You read a book and now know how to sail?!

[Dulcitea]

That is too funny! Sinking a 14ft. fishing boat in bad weather is a "slight" incident? Lol. Can't say I blame the gf one iota.

Listen to Wayne. He is right on. Jane was wrong: The best way to learn to sail a big boat is to learn on a dingy. Also, dingy sailing is very fun. In fact, often more fun than sailing a 40 foot condo. After you get the fundamentals of sailing down (it doesn't take long), race the dingy. I have learned a lot about sailing by racing. More often than not I don't come in first, but I have fun and learn something new nearly every time I go.

My husband wouldn't come out with me after having watched (from shore) me capsize one too many Hobies at resorts. Go by yourself and gain back her confidence. Sailing is suppose to be fun. It wouldn't be fun for either of you if you have to nag her to go.

I've been in enough local races now that I fooled my husband into thinking I am a good sailor. What he doesn't know won't hurt him as long as I don't take him out in rough weather and sink the boat.

[sww914]

All experience is helpful. She's wrong. A small boat will make you very aware of your mistakes and quickly, a big boat often will forgive your small mistakes and only clunk you in the head with the large mistakes, when it's really bad.
Same as learning to race a slow car fast, when you don't have anything to power you out of mistakes, your mistake keeps reminding you all the way down the straightaway of how slow you're going. A small boat will keep reminding you of your mistake until you dry out.

[BC100700]

ymiri - I would take the lesson no matter what. I was looking to get into sailing as well and decided the best thing for my situation was to start small. I have a 14' day sailer that I bought for $500. The first time I went out my wife went with me, we experienced sailing together for the first time. We both feel we need lessons, but we can get real world knowledge on a boat that I have a very small investment in. There are all sorts of things that I can learn. I have a local YC that I can take lessons on here so I will likely do that by summer's end, but I will have already read a few books and gone sailing on my own on an inland lake a couple times. I also have a few ASA certified courses I can take, but the cost of my wife and I to both take lessons was 2x what my Dingy cost. We have other sailers on our lake also so asking to go out with them is the next step in my plan. Maybe you could convince your GF that sailing is a life skill and you could learn together. I have 3 kids so it was easy, I just told my wife we could get them off the couch and out in the world in the summer and she was all for it.

Brad

[cormeum]

Learned on FJ's as a kid. I agree, learn dinghy sailing first (fun, easy and catastrophes are no big deal), then move up.

GI Jane is incorrect. But it does go to show that given luck, most can sail anywhere.

[ericread]

In some way, all the answers are OK. But if you want to learn and understand the fundamentals, go to the dingy classes. It's not that you can't learn these skills on your own, but your learning curve will be faster, and you will (probably) learn how to be a safer sailor on the water through these classes.

As an example, a young person can learn to drive a car by driving down the freeway. But that same young person, with a few lessons on driving safety and proper driving techniques will be less of a danger to himself and others when he/she does get on the road.

Good luck! And update us on your experiences.

Eric

[ymiri]

Thanks for all the advice everybody. I will look into the dinghy lessons and test a run with the boat itself. It will be in the water in a couple of weeks.
I selected a few posts that help my cause and forwarded to my GF (made sure to take out the one by 'Dulcitea'
Thanks again everybody

[SeaFever2000]

ymirir,

Where are you located? Depending on that the people on this forum could suggest where to get some lessons. In my opinion, taking lessons is priceless. And practicing on your boat, what you learn is even more priceless. After that experience teaches you forever.

Alternatively you can go to Find a Sailing School - American Sailing Association and find a sailing school near you. I am assuming you are in the continental US...:-) If you are in the SF Bay area, I have a great sailing instructor I can send you to.

Hope that helps.

[ymiri]

I wish I lived there... Actually in Canada close to St. Laurence sea way .

[sailingdog]

Taking lessons, especially something like an ASA 101 "learn to sail" or basic keelboat course, is a great way to get a solid foundation for your sailing career. It will give you the basic theory, tools, vocabulary and skills that are required of a sailor, and these will apply to most boats.

Going out with experienced sailors can be a good learning experience, but I'd caution that some sailors are horrible teachers, regardless of how good a sailor they are. Also, some very experienced sailors do not know the proper techniques and will teach you some very bad or dangerous habits if you're not careful.

Between an ASA 101 type course, a good book like Dave Seidman's The Complete Sailor, and your own boat, you should be able to learn quite a bit.

However, daysailing does not require the same skills that cruising sailors require. Route planning, navigation, and many other skills are often not required when just daysailing, and if you're interested in making longer voyages, then you'll need those skills as well. The USCG Aux, USPS, and other organizations often hold courses on things like navigation, which I'd highly recommend you look into. I'd also HIGHLY recommend you get Richard K. Hubbard's book, Boater's Bowditch, which is basically Bowditch re-written for the small craft navigator.

I'd point out that river sailing can have some challenges that are often not seen on lakes or even on protected bays...

[SeaFever2000]

I am sure other Canadians on this forum can point you to similar organizations near you.
BTW, did you know that the St. Laurence seaway was constructed jointly by Canada and the USA? Interesting, eh?