Any "sailors" out there?

[tommays]

Re: Any "sailors" out there?

That whole 2 and 5 year old thing is going to be way harder than on a powerboat


You really need and adult who is there to ONLY watch the children NOT help with the boat


A lot of people do not do well in cabins (my kids allways puked if they were below in any kind of wind )


Tommays

 

[rndcomp]

Re: Any "sailors" out there?

Tom,
Thanks for the note. You have brought up a great point. As much as I would love for my wife to get the sailing bug, I am sure that she will "let" me singlehand the boat, which will allow her to focus on the kids.

Not to sound too selfish, but either way, I have always dreamed of sailing and if nothing else, I want a boat to learn in so that in a couple of years, when the kids are older, we can actually take the boat out for a couple of days.

Thanks again for the reply!

 

[tommays]

Re: Any "sailors" out there?

There are very few boats that can be singlehanded from the factory buy a new sailor

Older Freedoms in the 24 to 28 ft size are setup with a self tacking jib and pretty much everything for one person to sail it

Any of of the cat style boats (big single sail ) also work well


Tommays

 

[rndcomp]

Re: Any "sailors" out there?

There are very few boats that can be singlehanded from the factory buy a new sailor

Sorry, I am a little confused here. When you say 'from the factory', are you saying that by default they (the factory) are not bringing all lines/sheets back to the cockpit? Or, are you saying that only an idiot (I'm not afraid to admit that I may fall in this category) would be crazy enough to attempt to singlehand a larger boat.

 

[tommays]

Re: Any "sailors" out there?

I am not trying to insult you at all BUT make you aware of whats involved in sailing

sailboats generaly will be heeling over a good 15 to 25 deg in any kinda of wind

i would be sure my wife was comfy with this while holding a 2 year old

Most boats have and overlaping jib that requires someone to be captian and someone to take care of the jib druning the tack (turn) and retrim the jib


A few boats are setup with smaller self tacking jibs OR in the case of cat boats NO jib




Tommays

 

[mba224]

Re: Any "sailors" out there?

I've been reading your thread here and just wanted to comment based on my experience. My father always had a sailboat when I was growing up. From the time I can remember we were on a sailboat every weekend (overnight) and 2 or 3 weeks for vacation in the summers. Our boats started with a 20 foot O'Day and advanced over the years to a 30 foot Catalina. I have 3 sisters and we all were brought along and slept overnight. My Mom was always helping to crew the boats and as we got older we did too. I can remember thinking it was the coolest thing the first time my Dad let me hoist a sail. When we were young we just always had a life jacket on. We were instructed what to do, just in case we fell overboard but I can say in the entire time we were sailing with my parents (over 40 years from oldest sister to youngest) none of us ever went over. Our home waters was the Great South Bay but we cruised up to Maine and down to Virginia many times. I remember these times with my family as some of the best times. Don't be nervous about having kids on the boat. Tell them the rules, make them wear lifejackets and they will learn just like at home. Since I married and left home I have missed sailing and so my husband and I just bought a Starwind 22. I am looking forward to getting back into sailing and moving up to a bigger boat. Just wish I had done it when my kids were younger

 

[banjoport]

Re: Any "sailors" out there?

You have asked _the question! You will get the full range of responses. Let me give you mine. I started sailing (I was raised on the prairie) 50 years ago. My first experience was an 8 ft sailing dingy where after getting wet a few times I learned the basics. From there I progressed to a 14 ft Lido, then a 26 ft Ericson. My last boat was a 40 ft Cutter rig on which our final days as a boating family were enjoyed. We raised 4 children from diapers to graduates and I must say they were like monkeys on the boat learning to help with maintenance even going aloft. Was i ever scared? You betcha. Standing on a lee gunnel up to your waist in water trying to reduce sail while your 10 year old son is handling the helm will do that to you. My kids were always involved with the water through Yacht club learn to sail up to crewing on Trans Pac racers. My philosophy was and is busy kids are good kids cause busy kids have busy kids as friends. I always trusted them. We are very proud and each is successful today, just no time to crew on dad's boat. Advice, look around. See what other people with similar needs are doing. Don't get caught in the big boat syndrome cause nothing will kill sailing enjoyment quicker than burdensome boat expense. Bon Voyage.

 

[DGalt]

Re: Any "sailors" out there?

I've been sailing for about 12 years now. In college I was on the sailing team. If you have never tried sailing a 420 in the Sound in late November or in early March, well then count yourself lucky. haha kidding of course. those were good times despite the 34 degree water.
we own a 31 foot Farrier Trimaran that we also sail in the Sound. That's a fun boat, even if we do get some strange glances from people thinking "what the hell is that, and how is it going so fast."

 

[country_bumpkin]

Re: Any "sailors" out there?

Been sailing since I could walk.

Raced one designs as a teen. (sunfish, force 5, daysailor, jet 14, 420 and 470)


Dad had a 50' gulfstar and part owner in a classic herreshoff.
Cruised the keys and the VI's.


Got away from boating when I moved to Nasvhille, but there is water here! and wind! (sometimes).

After a 2 year stint with a 20' I/O we bought a 22' Macgregor early in July and now I'm salvating over a 27' Hunter......

 

[sand sailor]

Re: Any "sailors" out there?

try sailboatowners.com thats where most of us hang out when not sailing

 

[flashback]

Re: Any "sailors" out there?

Hi bumpkin, I hang out on the river also,, got a 27ft Oday on watts bar... I do enjoy cruising the river and am amazed at how much i can use the sails.. planning a trip this year/next to run the whole thing to the gulf..

