My Boat Scares Me

[spcalan1]

I went from a Catalina 25 to a Islander 30.
Still haven't got the nerve to open the roller furling all the way out yet.
15 degrees of heel - almost scary.

[zeehag]

rofl-- went to ericson 35 from islander 26--lol-- was an easy step---- now i have a formosa 41--havent taken it to a dock yet..... we will see how that goes soon enough--- i love this boat----

[simonmd]

Originally Posted by s/v Moondancer

All you 5 star guys need to go sailing instead of writing about it...

Hell, my grand kids can handle a 55 ft boat!

A very good point. When I got my 57ft flybridge, she felt like a cruise liner compared to the 40ft and less boats I was used to! You need to get her out and then you'll realise it's all relative. Oh, and a bow thruster? Please! I honestly can't see why any fin keel boat would need one.

Pick a nice calm day and take her out under power just to get a feel for marina handling. Under sail, i'm sure she'll be just as easy as your old one, maybe easier as she'll be a bit more stable I would have thought.

[spcalan1]

My 30ft - our last boat, and perfect for us.

[capnorv]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

I went to my new boat today while moving stuff from the old boat. It had been 3 months since I had been to it (it's that frozen white stuff that lays around on the ground up here in the winter).

It's HUGE and I'm scared! You would thing one wouldn't be that scared of a 44' boat when they had been sailing a 39' one for a couple of years. But damn my Hunter 410 just makes my old Cal-39 feel like a toy! Fromthe helm the bow seems a looooong way away!

I look forward to getting over this feeling. Except when bringing it into the dock that will never stop causing fear in me to grow.

i FEEL YOUR PAIN! We're stepping up and even though I've got a couple hundred under the keel, and 30 or so solo, I am still a little cautious coming aside the dock. Ironically with overhangs, I only gained 3', but above waterline, at least 6'. Hopefully by fall we'll both be confident in our vessels and our skills with them. I was so intimidated I went and passed a six pack course last week to gain a little more confidence, still in application process but it seems to have helped. Out on the water, the larger size is great, close quarters is a different story. Good luck, we'll get there

[davefromoregon]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

I went to my new boat today while moving stuff from the old boat. It had been 3 months since I had been to it (it's that frozen white stuff that lays around on the ground up here in the winter).

It's HUGE and I'm scared! You would thing one wouldn't be that scared of a 44' boat when they had been sailing a 39' one for a couple of years. But damn my Hunter 410 just makes my old Cal-39 feel like a toy! Fromthe helm the bow seems a looooong way away!

I look forward to getting over this feeling. Except when bringing it into the dock that will never stop causing fear in me to grow.

Congrats on the new boat, will the seller provide a bit of training on this boat?

[capnorv]

Originally Posted by spcalan1

My 30ft - our last boat, and perfect for us.

Those were the good old days...then came grandchildren,cps, and adoption. We went from the life everyone envied to the one no one wanted...but it's all good. Play what you're dealt.

[delmarrey]

This is one of the first boats I had to drive. At first it was a bit scary but the bullets hitting the hull took my mind off that.


.

[s/v Breakaway]

Ask someone who is comfortable with that size boat to go out with you, it will build your confidence to practice handling it.

[tartansail]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

I went to my new boat today while moving stuff from the old boat. It had been 3 months since I had been to it (it's that frozen white stuff that lays around on the ground up here in the winter).

It's HUGE and I'm scared! You would thing one wouldn't be that scared of a 44' boat when they had been sailing a 39' one for a couple of years. But damn my Hunter 410 just makes my old Cal-39 feel like a toy! Fromthe helm the bow seems a looooong way away!

I look forward to getting over this feeling. Except when bringing it into the dock that will never stop causing fear in me to grow.

Originally Posted by davefromoregon

Congrats on the new boat, will the seller provide a bit of training on this boat?

I feel your pain. We're moving from 34' to 40'. I went to the boat -- also in Salem -- this weekend to do some work. She looked huge. I'm still trying to find stuff I know was there at the survey, but is hiding out behind a panel somewhere.

We set a launch date and I realized that I was going to have to figure out how to make everything work in just a few weeks. Following Oregon Dave's line of thinking, I sent a note to the former owner and asked if he would do a run through once we're in the water. I figured he could help me avoid a few pitfalls after fifteen years on the boat. He's good to go so, hopefully, that will accelerate the learning curve. Once we're actually sailing, I'm not worried. Docking? Hmmm. Maybe next year.

[wingontherock]

The fact that it scares you... scares me!!! Be sure and let me know when you come this way...lol

[sailingaway221]

Relax... go slow..... and stop 2 feet earlier than usual..... Time will take that feeling away.

[sailorboy1]

Hope people realize my posting was only semi-serious. The new boat at 43.5' overall isn't all that much bigger than my old 39' Cal, which was my first boat. I never have even been on a boat less than 33'.

I'm not worried at all about sailing the new boat. Docking is another thing since I've probably only docked 15 times total. Just have to pick calm days the first couple of times.

[bigpuff]

from 42 to 80 now that is a bit scary(NOmatter how long youv been sailing)BUT you soon get the hang of it.just remember slow in slow out,big boats make big dents;one thing i loved was she could carry sail for a lot longer(just keep easing the sheets)and she wasnt so finniky going hard on the wind.youll love it .a small electric furling winch(for main halyard aswell )would make life easer and the wife and crew would for ever thank you;good sailing

[senormechanico]

Mine's too small when I'm on it, and too big when I'm washing it or painting the bottom.
It must be about the right size, although with three hulls it has 100 feet of waterline to keep clean!