Getting help sailing new boat without losing face

[elfLogos]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

I'd point out that couples should generally take sailing lessons separately rather than jointly. They tend to learn more that way.

I don't know...my DH and I took all our sailing classes together, and it worked out great for us, because the instructor rotated the roles around, so everyone on the boat was just a student, not a spouse. It also helped in that we could study together and discuss things from the books, the sail we took that day, quiz each other, etc. When we took our liveaboard classes, it was nice to be able to share a cabin too!

[sailingdog]

While that may have worked for you, it is pretty common that it doesn't work that well for most couples. Besides, IMHO, you and your partner will have plenty of time to discuss things as you sail together... making sure that each of you has a sufficient foundation to work with is more important than spending the few days the classes will take together.

Originally Posted by elfLogos

I don't know...my DH and I took all our sailing classes together, and it worked out great for us, because the instructor rotated the roles around, so everyone on the boat was just a student, not a spouse. It also helped in that we could study together and discuss things from the books, the sail we took that day, quiz each other, etc. When we took our liveaboard classes, it was nice to be able to share a cabin too!

[elfLogos]

The other thing, though, is that in all cases our sailing classes were pretty far from home. We live in NC, and went to schools in Florida and Charleston. These provided vacation opportunities for the two of us in addition to school. We wouldn't travel that far from home without each other, and it would have been more expensive to arrange classes separately.

Everyone is different, but I know a lot of couples who plan to sail and/or cruise together, as we do, do fine taking classes at the same time -- every couple is different. Having one spouse teach the other to sail is another matter entirely, but in our case, we were both equally newbies to the whole sailing thing, so classes together were the most efficient way to go.