How did you first start sailing

[seadog1775]

How did you all first start your life on the Sea? Was it your parents hobby? Did you work in the industry? Has anyone started later in life. All of your stories on here really make me question the plans for the second half of my life. Growing up in Pennsylvania never gave me the opportunity to learn how to sail. But my kids are all grown now.And my last name is Seaman. So I think the Sea is in my blood . I just returned from Water Island USVI. And had many of beers with the Boaties at anchor. I think I need a cool change. Love the stories of your travels posted on here

[sailorboy1]

I was on vacation which always me think about how I was going to manage to travel more in retirement when while walking along the beach I came to a marina. That is when I say "We need to get a boat!".

[Strait Shooter]

First of all, welcome to CF.
And wow, four posts and not a single response. It's usually a tad more lively around here than that.

I wouldn't have any clue as to the need for water delivery or garbage pick up on that side of the world. I'm in a different sailing category than the folks paying people for garbage pick up and water delivery.

As to starting later in life, I'm sure there are a lot of people doing it. I'm betting that if you searched, you'd find threads on making a living aboard (a pretty popular one actually), and working in foreign countries will be well represented also. I know I haven't answered your questions, but damn, your comments looked so lonely out there, I thought I'd say something

So, if I read this right, you're past retirement age, you went the the Virgin Islands on vacation, had a few beers or more with the local cruisers, and you didn't wanna come home huh? My advice, and remember, you get what you pay for, cash it all in, move to the islands and start looking for a cheap boat. The rest will come to you.

[seadog1775]

Thank you for your reply. I am 45, I got married at 19. Did 12 years in Marine Corps .I have worked the last 16 as an Engineer on the Railroad. Our kids are grown and I am vested in my retirement. Me and the wife gave up our youth to raise a family. And the girls turned out wonderful. One is a nurse. And the other is 2nd year of college. Now we want to live out our second half on the islands or on a boat 6 or 7 months a year. Was gong to sell it all and move. Maybe start a business that would keep me in beer money and plane tickets. Your advise about spending money or time. Is something I plan to live by. We spend any extra money we get on travel. But we are not the tourist attraction type. I envy your lifestyle. Life is short.Live it! Thanks again for the kind words and advice

[skipmac]

Did not grow up cruising. The only boat I knew was my fathers 14' aluminum jon boat. First time I saw the ocean I was in high school.

Then when I was 24 went to visit a college friend in FL and we decided to go camping and snorkeling in the keys. Was kind of cool and windy so being from FL and a sailor my buddy suggested we go back to Miami and rent a sailboat for a few days. Started calling around and one of the companies he called offered us a deal. They had a new 37' sailboat that needed to be delivered to their charter base on Eleuthera but the delivery crew canceled. So they offered us the boat free for two weeks if we would deliver it and pay our own expenses.

A couple of days later I was sailing to the Bahamas. It was love at first sight. The rest as they say, is history.

[monte]

I used to love sailing stories when I started reading, so around 7 yo. I remember reading children around Cape Horn along with a few other cruising novels. My parents owned a news agency so I got to read all the latest cruising magazines as soon as they hit the shelf, I would be downstairs (we lived above the shop) reading the latest cruising helmsman, wooden boat, trade-a-boat, you name it. I worked as a paperboy from when I was 8yo so saving for my first catamaran which I bought a couple of years later. My cousin had a little sailboat but never let me sail it, which I'll probably never forgive him for.
I bought the oldest Arafura cadet at the local yacht club for around $300, stripped it and repainted and refit it off season and went on to race it for a few seasons. An 11' single handed sloop rig cat, great for learning the basics, with a regular fleet of around 6 other ACs, 6 Elwood juniors, a few arrows, dolphins, Mosquitos and A class cats.

