Is a 32' Sailboat Over-sized for a Beginner?

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by letsgetsailing3

It sort of depends on if you want to learn to sail, or want to learn to live on a boat. Those are two different things.

If you want to learn to sail, I'd go smaller, not spend all your money on it, and not fill it with all of your worldly goods.

If you're going to live on it, you'll find that you'll want to put all your stuff on it, and this will affect your desire and ability to really sail it.

Which leads us to your first lesson of boating: All boats are compromises.

What?

We live on our boat & sail it 30% of the days onboard. Us living aboard with our "stuff" doesn't effect the boat or our desire to sail it at all.

I really don't have any idea of what you mean.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by SaucySailoress

I'd say a Laser is a better size for a beginner, but it seems like you've already got your heart set on what you want!

Might be a little cramped as a liveaboard.

[mausgras]

My first (and still only) boat was a 37 footer. I did the ASA courses and it did not take long to get the hang of the basics but even after 3 years I would not try to sail singlehanded.

I often think I should have started with something smaller in order to learn those intangible skills of "seamanship". Setting sails to get the best out of the wind is still largely a mystery and adjusting the backstay or boom vang is like trying to understand a foreign language.

The larger the boat the more complex it is but fortunately the marina staff have been just great helping out and giving free advise with all the mysteries of maintenance and repair to the thousand and one little things that constantly need attention.

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by mausgras

My first (and still only) boat was a 37 footer. I did the ASA courses and it did not take long to get the hang of the basics but even after 3 years I would not try to sail singlehanded.

I often think I should have started with something smaller in order to learn those intangible skills of "seamanship". Setting sails to get the best out of the wind is still largely a mystery and adjusting the backstay or boom vang is like trying to understand a foreign language.

The larger the boat the more complex it is but fortunately the marina staff have been just great helping out and giving free advise with all the mysteries of maintenance and repair to the thousand and one little things that constantly need attention.

this is virtually my story too. My first boat is what I have now. A 36 foot ketch which I purchased three years ago. I'm getting ready to start solo sailing only now and to be honest I'm a bit nervous about it, despite the fact that I'm basically soloing when I take the family.

One of the things I had to way up was that I knew it would be my only purchase. I knew I wouldn't be able to trade it up, so I had to get a boat that would suit me into retirement. One I can spend the next ten years doing it up. And it had to be blue water suitable.

In my opinion 36 foot Is fine to learn with. A ketch is probably a little more involved and certainly more maintenance. But, I wouldn't like to live or sail on anything much smaller.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

What?

We live on our boat & sail it 30% of the days onboard. Us living aboard with our "stuff" doesn't effect the boat or our desire to sail it at all.

I really don't have any idea of what you mean.

He means learning to sail not just putting the rags in the air and making the boat move.

When you learn on a small boat you know what will happen no matter which "string" you pull. Racers can lose a race just with maybe 2" inches less downhaul or being slightly oversheeted or undersheeted.

Or maybe the mast was raked too far aft or not far enough. Could be a guy won because he had more mast prebend and the wind really cranked up. Or maybe it was rudder alignment if you are a catamaran sailor.

Or maybe one guy was in the current and the other wasn't. Could have been weight distribution.....and on it goes.

One guy had too much draft because his battens weren't strong enough and the wind got up. Or maybe his sails were to old and he couldn't flatten them.

Or maybe one fellow was over the start line early because he didn't know how to backup......

Or if you just want to cruise and are not in a hurry and you have a good engine, put the rags in the air and "sail."

Jeff Gordon knows driving and so does your average truck driver but there is a difference. I think he is saying something along those lines..............even if you eliminate the racing one still knows more about just driving.

But, both can usually get to where they want to go so it's just a matter of choice I reckon.

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by thomm225

He means learning to sail not just putting the rags in the air and making the boat move.

When you learn on a small boat you know what will happen no matter which "string" you pull. Racers can lose a race just with maybe 2" inches less downhaul or being slightly oversheeted or undersheeted.

Or maybe the mast was raked too far aft or not far enough. Could be a guy won because he had more mast prebend and the wind really cranked up. Or maybe it was rudder alignment if you are a catamaran sailor.

Or maybe one guy was in the current and the other wasn't. Could have been weight distribution.....

Or if you just want to cruise and are not in a hurry and you have a good engine, put the rags in the air and "sail."

I don't think it's your intention but it looks like you are suggesting that 'racers' are the true Mariners and cruisiers are somehow second rate.

