Newbie or Old Salt?

[Paul Ettorre]

Gray,weathered,Salty

Started sailing in Junior High School, went into the Navy after high school. Lived on the water literally until I got married. After our first child we were off the water for 27 years. Bought our Capri 22 new in '88 and it was like we never left. What a great sailboat. Once you have sailed you can never leave it. The thrill of the wind in ones face and the salt spray is just the greatest. Want a stress reliever? Go sailing!!

 

[Frank Quinn]

Grey and a little green

Until I was 44, the most I had sailed regularly was a windsurfer in my teens. Somehow, marriage, kids and starting a business got in the way of any gradual development through dinghies, dayboats and cruisers. Recently, some unexpected good business fortune provided the wherewithal to fulfil a lifelong ambition and buy a boat. Except that having skipped all the boating stages, and now with four growing kids, it would need to be something we could all enjoy together. So dayboats were considered too small, took a deep breath and invested in a Beneteau 411, my pride and joy. I live in Ireland, so I came to Florida for a 9-day liveaboard cruising course in some real sunshine. More recently I topped this up with Day Skipper course in the Canaries.Putting it all into practice has been one of life's best experiences to date. We've cruised down the east and south coasts of Ireland, over to the Isle of Man, lots of short evening trips in between. We have a metaphorical box marked "worries" on the pontoon, into which a deposit is made each time we slip our lines. Feeling confident enough to take her out on my own any day now... whoever said sailing was the best stress reliever there is was right! But I do envy all you southern US mariners with your (usually) predictable weather and sunshine. Try sailing the Irish Sea: you get not only big tides, but four seasons in one day! On the other hand, we have the best Guinness in the world to come back to berth for...

 

[Larry Beavers]

Oldie Newbie

Well, after reading these responses it appears there are others in my boat. I discovered sailing as a hobby about 8 years ago on a sail with a previous boss on his 35' Dickerson Ketch. I was hooked with that cruise. Since then I've moved to Fall River, MA and have taken two CG boating courses, joined the CG Aux. and feel that now I can sail with confidence. So, at 58 years of age, I bought my first boat, an 1973 O'Day 22 last April and I've been enjoying sailing it this summer on Mt. Hope Bay. I've been in love with sailboats for years and particularly, tall ships. To me, under full sail, they are one of the most beautiful things to see in the world, except for my little boat, of course. I just regret that I didn't start sailing long before this but I'm determined to make up for lost time. Now that my family is also participating in sailing with me I can say something I've always wanted to say,"avast you swabs, hoist up the mainsail!' Ah..beat to windward!

 

[Ed L]

Mid-Life Crisis Sets Sail

A friend of mine got me interested sailing on Tampa Bay in a Hobie about 7 years ago. This got me infected but took a few years to incubate. Came close to buying my first boat about 5 years ago but instead opted to build a new home for the family. After waiting a few years I was finally able to get my first boat last year. Figured it would be much more fun than a red sports car. Now 41, Marimel and I just celebrated her first birthday. I have so much to learn and love every opportunity that I get to take her out. Of course, there's this job I have the gets in the way but guess I really can't complain about that.

 

[Carl and Juliana Dupre]

Can Use More Salt

We started about 6 years ago (50/51 years old) on a birthday present day-sail charter followed by a week-long live-aboard course. We really enjoyed it and decided to start on our own. Spent several years with the Boston Harbor Sailing Club sailing old beat-up club boats; vintage '70's Albin 28's and Pearson 26's; great learning boats. Then one day realized that the years were passing, and the time to buy the boat was 'Now'. Every time we sail something sems to happen to add yet another dash of salt, and that's what makes it such great fun!Carl and Jules/v 'Syzygy'

 

[Larry]

Salt and a little lime

I have been reading all the responses to the "New or Old Salt" question. I initially was not sure how to answer this question. I was introduced to sailing back in the sixties as a teenager. For anyone from the midatlantic it was a 14' Duster. I sailed a few years and got the basics of sailing and racing from other club members. When I started to drive and my father became the commodore, I, being a typical teen of the times drifted away. Many, many years past. My younger brother bought a 27 foot hunter about ten years ago and I started to sail with him once or twice a year. A few years ago he moved up to a Erickson 32 which he now keeps in Md. So I don't get to sail as often. He joined the yacht club we hung out in as kids and so three years ago I purchased a well used (and abused) Sunfish. This lead me back to the yacht club I chose to put behind me some thirty years ago. My brother, I, and a mutual friend started going to the Atlantic City Sail Expo annually, mostly for a day out and the draft Beck’s beer. Each year got a little more tempting and I started to look at the smaller day sailors. I loved the Catboats mostly because they were a classic northeast design and also because they were rigged like every other boat I had sailed. I Started to look at the Catalina 16 seriously this year. As the weather started to get warmer I was looking at everything from a Irwin 27 through the obvious Catalina 22=27 line, and especially O'Day 22-28's. Long story even longer I had a deposit on a O'Day 222 and the deal fell through. I gave up for a little while but decided that this was the boat I wanted. I bought one Memorial Day weekend and have spent the summer learning to sail all over again. My third time out I got the scare of a lifetime. I did not realize that a boat of this design would go over that far. I have spent the rest of the summer conquering my fears. Would I trade a day? NO, I just learned a little respect for this vessel and the seas I wish to sail on. I still have six more weeks to the season and feel much more comfortable sailing again. I am looking forward to the Annapolis show and hope to have roller furling for the 2003 season. All in all this is for me as long as I can maintain my own self mobility. Happy sailing to all and my everyday be memorable. There’s a Jimmy Buffett line that escapes me at the moment but it means to enjoy the wondering life and I wish it to all.

