How do I start a sailing career?

[solbergg]

Hello all,

I was hoping I could get some advice on an efficient plan for plotting out my sailing career.

First I will give my background to give an idea of where I am coming from. I was born and raised in the Midwest of the United States, in the geographical center of North America. Needless to say, I couldn''t have been farther from the ocean. To my luck, my family purchased a lake home in Minnesota, and my sailing interest grew from a sunfish and a 19'' Sparrow. While I loved puddle sailing, I realize that it is a completely different ballgame from ocean cruising. My family did spend one week in the Florida keys in a cruising sailboat, but that was long ago.

I am now currently enrolled in a yacht design course in Maine, and have a strong preference for designing sailing yachts. Unfortunately, sailboats are only 1/10 of the boating industry, and most design firms want true sailing experience before hiring someone on. So, in addition to expanding my resume, I am also young and single, which I feel is the best time in my life to begin a sailing career.

I have read on a few sites that the British Yachtmaster program is one of the best paths to take to become a successful sailor and skipper. If anyone has an opinion against that notion, please feel free to express it, I just want to get a feel for want the industry expectations are. Anyways, accepting that assumption for the time being, what would be your recommendations for acheiving that goal? Should I take one of the fast track programs, like Club Sail or Hamble School of Yachting offer, or should I try to beg my way into a novice crewing position on someone''s boat (is that even realistic?) I am sure there are other options that I am not even aware of, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your interest, and I look forward to hearing from your perspectives, no matter what your experience level,

Garrick Solberg

[Jeff_H]

You can buy and rebuild, or design and build a small boat for almost nothing and this will get you out there quickly. If you are even slightly rigorous in reading and sailing, you will learn quickly enough to get aboard bigger boats as crew.

Jeff

[solbergg]

Thanks for the advice, Jeff. I have done a little searching on the internet, but haven''t found any old dinghies listed for sale in my area. Would you happen to have a suggestion on where I should look for them? Thanks,

Garrick

[Davidrogerson]

Go for the Yachtmaster it's a very intense and difficult course but the rewards are worth it

[denby]

David,

You revived a 4 year old thread. Jeff is still around but I don't think Sol is. Look at the top left corner of the post, it has the date or time of the post.
And welcome aboard.

[uspirate]

Dang! I want a sailing career too! after 4 years he's probably chairman.

[JiffyLube]

If I had to do it over again, I'd learn to be an expert marine electriction for a career...that's where the money is at...not in sailing a boat.

[Hartley18]

Originally Posted by JiffyLube

If I had to do it over again, I'd learn to be an expert marine electriction for a career...that's where the money is at...not in sailing a boat.

Jiffy, I'm not convinced an expert marine electrician would be as great as you'd think, given the vast quantity of crap that passes for "marine electrics" on board a boat these days.

Microwave ovens, airconditioners, plasma TVs, Raymarine electronics, Humminbird GPS's... all owned by someone who has no clue what they've actually bought - they just want it working - yesterday!!

"Whadya mean you can't hook my GPS up to the Microwave?? Useless b*&#^$y electricians..."