Newcomer question - how to begin?

[KWF]

For the next step I’d recommend chartering a catamaran. You might even consider having a captain aboard with the understanding that you are chartering to learn how to sail the boat to include dock handling, routine checks before taking her out, anchoring, etc. After that charter on your own in an area where you can expect varying wind/sea conditions.

[TPG]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

My continual advice is to purchase a small, older cruising sailboat (around 30 feet) and start learning the ropes. A couple of years of that will teach 500% more than any courses you can take. A huge part of successful cruising is learning how to repair and manage a sailboat, and there aren't courses that cover that stuff. Plus, learning on your own boat will teach you what it is really like out there and whether or not the lifestyle is for you--it isn't for everyone!

100% this. Owning a boat will teach you far more than any ASA course (or similar) ever will. The ASA courses are a great way to get an introduction to sailing, and you do need to learn how to sail. But once you get that down the real learning comes from boat ownership experience.

[Bill_Giles]

Don’t wait - you could be knocked down and killed in 14 years and 11 months. Think how disappointed you would be. But are doing the right thing in preparation (for sailing).

[PhilipL]

Ah, dreams! It is not uncommon for a husband and wife to take off and then discover they don't like the cruising life. A friend who does deliveries has brought a goodly number of said 'broken dream' boats back home.


I would say, plans are ok, but do what you want to do now. If you want to sail, get a boat.

[merrydolphin]

A good start! I am a US Sailing cruising instructor. If you have a school near by, this is the fastest safest way to learn. Even if you have to travel, many schools are st up for this. My school in San Francisco ( Club Nautique) `would let you stay on boats to save on hotels. Many of my students are now sailing the world.

[IrieCat]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

My continual advice is to purchase a small, older cruising sailboat (around 30 feet) and start learning the ropes. A couple of years of that will teach 500% more than any courses you can take. A huge part of successful cruising is learning how to repair and manage a sailboat, and there aren't courses that cover that stuff. Plus, learning on your own boat will teach you what it is really like out there and whether or not the lifestyle is for you--it isn't for everyone!

Exactly!!!!

[Captain Red]

Originally Posted by BrianSage

Question from a complete newcomer. My wife and I would like to retire (in about 15 years) on a catamaran and spend retirement cruising.

Over the next 15 years before I retire I want to build up my sailing resume to feel confident about spending years cruising and to have insurance companies feel comfortable insuring us.

I registered with my local sailing club for their small boat certification course (beginning in 2 months). Over 3 weeks, this will include 6 hours of shore classes and 12 hours of water classes using a Hunter 140 14’ sailing dinghy. This course also includes reading the “Learn Sailing Right” textbook by US Sailing.

So far I have completed the NauticEd eCourses:
Introduction to Sailing
Navigation Rules
Basic Sail Trim
I purchased, but have not started yet the NauticEd eCourses:
Getting started in dinghy sailing
Anchoring a sailboat
Catamaran sailing confidence

I began reading The Complete Sailing Manual 5th Edition by Steve Sleight. 61 out of 431 pages read so far.

Two questions:
1) Am I on the right path?
2) What would be my next step?
Note: I do not own a boat and do not have any friends who own a boat.

Thank you in advance for your assistance!

Lots of good advice here. Here are my humble additions:

• I sailed and chartered all my life and never owned a boat until we sold the house and set off around the world.
• While I understood how to sail, read the wind, etc., that's about 10-15% of what cruising's about. Mostly cruising is about fixing your boat, living in a playroom-sized space and avoiding bad weather.
• Therefore, with 15 years on your hands, get your diesel mechanic's license. You'll fix your own engine and make your fortune fixing others'. If you're all electric by the time you leave, see below:
• Get really familiar with electrical stuff. 12 or 24v systems are reasonably simple, but high amperage currents, inverters, solar panels, batteries, all need healthy respect and knowledge to maintain.
• Understand how plumbing works from all ends of the equation, inputs, outputs and holding.
• Learn to enjoy caulking.
• Build your upper body strength until you're ripped like Arnie. There's all kinds of things to haul on and a strong back is worthwhile.
• Become a weather guru and learn to use a sextant. It's cool, and might save your life one day.
• Cohabiting and cooking in a 0.5 butt galley is a little easier on a cat, but practice provisioning and living in a small space is always valuable. Every boat is half the size when it's at dock.

