Never sailed and want to learn

[thinwater]

a. Read books. I know some people don't like to learn that way, but I wouldn't accept a student that had not done the reading first.


b. Crew. People sail all year, even there.


c. Forget about cheap if it needs to be on your scheduled and before spring. Remember the "faster, better, cheaper" myth? At best, you can have two out of three.


If cheap matters, read LOTS of books and get lessons early spring. Personally, I believe EVERYONE should start with dinghy sailing; you learn more that way, including things some big boat sailors never learn.

[Sand crab]

Try Meetup. People are always looking for help crewing and it's free.

[gstberryman]

Hi Midtownsails:

Your posting resonated with me. I am in a similar mindset as I live in Vail, CO but sail annually with the Boulder Valley Sail and Power Squadron. I am sure you can find a similar group to join in NYC. My gosh they are a wealth of knowledge that are only too happy to share all they know. Many members have sailed around the world.


I welcome advice from this forum. I hope to purchase a 35' to 40' monohull, with the intent of living on it during parts of the winter and spring. Three cabins (even if they are small) is preferable. I hope to keep the price below $90k but I will pay more for reliability and or lower maintenance. Suggestions are most welcome. I welcome also advice on where to keep it. I am thinking Florida, but would prefer the Grenadines or USVI's.



Thanks all.


Todd

[Dooglas]

Originally Posted by Midtownsails

Any suggestions on how to learn from quality instruction fast and cheap would be greatly appreciated.

I seriously doubt that "quality instruction" is compatible with "fast and cheap". I learned to sail by first taking instructions and practicing in small one and two person sailing dinghies - then moving on to bigger boats. I personally think that is the right answer but it is not "fast".

[gonesail]

winter is a bad time to learn about sailing in the NE. take a class in the spring starting with a small boat under 30 feet and read up on the sport in the meantime.

[Sailorbob8599]

Originally Posted by PortClydeMe

What's the rush?

I first sailed many decades ago, and there's still always something new to learn, or realize that I've forgotten.

Personally, three words in your post stick out like a sore thumb:

1) fast, 2) cheap, and 3) impatient

It's a big ocean out there. Good luck.

1) If you want it FAST, it won't be cheap!
2) If you want it CHEAP, it won't come fast.
3) If you're IMPATIENT, it might be fast, but sure as hell won't come cheap.

[Sand crab]

Originally Posted by gstberryman

Hi Midtownsails:

Your posting resonated with me. I am in a similar mindset as I live in Vail, CO

Do you ski or board? I lived in Breckenridge and I'm a retired skibum.

[gstberryman]

Hi Sand Crab:

Yes I still ski though my knees still talk to me on a regular basis. I have been skiing 50 years. Started in Salt Lake. Moved to Denver in the 80s. Now I live in East Vail.

How about you, friend? Do you still ride or ski? It sounds like you have hung up your board or boards.

Best,

Todd

[Augi]

Checkout Marina Sailing that have locations in Southern California(for example Marina Del Rey close to LAX). I think they have a 5 day live aboard course that potentially gets you certified to bare boat charter(if the instructor deems you "competent") for approx. $2K. It requires study before the course and they don't really encourage some one that has absolutely no experience because there is a lot of ground and info to cover. Going in with no experience unless you are exceptional you won't be "competent" to bare boat charter at the end of the 5 days whether the instructor awards you the merit badges or not. There is no substitute for time on the water. That does not mean that some charter companies will not charter a boat to you as skipper if you show up with a credit card, and the merit badges even though that likely would not be prudent for you or the charter company.

The above course will give you an excellent foundation to learn fast and become "competent" much more rapidly with time out sailing. It will make you more attractive to some one looking for crew because the assumption will be you at least you have some idea what is going on, know the terminology and can probably take direction.

Many have learned to sail without formal instruction by reading, finding instruction on the internet and hanging out at the dock and crewing. That will take more time and could cost less than getting a foundation from classes. As others noted fast and cheap from NYC in the winter ain't likely to happen. But you might be able find opportunities to crew because few will want to freeze their arse off.

A negative about the above course is it will be on an approx. 40' ft boat. Small boat experience is helpful and some would argue essential because you can feel what is going on with the forces and timing on a sailboat, helps develop fore handedness, and helps develop skills with you hands doing all manner of things on a small sail boat.

I read a related post by an instructor recently and he said he would let some people loose with his boat after a week of instruction and others he would not let loose after a year of instruction.

[Kita]

I have heard this before, grow some balls & cough up enough for a sunfish or similar small sailboat & get wet! As you learn you can still take a course if you want but learn the little guy & you can always sell it later & move up..get something cheep for 5 or 6 hundred dollars. ..I would think you need a basic understanding of how things work before you even go to school..don't over complicate it's not rocket science.

[gonesail]

i learned on a 23 foot ODay and thought it was enormous. we ended up sailing one for several years. the point is to start small and go from there.

[Clamdigger]

Originally Posted by Midtownsails

Ha. I knew that fast cheap talk would stir up something. What can I say? I'm anxious to get out there.

Your attitude to 'immediate gratification ' doesnt translate well to sailing. First there is plenty of book learning at your public library to study before you even board a boat of any size. Why do you think the majority of sailing venues start beginners out in dinghy classes? Its so people can learn the basics and build a good foundation of skills based on the principles of sailing. You would be a danger to yourself and anyone onboard a boat due to your lack of experience. I certainly would not want a person aboard who was learning at the expense of risk to myself, liability, others onboard, liability, and my vessel, liability.

Spend the money, travel to a warm location and pay for beginner classes! ASA classes build your skills as you go through the various levels. Plenty of wannabe boaters keep showing up on youtube videos as rescues!

Whats your rush? You come off as neurotic to those of us who've spent a lifetime learning the skills it takes to safely operate a boat of any size. Im sure some here will back you up and rebuff my comments, I just hope its their boat you end up on.

[hugosalt]

Sent you a PM.
May be able to help without putting life, limb and vessel at risk.

[calin1967]

IMHO sailing is about three things: 1. Mastering the techniques (lots of ropes around) 2. Experience and miles and 3. Attitude (you are absolut god on your boat, you have to solve ALL the issues, from fixing a leak at the engine, deciding to return to safety or continuing the journey when a cold front approaches, to dealing with a panic attack or deliver babies)
1. 3-6 days for learning the ropes are a minimum, and one month after that, you will not remember much. Prior reading, watching movies, hanging around the pier helps, but crewing is much more efficient. If you take a screwdriver, some sandpaper and hang around a sailing community offering a helping hand, you will probably be offered a lot of opportunities for a sail.
2. A certificate is a piece of paper. Some circumnavigators did not have any. Do not concentrate on that.
3. Sea is a sincere friend. While sailing you will understand deeper what kind of person are you. And you will decide what kind of sailing is for you - fun, performance, cruising, singlehand, skipper, crew and so on

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Todd.