Just finished ASA Basic Keelboat, what next?

[agprice22]

Ditto on the liveaboard course. Mooring, anchoring, navigation, and tide charts would be good skills to add. Also, get the charts for your sailing areas. Mostly, sail as often as you can and look ahead to think your way through every situation before you get there. I think most sailing / boating problems occur out of lack of vigilance and preparation. Reef sooner than later, so to speak!

Do you have a vhf?

Have an awesome time!

Thanks,

Andrew

 

[capta]

My wife and I bought a 2004 Catalina 22 MKII we've dubbed "Weekends Off". We just finished the ASA Basic Keelboat training this last weekend and are ready to start our sailing adventures. Any suggestions? We're just wanting to learn more and slowly venture from the Marina (Del Rey, Los Angeles area). Any suggestions or things you WISH you knew when you began sailing? Thanks in advance

Sounds like a quick circumnavigation is in order.

 

[Rug7236]

Ditto on the liveaboard course. Mooring, anchoring, navigation, and tide charts would be good skills to add. Also, get the charts for your sailing areas. Mostly, sail as often as you can and look ahead to think your way through every situation before you get there. I think most sailing / boating problems occur out of lack of vigilance and preparation. Reef sooner than later, so to speak! Do you have a vhf? Have an awesome time! Thanks, Andrew

I do have VHF, I've never used it it turned it on yet. It is stationary below deck

 

[BudGates]

Sounds like a quick circumnavigation is in order.

I'm guessing by "quick" you're meaning 2-3 years?

 

[jwing]

Here's what I do (so it must be right):

Every time I go out I try to improve my skills:

The first thing I work on each outing is getting better and quicker at the car-to-sailing transition. If I think of anything that I can bring the next time to help this effort, I note it on my Sailboat Notes on my phone. An obvious example is finding a good place for everything and then always putting everything in its place. Sometimes the first few places I try are not the ultimate best place. Get things working like you like them, not necessarily how the previous owner had them set up.

Before I head out, I decide on one skill that I will concentrate on that day and I practice it over and over. And I'll practice them again on on different days with different conditions. I was hestitant to jibe until I did it about 100 times one light breeze day. I was pretty cocky about it until I tried it when the wind was kickin'. That became another day of several dozen jibes.

I recommend that you practice heaving-to until it is second nature. I have gracefully recovered from several rookie mistakes by heaving to first, then dealing with my screw-up. And the screw-ups don't come in easy conditions!

I recommend that you practice retrieving overboard crew. I imagine you did this in the class. Keep that skill up. You should have a swim ladder on your boat. Practicing this skill is the favorite of the people I take sailing; they love to swim on a hot summer day! Me too.

Consider installing a jib downhaul. That way, you can lower the jib and secure it to the deck without leaving the cockpit. This is helpful in rolly water and stiff breezes.

Consider adding a tiller clutch. One benefit is that it facilitates learning how the boat reacts to differences in crew / sail trim without being able to compensate with rudder adjustment.

 

[caguy]

There at Marina del Rey you will want to fire up your outboard before entering the harbor. You can put the motor in neutral and sail in but it is nice to know the motor is running should you get blown sideways toward the jetty. Come in close to the break water so that you can make it past the red and green buoys.