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Fdegetau · 18-04-2016, 17:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by barnakiel

RYA associated schools seeem to offer everything from basics to offshore.

It takes from 4 to 7 seasons to get full skills this way plus as much sailing time as you can get in between. Most websites recommend a minimum of 10000 hours to master any skill.

b.

Oh that is of so much help! Thanks! I already have sailed from cancun to isla mujeres on my own (I don't know if you know Mexico but is like 8nmi between those cities) I will clean up my schedule for six months just for practicing, so I will be able to sail every day. I hope that would be enough to be ready for a long trip.

barnakiel · 19-04-2016, 05:53

Mexico?

Bueno, this may imply your first Atlantic may be a W to E crossing. Take good care of your timing. Next slot May/June 2017!

b.

accomplice · 19-04-2016, 07:15

[QUOTE=Fdegetau;2100475]Well I want to get the boat after I have learned all I have to learn, it will be easier to know what I want by then./QUOTE]

We don't learn all we have to learn until its too late to be of any use to us!

For some things, you need to make your own mistakes to learn; for other things, you can learn by sailing as crew for another skipper. I suggest learning on other people's boats. This way you can learn not only the what and the how of sailing, but if you ask good questions, the why as well.

**boatman61** · 19-04-2016, 07:18

Boats of various sizes have been arriving in Horta for several weeks now.. a lot are the 'Full Time Crew' super yacht variety hurrying to Palma... and that old regular 'Tres Hombres' passed through last month..

**TrentePieds** · 19-04-2016, 08:10

Quote: "Well I want to get the boat after I have learned all I have to learn, it will be easier to know what I want by then."

Hmmm... How can you learn "all I have to learn" if you don't have a boat? Get a boat, a modest one, one that you can sell again without to much trouble, or one you can simply walk away from when you've extracted all the knowledge you can from it. Combine that with the formal courses, and in some years - the number depending on how much of 'a natural" you are - you'll be ready to do what you propose.

Quote: "It's a big responsiblily".

TrentePieds

Cadence · 19-04-2016, 08:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fdegetau

Which is the best way to jump start on sailing (I know the basics)??

Which is the best school??

And how long will it take me to get the skills for doing a transatlantic trip??

PS: sorry for my English, I'm a little rusty

Don't sweat your English here.

seasick · 19-04-2016, 09:02

An option I haven't seen posted yet is to find a seasoned sailor who would be willing to sail with you for this first passage. There are delivery skippers who may be willing to do this for a price. The right person will be able to teach all aboard a great deal about seamanship and navigation in the course of an ocean crossing.

What do you hope to do once you get to the other side? Learning to keep watch and keep a boat moving in the right direction is only a very small fraction of the skills you'll need to master.

If you find the right captain, you will have the opportunity of learning a great deal in a three or four week crossing.

akprb · 19-04-2016, 09:08

This questions comes up very often. Many good threads on the same.

Personally I was raised sailing/racing/cruising and was just "what we did" as a family. If that was not my experience and I was starting later in life I would say race and immerse oneself in the sport/lifestyle.

There is so much more to crossing an ocean that just understanding the points of sail and basic boat handling. Much requires muscle memory and just plain experience in a variety of stressful situations. This happens rapidly on a race course (keel boats with an experienced crew, not dinghys). In addition competency in the myriad of systems, navigation, provisioning, logistics, etc, etc, etc. Particularly if you plan to sail alone or with family who will be relying on your skills to, in a worse case scenario, survive.

My wife did J World early in our marriage. It helped and she took and passed all the exams on and off water, that being said was definitely not ready for anything like you are contemplating.

Dive in, will certainly be an interesting journey for you!

tinkrman69 · 19-04-2016, 10:26

there is no school that will teach you who you are. except one the school of life, of course you'l have to be self aware to get anything from it. Either you are a mariner or you're not. There is no limit on what any one can do, history has proven that. Take a step at a time and check your dreams with reality and watch for EGO, no one is immune to it. If you stay self aware and put in the time and effort...and there will be sacrifices...you'll get to your dreams when the time is right...or you'll discard them for new ones ;-)

Enjoy the Journey of life

Tikka · 19-04-2016, 10:26

Not much skill need in middle of the ocean, maybe a few hours lesson,
but boat handling and coastal business is real art.
To learn handling , you need a boat and practise
To learn navigation, you need a book or school if you please,
I personally use books on the boat, love it last 35 years.

sailorboy1 · 19-04-2016, 10:38

New people are always posting they want to cross oceans, when they haven't even experienced a day long sailing trip.

My basic 101 advise is, go sailing and see if it is for you before wasting a lot of time on ocean crossing thinking.

Cadence · 19-04-2016, 10:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

New people are always posting they want to cross oceans, when they haven't even experienced a day long sailing trip.

My basic 101 advise is, go sailing and see if it is for you before wasting a lot of time on ocean crossing thinking.

I've been on the water for 69 of my 73 yrs. I haven't had any desire to cross an ocean. Get some good doses of adrenalin then deciding on that.

Getting beat to death a couple of days at a time is enough for me.

Fdegetau · 19-04-2016, 11:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

New people are always posting they want to cross oceans, when they haven't even experienced a day long sailing trip.

My basic 101 advise is, go sailing and see if it is for you before wasting a lot of time on ocean crossing thinking.

Oh, I already have made 4 days trips around Mexicans islands and I love it, that's why I want to know how far I can go