I once heard that 'racing' teaches sailmanship, and that 'cruising' teachers seamanship. I think there is truth in this.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by thomm225

He means learning to sail not just putting the rags in the air and making the boat move.

When you learn on a small boat you know what will happen no matter which "string" you pull. Racers can lose a race just with maybe 2" inches less downhaul or being slightly oversheeted or undersheeted.

Or maybe the mast was raked too far aft or not far enough. Could be a guy won because he had more mast prebend and the wind really cranked up. Or maybe it was rudder alignment if you are a catamaran sailor.

Or maybe one guy was in the current and the other wasn't. Could have been weight distribution.....and on it goes.

One guy had too much draft because his battens weren't strong enough and the wind got up. Or maybe his sails were to old and he couldn't flatten them.

Or maybe one fellow was over the start line early because he didn't know how to backup......

Or if you just want to cruise and are not in a hurry and you have a good engine, put the rags in the air and "sail."

Jeff Gordon knows driving and so does your average truck driver but there is a difference. I think he is saying something along those lines..............even if you eliminate the racing one still knows more about just driving.

But, both can usually get to where they want to go so it's just a matter of choice I reckon.

I hadn't finished my post yet. You can go either way. It's all up to you and how much you want to know about sailing the boat.

We only have so much time. I can sail for example but don't ask me to tie a certain type knot because I only know a few basic ones.

Also, I raced catamarans which we launch from the beach so I'm still learning techniques for tying the boat off at the dock. Give me a cleat, I'm good but if there are just a bunch of pilings I have to relearn that technique of line overlap which some of you have done forever.

I was trying to get across a point about sailing. On a big boat, it can take like 45 seconds for the boat to respond to an adjustment after you pull a string. On a small boat, it's instantaneous. You can learn much easier.

[Cormorant]

See if you can manage to keep a small sailing dinghy as your tender, or just kept somewhere nearby. That way you can go out and get lots of wet, exciting small-boat sailing education, which will translate well to the bigger boat.

[dcstrng]

Don't think I've seen a M32 in some years so had to refresh my memory... it certainly has all the numbers I'd look for if I was in the market for that size again -- perhaps a bit more draft than we like in the Bay, but not crazy and the D/L would seem to indicate an easy ride with a moderate disposition... underbody reminds me of a larger Irwin ketch I had for many years and liked... never been into racing, so the advice on that is beyond me, but the cabin is the classic of the era... for me it would then depend on the shape of the hull, auxiliary, sails and rigging... don't see why a newcomer couldn't sail nicely with a week or so of class on docking and handling in close quarters, then some concentrated, conservative sailing through a summer with some experience sailors...

[ericoh88]

32' is a good start.

My friend and I bought a 31' fin keel spade rudder. Would go up and down the coast of Phuket, Langkawi and Penang. It was "a big boat" to me which I can easily take the boat out and turn circles in tight quarters. Lots of good memories and scary ones too.

Good luck in your adventure.

[thomm225]

Here's a nice Morgan 32:

1983 Morgan 323 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

[Dave the Canuck]

Go big. I've never met anyone who wishes that they'd purchased a smaller boat. Then take dinghy sailing lessons. If you can sail a dinghy, you can sail pretty much anything. Only real difference is momentum and stability.

Have fun!

[Southcoasting]

I started with a 27 for the wife and I. Although it was almost perfect for us, it was tight whenever we had guests, especially overnight. Super easy to singlehand and handle on my own in all kinds of conditions. Some 27's were better as the head and v-birth area had lower head room that I found annoying after a while.

We now have a 34 that is almost perfect and sometimes I feel too big when I singlehand...I think it just a matter of me getting used to it though as I have only singlehanded it once since we launched last year. But, I bought it because I love the design, got a great deal, and think that it is all the boat we will ever need especially now with an 8 month old who will take up room in our New England cruises. And if we have guests, much more room and privacy with a v birth door and head access from v-birth. I think 30-32 would be a good compromise for living aboard as a single person depending on the design, beam, etc.

[Sirago]

If you really want to learn to sail, start with a sailing dingy. When you make a mistake, you are going swimming.

[Bill Balme]

If you're going to live aboard, pick the one that has:
- enough headroom
- a decent water heating system
- a propane stove

If sailing single handed, it needs:
- self tailing winches or clutches for each line
- autopilot
- alone and inexperienced would mean it would be better to have a chart plotter at the helm

Our first boat was a 30 footer - managed that fine. It came with 5 half days lessons with a captain!