I know nothing of Sailing Can someone be so kind to HELP me please!

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by thiago1979

To my knowledge I believe to get to most parts of the world independently without having a Airplane Pilot License would be sailing. The best cost effective plan from what I can see as of right now is Sailing. Besides how else would I really have a better advantage of getting to my tropical island dreams?

Cheers

Boats more cost effective than flying? I dunno about that - could be , but neither without cost.

If you are looking for best bang for yer buck - go by jumbo jet to somewhere far away, warm and cheap to live. and if you want to mix your travels up with boats, then go the OPB route by learning where the most likely places folks will want extra crew onboard (for longer passages).

My advice would be to head to South East Asia (cost of living cheap as chips) - and more tropical islands than you can shake a stick at. Albeit me coming from a small island (not tropical though!) another fuggin island and golden sandy beaches is a bit same old same old .........I liked the big cities best . and if you can't spend a life time in Bangkok alone you ain't got much imagination (leaving aside that it's a place to discover that Google images didn't invent anything ).

Boats? well, boats will always be around - but being young and having adventures (whether or not involving dusky maidens ) has a time limit........

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by thiago1979

By actually taking some classes at the Coconut Grove Marina here in Miami. One thing is for sure motions sickness will be one of the worst things I need to adapt to. The beginnings of the plan are on the way. To answer your question more directly I don't know 100% if I will like sailing, what I do expect is that there will be difficult obstacles ahead. To my knowledge I believe to get to most parts of the world independently without having a Airplane Pilot License would be sailing. The best cost effective plan from what I can see as of right now is Sailing. Besides how else would I really have a better advantage of getting to my tropical island dreams?

Cheers

I don't really want to to pop your bubble because I only got into sailing to cruise, not to sail. But you haven't sailed yet!

When I got into sailing all I hoped was that I didn't hate sailing (because I wanted to cruise not sail). But you want to do the big loop.

I'm not really sure that your horse can even see your cart right now, as it is sooooo far out in front of the horse.

[atoll]

i don't think any body has pointed out that if you want to go to brazil from florida,the correct route is to sail to the azores first in may,then head for the african coast till you get north easterlies,and cross the equator before the onset of the hurricane season.

gettin to brazil from the caribean is virtualy impossable in a sail boat due to the strong contary wind and current!

[downunder]

Thaigo,

One of the skills you will need to master is anchoring. Many, many vessels are lost at anchor.

There are many anchor threads on this site to persue.

Cheers

[belizesailor]

Just a suggestion: before you rush off and buy a boat -- take some time to learn to sail first. You don't need to own a boat to learn -- especially in a opportunity rich venue like Miami.

[carstenb]

Somewhere on another thread, it was suggested to a newbie that he get a slot on a tall ship. They are always looking for crew, and you will get some sea experience. You'll also find out if you get uncontrollably seasick.

That is a good suggestion for you also. I'm sure somebody here has the link to the tall ships crew finder. I looked but can't find it.

[thiago1979]

Originally Posted by Bash

Ah yes, Blue Lagoon. Was in the skinny-dipping scene that inspired you?

Nothing better than a story about a shipwreck to get the cruising juices flowing! Thank goodness shipwreck stories all have happy endings.

Good one Bash! The scenes that were most inspiring to me were just the Clear and blue waters, besides if brooke shields was waiting for me I would already had bot a boat and motored the dawn thing to that Island! LOL

Cheers

[thiago1979]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

I don't really want to to pop your bubble because I only got into sailing to cruise, not to sail. But you haven't sailed yet!

When I got into sailing all I hoped was that I didn't hate sailing (because I wanted to cruise not sail). But you want to do the big loop.

I'm not really sure that your horse can even see your cart right now, as it is sooooo far out in front of the horse.

I think you are a bit confuse there Don. How can you cruise if you don't put your sail up? Are you motoring all the time, if so then just buy a Sea-Doo Sports Boat.


You inspire me Don!

Cheers

[thiago1979]

Originally Posted by downunder

Thaigo,

One of the skills you will need to master is anchoring. Many, many vessels are lost at anchor.

There are many anchor threads on this site to persue.

Cheers

Great advice mate. I will keep this in mind to add to my bag of tricks. The more good advice I receive the better my chances are alone at sea.

Cheers

[thiago1979]

Originally Posted by atoll

i don't think any body has pointed out that if you want to go to brazil from florida,the correct route is to sail to the azores first in may,then head for the african coast till you get north easterlies,and cross the equator before the onset of the hurricane season.

gettin to brazil from the caribean is virtualy impossable in a sail boat due to the strong contary wind and current!

I have read of such things, but wasn't really sure. I have here a map that shows the currents, but even though the currents run North most sailors do the Sail South just to stop by the Islands.

[thiago1979]

Originally Posted by maytrix

Your best bet is to take a course. Basic Keelboat would be the one to start with. It's usually a 2 day course and will get you basic understanding and time out on the water.

Hello! At the Marina where I signed up for some classes they start off on Catalina 20's. I don't know if it's a good start, but that is what they offer.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by thiago1979

I think you are a bit confuse there Don. How can you cruise if you don't put your sail up? Are you motoring all the time, if so then just buy a Sea-Doo Sports Boat.


You inspire me Don!

