I am New to Cruisers Forum and Don't Have a Boat Yet

[pollywhitehurst]

Hello,
I have wanted to sail since I was a kid. I have sailed with small groups in Thailand and Greece, but I personally don't know how to sail. I am going to check into taking sailing lessons in the Tampa Bay area, since I am from Gainesville, Fl. Does anyone have any suggestions. I have plans to learn to sail, read and learn about navigation (maybe take some classes) and eventually 3-4 yrs down the road actually buy a catamaran. My husband doesn't share my thrill seeking, but I have friends that do and I think he may learn to like it if he would try it. I have 2 sons, 21 and 24 that I think might like to come along with me. I would start by sailing near the FL coast since this is the boaters paradise.
I will also learn a lot from this forum


I DREAM of sailing

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, pollywhitehurst

[chala]

Good move in one of the most beautiful and rewarding hobby and welcome.

[pollywhitehurst]

Thanks, I see you are from Australia. Do you live on your boat there? If so what a beautiful place to sail.......

[micah719]

G'day and welcome, Mrs Whitehurst.

[skipmac]

Greetings and welcome to the forum.

Just happens I also live in Gainesville FL. Did not grow up with the dream but caught the bug when I was about 20 and spent 10 years boat bumming around the Caribbean. Got married and moved on land after a year cruising with my wife and ended up in Hogtown after we sold the boat.

Now getting ready to go do it again. I bought a 42' sail boat and had it trucked to Gainesville so I could work on it weekends and after work. Hope to launch this fall and take off full time cruising in a couple of years.

If you want to get together and talk boats or come out to see my work in progress send me a PM.

Skip

[chala]

Originally Posted by pollywhitehurst

Do you live on your boat there? If so what a beautiful place to sail.......

I used to. These days I keep the boat in the garden during the cyclone seasons and voyage with during the dry.

[Sandero]

Welcome... All sounds good except your notion of FL being a boater's paradise. I think for sailors that would be perhaps Maine or the Carribean... maybe the Pacific Northwest.

[CapRon]

Welcome Pollywhitehurst. I had the same problem getting my partner involved in sailing. The solution was simple. I got our kids involved and naturally she didn't want to miss out on anything. We took sailing lessons together (kind of like a family adventure/mini vacation) and she is now an accomplished sailor. There is one drawback to that. Once she became involved, she wanted a bigger boat.