Welcome Renn! As to
learning the sailing thing, from what you've stated, you've already got some common sense, & sea sense under your belt. Most of which transfers directly. And the sailing specific stuff usually happens slowly enough not to be a big surprise... knock on
wood. Though as with most things, you can at times see
events coming, & only do your level best to mitigate them. In time, learning to avoid them earlier, & earlier.
Or as another CF member's siggy line states: "It's like fun, only different".