Basic Sailing training

[Reel Tachy]

Hey guys... I'm an avid water-man on powerboats. Have extensive experience.....BUT.... absolutely no experience sailing. I'm in New Orleans and trying to find the most cost effective way to get quality experience on a sailing vessel.

Anyone that can help I would greatly appreciate it.

[Dallasron]

if you dont have friends with a sailboat I would suggest you go ahead and check into an ASA sailing school. That will give you some basic knowledge and will get you on the water a bit. I would also suggest one that has some various boats you can charter for day sails

[tarditi]

x2 on the sailing school. Our local yacht club not only has sailing classes but also a loaner program for smaller craft.

[removalizer]

I have just done the RYA basic sailing course, in the U.K. you can't hire a sailboat without passing levels 1 and 2

[ClassicalBGP]

I did ASA 101 and bought a boat. The initial plan was to take ASA 101,103, and 104, then charter. But, found a smoking deal right after 101 and now I'm learning from sailing and these good people on this forum.

[Snore]

A slightly different approach would be to research schools and find a GOOD sailing school. Being ASA does not guarantee they are good.

Once you find a good school, take ASA 101 or combo 101/103 and then charter with a captain for a day or two. Most schools also do charters, most instructors also captain charters- so you would do 2 or 4 days of instruction and then 1or 2 days or captained charters, with the same person. My counsel would be do 101 and charter, come back a month or so later, do 103 and charter.

This would give you quality training and good follow-up experience.

Feel free to PM of you have any questions.

[neflier]

I was in the same position as the OP, been involved with sportfishing my entire life, but little sailing experience. My wife and I took an ASA 101 last summer. Our course provided each of us 2 additional practice sails of 4 hrs each once the course was completed. We did those 16 additional hours last year and purchased a Catalina 250 last fall. We love the boat and sail whenever weather and work permits. This approach gave us the opportunity to make sure that sailing was right for us before investing in the boat. I wouldn't have done it any differently.

[a64pilot]

Or you could do what I did and buy a sailboat.
I came from the same background, just the Panhandle of Fl.
Sailing at least basic sailing is not hard, and you already know most of the hard stuff, docking, how to read charts, channels, use of the radio, weather, anchoring, etc.
Now take someone who has no boat experience and yes, maybe they need the school, and I'm sure there is value in it.
Even when I went to buy Insurence they didn't care at all that I had no sailing experience, but years in a 45' Sportfisherman was all they needed to hear. They and I think "big" boat experience will serve you in good stead, truthfully I think it's really simple, you have a healthy respect for the inertia a big boat has, that has to be experienced to understand.

Now I don't golf, never even tried it, but I bet sailing is similar to what I think it is, a simple game that you never ever truly master, but on day one I bet I could play golf, just not very well, same with sailing from my experience whatever that's worth.

It's not like flying, you have time, lots of time to figure it out, it won't stall and fall out of the sky

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Or you could do what I did and buy a sailboat.
I came from the same background, just the Panhandle of Fl.
Sailing at least basic sailing is not hard, and you already know most of the hard stuff, docking, how to read charts, channels, use of the radio, weather, anchoring, etc.
Now take someone who has no boat experience and yes, maybe they need the school, and I'm sure there is value in it.
Even when I went to buy Insurence they didn't care at all that I had no sailing experience, but years in a 45' Sportfisherman was all they needed to hear. They and I think "big" boat experience will serve you in good stead, truthfully I think it's really simple, you have a healthy respect for the inertia a big boat has, that has to be experienced to understand.

Now I don't golf, never even tried it, but I bet sailing is similar to what I think it is, a simple game that you never ever truly master, but on day one I bet I could play golf, just not very well, same with sailing from my experience whatever that's worth.

It's not like flying, you have time, lots of time to figure it out, it won't stall and fall out of the sky

I agree 100%. Years ago I did the "zero to hero" rya yachtmaster course, honestly, I thought it was a waste of money. I think it cost something like 6k!!!
All the info you need is out there and the only real teacher is getting out there and doing. Also as A64 said you never really master it.

[ClassicalBGP]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Or you could do what I did and buy a sailboat.
I came from the same background, just the Panhandle of Fl.
Sailing at least basic sailing is not hard, and you already know most of the hard stuff, docking, how to read charts, channels, use of the radio, weather, anchoring, etc.
Now take someone who has no boat experience and yes, maybe they need the school, and I'm sure there is value in it.
Even when I went to buy Insurence they didn't care at all that I had no sailing experience, but years in a 45' Sportfisherman was all they needed to hear. They and I think "big" boat experience will serve you in good stead, truthfully I think it's really simple, you have a healthy respect for the inertia a big boat has, that has to be experienced to understand.

Now I don't golf, never even tried it, but I bet sailing is similar to what I think it is, a simple game that you never ever truly master, but on day one I bet I could play golf, just not very well, same with sailing from my experience whatever that's worth.

It's not like flying, you have time, lots of time to figure it out, it won't stall and fall out of the sky

I agree as well. I lacked "big boat" experience, I only had small boats 12' to 16'. That's the reason for ASA 101, but after that If felt comfortable enough to buy my boat instead of continuing with ASA.

[John_Trusty]

Once again, A64pilot has condensed wisdom into a short post. I grew up sailing, and progressed through various sized boats and charters (the "right" way). The previous owner of my boat was like you and never sailed until he bought a 36 foot cruiser! I was floored when I heard his story - it can't be done. He said that basically he read the books, motored where he was not comfortable, and learned to sail in stages. The other piece of advice is volunteer to crew on sailboat races, hopefully with a kind captain. Racing is a volunteer sport, and larger boats are always looking for an extra hand that is dependable.

[a64pilot]

I can see a lot of wisdom in racing, I bet it's like any other racing, want to learn how to squeeze the last erg out of something? Race it. Course you usually learn how to spend enormous amounts of money for very little gain too if your the owner.
My issue was I was in my mid 50's and living four hours or more away from any water that may have boats racing on it, and working 40+ hours a week. Holidays off and a two week vacation each year.

Catch 22, take the time off to learn and not be able to save for cruising, or take a gamble and buy a boat, I figured if I was wrong If I was careful and bought it right, I'd be able to get out of it and not take too bad a beating.
So we bought the IP 38 for use as a learner boat, with the idea of buying bigger and newer to cruise on, but later decided that there was nothing wrong with this boat.
In truth I didn't want to go through what all buying this one entailed, much less having to sell too, and then refit another boat.
Conventional wisdom is buy a small boat, then a bigger boat, then the boat you will cruise. I think that is a great idea if your in your 20's, maybe even your 30's. But I had a late start and buying and selling several boats and making them all seaworthy and equipped like I wanted, I could neither afford, nor wanted to do.

[a64pilot]

Now that I re read the initial post, he is looking I think for someone in Narlens to take him sailing, anybody there that can help?

[ClassicalBGP]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Now that I re read the initial post, he is looking I think for someone in Narlens to take him sailing, anybody there that can help?

I see it now. There were a few members who offered to help me when I was in the area (Gulf of Mexico). I might suggest changing the title somewhat.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ng-183721.html