 

[Dreamer]

Re: Any "sailors" out there?

I got the sailing bug when I was doing some work in the Marshall Islands. I am fairly adept in pulling wrenches on diesels, so when I ran into a guy who needed some work on his boat engine I made a trade. I fixed his engine and he taught me how to sail. It was and is still great. I used to own a Seafarer 24' and was on it all the time with my kids.

I now have a 41' Formosa Ketch that I am restoring and am looking forward to the day I get it sea worthy. Check out the Renegade Cruisers site. My site is http://68.205.170.148:808/album.htm

Let me know what you think - This IBoat Sailing section could turn out to be a busy place.

Jim

 

[Fla Keys Mac]

Re: Any "sailors" out there?

Another new sailor here... I recently purchased a 1986 Catalina 22, and I have about 1 whole hour on the water with it. I'm scheduled for a keelboat course to start soon. I have no trouble with the sailing part, it's getting out of and back into the marina that is my problem... oh, well, I'm sure it will come to me sooner or later with practice.

 

[Old Salt Oz]

Re: Any "sailors" out there?

As the name implies I have been around sailing boats from childhood, I'm convinced sailing is a disease I picked up over 50 years ago and am still trying to shake it.

Being on the East coast of Australia is a bonus with year round sailing in world class waters.

Started in a tiny no name sailing dinghy, then had a string of monohull sailing boats ranging from 16 to 43 footers, but now have a 42 foot catamaran, made in the USA by Stevens / Lees.

If anyone has any information or a web site for Stevens / Lees I would love to find out more. Ours was sailed from the USA to Australia; the forward cabins were never installed, bulkheads left without entry cut outs, instead they were fitted with huge water storage tanks.

With little spare cash to purchase yachts with, I ended up doing a lot of fibreglass work and refitting, then selling them to purchase the next and often bigger project.

Did a lot of racing in the 25 to 35 footers and have never stopped learning, even to this day, even managed to pass the AYF Offshore Yacht-masters exams some years back.

You have to admit the sound and feel of a boat under full sail in good breeze is like nothing else on this earth. Power without Pollution at it's very best.
There is also a camaraderie amongst rag and sting sailors you don't often see with stink pots.

Avagoodweekend......

 

[cbac]

Re: Any "sailors" out there?

Greeting from Corpus Christi Bay TX.
We started out about 15yrs ago on a 70's vintage Hobie 14 that a neighbor that was moving sold us. Of course we had little idea what we were doing but my wife had been in the Sea Scouts and had sailed, we had books and of course the boat and water to stick it in. So we did.

We got a lot of practice righting that cat at first. but after awhile we hung in there and hung on as well, and learned the wonderful feeling of capturing the wind. I believe we got addicted to the wind.
Years past, we got wet a lot, and one wedding anniversary I booked a dinner cruise at the local sailing center. It was just us and another couple and the Captain. My wife was talking to the Captain and then, there she was at the helm with the wind in her face and the most serene look on her face. I knew we in the midst of some destiny moment.

A couple of months later we chartered a bareboat, Captained sail for a couple hours around the bay and decided that we needed lessons. That was a year ago and we've passed the ASA Basic Keelboat 101, the Coastal Cruising 103, and passed the advanced CC104 just this weekend.

The last one was an adventure. We had 15 to 25 knot SSE winds (We're on a Hunter28) and about 60 F cloudy weather with a Norther due. We learned a lot about sail trim and running out of rudder, anticipating gusts through inlets on islands and odd currents in the intercoastal canal.
We headed out into the balmy Gulf of Mexico...that is if 8 to 10 ft seas is balmy. We hoved to for lunch and one of the other students heaved over...the rail, poor girl kept seing her lunch over and over again.
I learned how to use the head in rough seas. You have to stick one foot on the starboard wall, the other on the port, hang on the the shower head with one hand and yourself with the other and take careful aim.
We ran a MOB out there. That was hairy but an essential thing to learn. We opted for the shorter version other than the figure 8. We ran figure *s all three days in the wider, flatter waters.
To the people that are just getting a boat and trying to figure it out for yourselves, either take some lessons or get a seasoned skipper to take you out and teach you how to sails. It will be a whole lot frustrating and you'll have more time to sail and less time going "what just happened??" Above all, learn your Man Overboard Drills. It's essential, no one wants a bad day sailing.

Man I'm glad I found this forum.

 

[Caveman Charlie]

Re: Any "sailors" out there?

Shouldn't you be thanking me for finding this forum.cbac

 

[cbac]

Re: Any "sailors" out there?

Yes! Thank you, I just didn't know your full username! Thank you sir.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Any "sailors" out there?

Haven't sailed in about 15 years but used to be pretty active in both cruising and racing. Sailed various boats but spent the most time in Columbia 22, 26 & 34. Raced the 26 and the 34, plus a Ross 930. Learned how to jibe a spinnaker from "The Major," who was sewer man on the Australia II. Very nice guy .... even if he was on the crew of the boat that took the America's Cup after 132 years!

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Any "sailors" out there?

My 2 cents on single handing large sailboats.

I don't recommend it to inexperienced sailors. There is too much that can go wrong and not having someone else to assit in whatever cure needs to happen, can be a significant problem.

Even in the hand of an experienced sailor, a single handed boat can be a dangerous place. I have done it and developed ways of dealing with various issues, such as constructing a self steering device, but there are no guarantees. When all is well, all is well but its the unforeseen problems that will get you.

Besides, sailing is a team sport! How else can you explain the beauty of racing something that goes ten miles per hour?