Advice for 100% Beginner Please

[barnakiel]

1. You can purchase a boat without any sailing experience.


2. You need to know how to switch on your smartphone.


3. Try the local community. Plenty of advice from anybody in your local marina.


Welcome onboard,
b.

[sv Stella Maris]

Read books:

-Essentials of Living Aboard
-Cruising 101

and on and on...avoid YouTube...

[wingssail]

OK, that's good, you are young enough to think of hardships as adventure, possibly nothing will faze you.

Originally Posted by sawneemountain

My wife and I are 100% new to sailing but have an understanding of the ocean (as a scuba dive instructor / with watersports, etc.) We are in our late 20s.

We would like to consider buying a sailboat/catamaran around September / October to begin living abroad on a boat beginning with Southeast Asia. Or at a later date if we need more experience.

If you buy the boat overseas, fine, but the ocean crossing should come after some time sailing the boat.

We want to research and understand as much as possible so we are 100% safe and have enough experience to get started around that time. We understand the costs associated with it and will be working online.

Sailing is dangerous, you will never be 100% safe. Keep that fact in mind.

1. How many nautical miles should I have on my belt before I might have the experience to purchase my own boat? Should I bother spending $2.5K pp on ASA 101/103 etc.

The classes will be good, but ONLY lots of days on the water will give you a good foundation for cruising. I recommend you base yourself in a place where there is a lot of sailing and get on racing crews. After a year you will be quite experienced. (and this will be free!)

2. What do I need to know to have the internet on a boat? Both WiFi and unlocked cell phones can give you Internet. But these only work near shore (some shores)

3. What are other resources/communities you recommend for this research phase?See my answer to question number 1


**We are currently on Little Corn Island in Nicaragua and would be able to begin some training in May in the Carribean before we head back to Colorado in June for a month (and then head off to Indonesia).**

Indonesia is not a hotbed of sailing, you will find little opportunity to learn from others there. Try Phuket, Thailand

Thank you so much!!!!

[sailawhile]

Get to know other sailors and sail with them. Try to get on as many different boats as possible. Get a feel for your preferences in a sailboat before you make the plunge and become an owner. No substitute for hands on experience. Good luck

[mqbenedict]

Welcome 100%!
You've come to a great place to get advice and that's a good start. The people here are generally welcoming and helpful, as you can see.

I've done ASA, sailed with other people, single-handed a lot, hired a personal trainer for docking under power. It all helps. I advise you to get as much boat time as possible with as many skippers as possible. Every one will stretch you.

One area in which I have little experience is racing, but many people will tell you that this can be a good or bad exposure depending on the skipper. Others might want to comment. On the other hand, racing gives you an intense exposure when the wind is up.

Everyone has different ways of doing things and exposure to the breadth of experience (and prejudice!) is helpful.

Good luck!
Mark B.

[Lihuedooley77]

We all learn in different modes.

But, think about this....you are PADI certifed divers.....advanced or maybe up thru rescue diver. How do you feel about the hotshots that tell others that YOU DO NOT NEED PROFESSIONAL TRAINING TO SCUBA DIVE. There is one hell of lot more than strapping on tanks and sticking a regulator in your mouth.

Plus learning to sail by crewing for people who are self trained, mifht not be the actual solution.

You might think about finding a professional instructor who is U.S.C.G LICENSED, and actually put in his , or her 720 days at sea documented time just to sit for their
100 ton written test. Which will take about day and a third to go thru all of the evolutions.

With professional training, with licensed U.S.C.G instructors, you will also not only get a comprehensive training, but then go on to gain experience, and then start your
world cruising.

Also, if you can join a sailing club, with licensed captains, that has vessels from about 27 on up to 55 footers, you can begin by sailing different types and manufactures of mono hulls, or cats.

You will learn what you like and dislike and what you need in as boat in order to
let go dock lines, and head out on your adventures at sea, and foreign ports.

Also, in a sailing club, and it appears that you like people, you will meet some really great fellow sailors, guys and gals, singles and couples, and share sailing days , or longer cruises with them .

After you get some experience sailing locally, sign up for a BVI , Tahiti, or other international sailing vacation. By then you will have a good amount of experience under your keel, know exactly what type of vessel that you want to lay out the cash for,and trust your lives to on your extended cruising plans.

The ocean does not love you, nor does the weather gods, winds, storms and seas.
You might want to put everything you can in your favor, with professional instruction, personal experience, and make a proper decision on a well found vessel , and fit it out for world cruising. Yep, dedication, study, and experience .

