[Ricemarket]

Hi, I don't have a boat yet and am looking to do some research on this great hobby!

 

[theartfuldodger]

Welcome and have you always been from Markham, used to live there as a youngster, at 48 and 7 high ways. Best advice is to check in on some of the blogs people have going I'm sure there are a few which will get you excited to find your own boat and sail away if not try living aboard.

 

[Ricemarket]

markham probably last couple years but before that was in scarb just at the edge near markham. Heh, I am looking to see how I can manage to get a boat and leave the rat race.

 

[theartfuldodger]

If you get a chance head down to the water front in Toronto in the west end there is a bunch of liveaboards down there would be good learning experience, and see how they do it

 

[patrickrea]

Welcome aboard and I won't hold being from Markham and "Scarberia" against you! I'm an Etobicoke kind of guy and anythiing east of Yonge scares me!

Ashbridges Bay has all sorts of stuff going on. 4-5 clubs and marinas, Pickering, Oshawa (I think).

 

[Ricemarket]

I will definately give the lakeshore in etobicoke a try, as I am visiting my gf and she lives in that area. I don't want to just live aboard, I want to circumnavigate. That is my goal..

 

[patrickrea]

Etobicoke Yacht Club, Mimico Cruising Club, Lakeshore Yacht Club. Going a little further to Mississauga you have Port Credit Yacht Club, Port Credit Harbour Maina. PCHM is huge and is where most of the brokers are located. There's lots of boats available there. Plus all of the rigging supplies, Bristol Marine, canvas poeple and such.

 

[Ricemarket]

Etobicoke Yacht Club, Mimico Cruising Club, Lakeshore Yacht Club. Going a little further to Mississauga you have Port Credit Yacht Club, Port Credit Harbour Maina. PCHM is huge and is where most of the brokers are located. There's lots of boats available there. Plus all of the rigging supplies, Bristol Marine, canvas poeple and such.

cool, well I'll have to check a map of where they are. I found the lakeshore yacht club and found everything was locked and tried their phone number and no one answered they just say that their club wait time is like 3 years.

 

[patrickrea]

Yeah, I met them at the boat show this year and I wan't impressed by the facilities or the people. Are you looking at the clubs in terms of buying a boat there or joining one. Buying a boat would be easier at Port Credit Harbour Marina. All of the brokers are represented there and they tend to stay open all year round. Most of the clubs are effectively shut down in the winter.

 

[Ricemarket]

well really right now im looking around to see what my choices are, then work really hard to make the money to purchase the boat. Then make some more so I can quit and cruise..

 

[scottbr]

Do you have sailing experience or fairly new. Try Humber Sailing Club which is at the base of Park Lawn, next to Mimino Club and Etobicoke Club. They are a teaching club and they own the boats. Great way to learn and get out and sail until you can afford one yourself.

Welcome the forum, I'm formally from Rexdale, Brampton and now north of Guelph.

 

[Ricemarket]

no sailing experience before, am looking around to the clubs to find one i can learn from.

 

[patrickrea]

I would check somewhere in Ashbridge's Bay. Humber would be great but it's a long drive for you an a crappy, overloaded highway. It doesn't make sense to drive for 3 hours in order to sail for 2.

 

[Ricemarket]

lol gf's in etobicoke so im already there most of the time visiting.. =]

 

[patrickrea]

Ahhhhhh. It all starts to make sense!
Mimico or Etobicoke would be the best places for you then.

 

[Ricemarket]

well just had a chat with Jim from etobicoke and they don't do adult learn to sail lessons so I'm better off learning from westwinds I believe. I'll check them out =]

 

[scottbr]

Did you try Humber, they're beside Etobicoke and Mimico, that's what they do..... adult classes.

 

[patrickrea]

Humber has the best reputation. Pier 4 is also pretty good from what I hear.

 

[Ricemarket]

hmm.. I may try that, the only reason I was gonna go with westwind was the guy from EYC was saying the best way to learn was to learn on a dinghy. He did mention humber as well ..I'll check it out..

 

[patrickrea]

Learning in a dinghy is great for the basics such as sail control because things happen much faster and I would recommend it for basics. But when what you really want to sail big boats, there is no substitute for learning in a keelboat and it is a whole lot more comfortable. In a dinghy, you would be spending alot of time worrying about just stopping the boat from flipping over.

2 of the boats that Humber uses actually behave like dinghies but the motion is more keelboat. The J24 and the Shark both respond very snappily to trim changes but also allow you to learn how a boat will behave under power without too much stress. The bigger boats that Humber has let you learn how to cruise safely.