Not sure what to do???

[ChesaScott]

I have grow up in the Annapolis, MD area and did a little sailing as a teenager... My wife suggesting getting a power boat which I have used a good bit as a crabber years ago but... I am from a sailing area and I have a desire to learn sailing. My wife says you can't get anywhere quick but I say sometimes it is the quality of getting there as we get into our midlife age.... Any suggestions on how to get started sailing in a way that my wife will enjoy it too????

[Perithead]

Scott,

Well, do you and your wife want to day sail or cruise? I am thinking cruise....

The best advice I could give you guys are wanting to cruise is to get a boat that she will like. The cabin is probably going to be the biggest influence on your wife, how "like home" it is. Wifes generally don't like to "rough it" so the nicer the better I think.

How much money are you guys planning on spending?

How big of a boat?

If you are not wanting to spend a huge amount of money you can still get something nice.

Some of the things to look for that your wife would like is.
A boat where she can hook up her hair dryer and stuff.
A decent size head.
Standing headroom.
Probably a wheel so that she can steer easily. (My girlfriend can't steer a tiller)
A decent galley to cook good home-like meals.
The list could go on and on.

Once you get a boat, you want your wife's first day sailing to be a perfect one. Clear, warm, and light winds so that she can enjoy herself. Pamper her every need on this first day so that her first impression of sailing is a good one. The first impression is what counts.......

Good luck, I'm sure there will be much more great advice.

[TheMutt]

Hire a sailboat for a weekend getaway at some romantic spot .... preferably when it's warm enough to have a skinny dip in the moonlight.

If your wife has never experienced time sailing introduce her slowly. Don't be backward getting a trailerable sailboat to start with, it won't be as intimidating as a large sailboat can be to someone who has never experienced what can be a very enjoyable layback experience.

Good Luck

Glenn

[chef2sail]

Take a few day sails with your wife, Many members here on Sailnet would be glad to oblidge including us. Once you are out on the bay on a nice day...she will be hooked.

We are in Rock Creek at the mouth of the Patapsco. Where are you located? Contact us in the late spring if you want a ride..**:**)

Dave

[duman311]

I was in your same shoes last summer. I say learn to sail! I took an ASA course and then rented some 22-23' daysailers and took the family out on a few nice days. Anchored, let them swim. They really enjoyed it.

Then from that start planning on whether to buy, charter, or find friends that will get you out on the water!

I and my wife got the sailing bug from of all places the Baltimore Boat show. The wife liked the interior of the (of course) the 37-43' sailboats and said perhaps sailing would suit us. Say no more I signed up for classes and had a great summer last summer getting the ASA courses down and sailing.

[SEMIJim]

Originally Posted by ChesaScott

My wife suggesting getting a power boat ... but... I am from a sailing area and I have a desire to learn sailing. My wife says you can't get anywhere quick but I say sometimes it is the quality of getting there ...

Exactly. Power boats are, to me, good for getting from Point A to Point B quickly, albeit expensively and noisily. If that's what you want to do and you can afford the fuel bill: That's what to do, I guess. ISTM in most cases, if all you want to do is get from point to point, and neither point is an island, you can usually do it as quickly, more cheaply, and certainly more quietly, in a car. My wife, and I, OTOH, are interested in being on the water for the sake of being on the water.

There are exceptions, of course. For exampl: We have friends that have a summer cottage on an island. It taking a couple hours by sail to get there, as opposed to about 20-30 minutes by power boat, isn't so much the issue as the fact it's too shallow, way too far out, to make much sense in a sailboat. So we wouldn't mind having a small-ish stinkpot for that purpose.

But for just boating around? I'd much, much rather sail than stink-boat around.

Jim

[ChesaScott]

Thanks for all of the replies. It is interesting that Duman311 broght up the Baltimore Boat Show too because I was looking into going there next weekend.

[N0NJY]

My wife and I both grew up around boats and the Great Lakes. Just not sailing.

We both ALWAYS wanted to sail. We talked about when we were married 32 years ago and then "Life Occurred". Five kids, eleven grandkids later we were talking a few months back about "what do you want to do when we retire".

She said, "I don't want to sit down and quit". The conversation went back to 32 years ago and a discussion we had about cruising the world.

A few months later we own a small (25') older boat, we're doing some work on it, and we're going to sail in the lakes here in Colorado for a time. In April we're taking some courses. By fall of 2009 we hope to be planning our vacation 2010 summer either doing some river sailing or chartering in the Caribbean.

Four years from now, we want to be living aboard our own boat and cruising around where ever we want to go.

Good luck

Rick

PS... write your plan out, but don't put dates in it. No need to pressure yourselves. BUT - know some milestones.

[seafaringal]

Originally Posted by chef2sail

Take a few day sails with your wife, Many members here on Sailnet would be glad to oblidge including us. Once you are out on the bay on a nice day...she will be hooked.

We are in Rock Creek at the mouth of the Patapsco. Where are you located? Contact us in the late spring if you want a ride..**:**)

Dave

I agree. I knew nothing about boats when I bought one . I was intimidated at first but intrigued and excited to learn. My first time on the water turned out to be a 7 day adventure. Yeah, I roughed it but that didn't stifle me, only left me wanting more.