advice to new

[Meatpoet]

Sailingdog - My bad! Well that is just weird. I thought that this was their website...

http://catamaransite.com/

http://catamaransite.com/boat_photos.html (shows a Florida marina and calls it home with construction photos) but I can see with more digging that Tom Lack Catamarans is builder/designer and J. Winterbotham is designer for Catalac. I was so busy evaluating the images, construction photos and layouts that I did not dig far enough into the builder information.

I was baffled by that fact that pricing was all in pounds when it appeared that they lived in Florida (thought maybe they did construction offshore in BVI or something). Your answer explains that mystery and has prompted me to dig up more info.

I am getting used to the way boating web sites are arranged by Google in terms of relevance. I am puzzled why the builder/designer web site isn't the first hit for relevant information (like automobiles).

I will look into the monohulls you listed in as good starter boats today and see what I find. I am reading The Complete Sailor by David Seidman (it was the first book to come in on my list of books). They seem less intimidating with more information.

I sure love the look of Telstar's but they don't seem like a good boat for dogs (not enough deck space). My dogs are pretty small, but I figured without some room to move around (they have a huge yard now) that it was kind of a cruel and unusual punishment.

It is really great to know that my favorite pick, the Gemini's, have a good support network...for someone like me, that is very important. I was thinking that because of their popularity they might be easier to repair or find parts for too.

If I joined a sailing club, would I get the experience of making repairs and a more mechanical hands on learning (engine repairs, sail repairs, etc, since that is half the fun)? I don't want to just sail around or pleasure cruise on the weekends, I need the whole experience to help me prepare to be self sufficient. Let me know you think?

[sailingdog]

Originally Posted by Meatpoet

Sailingdog - My bad! Well that is just weird. I thought that this was their website...

http://catamaransite.com/

http://catamaransite.com/boat_photos.html (shows a Florida marina and calls it home with construction photos) but I can see with more digging that Tom Lack Catamarans is builder/designer and J. Winterbotham is designer for Catalac. I was so busy evaluating the images, construction photos and layouts that I did not dig far enough into the builder information.

I was baffled by that fact that pricing was all in pounds when it appeared that they lived in Florida (thought maybe they did construction offshore in BVI or something). Your answer explains that mystery and has prompted me to dig up more info.

I am getting used to the way boating web sites are arranged by Google in terms of relevance. I am puzzled why the builder/designer web site isn't the first hit for relevant information (like automobiles).

I don't believe the manufacturer even exists any longer... so it would probably not have a website. PageRank, google's algorithm can be a bit confused...

I will look into the monohulls you listed in as good starter boats today and see what I find. I am reading The Complete Sailor by David Seidman (it was the first book to come in on my list of books). They seem less intimidating with more information.

Excellent book isn't it.. I usually have a spare copy to give to N00bs.. that crew for me.

I sure love the look of Telstar's but they don't seem like a good boat for dogs (not enough deck space). My dogs are pretty small, but I figured without some room to move around (they have a huge yard now) that it was kind of a cruel and unusual punishment.

Lots of deck space, not enough cabin space.

It is really great to know that my favorite pick, the Gemini's, have a good support network...for someone like me, that is very important. I was thinking that because of their popularity they might be easier to repair or find parts for too.

If you haven't joined the Yahoo group... I would recommend you do so. I'm not a member, but several of the regulars here are.

If I joined a sailing club, would I get the experience of making repairs and a more mechanical hands on learning (engine repairs, sail repairs, etc, since that is half the fun)? I don't want to just sail around or pleasure cruise on the weekends, I need the whole experience to help me prepare to be self sufficient. Let me know you think?

No, but if you volunteered to help maintain the boats, and help crew on boats, you'd probably get plenty of offers to have you go sailing. Crew that volunteers to help with the scut work generally get invited to sail a LOT more often than the ones who don't.

[Sun27]

My guess is you know how you learn the best. I am a heuristic learner. I read just about everything I could get my hands on, for about six months before my first sailboat purchase.

My fist sloop was a Buchaneer 24, afloating travel trailer that went to weather, like a cow to slaughter. I put her in a lake to learn. I singlehanded her 90% of the time and within 90 days, I had sailing skills superior to everyone on the lake.

However, it's relative like all things. I was sailing about 35 hours a week. When I survived a December 30-35 knot blow, with mail sail reefed and storm jib, single handed, I moved Sanctuary to S.F. Bay.

Happy sailing!

Sun 27