Learn to sail on a dingy? What about a sailboard...?

[BudGates]

Originally Posted by mlucasparris

Everything everyone is saying is making me feel good that my first boat is a 16' O'Day DaySailer. Looking forward to spring when I can put all my winter reading to test.

Good choice for a first boat. I'm sure you will have many years of good memories.

As far as learning to sail on a windsurfer, all I can say is that it wouldn't have worked well for me. I needed one more credit for my final quarter of college so I decided on windsurfing in order to have a fun credit. (I needed some fun after almost 5 years of engineering school.) I spent the first few sessions just trying to stay on my feet and out of the water. Even though I already knew how to sail it wasn't until the next to last session that I could actually say that I was sailing.

I learned to sail on Lasers while in high-school. The dinghy is quick and responsive and when you mess-up you will usually only damage your pride. I agree that having the steering separate from the sail trim is a big plus while first learning. The best part about learning to sail on a dinghy is that we were actually sailing the very fist day even though we did manage to capsize a few times. As stated before, windsurfing is a lot of fun and adds a lot of insight to the world of sailing but, at least for me, it would not be a good place to start.

[sparau]

If nothing else jumping a short board will teach you lots about cavitation and how multiple fins can go sideways through the water as easily as in-line just by adding a splash and a few bubbles

People have mentioned here that sailboards might not be the best first point of call, which I think is often true but IMO nothing helps you understand a sail and how it operates better than to control one with near 3d movement under your fingertips.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by sparau

If nothing else jumping a short board will teach you lots about cavitation and how multiple fins can go sideways through the water as easily as in-line just by adding a splash and a few bubbles

People have mentioned here that sailboards might not be the best first point of call, which I think is often true but IMO nothing helps you understand a sail and how it operates better than to control one with near 3d movement under your fingertips.

+1!

Exactly.

How moving the SA affects the rudder.
How moving the weight affects the rudder.
How sail trim affects speed.
How trim must be adjusted with speed change.
How trim, SA, and weight distribution overrule rudder area.
How wind force affects desired SA.

How to sail in and out of a harbour WITHOUT ENGINE .... ;-)

I think windsurfing is a huge tool for learning sailing. Cruising too, if you have a waterproof rucksack. ;-)

b.