Looking to get into sailing would like some advice

rgranger · Apr 10, 2020

dlochner said:
Foiled by auto correct again?

Yes... my phone is really bad about that.... and my thumbs are .... thumbs!

Tally Ho · Apr 10, 2020

My introduction to sailing was a 2 hour sail on a buddies Catalina 30...and I was hooked. The next summer, I took a 3-day sailing class that qualified me to charter from the same company... I chartered a few times that summer (not more than 2 or 3 times). Over the winter, I started looking for boats, and bought a 1998 Hunter 280.

She was a really good first choice because she:
- was in good condition and i could sail right away.
- did not need much maintenance so I could sail a lot.
-was pretty user-friendly and I could single-hand her (so I could sail her more)...see the trend?

I sold her after about 5 years later and bought an older (1988) O’Day 322. Bigger boat, more maintenance because she is older and bigger, but I enjoy sailing (and maintaining) her.

The Hunter was a great first boat for me.

Cheers,

Greg

Davidasailor26 · Apr 10, 2020

Welcome to the forum. I think you’re looking along the right lines, but I’d like to adjust your expectations a little.

Lucky17 said:
So to make sense I'm not in a rush to hop into the water right away which I why I'd like to have a little knowledge about repairs and basic sailing before I do. Which I why I'm looking at this boat

In general any older boat (and plenty of new ones too) will give you plenty to tinker with / fix / improve. You don’t necessarily need to look for a project boat for that. The boats in somewhat better shape will still give you lots of chances to learn various maintenance tasks along the way. I’m not saying not to go for the boat you’re looking at. I don’t think we know enough about that one yet to say that. Just saying that a project boat might end up being more than you bargained for, and a non-project boat might end up being just enough projects.

Lucky17 said:
The sails I haven't seen so I dont know what shape they're in and how do I check them?

You can get a rough idea by feeling the fabric. If it’s crisp it might still be in good shape. As the fabric wears the resins that give it the crispness break down, and it starts feeling like a softer, more flexible cloth. There’s a spectrum along that range and telling exactly where the sails fall on that spectrum takes a sailmaker and/or seeing the sails in use. If they’re anywhere near the age of the boat they’re likely worn out and won’t give the best sailing experience.

Lucky17 said:
it does have rigging or mast just wasnt on in the picture.

Just presence of rigging doesn’t necessarily mean you’re all set. Rigging wire and fittings don’t last forever, so they still deserve inspection and maybe replacement depending on age and use.

Lucky17 said:
Fiberglass has small cracks around the hand rail and stuff.

Small cracking might not be too big a deal in itself, depending on what’s in the area and how much water has had a chance to get in. Which brings us to -

Lucky17 said:
3rd water infiltration what damage could it cause if there is any. And is it something that youd able to fix.

That depends on the amount of water, the time it’s been there, and the construction of the area where the water entered. Most boats of that era (I don’t know about C&C, but someone here will) use plywood or balsa as the core for things like the deck. Once water gets in there it starts to rot, and the water and damage spread. Without a solid core those areas won’t have much strength, so walking on those areas, or relying on those areas to do important things like holding up the mast, lifeline stanchions, or rigging becomes risky. Surveyors and others who know what they’re looking for can tell the extent of the damage with a moisture meter or by listening to the sound it makes when tapped. If the core is still solid the repairs can just take fixing the source of water. If not then the bad core needs to be removed, which may mean peeling off part of the deck, re-coring, and re-laminating the surface. Places where you see cracks in the gelcoat may be sources of water, but others are anyplace that hardware is bedded with screws or bolts, and the chainplates - where the rigging goes through the deck and is mounted to the boat’s structure. There are plenty of examples on YouTube to give you an idea of what it can take to fix this kind of damage. Some of my favorites are BoatworksToday and SailLife.

jssailem · Apr 10, 2020

Lucky17, post:
1st So from what I gather I'll be taking a class no matter what. And theres one at royal st Lawrence yacht club. Which isnt far from me. And how do I go about getting on other boats to crew?

If you join the club and take the classes you will be able to network with boat owners. They are likely to have race events that require crew. This would be a good way to meet sailors and learn sailing. There are good and bad skippers. Find people you like and enjoy it is more fun that way

2nd As the boat goes it was in the water before the winter but it sat outside. it does have rigging or mast just wasnt on in the picture. The sails I haven't seen so I dont know what shape they're in and how do I check them? Fiberglass has small cracks around the hand rail and stuff.

