New San Diego Sailor needs mentor!

[Hungryfroggy]

Hi all!

My wife and I bought a Catalina 30. We've spent the last 2 months cleaning it up, completely refitted the plumbing, redid a bunch of the electrical wiring, fixed the ignition, replacing the bilge pump, replacing the starter motor, and fixing other parts of the diesel. We got the genoa repaired and I even climbed to the top of the mast to untwist a halyard to raise the foresail. Anyways, our boat is finally ready to sail, but we only know to sail via youtube videos and books. We both completed the California Boater's Course and have our cards and initially signed up for ASA 101 back in March, but they all got cancelled due to COVID, and now our work schedule is brutal and won't work with any of the classes (I'm a new intern emergency medicine doctor and my wife is a nurse). I was wondering if someone would be willing to come out on the bay with us for a day and teach us to properly sail on our Cat30. We're active duty Navy and our boat is moored at at the Point Loma annex, near Liberty Station, just a stones throw across from Harbor Island's pumpout station. Thanks!

 

[jssailem]

Congrats on your boat selection and refit. I regret I’m 1200 nm North of you or I‘d love to spend time sailing the SD Bay again.

Being Navy, have you checked in with Special Services, located on the strand down near Imperial Beach. In the 60’s SpecServ operated a sailing marina and Sail boats on the Naval Amphibious Base Coronado. They moved the operation down the strand and greatly expanded it in the late 70’s. I think it is known as Fiddlers Cove. They had classes to help Navy families with learning to sail. Might be an option.

 

[Ken Cross]

Again I'm way too far north, but can you operate the boat on motor alone? That's how I learned to sail.
On a calm day, we motored out and put up sails. We had lunch waiting for a breeze. Once the wind finally started moving us we practiced tacking, learned about a crash jibe, etc. By the end of the day, we were having a ball. We took the sails down and motored back in. I went online to a forum and read things, then tried them for real. It did take time. It certainly would have been helpful to have a coach.

Ken

 

[jssailem]

I thought of this download.

You're working on both learning the skills for sailing your boat, but you must also prepare to take control as a single hander. The downloadable book "Thoughts, Tips, Techniques and Tactics for Singlehanded Sailing Andrew Evans on Foolish Muse" by Andrew Evans is a good resource for the sailor wanting to go out solo on a boat. Andrew has provided (This book is only available as a free download from The Singlehanded Sailing Society at www.sfbaysss.org/tipsbook or through the Cruiser Forum here downloads.php )

Andrew does a great job covering the skill sets used by all sailors but especially the solo sailor.

 

[odaydokay]

You might want to try to rent or find someone with a small boat like a Day Sailer so you can learn the basics.

 

[Brian D]

Hi down there in SD from up here is Oceanside. Specifically Camp Pendleton. When you say you were going to take the sailing course, was that with civilians or with the base special services? If for some reason the base is still not providing those lessons, I believe Camp Pendleton is. I am sure you have been here at the Marina at Del Mar Boat Basin.

Anyway, I would be willing to help out but I really do suggest you get trained by professionals, not a wanna be like me. LOL It looks better on your insurance policy.

You say you are at the Point Loma Annex. If it is the same location I think it is then I used to be docked there before moving to Oceanside, then CP. The water is rough there and the wind comes right up the bay entrance making for a challenging docking. Other wise the sailing in the north bay is wonderful but can be crowded at times with commercial traffic. Watch out you do not run into the Midway like some poor fool did. LOL

Welcome aboard SBO!

 

[Kings Gambit]

Hi,
Congratulations on your new acquisition! For a perhaps slightly more focused answer to your question about personal instruction, consider the following. First, there are active certified ASA instructors in San Diego who might be available to instruct you on your own boat. I would anticipate an hourly fee there, however. You can find the names by looking up ASA’s list of Outstanding Instructors for 2019 on-line. You may be able to contact them via ASA’s Los Angeles or San Diego chapter headquarters, or respective schools. There are also a couple of names of instructors at Long Beach. Second, you might inquire to the San Diego Catalina Association about personal instruction possibilities, especially if wishing to become a member. I know there are members who might have interest in helping you. Thirdly, I live here in Long Beach with some extra time. I have an ASA instructor card (201, Keelboat), but am not currently active (= dues). Please send me a Private Message if you wish to chat. I’ve sailed San Diego Bay; lived in the San Diego area for 12 yr. Good luck with the new yacht!
KG

 

[Brian D]

^^^ Even a better idea!

 

[ggrizzard]

Guys, please remember that he and his mate are on squids pay.
I'm sure they'd appreciate any help he can get help, "wanna be" kind or pro!
I'm 3000 miles away, so all I can do is cheer them on.

 

[Hungryfroggy]

Congrats on your boat selection and refit. I regret I’m 1200 nm North of you or I‘d love to spend time sailing the SD Bay again.

