Search Sailnet:

 forums  store  


Quick Menu
Forums           
Articles          
Galleries        
Boat Reviews  
Classifieds     
Blogs               
Boat Search (new)





Go Back   SailNet Community > General Interest Forums > Crew Wanted
User Name
Password
 Not a Member? 


Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 Like this article?  Digg It!  or   Bookmark it!
  #1 (permalink)  
Old 03-19-2008
johnniespaceboy johnniespaceboy is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 5
Rep Power: 0
johnniespaceboy is on a distinguished road
Smile Need some advice on how to start.....

Looking for a starting point into sailing, it has always been a dream of mine to sail around the world. I have travelled to all sorts of places around the world and the ocean seems like the last frontier. I am looking for a place to start, such as a crew job of some sort. I am young and relatively healthy and have no problem working hard but want to learn the basics. I want to sail the open ocean and was wondering if anyone had any ideas.

Secondly I am interested in buying a trimaran (probably something around a 30-40 footer) and am looking for some buying advice from people with experience with these boats. I have never sailed before (have been on sailboats once or twice but never did anything to consitute calling it sailing at least for me). I have heard that trimarans are good liveaboards, and stable and seem to have ample room on them. Any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks:
Reply With Quote
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 03-19-2008
Faster's Avatar
Faster Faster is offline
Just another sailor
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: New Westminster, BC
Posts: 3,127
Rep Power: 5
Faster will become famous soon enoughFaster will become famous soon enough
Welcome to Sailnet.

If there's a yacht club or a marina nearby, go hang out, introduce youself to the people there and you'll likely get plenty of free advice, and possibly free experience. Many people routinely sail shorthanded (esp racing) and would be happy to take and train new people. Make sure you're reliable and show up when you say you will or you won't get a callback.

I'd get some exposure to boats of different types before taking the plunge and buying your own. Spend a season on OPBs (Other Peoples Boats) first. You'll make better decisions on your own behalf afterwards

Good Luck.
__________________
Boating in BC waters since the '60s, sailing since 1981.
Currently on our 5th boat, a 1984 Fast/Nicholson 345.
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old 03-19-2008
Freesail99's Avatar
Freesail99 Freesail99 is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 4,163
Rep Power: 3
Freesail99 will become famous soon enough
Send a message via Yahoo to Freesail99
Faster gave you great advise. I would pick up a small cooler to bring some snacks and some beer, to say "thank you".
__________________
S/V Scheherazade
-----------------------
Tony Orlando stand in and Burt Reynold's stunt double.
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Ad
  #4 (permalink)  
Old 03-19-2008
sailingdog's Avatar
sailingdog sailingdog is offline
Telstar 28
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: New England
Posts: 30,720
Rep Power: 6
sailingdog is a jewel in the roughsailingdog is a jewel in the roughsailingdog is a jewel in the roughsailingdog is a jewel in the rough
Welcome to Sailnet. I'd highly recommend you read this post to get the most out of your time here on sailnet.

If you're looking to liveaboard a trimaran, I would highly recommend you not get a folding design. The folding designs will often have less space aboard due to their being designed to accommodate the folding requirement.

However, a fixed beam trimaran is often very difficult to find a slip for and often much more expensive to haul and launch. There are some very good designs that would work for living aboard and long distance cruising.

Be aware, that a 30-40' trimaran is a fairly expensive boat to purchase, own and maintain. I'd ask what your rough budget is for purchasing the boat, and highly recommend you set aside at least 15% of your total budget for refitting, modifying and upgrading whatever boat you do get, since sailboats are not like cars, where they are ready to go just off the lot. Most will require some modification to make them work for the way you will sail it.

Another option would be to make the boat yourself. If you have the resources and skills, you can make a 35' trimaran in about two years.

I'd also recommend reading the following books:

Sensible Cruising, by Don Casey, Lew Hackler
The Cruising Multihull, by Chris White
Multihull Voyaging, by Thomas Firth Jones

It would help if you said how old you are, and what resources you have... the more information you give about yourself, the better advice you can generally get.
__________________
Sailingdog

Telstar 28
New England

You know what the first rule of sailing is? ...Love. You can learn all the math in the 'verse, but you take
a boat to the sea you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as the turning of the worlds. Love keeps
her going when she oughta fall down, tells you she's hurting 'fore she keens. Makes her a home.

—Cpt. Mal Reynolds, Serenity (edited)

If you're new to the Sailnet Forums... please read this POST.

Still—DON'T READ THAT POST AGAIN.
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old 03-19-2008
petegingras's Avatar
petegingras petegingras is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Rouge Island
Posts: 137
Rep Power: 2
petegingras is on a distinguished road
J-spaceboy,

go the the US or British Virgin's and charter a boat and a captain, especially if you want a multihull, and spend a week on the boat you want to purchase. I don't think triamarans are generally chartered, but maybe. Then talk to the captain, he'll have stories, and you'll get the feel of life aboard.