I have done the above, and no BS...... ( not everyone feels the same. )

At the time I started sailing, I was a commerical lic. pilot, instrumented rated, certifed flight instructor, multi engine, and ended up about 35 years and 6500 hrs as a flight instructor , charter pilot , corporate pilot and Instructor Pilot for Air Combat USA
flying 5 and 6 G dogfights,.

But, I also wanted to sail,and of course had the dream of taking off and sailing the world.

I found the best sailing club, with no BS, training in sailing and seamanship. It took
5 years to gain my documented sea time. I had two parallel careers, sailing and flying.

As to the sailing, my first international sailing vacation, as skipper, was in the British Virgin Islands, ( now 35 years later, we have sailed the BVI 17 different two week
trips. And I mean sail, not motor a sea going condomaxable.

Also, at this moment in time, We have sailed Tahiti ( 4 ) trips, 36 to 50 ft, bare boating,

Austailia ( 2 trips of two weeks ), sailing the Whitsunday Islands, and add in
the Kingdom of Tonga.

The west coast of the U.S.A., Mexico, delivering race boats back from Cabo to
Los Angeles Harbor.

The Caribbean, the BVI ( 17), The Abaco, Bahamas, The French West Indies which include St. Marten, St. Barts and Anguilla, and the Windwards and Grenadines.

Then, IRELAND, motor vessel up the River Shannon for two weeks ( 2 trips ) and
also sailing the Greek Islands .

Also, we are both PADI certifed divers, Erica up thru rescue diver, and me, just open water. Our ( my ) first dives, after certification at Catalina island, were diving the Great Barrier Reef, and Coral Sea. 4 day trips on board the Spirit of Freedom a 120 ft.
luxury dive boat. ( actually we had two 30 day adventure trips to OZ, about 2 years apart.) But, before the diving, I had to go thru the whole PADI training, and enjoyed every minute. ( That was here in southern california ).

The above is not to toot my own whistle, but I firmly believe that when venturing into the world of mother nature, an alien environment, We need to put every thing in our favor, and learn from the pros, our own study, and gain experience.

Sailing and Flying were concurrent careers of about 35 to 40 years, and what marvelous years they were. Also, I met my most special lady, of 35 years now at the Newport Sailing Club.

She owned her own Pacific Sea Craft Cealock 37, and also sailed many of the Clubs other boats. She is qualified with world wide charter companies and local sailing clubs for sailing vessels up to 46 ft. She is also as licensed private pilot and aerobatic pilot.
PADI cert . diver up thru rescued diver, Long treck hiker , sky diver, skiier, and
is a retired supervising M.D, from the LA County Health Department.

If it was not for me working at the Sailing Club our wakes would have never crossed.

Point being, the above is true and factual. And, why I believe in professional
licensed instruction .

Your choice, well we all make our own decisions, what ever your selection, may your dreams come true.

Don't dream your life, LIVE YOUR DREAM.

Denny and Erica

[Sofa King Fishy]

Whew! That was an exhausting swim across Lake Denny! Can’t wait for the movie.!��

[GrowleyMonster]

Originally Posted by Lihuedooley77

We all learn in different modes.

But, think about this....you are PADI certifed divers.....advanced or maybe up thru rescue diver. How do you feel about the hotshots that tell others that YOU DO NOT NEED PROFESSIONAL TRAINING TO SCUBA DIVE. There is one hell of lot more than strapping on tanks and sticking a regulator in your mouth.

Right you are. But I am uncertified and self trained. Just sayin. Thank you, youtube. Went through all the drills, practiced them all over and over. I could care less about looking at the pretty fish and coral. I just strap on the BC and stick the reg in my mouth when there is some diving that needs to be done under the boat, or occasionally recovering something that went over the side. My level of skill is more than sufficient for what I do. Some folks WILL self train, and do it fairly well. Sailing as well as diving. Professional training costs a few bucks but there is no question that everything was properly covered and correctly learned when completing a formal course of study under a qualified professional instructor. For most people, real training is the only way to go. Some will do their own thing, anyway. Anybody can buy a boat. Just like anybody can buy gear and get tanks filled or fill them himself if he knows enough not to kill himself with contaminated air. It is a problem that isn't going to go away. Don't overlook self taught sailing or sailing taught by self taught skippers. At least maybe the newbie will have a clue if he applies himself in self study, or informal study under an uncertified/unlicensed skipper with experience. I never went to school for any of my USCG or FCC documents. I self studied and learned from watching, listening, and doing, with unlicensed, uncertified individuals. It can be done. My first attempts at sailing were on a construction scrap and plywood skiff I built as a child. Swimming distance to shore, no other boats to run into LOL! Okay let's not count that. I didn't learn much from it except how to keep from capsizing.



