Want to start sailing, please advise
- Thread starter beginner1
- Start date
- Status
BEGINNER 1., The best thing you said was you are gonna take lessons. The wife and I did that through a community college. Easy,2weekends, Sat and Sun. It gave us a HUGE leg up when we bought our own small boat to continue on. I spent many months researching, this site is the best resource around, some very helpfull smrt people here....
Good luck, David
Good luck, David
Seems to me there's quite a few on this bb that started out with very little to no experience. I agree with Timebandit whole heartedly! Just use caution and common sense. Take it slow, learn at your own pace, lessons are definetely a good idea.
I bought my 26S with very little sailing experience, yes I started out with smaller sailboats, and went out on friends boats, and I did have a lot of power boat experience, but sailing is a lot different.
I bought my 26S, then took a two day ASA 101 Basic Keelboat class, that was totally fun, I'd recommend it. Even after that I was quite nervous at first taking my boat out. But right away after the first time out or two the confidence builds. Before you know it you'll be giving advice to other newbies. Taking someone with experience out with you at first will sure help.
Another thing that helped me was the fact I worked on my boat for three months before I ever took her out. I fixed and upgraded stuff, cleaned and polished, etc. I stepped the mast several times, raised and lowered sails, went through the motions in my mind, while sitting in the cockpit. All that allowed me to become very aquinted with the boat on the hard, building confidence before even splashing her. That process in itself was a lot of fun for me.
Sailing can provide a lifelong learning experience, which is one of the many great aspects of this activity.
My advise is, GO FOR IT!
I bought my 26S with very little sailing experience, yes I started out with smaller sailboats, and went out on friends boats, and I did have a lot of power boat experience, but sailing is a lot different.
I bought my 26S, then took a two day ASA 101 Basic Keelboat class, that was totally fun, I'd recommend it. Even after that I was quite nervous at first taking my boat out. But right away after the first time out or two the confidence builds. Before you know it you'll be giving advice to other newbies. Taking someone with experience out with you at first will sure help.
Another thing that helped me was the fact I worked on my boat for three months before I ever took her out. I fixed and upgraded stuff, cleaned and polished, etc. I stepped the mast several times, raised and lowered sails, went through the motions in my mind, while sitting in the cockpit. All that allowed me to become very aquinted with the boat on the hard, building confidence before even splashing her. That process in itself was a lot of fun for me.
Sailing can provide a lifelong learning experience, which is one of the many great aspects of this activity.
My advise is, GO FOR IT!
I gotta agree with the rest here in saying Go For It!!
It's true that deals do come up from time to time, but the question then becomes will you be in a position to act then?
For now, grab it while you can,and give some time to learning and experience. If subsequently you change your mind, you should be able to find yet another willing buyer.
Good luck.
It's true that deals do come up from time to time, but the question then becomes will you be in a position to act then?
For now, grab it while you can,and give some time to learning and experience. If subsequently you change your mind, you should be able to find yet another willing buyer.
Good luck.
Six years ago I got the urge to sail... 37 years ago or so I rented a Sunfish and as I recall I had a great time...
I was a salt water sportfisherman for most of the years in between my Sunfish rental... By the way, I capsized the little boat and as I went to right it saw a tear in the hull and it was filling up with water since they launched it for me (about 30 minutes into the sail)... I got a tow back and they refunded the fee too...
So with my boating experience and a copy of Sailing for Dummies I bought a 1984 Macgregor 25 (25M). Joined the Bristol yacht club and started sailing on the Delaware... I met a young couple with a sailboat and between the 4 of us we learned together.
We found someone with experience and were shown many finer points of the sailing experience.
I did have a friend who has sailed for many years look over the boat and he said "buy it".
I've been told that if you can sail on the river, you can sail anywhere...
Last August I trailered it to the Trump Marina for a month and spent 2 weeks straight sailing the coast of Atlantic City, with out incident...
My wife and I stayed on the boat for that time. Although it was like "camping" we had a great time!!!
This year I bareboat chartered a 39 Jeanneau on the Chesapeake for a week in July...
It will be a lot more than "camping" this time...
My advice, "BUY THE BOAT"... Wind power is where its at... You will need to burn a few Dino's to get in and out, but your gas bill will be small in comparison to a powerboat.
I put a furler on it to make it easier to sail and I can easily single hand the boat when no one else is available.
It's nice to be able to have a conversation while underway without shouting and it is really quite a beautiful experience... (a little corny, but true)
There have been some "hairy moments" but I enjoy the entire experience.
Forget about a destination, when you get to your boat, sailing IS your destination... I'll stop by a cove and have a drink, but then I am off to Sail... powerboaters think you are nuts! "TOO MUCH WORK"
ENJOY IT WHILE YOU CAN!!!
Get an experienced person to help you out in twhen you begin ... I live outside of Philadelphia, and if I can help you with advice, email me...
ABK
I was a salt water sportfisherman for most of the years in between my Sunfish rental... By the way, I capsized the little boat and as I went to right it saw a tear in the hull and it was filling up with water since they launched it for me (about 30 minutes into the sail)... I got a tow back and they refunded the fee too...
So with my boating experience and a copy of Sailing for Dummies I bought a 1984 Macgregor 25 (25M). Joined the Bristol yacht club and started sailing on the Delaware... I met a young couple with a sailboat and between the 4 of us we learned together.
We found someone with experience and were shown many finer points of the sailing experience.
I did have a friend who has sailed for many years look over the boat and he said "buy it".
I've been told that if you can sail on the river, you can sail anywhere...
Last August I trailered it to the Trump Marina for a month and spent 2 weeks straight sailing the coast of Atlantic City, with out incident...
My wife and I stayed on the boat for that time. Although it was like "camping" we had a great time!!!
This year I bareboat chartered a 39 Jeanneau on the Chesapeake for a week in July...
It will be a lot more than "camping" this time...
My advice, "BUY THE BOAT"... Wind power is where its at... You will need to burn a few Dino's to get in and out, but your gas bill will be small in comparison to a powerboat.
I put a furler on it to make it easier to sail and I can easily single hand the boat when no one else is available.
It's nice to be able to have a conversation while underway without shouting and it is really quite a beautiful experience... (a little corny, but true)
There have been some "hairy moments" but I enjoy the entire experience.
Forget about a destination, when you get to your boat, sailing IS your destination... I'll stop by a cove and have a drink, but then I am off to Sail... powerboaters think you are nuts! "TOO MUCH WORK"
ENJOY IT WHILE YOU CAN!!!
Get an experienced person to help you out in twhen you begin ... I live outside of Philadelphia, and if I can help you with advice, email me...
ABK
- Status