Best way to get experience?

[Drifting Gypsy]

Hello,
First off, thank you to everyone that posts on this site. I've learned so much from google searches that led me here. You're wonderful!

Now to the bits. I live in San Diego and am currently saving up to get my first boat, a process I expect to take a year or two. Whilst I'm saving, I'm trying to get experience without breaking the bank. I have a good friend that is a captain and is willing to teach me enough so I "don't die", but he sails charters and doesn't own a boat.

It would seem buying a beat up 22 and leaving it on a mooring ball would be considerably cheaper even if i scrap the cost of the boat. I've also considered getting a Hobiecat 16 and storing it on a trailer.

Any opinions and thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks

[UNCIVILIZED]

Hi, & welcome to CF! You're in a great location for sailing. It's truly a year round thing there, with lots of opportunities. Including the upcoming Newport to Ensenada race, Yachting Cup, etc.

As to experience, have a read of the linked thread below. And also do a few customized (Google type) searches using the phrase "gaining experience". It should lead you to a few useful posts. Such as this one http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post2058401

Also, if you tell us a bit more about yourself, as well as your sailing plans & dreams, boat budget, etc. Folks here are happy to help in no small quantities.
Good Luck!

PS: Do the Ensenada Race, even if on a smaller boat. It's a great experience, fun, & you'll meet lots of folks/new friends. As well as gleaning loads of sailing opportunites & contacts.

[Drifting Gypsy]

Thank you so much for the response! I'm going to dig into that thread right away. I've definitely noticed how helpful people are on here. Looking forward to actually interacting.

The Newport > Ensenada is the same weekend I'll be white water rafting in WV, so sadly no dice there. I'll definitely keep the date open next year though. That seems like an amazing time!

As far as me, I'm a 34 yo musician. Don't make a ton of money currently, but I'm upping my business game to change that in the coming years. The plan is to save up 15k, take a loan for 25 and get a boat, thinking something around 35', sloop or ketch with a full keel (definitely open to suggestions). Then in roughly 4 years head to the Caribbean, either waiting and buying a boat in florida or going from CA through the panama canal. Then just wander from there to wherever the wind takes me. I would really like to get something blue water as I think I'd like to eventually cross the atlantic, but again... subject to change

[UNCIVILIZED]

Typically the Wed. night beer can series is fairly low key racing, & thus a good place to learn, as well as to meet folks & gain more sailing opportunities. There's more tips about finding rides in my linked post above.

Also, there are loads of boats where you are, with quite a few inexpensive good ones. I've seen some in the $10-20k range, including those fairly well fitted out for cruising, that require mostly TLC, a bit of safety gear & your personal touches to be cruise ready.

Probably the biggest expense is a slip, & sometimes a little leg work is needed to find one. So you might do a bit of looking now, so that you can see what's involved. And by looking, I mean in person, not just via computer or phone. That way you establish some relationships, which helps when securing one. Plus you may find a spot or three that you like that have waiting lists, & if you can get on the list now, then you'll be ahead of the game when you buy the boat a few months, or a year hence.

Hope that helps, & good luck!

[SV Kittiwake]

Hi Drifting Gypsy!

I think trying to get experience every way you can is ideal - from racing dinghies, to cruising with your buddy, and getting on the crew wanted sections of this site and others. We wrote a little blog post about the various ways to get into it without buying a boat:

Learning To Sail: 5 Ways To Go Sailing Without Buying A Boat

Variety is key to a well rounded learning experience!

[thomm225]

A Hobie 16 is a great way to get experience and you can race them.

On a Hobie 16, you are the Skipper even if you begin racing it after only a couple weeks of owning.

There have been at least 135,000 Hobie 16's sold so far and some of the best sailors in the world have sailed or still do sail them

They can hit speeds as high as the mid 20 knot range.....

HOBIE 16 sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com

Hobie 16 racing

https://www.facebook.com/HobieDivision2/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QO0L...k&spfreload=10

[alctel]

Turning up at a local yacht club on a race night will get you on the water for free.