 

[Bob Bass]

Old Salt, Young Heart

I started sailing in the early 70's in S. Calif. on a small trailerable. I then signed on as crew on an old 35 foot wooden yawl. None of us had off-shore cruising experience, but we made it to Puerto Vallarta before shipwrecking. I then crewed on a Grand Banks 50 on down Central America, through the Panama Canal to Aruba. Then home to land to live, back to school, family and a professional life. I got back into sailing by doing family bare boat vacations in the BVI and buying an old Endeavour 43. Then came an opportunity to retire at 52, get a new Hunter 450 and go sailing. We have been living aboard for almost three years now and we are still learning and getting saltier every day. Salty gray hair and beard and now a shackle earring, never to go back again to a "normal" land life. Does anyone out there know where there is an assisted living marina? One that has Meals on Keels?

 

[Carl Lebo Catalina 22]

More like Wimpy than Popeye

Boat owner less than one day, beard owner less than one week. Sailing yesterday on Rhode and West Rivers, toe rail well under water,(18 knot wind), and wife didn't freak out. So I paid the man! What a great time to be alive!

 

[Jack Rhines]

Jack R.

I am New with old Salt Face! Did sail in the 70'sout of San Pedro California on a double ended Tahiti ketch with a good friend of mine Capt. Ron Thomas, from Orange county California (looking for Ron now so if any one sees this that, knows him please email me at,jacran1@yahoo.com)But I was into Airplanes and not as much into Sailing, Now still flying but gone nuts on Sailing. Took three ASAclasses in last three years and now have 2 boats!starting to go off shore now and I love it ,will try to crew now on as many boats as possible! Be carefull what you wish for becouse my wife has been bitten by the Sailing bug bad! I am starting to feel like crew on my own boat as she loves to Capt. boat, the scary part is she is getting good at it! ! She says looking up and watching me work sails really turns her on!(after 37 years married she must be kidding). She says if Earl Flynn (my boyhood hero) had lived to be a old man he would look just like me ,except for skinny legs! Had a great Sailing time this week! Went onboard the S/V"Bat'kivshchyna" a 98 foot Ukraine Schooner , that is sailing around the world. I stayed for three days as we sailed from L.A. to San Diego so ship can take part in Tallship events on west coast, wow only american crew on board.The Ukrainian people very nice and friendly folks, i learned a lot in just 3 days .May make a leg next summer with Capt.Dmytro Biriukovich to Hawaii , as he has invited me back! That is my Sailing up to now but looks like more to come. Only try saying "Bat'kivshchyna" a few times as I did all radio work for Capt. when on board!Good winds to all, Jack

 

[SailboatOwners.com]

Final results

Final results for the Quick Quiz ending 9/15/2002:I've been sailing for:27% 0 to 5 years14% 6 to 10 years30% 10 to 25 years30% More than 25 years1,113 owners responding

 

[Skip McCullough]

All Freshwater

I have been sailing for about 42 years. I started in sailing class at Toledo Yacth Club and have been at it every since, with the exception of a four year hitch in the Navy. I have sailed competitively and now enjoy cruising with my wife on our O'DAy 40, with an ocasional JAM race with friends or double handed. Although most of sailing has been done on all the Great Lakes.

 

[Ray MacStay]

Salted like a cod

I have been sailing far, far, longer then the age I was when I first swiped the game warden's boat.

 

[Lisa and Ted Parker]

NEWBIES AND LOVING IT!

Our friends (I think) that own a 50 footer, took us out for a Saturday afternoon cruise in early summer, and that was all she wrote! We started buying sailing mags, sailing books, and then fell victim to the final blow - a trip down to the Kemah waterfront to "window shop" the docks! We found a sailing class we were interested in taking, and as were leaving the docks from signing up for the classes, a salesman caught us. He asked what we were interested in, and innocently I said we weren't going to buy any time soon, but if we were, my dream boat was a Hunter 27. A few hours later we were the proud owners-to-be of a 1989 Hunter 27 in pristine condition! The amusing part of the story, is since we had never even been on a sailboat prior to our Saturday cruise with our friends, we had to ask our sailing friend to go on the sea trial to sail the boat for us! We have been sailing every opportunity possible for three months now, and love it. My only regret is not having been introduced to sailing twenty years ago!