Alternatively, you could leave now and return to work in 10 years. You'll be younger, likely fitter, and still employable (it's simple demographics). And you'll learn all the above out of necessity, with the help and kindness of the cruising community of course.


Three essential books for cruising: Chapman's Guide to Piloting and Seamanship, ‘Boatowner’s Mechanical and Electrical Manual’ by Nigel Calder, and The Voyager’s Handbook: The Essential Guide to Blue Water Cruising’ by Beth A. Leonard.




Good luck!

[jimellifritt]

Originally Posted by BrianSage

Question from a complete newcomer. My wife and I would like to retire (in about 15 years) on a catamaran and spend retirement cruising.

Over the next 15 years before I retire I want to build up my sailing resume to feel confident about spending years cruising and to have insurance companies feel comfortable insuring us.

I registered with my local sailing club for their small boat certification course (beginning in 2 months). Over 3 weeks, this will include 6 hours of shore classes and 12 hours of water classes using a Hunter 140 14’ sailing dinghy. This course also includes reading the “Learn Sailing Right” textbook by US Sailing.

So far I have completed the NauticEd eCourses:
Introduction to Sailing
Navigation Rules
Basic Sail Trim
I purchased, but have not started yet the NauticEd eCourses:
Getting started in dinghy sailing
Anchoring a sailboat
Catamaran sailing confidence

I began reading The Complete Sailing Manual 5th Edition by Steve Sleight. 61 out of 431 pages read so far.

Two questions:
1) Am I on the right path?
2) What would be my next step?
Note: I do not own a boat and do not have any friends who own a boat.

Thank you in advance for your assistance!

Yes, you are working the plan. How close are you to a marina? Expirence on a bigger boat will be needed, can you crew for someone? If possible if you can get a boat a couple of years before retirement and make the transition to live aboard, then you will get a better picture of how you want your boatvset up

[CarinaPDX]

The OP has a good plan. It makes sense to start with courses and small boats, then work up to chartering and eventually ownership. It will also allow you to change course if the reality of cruising doesn't meet expectations (dreams are easy but cruising is hard work and not always comfortable). A couple of posters have suggested buying a cruising boat now - I completely disagree (as do the majority of posts). First, the boat you think you want now is unlikely to be the boat you will want when you are ready to go. Second, it costs a lot of money just to keep a boat in a slip, and bottom paint on it, and of course insured - and boats are a depreciating asset, not an investment. Third, with the money saved by not buying (#2) it can be used to charter in fun places all over the world. Once you get far enough with ASA you can bareboat charter for vacations, which beats spending vacation time maintaining your boat.

The more on-the-water time you can get, the better. By all means offer to crew for boat owners - it costs nothing and is a great way to learn. Good skippers will show you how it is done, and the bad ones will show you what not to do.

It has always baffled me that some folks buy boats, call themselves "captain", then take off cruising. Actually being a captain requires knowledge gained from experience. The minimum USCG license requires at least 360 "days at sea", where each day is a full work day. So do get your courses, and experience with yourselves in charge and with experienced skippers.

I hope to see you on here as you progress.

Greg

[Ike]

Just a word about your wife. If she wants to, look into her taking a sailing course for women only. Many women feel better and feel less pressured when taking a women only sailing course. Plus they learn whether they like it or not. There's an old adage about how to test a marriage. "take a week long cruise on a small sailboat with just you and your wife".

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by seandepagnier

in 15 years, society will begin to actually collapse and cruising may not be possible at least not in most places the way it is now for most people. Not sure its a good idea to wait that long. cruising gets worse every year for the most part and this trend has continued for decades.

As for myself, I started too soon (15 years ago) and that was probably a mistake.

In what respects was it a mistake, Sean?


Yes, you had bureaucratic problems in NZ, but you managed to circumnavigate on your own terms.

This is sorta like a blessing.

Ann