Being Navy, have you checked in with Special Services, located on the strand down near Imperial Beach. In the 60’s SpecServ operated a sailing marina and Sail boats on the Naval Amphibious Base Coronado. They moved the operation down the strand and greatly expanded it in the late 70’s. I think it is known as Fiddlers Cove. They had classes to help Navy families with learning to sail. Might be an option.

Fiddler's Cove refuses to reopen any of their services at the moment. Since March they refuse to take in new boats and shut down all their lessons due to covid. I keep emailing them and calling them every 2 weeks but they're not very responsive.

Again I'm way too far north, but can you operate the boat on motor alone? That's how I learned to sail.
On a calm day, we motored out and put up sails. We had lunch waiting for a breeze. Once the wind finally started moving us we practiced tacking, learned about a crash jibe, etc. By the end of the day, we were having a ball. We took the sails down and motored back in. I went online to a forum and read things, then tried them for real. It did take time. It certainly would have been helpful to have a coach.

We can definitely motor. We actually just took the boat out last Friday and sailed outside the mouth of the bay and then turned around and sailed back to the USS Midway, and then back to our slip. It was a blast!

Hi down there in SD from up here is Oceanside. Specifically Camp Pendleton. When you say you were going to take the sailing course, was that with civilians or with the base special services? If for some reason the base is still not providing those lessons, I believe Camp Pendleton is. I am sure you have been here at the Marina at Del Mar Boat Basin...

Ya, we were stationed at Pendleton in the past! I'm very familiar with the Del Mar basin. I'll give that boat basin Marina a call. Thanks!

Thanks for all the tips everyone! The initial learning curve isn't too bad, but I want to learn to sail properly and not make costly mistakes, so I'm still desperately soaking up wisdom from you all! Thanks for all the support.

 

[jssailem]

Based on your stated profession, I going to guess reading and theory are relevant methods/areas of study.

While these are definitely in the more technical area I would encourage your exploration of Gentry and his aeronautical explanation as to how a sail drives a boat.

Sail Trim and Aeronautic Theories.

Boy did I get my thinking scrambled a couple of months ago. I was chatting with @DrJudyB about the planning for our sadly canceled 2020 Circumnavigation of Vancouver Island, when the topic drifted to the new sails I have on my boat. That is when she quietly dropped the "Aeronautic" bomb in my...

forums.sailboatowners.com

Once the sails are up then comes the exciting part. Learning to capture and harness the wind to give your boat life.

 

[Hungryfroggy]

Based on your stated profession, I going to guess reading and theory are relevant methods/areas of study.

While these are definitely in the more technical area I would encourage your exploration of Gentry and his aeronautical explanation as to how a sail drives a boat.

Sail Trim and Aeronautic Theories.

Boy did I get my thinking scrambled a couple of months ago. I was chatting with @DrJudyB about the planning for our sadly canceled 2020 Circumnavigation of Vancouver Island, when the topic drifted to the new sails I have on my boat. That is when she quietly dropped the "Aeronautic" bomb in my...

forums.sailboatowners.com

Once the sails are up then comes the exciting part. Learning to capture and harness the wind to give your boat life.

You're exactly correct. This Gentry website is a goldmine! Thanks so much for sharing!

 

[Brian D]

Knowledge, without experience, is nothing. With experience, knowledge takes on a life of its own.

 

[jssailem]

My you're in a philosophical place this morning.

 

[Brian D]

 

[Brian D]

Ya, we were stationed at Pendleton in the past! I'm very familiar with the Del Mar basin. I'll give that boat basin Marina a call. Thanks!

@Hungryfroggy, excellent. They are closed on Monday and Tuesday. The Dock Master is Ann Smith. She is usually there on Tuesday and I have seen her answer the phone. By the way, I took my sailing certification there in July of 1984 (a very balck day in the history of San Diego).

Good luck and if you take your lessons at CP, let me know and we'll see you on the docks. Whoot

 

[MikeHoncho]

I agree with motoring first and sail if the conditions are right. For me when I purchased my H30, the most anxiety/nerve racking part was leaving and entering the slip, still is just at a lot lower level. I have a very tight marina. Have at least two others go with you. Have two dock hooks out and in the hands of your crew. Have bumpers out until you exit the marina (I know its bad form but the alternative is a lot worse). Only go out on calm days at first. Don't go out on spirited days until you have docking somewhat figured out. Know your systems and how they operate and know "Plan B" options for failed equipment. It goes without saying try to find someone with some sailing experience but don't expect them to be fully competent on the finer aspects of motoring in and out of the slip, each boat is a little different and you are the captain/responsible party no matter how much you don't know. All this being said, you have to go. You have put a ton of work already into it and when you do this, you can get into a pattern of always working on it and not sailing it, trying to make it perfect. Guess what? It won't be perfect! You have to sail it get get better!
The purchase of my boat included 4 lessons by the PO. By the third time I had taken it out before getting any of the lessons, I felt i knew more about sailing (had prior experience) than the PO and never did get any. I have a friend with a 30' also and I have learned a ton (even 4 years after purchasing) from him when we go out.