Learning to sail

Status
Not open for further replies.
C

Charles Gent

Please help me? I have never sailed. Is a Catalina 22 an ok boat to learn with? Thank you. Charles
 
J

Jon

Read some more.....

Charles, Take a look at the archives. Lots of people have asked questions about learning to sail. I think you'll find that you haven't provided near enough information, for anyone to give you an answer. I will relate my experience in the hope that it'll help you out. I took an ASA basic keelboating class offered at a local university, it was a great help. After that I took the plunge and bought a Catalina 27', been sailing ever since. Good Luck.... Jon
 
W

Warren Tan

I agree......

...Jon on taking a Basic Sailing Class. I took that route too and it helped a lot! I bought a 28' sailboat to practice on. Warren S/V Jetmags B331
 
L

LaDonna Bubak - Catalina Owners

A lot of boats are ok to learn on

Are you just wanting to learn? The cheapest way (although not by any means cheap) would be to take a class or two. You'll learn on small (about 22') boats they provide, you won't have to invest in something that might not be the "right" boat for you and you'll learn a lot more than you'll ever learn on your own. But learning as you go is perfectly acceptable too, provided that you abide by the rules of the road and don't hurt anyone else. Just know that you don't need to own a boat to learn how to sail. LaDonna
 
M

MIke B

In the event that the suggested classes are out of reach financially , visit the nearest sailing club, they are always looking for some one to crew, you can learn on others boats, and get to see what other people sail on , even if it is not a racing club, the cruisers will usuallly either take u out or know some one who will, you may want to do this before you get started with classes, good luck Mike
 
J

John K Kudera

Try USPS

Hi, Find a U S Power Squadron in your area, their courses are fine for a beginner, and usually are very low in cost, and earn a discount on your boat insurance too. John
 
B

Brad Ramer

Charles, My first boat was a hunter 310. I took a sailing course and have felt very comfortable with the boat. I too was wondering how big a boat should I start with. In retrospect, I would be more concerned about the kind of sailing you want to do. If you want to do cruising and spend alot of overnights on the boat, don't be afraid to buy a bigger boat. Just consider 2 things, what you want from the boat and what can you afford. As to what you can afford, look at the total cost of the boat i.e. dockage, maintenance, insurance, ACCESSORIES, as well as cash outlay or monthly payments Good luck
 
P

PJ

Try before you buy.

Head on down to your local yacht club, park district, jr. college etc. and take a few lessons. They usually have small (16 footers or so) and they are the best to learn on as they respond quickly and you immediately know that when you tighten,loosen or yank on something,you will know nowif it gave you the results you were looking for. Then head to the local yacht club and hang around on Wednesday nights & on the weekend and look to crew on anything. As you get some experience and have the opportunity to talk with other boat owners, both racers & cruisers you can make up your mind what it is you want in a boat as well as cost & upkeep vs usage. BOL PJ
 
B

Brian Pickton

Good advice

Dec.5, 2000 Dear Charles, As you can see all of the good people who read this site are always willing to share their good advice with a novitiate to sailing. I'd just repeat the advice about taking lessons etc. that the others have given you. Do check out ather articles in the archives on lessons, first boats etc. To answer your specific question, is a Catalina 22 a good boat to learn on, the answer is yes it is. if however you want to buy the boat and you want a small pocket cruiser to learn and sail in yourself, than I would suggest that no matter what boat you buy you will be more comfortable in a boat that has standing headroom down below. And remember, the first boat that you buy will be the wrong boat, so buy one that has a ready market for resale. And look at Beneteaus. Brian Pickton@BeneteauOwners.net Aboard the Legend, Rodney Bay, St. Lucia
 
T

ToyBox

We love to teach

I know that anyone new to sailing is welcome on my boat anytime. And I will also sail with new owners to try to help them understand the basic principals. I sailed small boats all my life, bought a C27 and was totally lost my first day out solo. I asked a guy that lived in my building (here in Annapolis there are plenty) if I could hire him to teach me about my boat. His response was that he wouldn't take any money but would love to take the boat out with me and show me what he could about my boat. The hour and a half we spent in the Severn River were much more real than the months of reading we had done about theory. Same argument I always had with my profs; practical knowledges kicks theory in the ass. Ask a friend for a ride. Chris D
 
Status
Not open for further replies.