Every bar you go into, ask if bartender to introduce you sailing livaboards, he'll probably be one himself. This'll give you a peek at the sail around the world part.
__________________
s/v Libertine
Hunter 44DS
Reply With Quote
  #6 (permalink)  
Old 03-19-2008
sailingdog's Avatar
sailingdog sailingdog is offline
Telstar 28
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: New England
Posts: 30,720
Rep Power: 6
sailingdog is a jewel in the roughsailingdog is a jewel in the roughsailingdog is a jewel in the roughsailingdog is a jewel in the rough
One warning about Faster's advice... finding trimarans to crew on is going to be rather tough...since the majority of the boats are monohulls.

It would also help if you said where you are located... since local knowledge might make a big difference.
__________________
Sailingdog

Telstar 28
New England

You know what the first rule of sailing is? ...Love. You can learn all the math in the 'verse, but you take
a boat to the sea you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as the turning of the worlds. Love keeps
her going when she oughta fall down, tells you she's hurting 'fore she keens. Makes her a home.

—Cpt. Mal Reynolds, Serenity (edited)

If you're new to the Sailnet Forums... please read this POST.

Still—DON'T READ THAT POST AGAIN.
Reply With Quote
  #7 (permalink)  
Old 03-19-2008
Faster's Avatar
Faster Faster is offline
Just another sailor
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: New Westminster, BC
Posts: 3,127
Rep Power: 5
Faster will become famous soon enoughFaster will become famous soon enough
Quote:
Originally Posted by sailingdog View Post
One warning about Faster's advice... finding trimarans to crew on is going to be rather tough...since the majority of the boats are monohulls. .
Gee, thanks, SD.... I was trying to tempt him away from the "dark side"... now you've gone and ruined it....
__________________
Boating in BC waters since the '60s, sailing since 1981.
Currently on our 5th boat, a 1984 Fast/Nicholson 345.
Reply With Quote
  #8 (permalink)  
Old 03-19-2008
sailingdog's Avatar
sailingdog sailingdog is offline
Telstar 28
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: New England
Posts: 30,720
Rep Power: 6
sailingdog is a jewel in the roughsailingdog is a jewel in the roughsailingdog is a jewel in the roughsailingdog is a jewel in the rough
Faster—

LOL... My position as a SITH LORD requires me to deter you at every opportunity.
__________________
Sailingdog

Telstar 28
New England

You know what the first rule of sailing is? ...Love. You can learn all the math in the 'verse, but you take
a boat to the sea you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as the turning of the worlds. Love keeps
her going when she oughta fall down, tells you she's hurting 'fore she keens. Makes her a home.

—Cpt. Mal Reynolds, Serenity (edited)

If you're new to the Sailnet Forums... please read this POST.

Still—DON'T READ THAT POST AGAIN.
Reply With Quote
  #9 (permalink)  
Old 03-19-2008
TrueBlue's Avatar
TrueBlue TrueBlue is offline
Seńor Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Narragansett Bay
Posts: 4,852
Rep Power: 7
TrueBlue is a jewel in the roughTrueBlue is a jewel in the roughTrueBlue is a jewel in the rough
Quote:
Originally Posted by sailingdog View Post
Faster—

LOL... My position as a SITH LORD requires me to deter you at every opportunity.
Ah-hah! SD reveals his true identity as a Sith Lord - now we know his secret to obtaining high poster status.

Here's an archived photo of him getting fitted with an early prototype of his mobile computer with voice recognition software:

__________________
True Blue . . .
sold the Nauticat
Reply With Quote
  #10 (permalink)  
Old 03-20-2008
johnniespaceboy johnniespaceboy is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 5
Rep Power: 0
johnniespaceboy is on a distinguished road
ok well I am 23 years old, looking to spend somewhere around 20 grand, and live in Nevada right now (yes i know its not near any oceans) so that is kind of a problem as of yet..... i have an adventure truck I am putting on ebay soon and will help finance my trip...... any more ideas??? i mean is that too little money should I look for a bigger mono hull? i just really had my heart set on a trimaran
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Want to start great lakes charter co. - advice appreciated!! mjpolifka Chartering 4 10-06-2006 11:47 AM
Recovering from Bad Starts Dean Brenner Racing Articles 0 05-29-2002 09:00 PM
Port-Tack Starts Zack Leonard Racing Articles 0 04-07-2002 09:00 PM
Adapting from the Match Race Crowd Dean Brenner Racing Articles 0 11-14-2001 08:00 PM
Ronstan’s Clear Start Dan Dickison Buying a Boat Articles 0 11-10-2000 08:00 PM

Add to My Yahoo!         
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2009, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
SEO by vBSEO 3.0.0 RC8
(c) Sailnet 2000-2006