No experience of sailing

[johnnyreno13]

Hi:I have no experience of sailing Catamaran or Monohull. I am 48 years old and have been living and working on the Costa Del Sol, Spain and plan to retire in 2 years and sail around the world with my wife and child who will be 4 years. I have been reading most magazines and Cruiser forums for years. I have a power boat and love diving. I am going to book a sailing course in Gibraltar for january 2009 and have planned to buy a Sailing dinghy for Christmas. I would appreciate any helpful information or advice you could give me. God Bless. Johnny

[Talbot]

You have started in the right direction, but the really important problem for you to solve is that your whole message refers to what you are going to do. Unless your wife is equally enthusiastic, and prepared to do the same courses and sail the dinghy, you will have a problem.

Two years is a really short time to get the knowledge, decide on the boat, prepare the boat, prepare the equipment and prepare yourselves. I would suggest that before you commit yourselves utterly, you need to both get aboard a sailing boat for at least a week to see if the dream is not a nightmare.

This will either reinforce your enthusiasm and get your wife on side as well, or expose the weakness in the plan.

Good luck, I hope it works, you have started with the right idea, you also need to read up on what can go wrong in order to start mentally preparing yourself. "Heavy weather sailing" by Adlard Coles is a good read, as is "Sell up and Sail" by Bill and Laurel Cooper. I also recommend working your way through all the material at Welcome to Maxing Out

[johnnyreno13]

Thanks Talbot for your propt reply. I have read many of your comments over the years and found them to be most helpful. My wife Claire is also learning to sail and is totally committed. I have both the books you have mentiond and found them both enjoyable and informative. I am a avid follower of WELCOME TO MAXING OUT. Ifind them a amazing family and truly a inspiration to my wife Claire and I. God Bless. Johnny

[imagine2frolic]

WELCOME,

Get lots of sailing time in, and that includes snotty weather too. Do this before you cut your ties from land. We would hate to read about another disaster at sea in a few days time.........BEST WISHES......i2f

[Hud3]

Welcome aboard, Johnny!

Taking courses and learning to sail a dinghy is a great way to master the basics of sailing. I'd recommend doing some keelboat chartering when your skill level allows. Chartering for a week or two in different boats will help you and your wife understand what's important to you in terms of boat handling characteristics and features. Get as much sailing time in as possible before committing to a cruising boat purchase.

Buena suerte,

[Talbot]

[quote=johnnyreno13;214657]Thanks Talbot for your prompt reply./quote]
Happy to help.

Another book I amuse myself with occassionally is "Total Loss" by Coote.

Once you get round to the planning stage of where and when to go, I recommend the World Cruising Routes and World Cruising Handbook as two must-haves. (both by Cornell)

The Drag Device Database is also a usefull read.

I agree with the philosophy on Maxing Out. A Jordan series drogue and a para-anchor. Where I disagree is in the way he attached his drogues. The need to reinforce the attachment point is totally agreed, and I like what he has done on his bows. But the concept of attaching the drogue to the winches is not one I would agree with at all. The winches are designed and reinforced to take a fair load, but not in the same league as the way he set up his bow. Thus there is always the possibility that a massive breaking wave could pull the winches out (this has happened on less well built cats). You are then left with the problem of no drogue, and no way to sheet in your stormsail!

[Reality Check]

Welcome... Sailing around Gibraltar in January would probably be a good intro into rough water sailing if they take you out in it. Not always the "Easy" way to get started but probably one of the most effective.

Spent some time in Portugal's Costa Del Sol some years ago and really enjoyed it. I was working at the time and didn't have the opportunity to visit Spain. Very interesting area with all the Moorish architecture mixed in... and the food... OOooo Boy the food. You just eat too late!!! Having the evening meal at 9 or later was very hard for me to adjust to.

Good luck and hope things work out for you and your family.

