East Coastal sailing for a newbie?

[Dean101]

Originally Posted by travlineasy

DO IT! I've worked hard all my life, managed to raise a couple great kids, and have been on boats all my life. But, until 6 years ago they were all powerboats, and nearly every trip was a 1-day fishing excursion. At age 65 I purchased a 27-Catalina for $2,000, spent another couple grand fixing it up, sailed the length of Chesapeake Bay and loved every minute of the 10-day trip. You only get one shot at life, and you are young enough to have a half-century of fun in front of you. GO FOR IT!

There are loads of great books available on Amazon, and if you plan to sail down the ICW to Florida, be sure to pick up the map books for the trip--they are a must have.

Good Luck, and I sincerely hope you take the plunge--you'll never regret it.

Gary

In case you don't know, You can buy used books pretty darn cheap on the Barnes and Noble website. That's been the cheapest place I've found for building up my nautical library. Just search for the book you want, select it, then click the used link on the page and it will give you a list of all authorized sellers with condition and price. I'm not affiliated in any way with Barnes and Noble but I know how expensive it can get when you find 2 or 3 books you really want...

Good luck with your plans. It sounds like almost everyone here is in envy of you since you're so young. You have no idea how many times I've read the words "wish I had done it when I was younger"! Hell, I'm one of them.

[mxracer19]

I say go for it as well! Im 25 and I already wish I had done something like that back when I was younger...AND IM STILL YOUNG. But now Im tied down with bills, student loans, the whole military thing....

I say trailer the boat to the Florida border and put the car in long term storage, travel the intercoastal waterway south coming in and out of the ocean when you can until you hit the Keys, sail the keys for 3 weeks and shoot to be back to your truck by March. Spend as much time as you can in the keys, potentially make the passage to the Bahamas...who knows. Leave the dad home. 2 is company, three's a crowd. I say skip the girlfriend too and take a dog, but that's just me. Who knows what you'll find on the way. All I know is that the Keys are GORGEOUS in december

-Matt


Edit: P.s...Damn, Im flippin' jealous. I would give almost anything to be 19 again, knowing then what I know now. On second thought, absolutly leave the girl home. Tell her horror stories and hope that she decides she doesn't want to go with you. Tell her it's going to be cold, and wet, and it's not all palm trees and sunshine. Tell her anything you want. That's a long time to be stuck on 200 square feet of fiberglass with someone.

[acarter92]

I can't say how much I appreciate the help, this is going to make it so much easier for me. I'm liking the coast guard aux program. Cheap, and seems like it would be good enough to get me on my feet. There is a sailing class in early april not to far from here that I'll sign up for, and there's a navigation class in march that I may do. We'll see where I am at that point. I think I'm going to try to learn most of the navigation by reading, prolly buy a book or two.

mxracer:
ya got me laughin, that's for sure :-). I thought about doing it alone, I do like my alone time. But then there's that safety thing when there's two people. All my friends are in college, and all the "grown ups" have them darn responsibilities that I'm in no hurry for. So it's either me alone or me and kelly (my girlfriend), although like you said two months is a long time to be with someone that you can't get away from. Ah well.... I'm not gonna worry about that problem right now. I do think the dog would be good company, but prolly not such a good sailor, maybe I could teach him to pee in the water?

The thing I don't like about trailerin the boat to florida is: for one, the gas money. But more importantly, I think the challenge is sailing there. Anybody can drive a truck.....

Austin

[Silvio]

I'm with others here, DO IT! Buy a trailer sailor, drive it to south Florida, sail, camp, live, enjoy! Come back and work when the weather improves at home, repeat the process when weather gets cold. Have a good time.

[acarter92]

So far I'm signed up for a Weekend Navigator class and Sailing Skills and Seamanship course, both through the coast guard AUX. The total for the two course was $150 and I just have to buy a $30 book for the navigator course. From what I've been reading and learning I think they will be enough to get me on the water and the rest will come from trial and error. Been doing a lot of reading on the forum, you can learn a lot by reading through posts.

I think I'm going to look for a day sailer come spring time, one that I can put a jib on. That will get me experience with two sails. Then when I go to my big boat I'll just have to enlarge those skills. I do have a sunfish, but that's only one sail and although it's rated for 4 people, you can only sail with two or comfortably with one. So that's hitting craigslist.

Austin

[DRFerron]

I teach the Sailing Skills and Seamanship course in my flotilla. It will also teach you how much more there is to learn.

[Midnightflyer]

Austin, Go for Guy! The only way to gain experience is to do it. Read what mark twain said.
And by the way, Dogs are to love, not make love, so take the girl......

[Tempest]

I certainly don't want to be the kill joy here. Have you wondered why all your friends are in college and you're not? I love Mark Twain, ( he lived in a different century) just make sure that the regret you have 20 years from now, is not that you didn't go sailing, but that you didn't go to college.

If I may, I'd like to suggest that it IS possible to do both. Get a college degree AND take time to go sailing and have fun. As a man, you will eventually ( if you don't already) have to get up everyday and go to work to support yourself and maybe your family. Trying to do that with only a HS diploma in 2012 and beyond could severely limit any future " fun adventures" you might want to undertake.

More women are graduating college today than men, and the number of women with advanced degrees have recently surpassed men holding advanced degree. Investing in yourself ( education) today will pay dividends in the future and open up more options.
Both in the ability to have fun and get a date.. ( women don't often marry down) Just saying.

BTW, it is possible to have lots of fun...well past your 20's.

Back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Good luck in whatever you do.

[badsanta]

get the book "This old Boat" "the 12 volt bible" and many others check out eBay and Amazon. When you find a boat spend the next year or so fixing it up and when you finish mowing in the fall head south in October and enjoy your winter south.

[DRFerron]

Originally Posted by Tempest

I certainly don't want to be the kill joy here. Have you wondered why all your friends are in college and you're not? I love Mark Twain, ( he lived in a different century) just make sure that the regret you have 20 years from now, is not that you didn't go sailing, but that you didn't go to college.

Colleges won't be around in 20 (or however many) years? And I don't agree with the argument that everyone has to graduate high school and immediately go to college or that it's always easier to go when you're under 20 (or whatever). I returned to school three times (for different degrees) between 30 and 40 and I'd love to get a marine science degree if I had any aptitude whatsover for math (or for science for that matter).

Originally Posted by Tempest

If I may, I'd like to suggest that it IS possible to do both.

True. Many colleges and universities have sailing programs. My undergraduate university started one after I graduated, sadly.

Originally Posted by Tempest

More women are graduating college today than men, and the number of women with advanced degrees have recently surpassed men holding advanced degree.

It doesn't necessarily follow that less men are graduating than before, just that more women than men are graduating now. The number of men graduating may have remained the same. There are new colleges and universities popping up so that would indicate more opportunity for both. I also think the vast amount of online degrees offered by respected colleges and universities also has something to do with the numbers changing.

As for marrying "down," I won't even go there.

Originally Posted by Tempest

Investing in yourself ( education) today will pay dividends in the future and open up more options.

True, but I would also add that military service and trades are no less valuable an investment in oneself.

Originally Posted by Tempest

BTW, it is possible to have lots of fun...well past your 20's.

Yes, indeedy!!

Originally Posted by Tempest

Good luck in whatever you do.

Ditto.