The real problem is the checkbook turnkey wannabes who don't even self train before taking their boat out on public waterways. The guys out there who don't even know Rules. Who think a chart plotter will keep them out of trouble. Who can't do maintenance or repairs, the poster children for SeaTow. Those are the guys who need to have their sails spraypainted Hazard Orange.



I am a believer in formal training! But you aren't necessarily going to Sailboat Hell for not getting it. Just be aware of how much you really need to learn, and learn it.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by Lihuedooley77

...You might think about finding a professional instructor who is U.S.C.G LICENSED, and actually put in his , or her 720 days at sea documented time just to sit for their 100 ton written test. Which will take about day and a third to go thru all of the evolutions.

With professional training, with licensed U.S.C.G instructors, you will also not only get a comprehensive training, but then go on to gain experience, and then start your world cruising...

Lihuedooley77, I, too, many years ago, have taken and passed the USCG test for 50 gross ton, Operator's License, Sailing Auxiliary. I, therefore, was USCG licensed and have taught sailing for over 40 years, formally and informally.

I am skeptical about how valuable that USCG license and the knowledge which was required to pass the test is.

For someone who is going to be a cruising sailor or skipper, the USCG information, primarily about safety and regulations (which are certainly important), is needed, but the time on the water with a self taught, skilled, even if unlicensed skipper is far more valuable, and that is the place to start, and it costs a lot less.

That is the way to learn how to operate a sailboat, not just studying USCG regulations.

So lets say both are required.

[Gilligan8]

Originally Posted by sv Stella Maris

Read books:

-Essentials of Living Aboard
-Cruising 101

and on and on...avoid YouTube...

Which "Cruising 101" because that ambiguous recommendation could be a little tricky to navigate.

[Lihuedooley77]

Thanks wings...

Actually the reason that all of us instructors at the Newport Sailing Club, Newport Beach Calf, had to get our U.S.C.G. licenses was we had no choice back then, We needed the license in order to work for hire in the USA as to instructing and skippering charters. The Coasties were cracking down big time on non licensed skippers, working for hire.

Also working instructing and as charter captains, resulted in attaining a great deal of real experience over those five years to get those 720 days, That included leading flotilas in the caribbean and south pacific, and of course the calif. coast. We had to list those all of those days as crew for the USCG testing.

Those requirements were to allow us to be able to apply and sit for that 100 ton license, which also had to be renewed every five years. That required current sea time and a written exam. Not sure about current requirements.

I was at the end of my fifth issue, where the USCG boosted my 100 ton to 500 tons near coastal, but never got even close to commanding any vessel near 500 tons. That was my final issue, when it expired, I had become more involved in flying Air Combat, and then eventually retired from that when we moved to Kauai.
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Being around the sailing a boating community, there are plenty of warf rats, and bar stool braggers who probably are not the kind of person that should be instructing people who are new to sailing and planning international blue water passages .

On the other hand, there are plenty of unlicensed excellent skippers out there who actually are quite skilled in sailing, and seaman ship, who would be most excellent at helping out new people . Are they doing it for compensation or hire. That takes a USCG License.
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There are plenty of sea stories about the scallywags, and braggers. Some quite interesting, and we old salts have witnessed those types over many years .

In Newport bay, slipped next to our sailing club boats, there was Capt. Joe, ( not his real name ) . Had a small Pacific Sea Craft Flicka...sloop that he lived on board.

He Put an add in the local paper.. that he could marry people because he was a sea captain. No, that is BS, especially when he did not have any kind of a license to skipper a boat or to even marry anyone. In true tradition, he made the Warehouse Bar his office.

Result, those folks who fell for that scam, and even now years later, are not legally married. Eventually, he and his boat disappeared. Poof, into the night.
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Currently, a fellow here in Dana Point, known as Capt. Josh, was always sitting at our fave dockside bar, drumming up charter biz, no license, of any kind.

Known to all, and known as CAPTAIN JOSH , He was taking out illegal charters, in his Catalina 30. He even would book a Catalina Island Charter, but he would not take the guests by sail to Catalina. He would , himself, sail or motor over to Avalon, and have the charter party take the Catalina Express ferry over, from Dana Point, meet them there in Avalon. No evidence of boarding charter guests from his slip. Not a bad plan and easy ocean passage for the charter party.

