's a big help single handing if you have a way to control the tiller while you make trips up to the mast. That's when you have the most danger of being knocked overboard by the boom. It's good to be well familiar with your hand holds and hard spots which can take your weight.
 
Sep 30, 2016
339
Island Packet IP 44 Ventura, CA
My first time sailing my Bandit 15 I lost the halyard up the mast. So, you didn't do that and it was a successful venture. I think you were well advised to go out in little or no wind first. You probably got a good schooling on how your weight affects the position of the boom. It's a big help single handing if you have a way to control the tiller while you make trips up to the mast. That's when you have the most danger of being knocked overboard by the boom. It's good to be well familiar with your hand holds and hard spots which can take your weight.
YES!! I forgot how essential (or at least really nice) it is to have a tiller clutch. Especially when single-handing it. I wouldnt want to sail alone without it.
 
Nov 8, 2007
1,523
Hunter 27_75-84 Sandusky Harbor Marina, Ohio
The best advice is to get a lesson or two on the water from a good instructor.

Until then here are basic ideas for trimming your mainsail:
- first, there are two different trimming situations:
On the wind or close hauled - you are trying to sail as close to the wind as possible. In this case, set the sail with the end of the boom just inside the hull, and trim the sail with your tiller. Steer slowly into the wind until the sail starts to luff. (The front edge of the sail shakes. ) Then steer away from the wind until the sail fills. This is your new course. Hold it (steer for a tree on the shore) until the wind shifts to luff the sail again. Test the course by steering into the wind until the luff, then steering away until it fills again.

The second situation is sailing off the wind. Now you pick a point on the shore that is not into the wind or close hauled. Steer toward that point. Let out you mainsheet until the main luffs, then haul it in until it fills (stops luffing). Keep sailing in the same direction, adjusting the sail to keep it as far out as you can without luffing. If you are on a course where the boom is against the mast stays, you are running. While running is an easy point of sail, I recommend you avoid it until you know how to safely gybe the mainsail. Gybing accidentally is not fun, and can be harmful to the rig or you. Once you are comfortable with the main, add your jib (foresail). Trim the foresail like the main. Trim it first, and the main second.

That ought to get you to your first lesson.

Good luck to you. By the way, I agree that you describe an excellent first sail!
 
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Jun 8, 2004
10,024
-na -NA Anywhere USA
Both David in Sandusky and Crispycringle have pretty much given you some good advice. Suggest that an instructor for at least the first time go out with you to show you the ropes. Any small children, get a babysitter till you know what you are doing. If a better half, make it a pleasurable experience. One other thing, learn to going in and out of a slip, not at the slip but in a small cove with no wind. You will on windy days learn to Crab the boat or simply point it into the wind, then turn your boat into the slip and put motor into reverse to stop you. We are all here to help you in your journey as a new sailor. We all were there at one point in our lives and the old saying, there is never a stupid question as we all have asked those questions at one time or another.
 

SFS

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Aug 18, 2015
2,066
Currently Boatless Okinawa
@Crazy Dave Condon - What is the new little green "arrow" on the upper left corner of your avatar? Did Kermit have something to do with it?

Edit: Now my avatar has one too. Anyone know what this is? A marker to show when someone is logged in?
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
@Crazy Dave Condon - What is the new little green "arrow" on the upper left corner of your avatar? Did Kermit have something to do with it?

Edit: Now my avatar has one too. Anyone know what this is? A marker to show when someone is logged in?
It means you are online
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,024
-na -NA Anywhere USA
@SFS
Not sure what you are talking about. Kermit and I are friends and have worked on his boat. We like to have fun with each other. At least his boat is not painted green.
 

SFS

.
Aug 18, 2015
2,066
Currently Boatless Okinawa
Nice feature. Has it just been added, or have I just been unobservant?