How to Start Sailing - Montreal, Quebec

[cres]

Thanks again Drumroll30

I am out of town starting June 4th, so can not attend adult sailing course at your club. I will try Pointe-Claire club when I return.

As far as new-to-sailing, I am as new as possible. I was reading a lot of my fathers sailing magazines as a kid, so that left a trace. Until now, I never stepped on a sailing boat. Hopefully I will change that this summer.

[s/v Beth]

This subject is always coming up. I applaud the patience of those that answer. The answer of course is a thousand times...Get a Dingy. Rent one, buy one borrow one or whatever.
Learn to sail...
And the rest comes from there.

[alexryb]

Cres, I had the similar issue few years ago, how to learn sailing, racing, etc. I joined Point - Claire Yacht Club and had I lot of fun meeting very nice people, racing as a crew member, before I bought my first boat - Hunter 23. It was my first experience as a sail boat owner and helps me a lot to understand what I really want from sailing and which way to go. I have left the Club this spring for Lake Champlain cruising on my Bayfield 29 and would be glad to share my cruising time and experience as I'm single-handed most of the time.

[cres]

alexryb, thanks for sharing your early experiences. Lake Champlain apparently offers much bigger sailing playground. Is your boat on Canadian or USA side? If in USA, is it under USA or Canadian flag?

[alexryb]

Yes, my baby is Canadian boat sailing under Canadian flag. You will be surprised how many boats from Canada on USA marinas. I keep mine on Gaines Marina at Rouses Point, NY, so ~ 99% of the fleet from Quebec.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by Connemara

Champlain, of course. Very beautiful. OTOH, still a drive from Montreal and I dunno about border issues these days. Maybe someone from the area could say if Homeland Security bothers boaters.

Connemara

Only an hour or so. Homeland Security had a roadblock on Hwy 11; asked me a bunch of questions, including how much money I was carrying - very curious. Took 2 minutes, but there was zero wait at the actual border.