Heydi-Ho folks.
I've been lurking the site for some time, but only registered today.
I am a father of 4(!!) who has dreamed of sailing since his old Navy days. (Ironically, land-based patrol planes and a full career with no sea time. Go figure)
I took a few lessons, gee 20 years ago? But sailing a sunfish around the protected lagoon of Diego Garcia at 20yo is a far cry from the rocky coast of Maine at 41!
So here I am, 20 years later, finally with the resources to begin sailing, and shopping for my first boat. I have loads of questions, and a few goals.
First, I'm planning on taking the first ASA course I can next season. September is a little late in the season to start up here.
After that, then what? I'll be shopping for a boat, yes. None of my friends are sailors, can't really ask to crew for them (or I'd have done so long before now). I suppose I could try renting now and then? There is a rental company on Sebago lake a couple hours away. This is where the plan gets fuzzy.
For a boat to own, I'm not entirely certain what to look for yet. It needs to be first-timer friendly. But I do have a large family, only 1 of which would be willing/able to help crew (my 13yo son). So it also needs to be manageable by a crew of 1-2. "The Dream" is something that could manage long weekends tooling around the Maine coast between Portland and Downeast (say the Rockland/Camden area). So small enough for my son and I to handle, large enough to carry the whole family for a day, or a few of us for a weekend.
I'm almost leaning to something in the 28-30ft range, but that seems like it might be a bit much to handle, especially considering the inexperience?
Anyway, I'm here. I'm lurking, I'm learning, and most definitely I'm Dreaming.
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