New lost and maybe scared
- Thread starter awerman
- Start date
Welcome and congratulations. Agree on Sailing for Dummies, great book.
You should also get to know these skippers for C25 boat-specific info:
http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=3
You should also get to know these skippers for C25 boat-specific info:
http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=3
Not sure. I am at Lake Arthur Yacht Club. I was at Cypremort Point Yacht Club, but moved over 10 years ago. I forget the Lake Charles Yacht Club's name, but they show up for our regatta's. I remember going to the West End after Katrina. I've never seen such devastation.
I've just realized you meant the Restaurant/dancehall on the Mermentau. No I don't think its open. But there is a new restaurant in Lake Arthur over the water called the Regatta and it has nice dock facilities.
Hello, New-to-sailing friend!
Some of the replies seem to indicate that time on the water is superior to taking ASA 101-103, as if to say the class is theory-only, and taught in a classroom. NOT SO!
The course is mostly on-water, in my experience. Take the class! Take the class! Take it! I would also use the winter to pore over Sailing for Dummies, as well as other tomes. (Save Peterson's for later!)
Although experienced sailors sometimes enjoy sailing single-handed, a partner is very useful at first, even if s/he is no more experienced than you!
Someone once recommended that a new sailor offer to drew for a race, just to gain experience. I think that's fair advice, so long as you disclose your level of experience to the skipper. I have no real interest in racing, but admire the Wednesday night crowd for their techniques and quick sail-changes.
Did I mention taking ASA 101-103?
You will learn more in those 3 days than in a year of bumbling along on your own.
And yes, see Captain Ron a few times!
HOWEVER, I note that one of the actors, whom I consider the funniest man on earth, is more the "Straight Man" in this movie, which is a major disappointment!
Fair Winds!
Some of the replies seem to indicate that time on the water is superior to taking ASA 101-103, as if to say the class is theory-only, and taught in a classroom. NOT SO!
The course is mostly on-water, in my experience. Take the class! Take the class! Take it! I would also use the winter to pore over Sailing for Dummies, as well as other tomes. (Save Peterson's for later!)Although experienced sailors sometimes enjoy sailing single-handed, a partner is very useful at first, even if s/he is no more experienced than you!
Someone once recommended that a new sailor offer to drew for a race, just to gain experience. I think that's fair advice, so long as you disclose your level of experience to the skipper. I have no real interest in racing, but admire the Wednesday night crowd for their techniques and quick sail-changes.
Did I mention taking ASA 101-103?
You will learn more in those 3 days than in a year of bumbling along on your own.
And yes, see Captain Ron a few times!
HOWEVER, I note that one of the actors, whom I consider the funniest man on earth, is more the "Straight Man" in this movie, which is a major disappointment!
Fair Winds!
As one who has spent most of his life doing things ass backwards, I welcome you. Like you I bought Windmistress having never been on anything larger than a windsurfer, and even there I used the current far more effectively than the wind. My first experience was to single hand the boat home from LA to San Diego. What I learned is that there is a lot to learn, that sailing under good conditions is very manageable, but that it won't be long before you must sail in poor conditions and that will quickly separate a sailor from a fool.
How you learn should govern what steps you take to go from fool to sailor. I do pretty well learning terminology from books, so I started there. I did take the 101 class, which is a group session, and although I can't fault the class, I did not get much from it. Got much more from reading Don's book and then laboriously taking the chart out and trying out the concepts on the water.
Then you need to learn how to read a chart and how to use whatever electronic aid you plan to rely on.
If one plans to make any kind of a voyage, my humble opinion is that someone on the boat needs to have some mechanical aptitude. Things go wrong with boats, especially old boats. You need to have some idea where to begin to diagnose, fix, or at least disable, whatever threatens to disable the boat. Rewiring Windmistress has been a labor, mostly of love. But at least I feel that in addition to having improved her, I have some idea how she is wired and plumbed. May not make her feel any better, but it certainly makes me a little more comfortable.
