Dingy to Cruising?

[BentSailor]

I'm near the beginning of a long-term plan which ends up with my wife & I cruising in semi-retirement. We've been spending our sailing time learning the ropes (quite literally ) of sailing on a local lake in a Corsair.

I've been told, by several people I trust now, that learning to sail in a Corsair is an excellent foundation for learning to sail any sloop. Is this an opinion shared by folks here or would people recommend some other method / priority?

I, personally, am not very interested in racing (though that seems to be the focus of Corsair sailing) as my interest in sailing is purely the feeling of freedom I get being out on the water. I note, and agree, that sailing in races has helped me learn better ways of sailing in the different conditions available. Still, I'm interested in other's opinions on the matter. Should I learn in races first, or learn first and then race to improve. I'll admit to being a little frustrated at the slow progress of learning through races and am strongly considering lessons outside the club to get my skills up faster.

Finally, I'm kind of hoping a few cruisers out there could tell me how they started. I've followed a few blogs now and I'm surprised at the number that seem to have bought a boat to cruise before having learnt to sail. Is my long-term planning unusual? Or is it considered reckless (if very interesting to follow online) to do what these people have done?

[norsearayder]

learn all you can on the corsair and then move up to 25 foot for a year do some cruising and see if you like it,then move up, but before you do study from many diff sorces[sailnet]and finnally seek jeff h postings on yacht design,meld that with your financial condition filter it all with safety& away we go!!!

[TQA]

Sailing on a bigger boat will be much like the Corsair except everything happens much slower. I would not sweat it as 99+% of the time what you have learned plus some common sense will keep you safe.

One exception is if you plan to use marinas then you need to learn how to dock and undock your big boat in all conditions. This can be a difficult and sometimes very expensive errors occur. It is the one area that I would say you need some professional instruction and lots of practice.

P.S. I have been a liveaboard cruiser for years and marinas bring me out in a cold sweat.

[bljones]

Reading between the lines, what you're really asking is, "how do I convince, coerce, and connive my wife into allowing me to buy a larger boat sooner rather than later?"

There's no wrong approach to going cruising, other than procrastinating until it is too late. If you like dinghying around, then keep doing it, if you feel you would rather have a boat for overnighting, then do it.

[Yorksailor]

We cruise full time in a lovely well equipped boat but I still miss my Corsair F31 which made a fool of me far more often than my 55 ft 'Gin Palace'.

Cruising is much harder work than most people think and we know of many wives that have quit. Often because of lack of skill of both parties but especially the male.

You need to start learning to cruising, take a course and sail, take another course and sail more. Charter a boat and take another course. Slowly increase your boundaries, skills and experience with your wife as a full partner.

Racing is about getting there as fast as possible with limited risk...cruising is about getting there as safely as possible with almost no risk. Even in a F8 or F9 gale cruising boats can be sailed quite safely if you are experienced.

While many would say that this is overkill and you just go and sail my wife and I have not regretted the professional way we learned...

Phil & Nell

[LakeSuperiorGeezer]

Are you near any yacht clubs? People who know boats and will let you have a look at what they have so you can get some ideas? The lake you sail on, talk to folks with the larger boats, ask to go out with them. I have done this and learned a lot about the larger boats. I am a member of a yacht club on a local lake that cost $350 per year, about the same as Australian currency and find everyone very helpfull

[moorehal]

York Sailor hit it on the money...build up slowly, but professionally. Take some higher level ASA or US Sailing courses. Charter some boats in the 30 to 40 foot. Make sure that you both build up your skills.

At Pentagon Sailing Club in DC (www.pentagonsailing.org), we run an expedition to the Caribbean in July, where you get to sail with a really qualified skipper on a Bavaria 42 type boat for ten days for about $550. Air fare, provisioning, and drinks at bars would be extra. We have many members who live outside the DC area, who join us for our "expeditions". Given the price and number of days, it might be a good "sampling option" to try.