Tips or Pointers for a Beginner?

[PsychedChicken]

Hey!

MY husband and I have this dream of running away on a sailboat (long story short). Neither of us know how to sail. He bought me a little mini-fish (13ft dingy) to learn on. After reading a few webpages, I took it out AND managed to get it back in without any catastrophes.

Since then there has been much more reading, and we've been looking into getting a 20-30ft boat to start getting a real handle on things. We are looking at a couple and will purchase within the next week or two most likely.

However I have no experience on a boat that size (or with that much rigging!!) and the odds are we are going to be sailing a boat home. Most of the ones we are looking at are VERY inexpensive because their lease at the marina is up. i have a deep water slip at my house....

So, Any pointers or tips??

Another thing Im pretty concerned about is what gear I should have, besides the obvious safety gear.
In your experience what things have you found handy to have aboard?
For a day on the water? Weekend cruise?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!! :-)

[jackdale]

Step one - take lessons.

You can gain a lot from the experience of a good instructor.

I would suggest chartering a few different boats to help you to determine what layouts, etc.. are available. For example, what shape of galley do you want, L, U, J or linear?

[cb32863]

Definitely get some lessons. You can look for a school on ASA's website. Also, mosey around the marina and see if you can crew with some folks. Sailing other peoples boat's is another great way to get experience. I started with some lessons, ASA 101, over a year ago and have moved up from there. I also have a boat club I am a member of that has a few different boats I can use and also offers charter discounts.

Sail on a few different types first before thinking about what you think you want. When I started I thought I knew what I would want in a boat of my own and that has completely changed after a year of sailing. Also, some excellent guidance from a few folks here. The general consensus is to learn on something smaller and work your way up. Some folks learn differently though and jump right in.

[sailingdog]

Before buying a boat, I would recommend you get some time in sailing on larger boats first. Buying a boat is an expensive commitment, and if you're going to be miserably seasick, it might be wise to find out before making the leap.

It would also be a good idea to spend some time on some cruising sized boats so you can get a feel for what you're looking for in a boat. Galley, berth, salon and cockpit layouts can vary quite a bit.

Taking a good basic "learn to sail" course is also a good idea, as it gives you a solid foundation on which to base your future learning. A good book to buy is Dave Seidman's The Complete Sailor, which costs about $16 or so and is one of the best sailing primers I've seen in years.

If you've decided you want to make the leap into owning a larger cruising-type sailboat, as opposed to a daysailer or dinghy, then I'd recommend you read the Boat Inspection Trip Tips thread I started, as it will help you determine whether other boats you look at are even worth going forward on, saving you the price of a survey on any boats that aren't worth looking at further.

As for gear on the boat, that depends on the type of sailing you're doing. A longer trip will require more gear and equipment than a short daysail. Going bluewater will require different equipment than coastal cruising.

Basics, for daysails and weekend cruises include:

Food
Water
PFDs
Jacklines, harnesses and tethers if you're singlehanding or going to be sailng in bad weather. See the article I wrote here on this.
Handbearing compass
Charts and navigation tools—parallel rules, dividers, pencil
Binoculars
Foul weather gear
A couple of changes of clothes
An air horn—I prefer the EcoHorn which is re-usable and recharges by using a bicycle type pump
A whistle, knife, flashlight and strobe for each crewmember, preferably attached to their PFD—I prefer the small waterproof LED flashlights, like the Gerber Firecracker
Sunblock
Insect repellent
Sailing gloves

Good luck and I hope this helps.

[jackdale]

More items for SD's list

fire extinguishers
fire blanket for galley
anchor and rode
flares
manual bailer / bucket
radar reflector
VHF radio (take a course, get the certificate; you will be more comfortable using the radio)
GPS
Sailing shoes / boots (if needed)

Take a first aid course.

[SailingWebGuy]

Don't forget the booze

[Barquito]

The learning curve is still very steep (at times), even after 10 years of sailing. There is a lot to learn, that will be required to be safe "out there". I suppose there are a lot of folks out there who have less experience, however, they will have very little to draw-on from the bank of experience in times of crisis.

[sailingdog]

I'd add a signal mirror and a good first aid kit to this list as well....

Originally Posted by jackdale

More items for SD's list

fire extinguishers
fire blanket for galley
anchor and rode
flares
manual bailer / bucket
radar reflector
VHF radio (take a course, get the certificate; you will be more comfortable using the radio)
GPS
Sailing shoes / boots (if needed)

Take a first aid course.

[smackdaddy]

Hey Psych....

There's tons of info on here - as well as many, many salts that will talk you through just about anything.

You should also start poking around in this thread: The Salt's Corner Table

It's a thread with some of the best info to some of the most asked questions around here. And you can see who some of the go-to guys are. Pure gold.

Enjoy.

[paulk]

If you're going to be going out in your car in a couple of weeks and then sailing a boat back home, it would be a good idea to take someone with you who knows what they're doing in a sailboat like the one you're ending up with. What sort of distance is involved? What happens if the motor dies halfway? Are there bridges that you will have to worry about getting to your slip? Is there deep water all the way to your slip? The weather on the weekend you pick may not be the best. Do you have a plan B? An experienced sailor will be better able to figure out what the problems might be and how to resolve them -- before they happen. He or she might even be able to help you select the boat that will suit you best from the ones you're looking at. Besides looking for help here (good idea), I would look for help in the form of a person who can provide more specific information based on your specific situation.