Maybe too bold!

[morgan5152]

I've wanted to sail for years now and recently I came across an opportunity to buy my first boat (Pearson 26) about a month ago. I have not taken lessons yet. I ordered a couple books (Sailing for Dummies, The Complete Sailor). I read the books and spent some hours trying to familiarize myself with the boat. My two sons (19 and 16) and I motored out of our marina (Hampton Roads area of the lower Chesapeake). We put up the main sail and sailed back in forth right outside the marina. About a week later, I took the wife and the boys out. We motored out into the bay and then raised the main and the 130 genoa. The winds were kind of light but we were moving! We sailed over to the Norfolk Naval base area and then headed back. When we got about 3/4's mile from the marina we hit the current coming in from the rising tide and the wind died off. It took quite a while to get back in and we did get close to an anchored container ship! I learned a few lessons and I will try and not to take such chances in the future.

[sailingdog]

Conggratulations... at least it was an anchored container ship, rather than one under full steam. One is much more a hazard than the other.

[jorgenl]

Watch out for the container ships - they kinda sneak up on you.
The submarines make it even more interesting

Which Marina are you in?

[USCGRET1990]

Hope to see toy one day, I'll be homeporting out of Poquoson.

[USCGRET1990]

you....what the heck was that?!

[Sabre66]

In my opinion your being a little too bold! A P 26 is by no means a big boat but it's also not a laser or a sunfish. These boats can be a handful when the conditions change or an emergency pops up that your not ready to deal with.
I remember watching a father and son team sail their way through our mooring field completely out of control,on their new cat 25. A gust came up and the guy couldn't overcome the sails with the rudder (no steerage) he t-boned another boat doing considerable damage, his comment was ' I turned the tiller but the boat wouldn't turn'. He obviously didn't know his little rudder couldn't overcome the forces generated by the sails and that he needed to ease them at that point.
There is so much to be learned on a small sunfish style boat that will help you on your big boat. I strongly advise you to take some lessons or get an instructor to come on your boat.
BTW congratulations the P 26 is a good boat and a great D fleet phrf racer.

[nolatom]

You've got a good boat and a good attitude. What you might consider is hiring someone who's good at sailing to take you out on a nice 10-15-knot day to run you through the basics--tacking, jibing, reefing, man overboard, heaving-to, docking and undocking, rules of the road, anchoring, and yada yada...

It'd be a good way to learn the right habits to start with, and how to get the most out of your rig and sails (jib lead and traveler position, which jib to use when, how much tension on the sheets, etc.).

One or two trips with someone like that, and you can then go back to learning it by "trial and error", but you'll be higher up on the learning curve.

(Full disclosure--I teach basic keelboat sailing as a weekend gig, so you're hearing advice from an instructor here)

In any event, good luck, and good sailing.

[sailingdog]

My recommendation would be to take a basic ASA 101 course to get an idea of the basics, and then spend some time sailing on your boat...

[morgan5152]

I hear everybody and I do intend to take ASA 101 and 103 shortly. I am sailing out of Old Point Comfort on Fort Monroe.

[morgan5152]

This is Morgan's wife and I hope he takes y'alls advice becuse I won't go out on that boat again. He failed to tell you we were only about 15 feet from the ship.