Dare I?

[BubbleheadMd]

So...I've brought my Coronado 25 home to it's berth, walking distance from my house. I've been reading everything I can get my hands on, but I haven't taken a sailing course yet and I probably won't be able to take one with a "hands-on" portion until Spring.

I am NOT new to boats or the water. I'm versed on Inland rules of the road, I know the local laws, I know to file a sailing plan, check the weather, pack emergency supplies, etc. I'm just new to wind propulsion.

The boat's engine is nearly brand-new, I have cell phones and a marine band radio to call for help. So if I screw up, and just don't understand how to sail without a class, I can furl up the sails and just motor back in.

If the weather is right for sailing this weekend, would it really be the height of stupidity to take her out and try to sail? What did people do before ASA101 was invented?

I was thinking of only one sail to start. Should it be the jib or the main? I have a Genoa and a smaller jib, so I have a choice of jibs as well.

What do you think?

[poltergeist]

The weather in this part of the world looks cold this weekend (I'm in VA, too).

Apart from that, if you've never had a hand on a tiller or raised a sail before, don't go out without someone experienced aboard. My opinion.

I know what that itch feels like, though. ;-)

[JohnRPollard]

Originally Posted by BubbleheadMd

...If the weather is right for sailing this weekend, would it really be the height of stupidity to take her out and try to sail? What did people do before ASA101 was invented?

...

What do you think?

Bublehead,

I can certainly empathize with your desire to get out on the water and try sailing in your new boat. But....

While it may not be the very "height of stupidity", I think most experienced sailors would tell you that attempting to learn to sail on your own during the winter months is not the smartest thing to do.

Our sailing season has pretty well tapered off hereabouts, because the weather and water temps are much less favorable. Those who continue throughout the winter, are doing so while exercising certain cautions, preventative measures, and extreme care that experience has taught them.

A novice alone on a new boat has none of that experience. In the warmer months, you can get away with your errors of judgment because the conditions are generally much more forgiving. Winter conditions in the winter have the opposite effect, i.e. they tend to compound our errors.

If you decide to go out anyway, please consider taking along an experienced sailor and be sure to wear your pfd at all times.

[celenoglu]

A sailing boat travels forward if you open the genova or jib to the other side of the wind and the main with not too much stress on the ropes. İncrease the angle of sails with the boat as the wind is coming more to the back of ther boat. Decrease them if it is blowing from the head of the boat.

Just get out of your berth and try it. The worst scenario is to drop sail and motor back to your berth. Just make sure you do not have any of your lines in the water before starting your engine.

[BubbleheadMd]

I might be able to con one of my experienced neighbors into going out with me. I just dont' know them well yet.

If not, maybe I'll just experiement with the sails and the lines while tied up in the slip without actually going anywhere.

(Kind of like how I sit on my motorcycle in the winter and make "vroom" noises.)

[bluwateronly]

It would be safer to take a friend that has sailed with you. If you don't have one find one and make friends. The hard part is getting the sails up when going solo it's alot eaiser to have somebody on the tiller keeping the boat into the wind when you raise the main sail. The jib goes up next and again takes practice when alone unless you have a rolling furler then it's pretty straight forward. Please practice putting in a reef, raising main, when wind is light at the slip do it till it's second nature. It's hard to resist the sailing bug urgh but a smart captain does not put his boat in danger. Have fun and making it back without breaking something is considerd a good sail. Or you could do what alot of us do is just work on the boat till your to tired to care to go sailing

[deniseO30]

BH, pick a warmish day with light winds, but in the meantime get comfortable with raising the main and jib at the dock (you have a roller jib?) dropping the main while underway can be a problem without lazy jacks. Is there at least a wind vane on top the mast? Tiller or wheel?
Anyway.. make sure you have a line (mainsheet) that will let you control the boom without letting go the wheel or tiller. you can use the traveler (if you have one) but I'd suggest you wait until your ok with just using the mainsheet.
when you get out there for the first time, raise the main while heading into the wind. The boat will weathervane pointing into the wind on it's own somewhat. then after you have the main cleated off turn P or S off the wind and let the main fill. get the feel of the boat with just the main.. Most boats with sloop rigs are slugs without the jib. if the wind gusts or pipes up you will want to let the boom out so the boat doesn't heel too much for comfort. Then after you get cozy with that.. then try adding the jib. This is were it's difficult solo if you have to go forward.
Wait until you feel your ready to raise the jib. (you realize real soon how much we love roller furling if you dont' have it) You can motor with the main up too, But in the harbor you may get in trouble. You will want to drop the main when heading into the wind also. this is when you may need to lock the tiller or wheel. have a bungie handy to at least get the main gathered enough that the wind doesnt' pick it up. (deal with furling later) dropping the jib, you can pull or push it into the forward hatch until you get into dock also. (rolling it in is easier of course)

You can do this! I've not had any lessons.. but I read allot! going on 5 yrs sailing (almost 4 on my O30) and I single hand allot. even with friends onboard. go for it!! Good luck!

PS: you can wear a wet suit and be sure your tetered to the boat too. cold water. Having someone near or available from a distance will give you a better chance to think on your own.. Or just take someone that knows how to sail. but then you won't be able to say you went on your own first time.

[tager]

Do it. Why spend your whole life being safe?

Here is my predicted scenario:

You motor out of the marina, it is stressful, but you go really slow, and you are really careful, and you escape unscathed. You are out in the water, away from the dock, and you raise the sails. You hear the sound of the slides in the track, and the hanks gliding up the forestay. The sky above you is filled with the white of your sails, and as they begin to fill, you are filled with the same joy that all of us feel when we raise sail. You fiddle around, making mistakes, trying to trim your sails, feeling like everyone is watching you, the sails set terribly, and you probably end up downwind of where you need to be. The boat still goes forward. 99% of people wish they were on the boat with you, and you have a serene, fun, beautiful time of it.

At this point you furl your sails messily. You drift around for a while, and realize that this isn't really that dangerous, and you are going to be fine. You start the motor, motor into your slip feeling nervous, get in safely, and make fast to the float.

Then you feel the joy of sailing, after safely completing a solo sail, you realize that you can do this all the time! (That you aren't doing boat projects.)

Really, it is not that scary or difficult, even if you ram something, you will find that boats are pretty resilient, and 4 knots is not that fast.

Just wear a life jacket and don't go too far from land! HA!

[JohnRPollard]

I never took sailing lessons either. But I have to say I'm surprised that anyone would encourage a complete non-sailor to head out solo on his new boat during December on the Chesapeake to try sailing for the very first time.

[tommays]

Well

From my POV you dont really understand what parts of a sailboat bite the hand that feeds it

Stupid stuff happens like getting smacked in the head with the boom OR get you get a finger pulled into a block or winch

There is just and endless list of ways to hurt yourself UNTIL you learn the basic stuff