Cheers

I sail just fine and more miles than anyone else is the marina. I'm only mildy confused so aren't at the point of not knowing how to sail, but planning to go around the world etc.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by thiago1979

I have read of such things, but wasn't really sure. I have here a map that shows the currents, but even though the currents run North most sailors do the Sail South just to stop by the Islands.

as you will see from the map getting to ne brazil direct is just about impossible.

by all means sail east south east to the islands,this normally entails a hard motor sail to windward if you take the island hopping route.

otherwise boats leaving the east coast that dont have the ability to motorsail,generally head for bermuda before turning south,to reach the windward islands.

to reach brazil from the windward's generally boats leave around april for the azores,continue on to europe for the summer,then in november at the end of hurricane season,follow the african coast south,then jump off from the cape verde islands for recife or further south.

you might look at the pilot charts for a better idea when passage planning
available here

Atlas of Pilot Charts for the Major Oceans of the World

[thiago1979]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Just a suggestion: before you rush off and buy a boat -- take some time to learn to sail first. You don't need to own a boat to learn -- especially in a opportunity rich venue like Miami.

That's what I keep on reading here, but I have to search on that. I believe I have to learn how to sail first then I may find a crew.

Cheers

[watergypsy]

Thiago, I am enjoying reading how you are going about your learning journey. I have a particular interest in how people learn to sail with intentions to go offshore. (and what makes them think they are ready to cast their dock lines)

One of the questions I often ask myself is, how can someone who is just beginning their love affair with sailing, map the learning journey required. It strikes me as fascinating that for some people having an organised plan is what is needed with lots and lots of reading , viewing and talking and dreaming, whilst others seem to think the , "just get out there and do it" is the best way to go. But how do you know where to start when there is just so much you need to know. Sailing and cruising, like most of life, teaches us that you probably know enough, when you actually know what you still need to learn and that you will never know enough.
It’s lovely to see how helpful people are when they know someone is genuinely trying to learn, especially when similar questions are often asked. It appears that you are doing what many do, and reading everything you can find as well as trying to soak in information from people who you feel are more knowledgeable others. Asking good questions IS probably the most important step in learning how to sail apart from getting cold, wet and dirty sometimes. There are some very good resources out there, but like most things worth knowing, it’s a good idea to gather information from a variety of sources, and then make some decisions based on what you learn.
For some, there is so much information, and often its conflicting, that it can become overwhelming, especially when you just want to up and go. For my own learning, this is some of what I have done so far - btw my salty loveaffair/ decision that I want to go cruising started about 6 years ago.
I joined a boat club, managed to get a mooring, am about to start on my third bout of boat fitout/restoration, (still have not sailed out the heads, maybe I just like messing about in boats?)
I have read nearly every solo sailing autobiographical book I can lay my hands on, Beth and Evan and Lyn and Larry Pardey have a great blog sites. Read them, they will help you with some of the thinking about cruising, as well as give you the links to their books. I think I just counted that I subscribe to approximately 50 sailors' blogs,... fuel to keep the armchair part of my dream floating. Teresa Carey's sailing simplicity is my latest fav. But as I said earlier, you need to think through what you read, because often the adventure you read about happened some years ago, and things, people and attitudes change.
I have had the fortunate opportunity to train as a volunteer on a Tallship , so I’ve signed onto the crewlist and can sail about a small bay whenever there is a free spot available - I wish I could go more often than I have been able to so far - the first time out, I got up the mast to gasket the topsails.. it was bliss and I decided I was happiest with a rolling deck under my feet. ( and yet, here I am sitting at a computer still dreaming).
Also in my learning list, a navigation course; pull apart and put back together diesel engines, so I sort of know how they work , for the most part. Learning how to tie good knots, now there’s a pastime that keeps your hands out of mischief.
I take pleasure in helping others get their boats out of the water when they are slipping them to antifoul and do boat maintenance. I am a dab hand with a sander and angle grinder. You know if you go and help someone clean the bottom of their boat; you have an ideal opportunity to make a friend or two who would take you out for a sail. (Helping someone scrape barnacles is a good way to stop being a stranger)
I get to participate in a social race every other weekend, I should turn up to that more often too, maybe then I wouldn't be the very last to the barbeque afterwards every time. (You’ve never known danger till you have seen a hoard of hungry sailors attack meat on a barbeque)
Offering to crew on smaller boats is usually helpful when you are just starting, so you get to know what things are called, (if you can’t afford to pay for a course). It’s good to see a diagram in a book or on a website as a starting point, but if you can actually reach out and touch the bits on a boat as well, it will help you to remember what they are , and what they do. Then when you go and offer your services to those who like to race- to learn a bit more about sailing, you will know what is going to happen when everyone starts moving to the other side of the boat in a hurry with their heads down . Oh and one other thing, do wear good wet weather gear if you crew in cold climates, because hanging your bum in the sea water for hours if you’re ballast in a race certainly sorts the sailors from the dreamers.
Ok, so that ended up being a lot longer post that I intended sorry about that, I love this forum, because from what I have read lurking about these last few years, its generally a safe place to ask questions ; to give or get opinions. I do hope you continue to learn and keep that passion alive, and that when you do go, you know enough to look after yourself, because once you are on the water, you need to be pretty self-sufficient most of the time.

A:-)