And you'll learn more about sailing and sail trim in one race than you probably would in a year of cruising.

Call them beforehand to see if there is a certain spot to stand or time to get there for, so that people looking for crew know they can pick you up.

[thericksster]

If youre thinking abbbout getting a Hobie take a look ar the Prindle cats first. They are a excelqlent cat that are faster than the Hobies. Like others said enter a regatta. You will learn more in one race than you will in a whole season.

[toddster8]

Sailing a Hobie 16 is certainly fun, and will cause "experience." but I'm not sure it's the easiest route to keelboat seamanship. Sort of like driving a dragster to get experience for a truck. If the wind blows > 20kts day after day where you live, there will be too many days that you simply can't control the boat. And it's pretty difficult for a single person to right it after a capsize. Not impossible, but the frustration factor can be high. Then there's the hour of rigging and de-rigging every time you want to go out. Still, when things come together, it's a blast. I have a lot of days when I wish I hadn't sold mine.

"Well, I should buy a crappy old boat to get experience. Put NO money into it and get all the mistakes taken care of before trying to charter something new and shiny. Then get rid of it." Seemed like a good idea at the time. But a boat is sort of like a puppy. Pretty soon I started buying things for it. And by then, it was a member of the family.

Also, a lot of the crappy old boats on Craigslist are not actually in sailable condition. So you can't be a total bottom-feeder without spending more money than if you had bought a good boat to start with.

[Bill Creadon]

Buy the Hobie, sail the hell out of it, forget the junker. Save your money until you can afford what you'll need and you will be way ahead of the game. It's easier to sell a Hobie 16 than an old beat up boat.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Drifting Gypsy

Hello,
First off, thank you to everyone that posts on this site. I've learned so much from google searches that led me here. You're wonderful!

Now to the bits. I live in San Diego and am currently saving up to get my first boat, a process I expect to take a year or two. Whilst I'm saving, I'm trying to get experience without breaking the bank. I have a good friend that is a captain and is willing to teach me enough so I "don't die", but he sails charters and doesn't own a boat.

It would seem buying a beat up 22 and leaving it on a mooring ball would be considerably cheaper even if i scrap the cost of the boat. I've also considered getting a Hobiecat 16 and storing it on a trailer.

Any opinions and thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks

Not a bad idea. You can get a 20-22 almost, maybe actually, free at times. These often have trailers too.

[Scot McPherson]

I send getting the 20-25 ft idea. Lots of cheap boats in that range, spend the money to get it surveyed, just so you aren't tossing money into something that will sink. And floating is not proof that it won't sink soon. The survey will cost you $300-ish dollars and well worth the spend to avoid dropping $2,500-$5000 on something that sinks, or needs another $2000 of work/parts/equipment on it.


The survey will tell you if the boat has good bones, and if it does have good bones, then it MAY be worth spending a little more to outfit her better.


A 20-25 ft sailboat is easy enough for you to manage after just a couple of lessons. Some skippers will even teach you how to sail YOUR boat.


It's worth it

[Dave22q]

You should get a small (under 21') daysailer and learn by doing. There is no better way to learn. Read about it in the evening and try it out the next day. Trailer has some pluses and minuses v. mooring. I prefer the set up time on a trailer to dinghy time transporting valuables to and from the boat but either way works.
Larger boats will cost a lot more to outfit and operate and you will not learn any better. You thoughts on a 16' or 18' sound right on to me. Even a 12' sailing dinghy could be a fun learner but your learning on a sloop rig (2 sails) will translate better to a larger boat.

[jeffp2]

Consider joining a local Coast Guard Auxiliary (volunteer) flotilla. For the small prices of annual membership, $50, you can get all the free training you can handle.

Jeff

[jkindredpdx]

I owned a Catalina 22 with two other guys. It was cheap, required little maintenance, and we split the marina and maintenance fees.

I never did it, but I had friends that joined "The Island Sailing Club"... they have ~20 boats of different sizes.

+1 on crewing for someone during Beercan Races.