Who Taught You to Sail?

[Rob Rich]

Me

I learned on a Prindle 16 Catamaran. I hold an SEL pilot's license, but was looking for a less expensive hobby. Did my research, made a good buy, and really bought a ticket to learn. Gary Jobson's book was my guide. I learned quickly and adequately, but had some serious knowledge of wind, power, stall and lift to begin with. If you are just starting out, nothing will help more than a lesson or two with an experienced sailor. They can do more for you in an hour than you will learn in a month. Make sure you learn to sail "in-type" (as pilots say), or with someone intimately acquainted with your specific boat. By the way, Catalina 27's rock (with a capitol R).

 

[Jim McCoramck]

High School Friend

I learned to sail on the Connecticut River in Springfield, Mass. My friend owned a 17 foot Gaff rigged "Barnegat Bay Sneak Box" with one sail and little freeboard. Going downwind, the bow would go under and water would run up the deck toward the cockpit. Later a Sunfish and then a Balboa 20 honed my skills. Now sail a Catalina 30.

 

[Mark Sisson]

Nortons Yacht Sales in Deltaville VA

Sailed sunfish alot as a kid and finally did a lot of book learning on my own. Just finished a 4 day course offered by Nortons out of Deltaville VA. Covers ASA 101 and 103. Taught by Dr. Craig Rudlin on his 1998 Hunter 376. Will go back this fall or next spring for my Coastal Navigation and Bareboat certification. Beautiful boat. Easy to operate yet big enough to get the feeling of handling a larger boat.

 

[Ron Johnson]

YMCA Special Class

A local Hobie sailor responded to pressure and taught the "How Tos" to a class of 20. We started in the classroom which was followed by rigging the boat and finally, experience on the water. We are still dear friends with the folks that provided their boat and experience for our education.PS: Class was never repeated.

 

[C2 Editorial]

Final results

Final results for the Quick Quiz ending 8/20/2000:Who taught you to sail? Hunter owners:32% Friend/family24% Paid instructor22% Books 17% OtherCatalina owners:37% Friend/famil31% Books18% Paid instructor09% OtherO'Day owners:61% Friend/family15% Paid instructor12% Books10% OtherBeneteau owners:38% Paid instructor29% Book22% Friend/family09% Other

 

[Patrick Harrison Keoughan]

Dad Thank You

The first thing I can rember was my dad and I sailing on a small daysailer, He moved up to a Starwind 22 then to a Catalina 27 while I would sail my ComPac 16 around.I think if there is one thing that I would ever like to thank my dad for is introducing me to sailing. Nigts on the water under a full moon, winning the regatta or Ronnie Davis Memorial series. I fell in love with the water so much i joined the Navy. Right now I'm deployed and somewhere off the coast of Japan, the water out here is amazing, the most beautiful colour of blue I have ever seen. With out his guidence and teachings I never would have seen such beauty. Thanks Dad.EnFn KeoughanUSS Belleau Wood (LHA 3)keoughan@lha3.navy.mil

 

[John Finch]

Sailing @ HKU

I started by buying a South Coast 22 in 1975 (in the Midwest--not many sailors here at that time)and running scaired for the first year and a half. Then I decided to turn it over and found that I couldn't. Moved up to an O'Day 25, calmed down and sailed in all kinds of weather until I felt competent. I've moved up twice since then. I'm in a Catalina 30 now. Sure miss that tiller.Wanna learn to sail? Just do it!Good luck and fair winds,John

 

[Willy]

The Immersion (pun not intended) method

After my discharge from the Navy in '72 I collected unemployment and hung out at the beach every day. A fellow pulled into the cove in an old wooden Alden 42' ketch. I struck up a conversation and he indicated he had single-handed down from Canada and was on his way to Hawaii. I told him that I wished I could go and he said he could use the help. I moved my meager belongings on board and wound up living on and crewing the boat for a year, cruising the coast and eventually the Hawaiian Islands. I had never been on a sailboat prior to then (in fact, as an aircraft mech in a P3 squadron, I was never even on a navy ship) it was all new to me and I eagerly absorbed everything the skipper taught me. He was a real sailing purist (read poor). An old wooden boat with no engine or electrical system. His nav equipment consisted of a chronometer, compass, and sextant, and an RDF that we only ever used once or twice. I recall many times we ghosted into some harbor and kedged into the anchorage by rowing out the big old fisherman anchor to the end of the rode, heaving around and hoisting it into the dinghy and repeating the process until we wound up where we wanted to be. One of the best lessons he taught me was that "If you are in a hurry you have no business being on a sailboat". He was also fond of saying "The only reason a sailboat needs an engine is so you can motor up to a fuel dock".At any rate, that experience has ruined my life. I have owned over a dozen sailboats since then (all but the smallest having diesels and electrical systems by the way!). If it weren't for sailing and sailboats I'd be a wealthy man today!

 

[Rich Hanner]

My Mentor, My Hero

Who taught me to sail....Hmmmm... Lets see, who taught me to walk, to talk,to be a man?. Who taught me to work hard, to play hard, to hold my head up, regardless of what life may bring? Who taught me to respect my elders for what they have done, to respect my youngers for what they may become? Who taught me that it's not the destination, but the voyage there that counts? (well, powerboaters taught me that last one), but the rest? That was My DAD.

 

[Philip Brownell-e-mail atte01t@fuse.net]

thanks Dad and Grandpa

Thanks to my Dad, but at 8 years old I disconnected the head stay on the family Herreshoff 12, on my very first "you go put the sails on and go sailing"lesson,at South Dartmouth yacht club, on Buzards Bay.A Concordia boat yard person saved my mast and day.From then on it was experience gained sailing and racing on Buzzards Bay.Made it to the Sear's cup finals at age 17.