Well, the wife and I had our first solo sail this morning, and I'd thought I'd let other folks know that we are renaming our Hunter 25.5 the Tiller Queen, in honor of my wife. We had a little pre-launch skirmish when I sat her down to explain her need to display authority as the person on the tiller. She never let go of it again.
Maiden Vonage of the Tiller Queen
- Thread starter kaboboom
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What Marina are you in? I'm at Bayview. Give me a shout, we do Race night every Wed. Starting line at 7pm, halfway from Bayview to Chandlers Landing, Thursday sail to the Harbor for the 7:30 concert, Friday is open but it's the unofficial take your significant other out night. Saturday night is the race to the dam Regatta at 7:00pm, Sunday is the social yacht club Regatta and thats just our Yacht Club. You and your wife Come and join us, if you are uncomfortable about the races, don't be, you can crew for me or someone else at first. If you want to sail your boat, I will crew for you or sail beside you. I don't know of a faster way to learn than in the regattas. Everyone on the Lake is welcome.
Thanks for all the marina info, and yes, our boat is at Bayview. But you might detect from my first post that I am trying carefully to bring my wife along with respect to sailing together. We do want to expand to enjoy the social aspects of the marina, and perhaps engage in some of the racing, but we are just learning to crawl. I've asked around our friends, and I think there is an opportunity to tap a former Annapolis sailing instructor who will soon be retiring in the area. It would seem the best approach to learning to sail for my wife and I is to find an experienced sailor to instruct us as we operate the boat. I realize it may be difficult to find someone willing to do this, but I'm sure you can see the advantages. The other option is taking a course together.
We went out again with a non-sailing friend, and had a few issues. Since I am no where near single handing, my wife has to maintain the tiller at a minimum. I have been studying the points of sail, but my wife is confused by any of the sailing lingo, and seems reluctant to learn it. We had a couple of accidental tacks, so I kind of shut things down after a while, and lowered the sails. My wife likes to point high and sail close hauled, and we tack fairly well together into the wind. But we are clueless when we try to sail downwind, as she tends to steer quickly to a running position. I am unsure if she is supposed to call the downwind tack, or I am just supposed to read the sail, and do it without involving her. As you can see, we are on a learning curve.
We went out again with a non-sailing friend, and had a few issues. Since I am no where near single handing, my wife has to maintain the tiller at a minimum. I have been studying the points of sail, but my wife is confused by any of the sailing lingo, and seems reluctant to learn it. We had a couple of accidental tacks, so I kind of shut things down after a while, and lowered the sails. My wife likes to point high and sail close hauled, and we tack fairly well together into the wind. But we are clueless when we try to sail downwind, as she tends to steer quickly to a running position. I am unsure if she is supposed to call the downwind tack, or I am just supposed to read the sail, and do it without involving her. As you can see, we are on a learning curve.
I would suggest that both you and your wife investigate ASA (American Sailing Association) classes. Sounds like you are like my wife and I a few years ago, not brought up on a boat and came to sailing a little later in life. I immersed myself in boating education opportunities. ASA for sailing techniques and I joined the United States Power Squadron for navigation classes. In my opinion, USPS is the best buy for the money when it comes to learning to read charts and safely move a boat from point A to B. ASA is good for hands on sailing (points of sail, terminology, rules of the road, etc).
We have owned two boats since we started sailing 15 years ago, a 23.5 and a 40.5 and thanks to the classes, never put boats or crew in danger.
Bill Jones
We have owned two boats since we started sailing 15 years ago, a 23.5 and a 40.5 and thanks to the classes, never put boats or crew in danger.
Bill Jones
Let me know when and I will go out with you and your wife. You can get your ASA sailing instructions at Rush Creek Yacht club. rcyc.org they are on Ray Hubbard's east side in Heath Tx. Contact me cjones_tx@yahoo.com and we'll get you safely started and show you both how to sail on a run and off that close haul. Tonight is race night and I don't have a crew. Wish we had gotten together last week to plan for tonight's race. I am on "R" dock behind the office. What dock are you on? Good luck and let me know, Charles
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