Help- Im a novice sailor w/ a 23 oday I am a novice sailor that recently came across a deal on a 1973 23foot oday that was too good to pass up. The problem is. There is ALOT that I dont know about maintaining a sailboat. In addition, I really would like to set it up so that I can sail it by myself. (I am a small female & have a VERY hard time getting the main sail up by myself). Basically, I am looking for advice on finding someone (preferably in Suffolk County on Long Island in NY) that services sailboats. I would like to hire someone that could check it over & make sure that everything is safe & assembled properly as well as installing what ever I may need to help me sail it alone. I would appreciate any advice you can provide. Please reply to me via e-mail me at LTurek13@aol.com
Help-I am a novice sailor w/ a 23ft oday
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here's a little help
When you hoist the mainsail, make sure you are pointing the boat directly into the wind, otherwise, unless it is a very light breeze, you will have too much pressure from the wind to raise it. If your new boat is not in the water yet, you won't easily be able to raise the sail inless there is very little or no wind at all. It will cost you about $100 to have it surveyed. Try calling a marina that services mostly sailboats. There must be one or two on the south shore, otherwise, use the phonebook and call one from the north shore. congratulations and good luck!
When you hoist the mainsail, make sure you are pointing the boat directly into the wind, otherwise, unless it is a very light breeze, you will have too much pressure from the wind to raise it. If your new boat is not in the water yet, you won't easily be able to raise the sail inless there is very little or no wind at all. It will cost you about $100 to have it surveyed. Try calling a marina that services mostly sailboats. There must be one or two on the south shore, otherwise, use the phonebook and call one from the north shore. congratulations and good luck!
More Help
Congratulations on being a sailer! I would advise you to sek out a sailing club or other sailers in the area and they would be happy' I'm sure to give you advise. Like steve said Raisde the main directly into the wind. Are your lines led aft? It is easy to single hand a boat once you develop a system on how you will do things. you can practice at a dock. Go out on the water and practice but be in open water with little wind not around other boats and try after dock practice. Bring a friend but you do all the work and have the friend in case of emergency. Get advise from other sailers. Good luck.. You will succeed Alan
Congratulations on being a sailer! I would advise you to sek out a sailing club or other sailers in the area and they would be happy' I'm sure to give you advise. Like steve said Raisde the main directly into the wind. Are your lines led aft? It is easy to single hand a boat once you develop a system on how you will do things. you can practice at a dock. Go out on the water and practice but be in open water with little wind not around other boats and try after dock practice. Bring a friend but you do all the work and have the friend in case of emergency. Get advise from other sailers. Good luck.. You will succeed Alan
Female can't find help??
Like the other fellow said, try some of the sailing clubs/yatch clubs. You should be able to find a guy that will teach you everything you could want to know about sailing your boat, and how to take care of it. In fact if you play your cards right, I'd bet he'd even do the maintance in exchange just to sail it with you.
Like the other fellow said, try some of the sailing clubs/yatch clubs. You should be able to find a guy that will teach you everything you could want to know about sailing your boat, and how to take care of it. In fact if you play your cards right, I'd bet he'd even do the maintance in exchange just to sail it with you.
LME2011, congratulations,
Visit local marinas. In a couple of weekends, you should be able to track down an experienced female sailboat owner. Most sailboat owners are a gregarious lot and are more than happy to share their knowledge and experience. The problem for a novice female sailor is the the vast majority of guys have a John Paul Jones, "damn the torepedoes, full speed ahead" attitude whan it comes to the physical issues of sailing... in other words..."pull harder or get a bigger winch". Experienced womens sailors call to mind the old privateers where finesse was the order of the day. Solo sailing an O'day 23 that is properly rigged and maintained is well within the capability of even the most petit sailor...without any expensive add-ons. A couple of tricks on raising the main. I am writing as if you know very little for clarity...not because I assume such to be the case. As others have noted, the bow needs to be pointed directly into the wind. if the mainsheet and topping lift are slack, the boom will align on the centerline of the boat when you are pointed correctly. The track/slot on the mast and slugs/luff rope on the sail need to be clean and free of crud and corrosion. Get a can of SailKote lubricant. It makes boat stuff slide like a miracle and won't harm the fabric or collect dirt. If it is still a bit hard to get the main tight after this and you don't have a winch for the main halyard...bowstring. When the main is up, or mostly so, loop the halyard a half turn around the cleat, hold that end in your weaker hand, put one foot on the mast and pull the halyard away from the mast like a bow string with your stronger hand instead of trying to pull it downward. As you release the tension on the pulled out halyard, pull up on the cleat end with the other hand. Repeat the process until you are satisfied with the luff tension of the sail. This is the way I learned to raise the big, heavy, canvas, gaff-rigged sails on the winchless old wooden boats that I learned to sail on as a youth. Even a small person has a great deal more leverage pulling outward than a large person has pulling down with mere weight.
