Complete beginner...need help!

[Ian T]

I have never sailed anything before. I need some help.

The dream is to learn how to sail with my wife, buy a small sailboat, then sail from my home here in Tampa, Florida to Cozamel and back with our 3 year old daughter. Then sell the boat.

Where should I start? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am looking to begin preparation immediately. I want to do this right, for as you can imagine, nothing is more important than the safety of my daughter.

Thanks in advance!

[jackdale]

As an instructor I am biased - take lessons. Get instruction from a good instructor who can teach you what to do and what not to do; learn from their experience. Sail - find a local yacht club and doing some racing; it improves the breed. Charter - before you buy figure out what you and the family like and dislike in deck layouts and interior layouts.

[JedNeck]

Rent "Captain Ron", watch it with your daughter...call it a day.

[MarkSF]

Originally Posted by JedNeck

Rent "Captain Ron", watch it with your daughter...call it a day.

I am a great admirer of his tutorial on docking.

[SHNOOL]

Sailing lessons for sure! Then charter. Then realize what you want to do is not something you should have thought about doing without A) and B) first above.

Once you have a few hundred miles captaining vessels in varying conditions, start your search for a boat.

PS: Boats generally are a lousy investment, don't expect to sell it even only a few months older for what you bought it for.

[pdqaltair]

Why believe a bunch of strangers on the net?

Seriously, there is a lot of great writing out there, both instructional and travel writing.

[DRFerron]

Originally Posted by pdqaltair

Why believe a bunch of strangers on the net?

Seriously, there is a lot of great writing out there, both instructional and travel writing.

'Tis true and I have read and recommended my fair share of books. However, how are the authors of the books any less a stranger to someone new to sailing (or to any of us who do not personally know the author)? If I'm new to sailing and staring at the shelf at the bookstore, how do I figure out which author is not going to steer me wrong?

There are many experienced sailors who participate in this forum and who have sailed extensively both inland and off shore, who cruise and who race. I would not discount the value they can add to anyone looking to expand his or her sailing knowledge.

[emoney]

If I may be so intrusive, can you (OP), expound on your rationale? What's the logic in going to all this effort in learning to sail, taking on the ardorous task of sailing across the Gulf to Cozumel, and then simply selling the boat? There must be "more to the story", no?

And lastly, it's not your intent to "learn how to sail" on the WAY to Cozumel, is it? Just curious, and your answers may garner you better advice and/or information. By the way, welcome to SN as it's always nice to have other, fellow West Coast Florida folks.

[pdqaltair]

Originally Posted by DRFerron

'Tis true and I have read and recommended my fair share of books. However, how are the authors of the books any less a stranger to someone new to sailing (or to any of us who do not personally know the author)? If I'm new to sailing and staring at the shelf at the bookstore, how do I figure out which author is not going to steer me wrong?

There are many experienced sailors who participate in this forum and who have sailed extensively both inland and off shore, who cruise and who race. I would not discount the value they can add to anyone looking to expand his or her sailing knowledge.

Yup, all true.

However, on the average publishers skim much of the dross, while with forums it's all mixed in. Even wise posters answer off the cuff, while their published response would be more considered. Still, if I didn't think forums worthwhile, I wouldn't follow them. The information is a bit less dated and there is interactivity and conversational value to consider.

Books have more time to treat basics in detail and to convey the bigger picture. A poster who says "here I am, teach me, I haven't time to read" concerns me. To learn to cruise is not a quick thing and requires the use of ALL learning tools.

[SHNOOL]

I love these posts, it's like FIGHT CLUB for sailnet, and the OPs usually scurry.. don't let it intimidate you Ian T, it ain't your question... please elaborate if you would.