Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Richards
Jack, I've never heard of anyone learning this in one day. That's like drinking from a fire hose.
And there's no substitute for developing a reasonable level of experience.
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Jim,
That is how I learned to sail. I bought our first boat, (a Catalina 27) with zero sailing experience. I knew we wanted a boat we could comfortably? spend 2-3 days on. I found the boat that fit the bill and bought it with the condition that the owner would spend a day on the water teaching me all he could.
We spent about 10 hours on the water tacking, gybing, reaching, running with me working the sails and then at the helm. We covered the basics of reading tell-tales, weather helm, sail trim, hoisting the sails and dousing them. When we finished I had every confidence I could handle the boat on the large lake we were on. He offered to go out the next weekend but I declined. The next weekend my wife and I hit the water and have never looked back. And yes, I have my fair share of self-confidence. As someone pointed out however, the ocean and offshore is a whole different game.
I knew the boat had be relatively stiff (no centerboard, etc) some creature comforts and easily handled by 2 people. The Cataline 27 we ended up with was inboard diesel, pressurized h20, water heater, marine head with shower, small galley and was a perfect weekender. Whe wife is really not into roughing it...
We currently have a Catalina 34 docked in Corpus Christi. We have sailed offshore from Galveston to Port Isabel and all points between and done the Harvest Moon Regatta from Galveston to Port Aransas.
I agree with you statement about experience level but a lot of it is just using your head. Watch the weather, don't go out in 30 knot winds - know your limitations.
I believe the only real way to develop the experience is to do it. I have made every mistake you can make: backwinding jibs, flying gybs, unintentional gybs, rounding up, in irons, lost anchcors, etc etc... the same ones anyone who has ever sailed has made...
and yes, I know the da#@# fender is hanging off... we were coming into an anchorage when the pic was taken.