[Ed Steele]

I would recommend two books. First is Beth Leonard’s book “The Voyager's Handbook -the Essential Guide to BluewaterCruising”. Unlike the oft quoted recommended reading list, she gives a woman’s perspective and this book is filled with great advice. The only caveat I have is that Beth’s recommendations for provisioning for an ocean crossing is about three times what we actually used. Another fine read is Pete Goss’s account, “Close to the Wind”. Don’t read it until you are actually out sailing in bad weather. Then you will realize that what you thought was a life-threatening situation is actually a dead calm.
Ed

[johnnyreno13]

Originally Posted by imagine2frolic

WELCOME,

Get lots of sailing time in, and that includes snotty weather too. Do this before you cut your ties from land. We would hate to read about another disaster at sea in a few days time.........BEST WISHES......i2f

Thanks for your advice and support. The weather here in spain is blowing a gale. This might be the right time to get out and sail. god Bless. Johnny

[johnnyreno13]

Originally Posted by Hud3

Welcome aboard, Johnny!

Taking courses and learning to sail a dinghy is a great way to master the basics of sailing. I'd recommend doing some keelboat chartering when your skill level allows. Chartering for a week or two in different boats will help you and your wife understand what's important to you in terms of boat handling characteristics and features. Get as much sailing time in as possible before committing to a cruising boat purchase.

Buena suerte,

Thanks for your advice on keelboat chartering. This is something i have not thought about. I will be doing a lot of reading tomorrow day. ( weather here blowing a gale,so plenty of spare time) Thanks again and God Bless. Johnny

[johnnyreno13]

Originally Posted by Reality Check

Welcome... Sailing around Gibraltar in January would probably be a good intro into rough water sailing if they take you out in it. Not always the "Easy" way to get started but probably one of the most effective.

Spent some time in Portugal's Costa Del Sol some years ago and really enjoyed it. I was working at the time and didn't have the opportunity to visit Spain. Very interesting area with all the Moorish architecture mixed in... and the food... OOooo Boy the food. You just eat too late!!! Having the evening meal at 9 or later was very hard for me to adjust to.

Good luck and hope things work out for you and your family.

Thanks for your reply Reality check. I do have a 26ft power boat. We do try to get out and about the coast at every opportunity. These next 4 months weather permitting. And as you said Gibralter is rough weather and can get worst within hours. And there is the food. well i will let you know more of that subject another day. Starving. God Bless. Johnny

[johnnyreno13]

Originally Posted by Ed Steele

I would recommend two books. First is Beth Leonard’s book “The Voyager's Handbook -the Essential Guide to BluewaterCruising”. Unlike the oft quoted recommended reading list, she gives a woman’s perspective and this book is filled with great advice. The only caveat I have is that Beth’s recommendations for provisioning for an ocean crossing is about three times what we actually used. Another fine read is Pete Goss’s account, “Close to the Wind”. Don’t read it until you are actually out sailing in bad weather. Then you will realize that what you thought was a life-threatening situation is actually a dead calm.
Ed

Hi. Thanks for your reply. The books you mention are going on my shopping list. You mentioned Beth Leonards book.and Beths recommendations for provisioning. I am 6,2" and 19 stone. So i think she would be about right. For me that is. God Bless. Johnny

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Johnny,
Welcome aboard! Good to have you reading the forums. It appears you've gotten a lot of good advice and you are starting to by planning to do the right things. I have to say that if you are unable to get your cruising sailing vessel right away that you probably could use the experience of a charter to get yourself adjusted to "big boat" features and systems.
I do recommend the book "Start Sailing Right!" and when you get your sailing dinghy it will fit right in with learning how to sail it the proper way.
Kind regards,
JohnL

[johnnyreno13]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

Aloha Johnny,
Welcome aboard! Good to have you reading the forums. It appears you've gotten a lot of good advice and you are starting to by planning to do the right things. I have to say that if you are unable to get your cruising sailing vessel right away that you probably could use the experience of a charter to get yourself adjusted to "big boat" features and systems.
I do recommend the book "Start Sailing Right!" and when you get your sailing dinghy it will fit right in with learning how to sail it the proper way.
Kind regards,
JohnL

Thanks for your advise and your book recommendation. I have put it on my shopping list. Only today i have arranged for to start going out on day sails on a dayskippers boat in Estepona (cost del sol). Starting in the next two weeks. The weather will be testing me. God bless. Johnny

[johnnyreno13]

Hi. The weather here on the coast for the last two day have been blowing a gail. Today the sea is like glass. I live on the front line so most plants and shrubs are distroyed with salt. And at 5pm today around 500 meters of the beach was a Spanish navy war ship. Helicopters coming and going. Military Jets flying around above my home. A friend called me from Benalmadena and the same was happening just off the port. It must of been some navel/Airforce training exercise. God Bless. Johnny