Mast and rigging are the power plant of the sailboat. What would you pay to have a decent power plant in your car? Buy a boat with old sails and aged rigging that might fall down if put to strain - you’ll be investing $$$ to put them back into safe working order.
The small cracks might be nothing or they can be a plague that causes a boat to be broken up and tossed in the dumpster. Pictures may help to get info

3rd water infiltration what damage could it cause if there is any. And is it something that youd able to fix.

Water in the wood or foam between the deck is bad. Wood rots. Foam dissolves. Water left in over a hard freeze winter means cracks in the glass. Getting it out is time consuming. Check out Boat Works Today on YouTube. Andy shares great info about fiberglass repairs

So to finish up, I'm looking to learn and I like tinkering. I dont know if that'll help more but either way I'm gonna look a little more before I buy to be 100% sure but itll be soon

One of the comments was to identify your needs in a boat. Make a list. Prioritize the list. Not a list of things like hull and sails. A list with how you see using the boat. Like I’m going to sailing the winter. I want to sail in the open ocean in 3 years. I will Sail with 3 guests all sleep alone. I want to cook on my boat.

This type of list will help to define the ideas that are important to you.

Finally the info shared about finding a boat ready to sail verse a project comes from experience. Project boats take time. Time you are not sailing. What often happens is the projects multiply and the boat never leaves the dock. The work goes on till the owner tires not having any sailing fun. Then the boat is put up for sale. But no one wants a boat that is partially torn up, they want to sail. It is a downward spiral.

sail sfbay · Apr 11, 2020

Lucky17 said:
............1st- is it worth it to go to a sailing school to learn or can I pick it up as I go..............would like to know where I'd be able to get reliable information/parts.............If there is anything I'm forgetting

Welcome to the forum!! Going to a sailing school is helpful but more importantly go pick up sailing by doing. Lots of reliable information/parts on the internet, this forum, cruisers forum, boat yards, marina boater, boat contractors and books. Lots can be said about what you are forgetting from fiberglass repair, head, galley, standing and running rigging, sails, electronics, electronics, plumbing, points of sail, navigation etc. and don't forget "safety" equipment.

Kings Gambit · Apr 11, 2020

“Buy some worthless old boat and fix it up new.” ala “Shawshank Redemption”, is a kind of romantic notion that probably lives in all of us to some degree. It’s an especially appealing daydream while at work in a job you don’t really like much; or else bored. The folks that can actually do this, however, finish with beautiful restorations that makes one drool with envy (and admiration). I guess that’s just not me, I’ve come to learn. I get the boat to the point where it can go sailing and then I’m gone. Scruffy as it is. I work on “beautifying” on the regular up-keep schedule, etc. So, I would not want a boat that required much “fiberglassing skill” to get going, etc.

DArcy · Apr 11, 2020

@Lucky17 it's a hard to tell from the picture you posted what condition the boat is in but it sounds like it is "normal" for a 70's C&C. I owned a 1974 C&C 27 for 20 years and I'm pretty sure the 25 was very similar construction. The cabin top is balsa cored under the mast step and mine needed to be repaired. The cockpit sole (floor) was re-cored as well. I had to remove and re-bed a lot of deck fittings. C&C didn't do a very good job with some of the deck fittings in the 70's. In some places they just drilled through the fiberglass and balsa core, put in some sealant, and bolted them down. Once the sealant starts to break down water gets into the balsa an rots it out. It's not hard to fix but is a bit time consuming. Cleats and stanchions were through solid glass but the hand rails were through balsa core. I removed the hand rails, put a bent nail in a drill and chewed out the core. I sucked as much as I could out with a vacuum, let it dry out, then filled with thickened epoxy. I drilled that out then re-installed the hand rails.
On another note, think about Lake of Two Mountains for sailing. Less traffic and nice scenery.
Someone mentioned Tanzer 22. There are a LOT of them around Montreal, they were made in Quebec. In this picture, taken on Lake of Two Mountains at the Hudson Yacht Club last July, there are nine Tanzer 22s. You can pick them up for pretty much nothing but they all need varying amounts of work. A friend at work just walked away from a partnership in a Tanzer 22 when he bought a J24. There just wasn't any value left in the boat.

Looking to get into sailing would like some advice

.

.

.

.

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John

.

.

.