From there on to bigger cats, racing and building 50' ish monos etc
I never gave up the dream to explore the worlds oceans but life put it on the back burner for a few years. The good thing about learning to sail in today's world is the comparative ease of navigation, onboard systems and comfort and shoreside facilities. The old cruising helmsman's were full of details on how to collect rainwater, provision for months at sea without refrigeration and navigate by the stars. Pretty daunting for an 8yo !

[Jason Flare]

The first time I sailed was at the age of 21 in 1977 in Greece. A friend had a small sailboat and a bunch of us hopped in and sailed around to the back of an island to camp out.

I can still remember the moment when the wind took the sail and the boat took off. It was one of the most thrilling moments of my life.

I didn't sail again until I was 43 years old. Mrs Flare and I were workaholics and she got cancer. That changed our lifestyle. I suggested we buy a small sailboat. I told her if she didn't like sailing we'd sell it and try something else to enjoy life.

She's originally from the mountains of West Va. She gets car sick. But she loves the ocean and doesn't get sea sick.

I am blessed with a woman who has alwaays suggested we get a bigger boat, and right now we're both extremely satisfied with our 41' boat.

[FamilyVan]

My dad had a Grampian 23 we cruised the great lakes with- family of 5- he was a miner, so that's the boat we had, and never thought anything of it. I remember my parents friends renting a 27 footer and asking my dad why they had a bigger boat. He said "son, they're doing the same thing we are, just in a bigger boat". Good answer.

At 18 I went to sea as a deckhand and over the next decade or so grew a nasty resentment for the sea. As far as I was concerned seamen and the sea were a nasty bunch. Around 30 I had enough, so I wrote a 3rd mate's licence. Life instantly improved. After that I started to enjoy it. Bought my first boat around 34, worked as a master as my career had progressed that quickly.

Now I sail for fun. Wouldnt consider taking a dollar for my time on the water.

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[boden36]

Dad had putt putts and then a motor cruiser. My first sailing was a sheet on a broomstick in the dinghy around Cowan Creek (near Sydney Aus.) Would have been around 10 yo.

Regards,
Richard.

[captainstubbie]

I didn't start sailing until I was 40. Before that for about 5 years I was a very active wind surfer, thought sailing was for light weights. Friend and I got together, he had a sailboat and I had to wind surfing boards. I spent the morning teaching him how to windsurf, he spent the afternoon taking me sailing, sold my wind surf boards within a week and bought my first sailboat.

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[IdoraKeeper]

MY hydroplane ran out of gas and the only thing available was an El toro pram. I sold the hydro and joined the SeaScouts.....never stopped. I just came back from the dock and dearly wish I had time to be gone.....I have the boat...I need the time.

[Hard Rock Candy]

I started sailing on Ice skates back in the sixth grade. Then I also read every book they had in the library, on sailing. When I was 60 I finally found a McGregor I could afford and have been sailing ever since. In all the years in between I worked on boats, built other people's boats and daydreamed. Mac

[laika]

Originally Posted by seadog1775

Your advise about spending money or time. Is something I plan to live by. We spend any extra money we get on travel. But we are not the tourist attraction type. I envy your lifestyle. Life is short.Live it!

"Freedom is having the time to live." - Jose Mujica, President of Uruguay

Still trying to live up to the mantra, but that's about it for me

Hope you and the wife find the boat of your dreams!

[T_Cat]

I started out windsurfing in the 80's, went onto hobbie cats and a few days on a friends water ballast 27'er. From there till now I've owned 4 motor boats. 10 years ago I started buying sailing magazines and books. Last year I finally realized life was to short to dream about sailing so I put one of my fishing boats up for sale and used some of the money to buy a catalina 22. Been 3 months on the refit and 1 ASA class. I hope to have her floating next month. I've still got little ones in the house so I hope they and my wife can share in my enthusiasm and get bit by the sailing bug. As for now, my little C-22 will be my yacht and the local lakes my ocean.

Sorry that was a little long winded..

Russ




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[deckofficer]

Started in 1961 on my family's Flying Junior. Went to CMA and on to slightly larger vessels.