Hello New Sailor Here NYC area

[zrbecker]

Hey everyone, I am looking to get a sailboat in the nearish future, figured I'd post on here to see if I could get any tips from experienced sailors.

I haven't owned a boat before, and don't really know anyone with boats. I want to buy ~30 foot sailboat that I can sail and work on on the weekends. I live in the NYC area, but I have a car.

I figure marinas further from the city will be cheaper, so that's where I been looking. I see a lot of marina list summer slip rates. I assume most people are not sailing in the winter time. Is it unreasonable to keep the boat in the water during the winter and still take it out, or just not typical since people prefer to sail in the summertime?

Anything I should really look into before I take the first steps? I have sailed a bit before, but was planning on hiring a captain to give me lessons on my own boat to make sure I got everything down.

I would want something that is possible to single hand, but will likely have someone along with me when I am out.

[Don C L]

Welcome aboard zrbecker! A boat like a Catalina 30 or 27 would be a good choice. They sail well, have a good response, are not expensive and will often resell for what you paid or close to it. It's not the only brand to look for, but they are probably the most common. If I were you I think I'd look for the Catalina 27s that had a hole cut out in the transom for an outboard. Inboards in the older boats are sometimes problematic and can turn a boat that is a "good deal" into a horrible one. My neighbor has one that has a Volvo MD7A engine that I think has never really been maintained. It keeps running somehow, but I wouldn't count on it. And no inboard means more space inside, less smell and fewer sources of leaks. And if you can find one on a trailer, even better! Good luck! Let us know what happens!

[NYSail]

Check out marinas in Huntington….. Willis, knutsons and coneys. They sell boats as well as have dockage. Good luck!

[Kettlewell]

Many NYC sailors keep their sailboats on mooring balls in places like Oyster Bay or Huntington Harbor. Much less expensive than a marina slip and also usually more available. Most haul their boats in the winter because it is often too cold and miserable to sail, plus many boats need special preparation not to sink when it drops below freezing. Winter northerly gales are no joke--think hurricane like. Yes, some do keep their boats tied up in the water in the winter, but you need a sheltered spot possibly with bubblers in the water if there is a chance of freezing. I have done so, but found it was so time consuming to untie the lines, electrical cords, etc. that winter sails were few and far between. I would recommend against planning on keeping a sailboat in the water over the winter until you have more experience.

[nussbda]

Insurance policies often have calendar based navigation limits. If you want to sail between, say, 12/1 and 4/1 insurance may be more expensive.

[SV_FlyingTigress]

I would say, first, tell us a little about yourself by way of who, what, when, where, how and $ how much regarding your sailing aspirations to help guide. *Absent that* I would 2nd the advice on a Catalina as a general great starter. Take a week of sailing classes or just get an instructor to train you on the Catalina 30 (or equivalent, there are many); they are absolutely fine for a *trained* beginner's first knock-around weekend/light coastal boat. I have had a Catalina 22 and 27, I would say the 30 is the smallest size that most couples and small families would be happy spending bulk time one because it has all the basic trappings of an on the water RV.

[hugosalt]

Welcome to CF zrbecker,
I sail my 30 fter out of western Long Island sound.
Happy to talk/sail if you like.
At this point, don't even think about sailing your boat in winter.
Much knowledge, experience needed before one is up to sailing in NY waters
in winter safely.
I keep my boat in water and sail all winter.

[Adelie]

Welcome to CruisersForum!

I would suggest updating your profile with your general location and your boat make & model or “Looking” in the "Boat" category. This info shows up under your UserName in every post in the web view. Many questions are boat and/or location dependent and having these tidbits under your UserName saves answering those questions repeatedly. If you need help setting up your profile then click on this link: https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ml#post3308797

I would happily help more if the link above is not enough.