Then, at Avalon, have them stay on board, and sail along the coast of the island. Charge big bucks. And have them take the express back to Dana Point.

Eventually his transmission gave out, no funds to repair or replace, and he too, just disappeared from the marina.
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There are many more of these situations,

* One last one, that was extremely costly...when we lived on Kauai island....
Once again the bar bragger, no license, and only a mouth full of false sailing experience cruising the world, and was a supposed boat mechanic.

Well, he took one of the sailing vessels that he was working on from Nawiliwili Harbor up to Hanalei Bay. He and his boozer buddy from the bar. They spent a couple days anchored up in Tahiti like, Hanalei Bay, ( north shore ), Kauai, Hi.

Sailing back to Nawiliwili, harbor near Lihue, at NIGHT, his buddy is passed out in the bunk. Mr. Super Capt, is telling me the following story at Robs Good Time Bar.

He is looking for the channel entrance to Nawiliwili harbor and marina where the vessel was berthed. He runs aground, and relates that he saw an ORANGE light that he believed was the harbor entrance light, so he headed for it.

He was several miles away from the harbor entrance, and as you know , there are NO ORANGE NAVIGATION LIGHTS for Buoys or NAVAIDS at Channel Entrances. The vessel was violently grounded,and beat to blazes from a reef, rocks, and washed up on a beach, total loss and destroyed.

Not only are there normal Navaids at the channel entrance but there is fairly tall hill there as well, On top of that hill is a powerful warning flashing beacon to keep the
aircraft flying into LIHUE AIRPORT from impacting with the crest of the hill. Plenty of clues at to the location of the channel entrance.

A few weeks later he had fled the island, since the owner of the boat that he had been working on, had not given him permission to take the vessel . Another warf rat mysteriously vanishes.
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Point being, just how does someone new to sailing, differentiate from the actual skilled and knowledgeable skippers or instructors in the USA , from the blow hards who frequent the docks and marina watering holes.

Knowledgeable seaman can pick the BS'ers out in a hot second, the newby with their dreams of sailing and cruising may not be able to do that. And, we feel that if a person has amassed 720 days at sea, documented time, instructing and taking out charters, and sailing internationally. Plus , has his license and referals, he or she has paid their dues.
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Working near full time, it took me 5 years to gain that 720 days of sea time, which was verified by the sailing club's computers ,and my logs. Plus all of the USCG admin procedures, and listing all of the different vessels sailed, and the motor vessels, and their names, lengths, registration CF numbers, or documentation numbers and areas sailed.

As to bar bosun, or the person who the newby meets, , if they are working for compensation or hire, they need to have a U.S.C.G. license as a merchant marine officer ( normally called a Captains License )

Actually, we also believe that good , smart training takes , excellent instruction, and reading and studying, and getting the experience, in all aspects of sailing or even skippering motor vessels.

There is so much to learn. In fact the more that we actually learn the more we find out how much more there is to whatever our goal may be.

We never stop learning.


















*

[NormanMartin]

First of all: "Welcome!" This is a really fun and informative site.

I have studied the subject of zero to voyaging for many years. I am a sailing instructor with 35 years experience and the discussion is ongoing in my classrooms and on my training cruises. The basic answer is, "you have to go to know," as scary a thought as that is.

Lots and lots of singles, families and couples have started from near zero (if not zero) and gone voyaging happily for years. I observe that over-preparation is worse than under-preparation. You know, analysis paralysis. A family I did some training for said after their year away that the training helped but nothing comes close to the support one gets from fellow cruisers.

True story. We arrived in Portsmouth VA from New England. It was my last training leg with the family. Shortly after tying up and settling down a couple of cruising women came to the boat and said to the wife, something along the lines of, we can see you are new, come over to one of our boats for tea and a conversation. She did and it was a great start to a wonderful year aboard.

I suggest you follow a zero to accomplished story as presented by Annie Dike. She has written some terrific books, entertaining and informative. Her blog, www.havewindwilltravel.com is brilliant. Another writer is Fatty Goodlander. There are lots more, of course and these two will get you started..

(I have no financial interest in the products and do not know the authors beyond a few casual sailing-related emails)

There are some terrific blog/vlogs as well as some horrible ones on the zero to voyaging story. Be picky.

A couple of cautions, avoid over doing the tech stuff, small boats are more fun to own than big ones, and long cruises are just a lot of short ones strung together.

Have fun and stay in touch!

Norm
Harwich
Averisera
AppliedSailing-Technical Support for Sailors