Questions about Sailing

[SkiprJohn]

Originally Posted by jsauls1

Not sure if this is the correct forum to post these questions but here goes. I have been a power boat man all of my life , never sailed , but my wife and i just recently returned from St John where we sailed on a catamaran and we have fallen in love with the life style , i'm ready to sell my power boat and purchase a multihull ,without making this post to long can one teach himself to sail , what are the more reliable cats , i really like the Lagoon 440. At this point i'm like a sponge and trying to absorb as much knowledge as possible , any help or advice would be helpful. Thanks

Aloha, You've raised a great question. I apologize for my fellow CF members and all their goofy comebacks. Some were not goofy so I apologize for myself in making that comment.
You can do a search on the forum in the search function on the second line down and get lots of answers about which cat is best for you but only you can make that choice. I've sailed on catamarans and trimarans and monohulls and I just plain prefer the ride and pointing ability I get with a monohull. But that's very subjective and if you prefer the ride on a catamaran that's your preference.
A 44 cat of any make is a whole lot of boat. I've sailed on 55 monohulls that did not have as much interior space or the beam to contend with. You can be self-taught but you'll not have the knowledge quickly nor thoroughly as you would by taking courses. Please take some courses even if they are basic.
Good luck in your choice.
kind regards,

[Redreuben]

OP, I'm going to pretend I didn't read the previous pages and just say this, yes you could teach yourself, in the meantime read and get some on water experience, I would seriously question the relevance of hobie sailing, rather try and get a spot on a larger boat that races, apart from being enormous fun pushing a fast boat you will learn fast, and like others have said do a few courses and add some depth to your experience. Mono or multi much of the basics are the same. Just get out there.

[valhalla360]

Once you sail past all the imaginary overturned catamarans getting out of the harbor...

Taking a sailing class is a good idea. Hobbie cats are almost totally unrelated to a big cruising boat. The fun of a hobbie is riding on one hull and that frequently results in an overturned boat. No cruising cat should be on one hull and it is difficult to impossible to make most do it.

We made a similar switch. We did take a 3 day ASA class on a 34' mono, which was the limit of our sail training. I would say our 34' cat is easier to sail. It's mostly in terms of comfort and space. No clinging on as you are healed over 20-30 degrees. If you push the limits of either type of boat, you can get in trouble but there is no reason to be paranoid.

44' is a big boat. Where do you plan to keep it and how do you plan to cruise? That will help determine if it is an appropriate choice.

[nimblemotors]

Sailing any boat, even a Hobie will teach you about sailing.
Is that relevant to cruising? A little, but understanding how an electrical system works, and the plumbing, and watermaker and the fuel tanks, and pumps, and navigation, charts, and radio protocols, might be just a little more important,
and you will learn NONE OF THAT on any small boat.
But all the above besides sailing ISN'T FUN, wherease the Sailing part IS THE FUN,
and you can have fun on a small boat. In other words, get a small boat to sail, get a big boat to live on, is my advice.

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by jsauls1

SNIP

At this point i'm like a sponge and trying to absorb as much knowledge as possible , any help or advice would be helpful. Thanks

Not everyone learns the same way. Some learn better reading a book, others watching a vid, others playing with models. Some are more visual and others verbal.

What you need to do is determine how you learn best. A structured class can be good for some, crewing on someone else' boat for others.

While you can learn a lot racing there is a big difference between racing and cruising. True many sailors, myself included, got started in prams then moved to one designs and then on to something like SORC boats. But I never sail my cruising boat like any of the race boats I was on.

YMMV

[Sand crab]

Read these:
Bumfuzzle
This couple bought a cat and sailed around the world with absolutely no sailing experience at all. Scroll down to the archives at the bottom and start all the way at the beginning. A bit of CF controversy there.

The Slapdash | No Fixed Address
This couple did most of the world in a Gemini

And these books:

Publications & Articles - Aeroyacht
You can buy this at Barnes and Noble today.

For Sale - Chris White Designs

The Case for the Cruising Trimaran: Jim Brown: 9780972146142: Amazon.com: Books

Good luck.

I apologize for my earlier post about people who own cats. I went back immediately and tried to delete it. It wouldn't take. Then tried to edit it and that was a nogo also. So now I am stuck with it. My friend really did say that however.

[SkiprJohn]

Good luck.

I apologize for my earlier post about people who own cats. I went back immediately and tried to delete it. It wouldn't take. Then tried to edit it and that was a nogo also. So now I am stuck with it. My friend really did say that however.[/QUOTE]

Is that why the last line in your signature?

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

Good luck.

I apologize for my earlier post about people who own cats. I went back immediately and tried to delete it. It wouldn't take. Then tried to edit it and that was a nogo also. So now I am stuck with it. My friend really did say that however.

Is that why the last line in your signature?[/QUOTE]

As its the only line in his signature I'd say its working....

[Sand crab]

Ouch!

[Sand crab]

Here's my magnetism at work.
My buddy collects old GMC pickup trucks from the 50s. The problem is that he had a DUI about 10 years ago and refuses to pay the fine which is based on some principal that no one but him can understand. So he can't get a drivers license until he does pay and he keeps getting popped for driving on a suspended license. Which means he can't legally drive his old trucks and he has 10 of them!

Now do you get my signature line?

[boatman61]

LOL... reckon Skipper John can take a joke as well as I can..

[jsauls1]

Easy guys , i just thought i would ask a simple question did not know it would turn into this , but i guess you get what you ask for. I did receive some advise some positive some not so much and i do thank you , i have operated a boat before , i have navigated coastal and offshore waters just about my hole life just not on a sailboat and i know there is a big difference. Just looking for the best way to get that knowledge. Thanks

[Tantalus]

I recently read about a poll a big charter company did of their customers which found that somewhere north of 80% of them never raised a sail the entire time. So, I would think you'd do pretty well for a while just learning how your cat handles differently than you're used to. I would imagine there would be no shortage of sailors willing to spend some days helping you figure out what all those ropes and other fiddly bits sailboats have, once your ready.

[jsauls1]

Thanks Tantalus.

[ozskipper]

NO!.. You can not teach yourself to sail. ( Wait for the flaming). You will make so many mistakes that you will end up hating the sport/lifestyle- as will your significant other. The most likely outcome is a growth of disdain towards it, rather than a love of it. Rendering your boat useless as you and your "other" choose to do other pass times.

Get Lessons! dont just read books, (dummies books are great BTW)

I am not sure on what part of the world you live in, but if you get RYA Day Skipper Quals ( or equivalent) you will become quite proficient . Coastal Skipper quals you will be a great sailor and one that others will trust with their lives.

In a perfect world you and your significant other could do the courses together and bounce ideas off each other.

As far as purchasing is concerned. Try chartering a few cruising cats first. Just about every other cat, in a lagoon price point, is of a high standard, so it will come down to other variables, like layout, sail-ability, deck layout etc.