Visit local marinas. In a couple of weekends, you should be able to track down an experienced female sailboat owner. Most sailboat owners are a gregarious lot and are more than happy to share their knowledge and experience. The problem for a novice female sailor is the the vast majority of guys have a John Paul Jones, "damn the torepedoes, full speed ahead" attitude whan it comes to the physical issues of sailing... in other words..."pull harder or get a bigger winch". Experienced womens sailors call to mind the old privateers where finesse was the order of the day. Solo sailing an O'day 23 that is properly rigged and maintained is well within the capability of even the most petit sailor...without any expensive add-ons. A couple of tricks on raising the main. I am writing as if you know very little for clarity...not because I assume such to be the case. As others have noted, the bow needs to be pointed directly into the wind. if the mainsheet and topping lift are slack, the boom will align on the centerline of the boat when you are pointed correctly. The track/slot on the mast and slugs/luff rope on the sail need to be clean and free of crud and corrosion. Get a can of SailKote lubricant. It makes boat stuff slide like a miracle and won't harm the fabric or collect dirt. If it is still a bit hard to get the main tight after this and you don't have a winch for the main halyard...bowstring. When the main is up, or mostly so, loop the halyard a half turn around the cleat, hold that end in your weaker hand, put one foot on the mast and pull the halyard away from the mast like a bow string with your stronger hand instead of trying to pull it downward. As you release the tension on the pulled out halyard, pull up on the cleat end with the other hand. Repeat the process until you are satisfied with the luff tension of the sail. This is the way I learned to raise the big, heavy, canvas, gaff-rigged sails on the winchless old wooden boats that I learned to sail on as a youth. Even a small person has a great deal more leverage pulling outward than a large person has pulling down with mere weight.
TAKE LESSONS!!!!!
Congrats!!!! If you're truly a novice sailer then its time for LESSONS!!!! Find a center that teaches a basic "Learn to Sail" course. You'll find plently of good resources and find out the RIGHT way to do things. Remember sailing is dangerous and anyone you bring on the boat is depending on you to stay safe. Learning these basics will springboard you to the next level. Cheers, good winds and safe sails!!! Chris
Congrats!!!! If you're truly a novice sailer then its time for LESSONS!!!! Find a center that teaches a basic "Learn to Sail" course. You'll find plently of good resources and find out the RIGHT way to do things. Remember sailing is dangerous and anyone you bring on the boat is depending on you to stay safe. Learning these basics will springboard you to the next level. Cheers, good winds and safe sails!!! Chris
"Sail Trim" book
Don Guillette has written a book on sail trim that will teach you 'how' and 'why' to do it correctly. It is available on this website and is well worth reading. It will take you step by step through the learning process better than most sailing schools. Try get onboard a boat on the Wed nite racing. 2 or 3 evenings racing will teach you plenty. You'll be amazed at how fast you'll learn. I've raced with the guys in the South Bay Cruising Club Wed nite races. Its a lot of fun, you'll really enjoy it!
Don Guillette has written a book on sail trim that will teach you 'how' and 'why' to do it correctly. It is available on this website and is well worth reading. It will take you step by step through the learning process better than most sailing schools. Try get onboard a boat on the Wed nite racing. 2 or 3 evenings racing will teach you plenty. You'll be amazed at how fast you'll learn. I've raced with the guys in the South Bay Cruising Club Wed nite races. Its a lot of fun, you'll really enjoy it!
You've come to the right place
Lurking around here and reading is a great place to learn. But to really get your hands around the basics, you should take some lessons. A weekend ASA Basic course might be a good place to start. It'll give you an overview of what is required of you as a boat owner and captain plus there is a lot demonstration and practice of sailing skills. You might also consider hanging around the marina when they are starting to organize a race. Volunteer to crew. Its a great way to learn sailing skills, have fun, observe, and meet people that might be able to answer some of your questions or help you out. Congrats on your new boat. There are a lot of O'Days around and the owners I know love 'em.
Lurking around here and reading is a great place to learn. But to really get your hands around the basics, you should take some lessons. A weekend ASA Basic course might be a good place to start. It'll give you an overview of what is required of you as a boat owner and captain plus there is a lot demonstration and practice of sailing skills. You might also consider hanging around the marina when they are starting to organize a race. Volunteer to crew. Its a great way to learn sailing skills, have fun, observe, and meet people that might be able to answer some of your questions or help you out. Congrats on your new boat. There are a lot of O'Days around and the owners I know love 'em.
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