How do I get started?

[Soon2BeSailor]

Hey everyone-
I love being out on the ocean, but don't have a boat or a clue how to sail. I hope to live aboard someday. What is the best way to get started (on a budget)?

[peterconway]

buy my boat is the answer to all your needs.....lol
see craigs list asheville, nc

[PBzeer]

Check the Recommended Reading thread here on Sailnet. There's plenty of good reads that will give you an idea of what it takes.

[tomperanteau]

Originally Posted by Soon2BeSailor

Hey everyone-
I love being out on the ocean, but don't have a boat or a clue how to sail. I hope to live aboard someday. What is the best way to get started (on a budget)?

How do you get started? You just did. Welcome to the forum. You'll learn a lot here.

[Minnewaska]

Lessons. Definitely. But, what is the budget? You can learn to sail much more quickly than most non-sailors think.

[BentSailor]

Where abouts in the world are you? Sailing season is pretty much over Down Under (there is a reason this week-end's regatta is called the "Brass Monkey" ), but if you are located in more favourable climes - I would recommend finding your local sailing club.

Ask there for the possibility of sailing lessons and/or crewing with more experienced sailors. I learnt most of the basics from crewing with others in the sailing club races, it didn't cost me a dime (or cent, being Aussie & all ), and I was given tips I would never pick up from a book.

That said, it wasn't until I read my way through the Annapolis Book of Seamanship that I understood why the tips worked so well. Some theoretical underpinning always helps, but you can go a long way learning the skills by crewing with others in a good club

[canadianseamonkey]

Buy a small boat and go sailing. It's the best thing in the world!!!!

[junkrig]

Buy Peterconway's Whatchacallit 22 for $2100.00. It's your basic starter boat, it's cheap, and it'll free his mind to think of something else! ;-)

[dhays]

Originally Posted by canadianseamonkey

Buy a small boat and go sailing. It's the best thing in the world!!!!

I think this is the best advice. Find where you can either buy a cheap, small, sailing dinghy, say 12-16 feet, and just go sailing. If you can find some casual lessons around, great. If you can't, get some books and a pfd and go sailing. Learning to sail in a small sailing dinghy will teach you a lot about sailing in a very short period of time.

Learning to sail is easy. Learning to manage a cruising boat is more complicated. First learn the sailing part and then if you love it (as opposed to just the idea of it) then move on from there.

Dave

[setmefree]

We searched the internet for the local yacht club that sponsored a learn to sail class. It was a saturday and sunday and cost was $40 with lunch. You got a basic book. They taught all the vocabulary and the principals of sailing in the morning and in the afternoon you got to sail on the different types of boats in the club. After finishing the class since we were exposed to the yacht club were we had the opportunity to crew on cruiser class races. This gives you the taste for very little cost.