How did I get to this point?
Born and raised in Arizona where the closest thing to any kind of sea experience was eating fist sticks on Fridays.
About eight years ago I moved to New England and at my wife’s urging suggested I take up sailing. I thought why not, I am in the historical center of the sailing and shipping industry of the US of A and who knows maybe I will get the bug.
Off to a one week sailing introductory course in Boston sailing on small 19 ft. Solings and one day on a Pearson 26 was enough to convince me that I liked this being on the water. One week after the sailing course I bought a 1986 Hunter 25.5. Over the next three years I kept the boat at Lake Winnepasauki and sailed our rather short 4-5 month season. I also started attending as many annual boat shows as possible, took out subscriptions to about a dozen sailing magazines and began buying books on sailing from my local Barnes and Noble. The above is pretty typical of many of my clan the Baby Boomers.
In my third year I figured I had enough experience to bareboat. After all I had read everything from Tristan’s adventure books to Moitessier’s life experience which certainly qualifies me to charter a boat in the BVI. I chartered twice a 36 ft and a 45 footer both Sun Odysseys.
After 6 years being a “sailor” I started contemplating the idea of sailing around the world and of course getting a larger boat. Ah, but what size? What make? Etc, etc.
Then it struck me that while sailing on a lake and the BVI has it’s own challenges it is not ocean sailing, and maybe it might be so different as to change the way I look at sailing.
I decided then that I needed to get some offshore experience. I decided that I should try to accomplish a couple of things with respect to this approach: Number one – experience being offshore, standing watch, dealing with sail changes and the mired of other activities associated with ocean sailing. Number two – try to experience a couple of different sailboats as a way to gauge pros and cons of each with a eye towards fine tuning my own wants in a sailboat.
I found on the internet a couple of services that provide crew for boat deliveries. I signed up for one and within a month or two signed up to be part of a delivery crew on a J40 sailing out of Huntington, New York destined for Florida. The delivery skipper was also the owner and after talking to him about his experience, the sea worthiness of the boat and expected time enroute. I then inquired as to what I should bring.
$800 later after walking out of my local West Marine store with foul weather gear, boots, PFD, harness, gloves, various flash lights, strobes etc. I really felt that I was about to cast off into a whole other side of sailing. Up to this point my sailing gear consisted of shorts, t-shirt, hat, sunglasses and suntan lotion.
The other crew consisted of two gentlemen with varying degrees of sailing experience but also looking for their first off shore adventure and interestingly enough wanting to experience other sizes of boat for future reference in their own decision making. We also had a fifth crewman who had been on 4 previous deliveries and was very capable and quite keen on the whole sailing experience.
The one week trip turned into two weeks as we had to turn into the ICW at Norfolk due to weather (Early November). Our shared experiences were many and included: losing a main sail twice requiring dropping the sail in the middle of the night in 20-25 kts winds; engine stopped running (clogged filter); how to call Boat U.S. towing Service and what it costs for the different levels of service that you can buy. Listening to Herb’s weather forecasts and appreciating the dedication this individual has for his fellow mariners. How to repair a prop shaft when it comes loose from the transmission. How to get a boat ungrounded in the ICW (Twice). Anchoring, docking, learning to tie a variety of knots. Establishing position and laying a magnetic course to follow and estimating arrival times etc. Did I mention learning how to use the toilet under way in 8-10 ft seas and 20 kts winds.
Tremendous experience and certainly not one I will long forget. I considered all of these important lessons and was glad to have had the opportunity to experience them. The bonus side of traveling the ICW was the people you meet. As they say that is another story.
On the plus side I was exposed to all of the wonders that await one willing to take that first step. The oceans takes many ordinary things and provides a glance into a child like wonder at viewing the stars, constellations, dolphins riding the bow wave for hours on end, sun rises and sun sets. A trully soul full experience.
My wife asked what I thought of this experience and had I changed my mind about sailing in any way.
I told her that it had. Going offshore had brought a whole other dimension to the sailing experience. One that only furthered my desire to continue to seek out whatever it is that draws one to the sea.