One thing often overlooked. Make notes and drawings as you go. Compile information on your boat and organize it into notebooks. If you sail inland or very close to shore, you can probably keep it at home. If you venture farther, keep it on the boat.
Finally, I cannot overemphasize the value of this forum. From lessons on trim and mechanics to outright help, the folks posting here have, for me at least, been the soul and sole of my boat.
How you learn should govern what steps you take to go from fool to sailor. I do pretty well learning terminology from books, so I started there. I did take the 101 class, which is a group session, and although I can't fault the class, I did not get much from it. Got much more from reading Don's book and then laboriously taking the chart out and trying out the concepts on the water.
Then you need to learn how to read a chart and how to use whatever electronic aid you plan to rely on.
If one plans to make any kind of a voyage, my humble opinion is that someone on the boat needs to have some mechanical aptitude. Things go wrong with boats, especially old boats. You need to have some idea where to begin to diagnose, fix, or at least disable, whatever threatens to disable the boat. Rewiring Windmistress has been a labor, mostly of love. But at least I feel that in addition to having improved her, I have some idea how she is wired and plumbed. May not make her feel any better, but it certainly makes me a little more comfortable.
One thing often overlooked. Make notes and drawings as you go. Compile information on your boat and organize it into notebooks. If you sail inland or very close to shore, you can probably keep it at home. If you venture farther, keep it on the boat.
Finally, I cannot overemphasize the value of this forum. From lessons on trim and mechanics to outright help, the folks posting here have, for me at least, been the soul and sole of my boat.
Has nothing to do with Yacht Clubs. I graduated from Welsh High School in 1968. Lake Shore Club was in Lake Arthur and was famous for illegal gambling and under age drinking.
My boat was at West End after Katrina, in the parking lot in front of Southern Yacht Club.
What a mess...
I am going to ask the locals about the Lakeshore....I've only seen it from the water. I come in on I-10 from Carencro/Lafayette. But that reputation sounds about right for establishments of that type in Southern Louisiana. I bet you could tell some stories.
Couldn't be much worse than that.Has nothing to do with Yacht Clubs. I graduated from Welsh High School in 1968. Lake Shore Club was in Lake Arthur and was famous for illegal gambling and under age drinking.
My boat was at West End after Katrina, in the parking lot in front of Southern Yacht Club.
I am going to ask the locals about the Lakeshore....I've only seen it from the water. I come in on I-10 from Carencro/Lafayette. But that reputation sounds about right for establishments of that type in Southern Louisiana. I bet you could tell some stories.
All this has been good advice including just sitting on the boat with books including the owners manual and going over the boat. It has an outboard on it I am sure that you can..if nothing else go motor out on a relatively calm day.. Get Boatus towing insurance. for a few dollars it will save you lots of dollars in case anything does happen. Also take someone who does know sailing out with you AFTER you go over the boat and fiqure out what does what..
And as has been said By Capt. Ron, "Boss, if its going to happen, It will happen out there!
And as has been said By Capt. Ron, "Boss, if its going to happen, It will happen out there!
thanks for sharing the photos.... I have only been a member here for a couple of years, so wasnt around this site to see all the postings of the aftermath of the storm.
being in the northwest, the news here never showed any close ups of the death and destruction that katrina caused to so many boats.... we only got to see the destruction of buildings and homes on the news, or flyovers of the marinas, but not so much the boats themselves....
