Rocky Mountain newbie here

[MindsEye]

Greetings from the great state of Colorado.

My wife and I planning on attending cruise and learn, bareboat class in the next year or so.

We have begun to talk to a couple of companies out in the puget sound area. Our idea is check out the area, while learning a potential hobby (sailing).

We've talked about moving up that way when we retire (or sooner, if the wind is right). Our three kids will be out of the house in the next year, so it is time to find other things to do with our times.

[Colorado Dreamer]

Welcome to the forum. I hope you find it as useful as I have.
We are in Loveland/Fort Collins area, and just bought a 38' Cutter that we keep slipped in San Diego. We have sold our house, and are about to make the plunge this fall for our first truly extended cruise.

There are some great people on the boards here, with some great advice. Read over some of the older threads and you will find a wealth of information.

Good luck to you! Welcome!

[Charlie]

Welcome aboard Mindseye:

Great group odf people here. I had my boat up in the PNW for about 18 months. Couldn't get enough of it. Great place to cruise. Sailing is hard in the summer as the winds are fickle try the spring or fall. Lots of people on the forum from up there. Good luck with your new hobbies.

[Pblais]

My wife and I planning on attending cruise and learn, bareboat class in the next year or so.

Year or so? Why not do it now. You can often set these classes up as a live aboard course. We did a one week in San Diego and the class was less money than a downtown hotel. The weather there is more reliable. Other places are just as nice. Try to talk to the instructor first to see if the course is set up for folks like you (many are). Make a vacation out of it. You do all the reading before you go and then you just live it for a week. The very worst that can happen is you'll have fun and decide you don't want to do it again but you still had fun - worst possible case! It's all supposed to be fun even the class stuff should be fun. If you like it then you can do it again. A taste of the real thing helps a lot and prepares you better. Doing it togther is what you expect to do later so try it now. Talking about it just isn't enough.

[swagman]

Welcome to the site and also to sailig.

Hope you find it all as enjoyable as it can be - but do be warned about the kids.

They today grow an invisible bungy cord. Just when you sigh and think they are up an gone - wham - there they are again. Honest.

Cheers
JOHN

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Mindseye,
Welcome aboard! Lots of folks have done what you've decided to do. You'll get gobs of information and opinion on this forum.
Ask specific questions in the apporpriate board and there are bound to be some good answers.
Kind regards,
JohnL