If it hasn't been mentioned yet, join the C25 forum, lots of good info there:
http://catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/default.asp
http://catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/default.asp
The best advice I ever had was (always stay to the windward) It's easy going down wind but hard going up
I was in your situation back in 1995. I was recently widowed and a friend told me I needed to learn to sail and sold me his Irwin 23. I had absolutely had no clue how to sail let alone maneuver a boat. I was fortunate to have some old salty friends accompany me on the first few expeditions around Apalachee bay. That was very helpful but that did not do it. I remember the one thing I did that allowed me to "turn the corner" and get me zen with my new boat. One day I went to the marina by myself and with the sails furled I pulled out of my slip and turned around in the basin and every so slowly and carefully managed to pull back in after about 10 minutes. I repeated that exercise about 10 times until I got it right and did it a few more times after that. I was everybody's entertainment that day. After that day however I never had an issue with the boat. I had to learn to sail but that was out in the bay and there was nothing to hit. The act of mastering the docking part relieved enough of my stress to enjoy mastering the sailing part, which is the part that should be enjoyed. I hope this helps. Speaks to eating the elephant one bite at a time. Sailing is the most enjoyable thing I have ever taken on. You can do as much or as little as you please. I hope you have as much enjoyment as I. Happy Sailing!
Welcome to the forum Al!
Here's a tip for you-- when you come up with those specific questions others have suggested, you can start by researching past threads on the subject by googling the topic and add the word sailboatowners (Google search "battery selector switch sailboatowners"). That will return a lot of hits from this forum on the subject. Do that with any subject you are interested in.
Here's a great reading/learning subject: Google sailboatowners spring commissioning checklist. There are some really great lists that will help you identify what to keep an eye on with a sailboat.
Welcome!
P.S. -- you can limit google search results to a specific website by adding site:sailboatowners.com (or any other target website):
spring commissioning checklist site:sailboatowners.com
There is a search function at the SBO website, I am just used to consulting Professor Google for all my questions
Here's a tip for you-- when you come up with those specific questions others have suggested, you can start by researching past threads on the subject by googling the topic and add the word sailboatowners (Google search "battery selector switch sailboatowners"). That will return a lot of hits from this forum on the subject. Do that with any subject you are interested in.
Here's a great reading/learning subject: Google sailboatowners spring commissioning checklist. There are some really great lists that will help you identify what to keep an eye on with a sailboat.
Welcome!
P.S. -- you can limit google search results to a specific website by adding site:sailboatowners.com (or any other target website):
spring commissioning checklist site:sailboatowners.com
There is a search function at the SBO website, I am just used to consulting Professor Google for all my questions
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One of the best things about that movie is how at most of the cuts at least one of them is working on the boat in some way. Lots of cleaning going on. Love that movie.Oh, and rent or buy the movie Captain Ron if you haven't seen it in a while.
Lots of good advice given. Welcome to the sailing lifestyle, of which there is nothing more satisfying. As far as those photos, nothing more heartbreaking then to see all of those sailors dreams piled up like a bunch of fiberglass junk to be totaled out by a bunch of bean counter insurance companies. I wish all of these sailboats could at least be kept in a graveyard somewhere, where their parts could at least be given another life instead of just crushed. Sad.
"Play" with you boat until you can get it in the water. Learn how to rig it in the driveway by reading and if possible with a sailing friend. This gets you familiar with the pieces.
Take the lessons. I learned more in the lessons than I did trying to figure things out myself.
After the lessons, sail as often as possible. Also, take part in the local races.
The typical Wednesday evening ones are normally very low key and encourage beginners. There will be some diehards racing, but they are out in front and don't get in your way. Besides, you can observe how they are doing things effectively. We use the racing as a way to practice the skill learned in the lessons.
Don't worry about being nautically correct with every term. In time, you will get them all straight.
Mostly, get out and practice. Your boat is a good size to provide you with many years of affordable sailing.
Take the lessons. I learned more in the lessons than I did trying to figure things out myself.
After the lessons, sail as often as possible. Also, take part in the local races.
The typical Wednesday evening ones are normally very low key and encourage beginners. There will be some diehards racing, but they are out in front and don't get in your way. Besides, you can observe how they are doing things effectively. We use the racing as a way to practice the skill learned in the lessons.
Don't worry about being nautically correct with every term. In time, you will get them all straight.
Mostly, get out and practice. Your boat is a good size to provide you with many years of affordable sailing.