What are the basic barebone ins, lic and or certifications?

[gdfsbtch]

Trying to get my head wrapped around what all we need to get started. does the owner of the boat or someone aboard a 40 sail boat have to be a certified capt. ? around about what will insurance cost and what kind do we need? is there any certifications we need? safty courses and such? or some place I can look all this up..

[sailorchic34]

For a recreational sailor, meaning a person not taking people on say a three hour tour for money, then you need no license, certifications or experience to use a boat in most parts of the US. Some states have a safe boating course that is required, But that is more about very basic rules and not so much about seamanship and pretty much nothing about sailboats.

Insurance also is not required to operate a boat. Though if the boat is financed or kept in a marina then the bank and or harbor master will want insurance on the boat. The gotcha is in order to get insurance, you need experience and or certifications (asa 101, etc)

BTW there is a world of difference docking a 22' sailboat that one learns sailing on with the ASA classes and docking a 40' boat. More so with current and cross winds.

Insurance cost depends on the boat and your experience. As your in the hurricane box figure a few thousand a year or more depending on type size and age of boat

http://www.asa.com/asa_standards/sta...t_sailing.html

[nes]

As was mentioned above, no there are virtually no real "requirements" to taking a 40 foot sailboat out, except the $$$ to get the approval of the current owners.

Taking the boating safety classes will in many cases lower the cost of your insurance. These classes do not have to be overly expensive either. Check out your local US POWER SQUADRON or COAST GUARD AUXILIARY either will offer the boating safety courses for about the cost of the books for the class. Almost as important as the classes, it will put you in contact with other like minded people in your area.

You could also take similar classes from a local charter company that will allow you to rent/charter their boats after you complete the requisite courses from them (and paid for them). I have done this, prior to buying our first boat. I also attended the boating safety classes with the Power Squadron, and I can tell you that both courses were on par with each other, and that either was accepted by our insurance company when I applied for insurance. The only difference was the cost of the two courses.

While someone with enough money could buy a boat and go out with no instructions no safety classes, and no insurance etc, and still be "legal", it would not be a good idea.

[rgscpat]

There are some places in the world where specific training is required, but many honor the requirements of your home country. And most countries outside the US require licensing for operating radios.
Insurance and charter companies might limit the size or type of boats they'd cover or let an inexperienced skipper operate. Or a charter co. might require you to hire one of their skippers or take a class, and charter companies will frequently ask for a boating/sailing resume and do a brief checkout.
All of this is somewhat separate from the skills you would want to acquire for your own safety, enjoyment, and ability to sail and navigate efficiently, responsibly, and safely for yourself and others. Being able to control a boat in different conditions and to sail and navigate efficiently are very good for peace of mind.

[gdfsbtch]

Thank you all for the responses. and this may sound dumb. but in feb. im looking at retirement my husband and I have had a dream to get a sailboat and just live on it get away and relax. The boat we found and fell in love with is a 40 ft. sailboat. Neither of us have ever been sailing although we have been doing a lot of research to learn. my husband has been on boats and driven them for a long time.we know sailboats are a big change and different. we are fast learners and will have plenty of time. so as for chartering a sail boat to learn we don't have the money or time so we will learn on our boat.. slowly. any one have any other suggestions we are all for the help thanks again. By the way the reason I asked all this is because we have a family member my mom. who says we can't just buy a boat and sail one of us has to be a certified capt...

[rgscpat]

You'd need to be a licensed captain if you were taking paying passengers on board. But not if you're simply a recreational boat owner in the USA and not running the boat as a business.

And Floridian whipper-snappers (born after Jan. 1, 1988) are required to get boating safety education, but anyone can take the class and a new boater would get a lot out of it, especially about rules, equipment, safety, and basics of navigation. The class is also required for some folks who are cited for violations afloat. See: Florida Boating Safety and Education

Florida Boating Safety and Education

and the calendar:
Event Calendar - FWC Outreach

Looks like it has a US Power Squadron-conducted boating safety class Monday evening in St. Pete. Power Squadrons and US CG Auxiliary offer lots of other boating classes, too.

As for the buying a boat right off the start, some folks might say there is some risk in doing so before you've gotten comfortable with sailing and had a chance to experience sailing on different boats. But that very much depends upon you and your background, experiences, risk tolerance, skills, and many other personal factors.

And others might say you'd learn the fundamentals of sailing best by starting with a small sailboat, which gives more immediate feedback and makes it more obvious when you don't do things just right. But this is one of * many * points that sailors love to debate. If you are interested in this, there are quite a few sailing schools, clubs, co-ops, community sailing programs, etc., where you can learn to sail and then practice on small or not-so-small boats, sometimes for a quite reasonable cost. And there are plenty of good sailing books and videos around; your public library is likely to have some.

It would likely be wise to study up on how sailboats and boat systems are made, get the help of an experienced sailor in looking at the boat, find an owners' group for the boat you want so as to learn about that model's quirks, and/or find a reputable, thorough surveyor to inspect the boat of your dreams. Your family's boating background will help with much of this, but sailboats do have a few quirks of their own that it'd be nice to come up to speed on, and if the boat is bigger than you've owned before it may have more systems for you to get used to.

[wgewaldii]

By the way the reason I asked all this is because we have a family member my mom. who says we can't just buy a boat and sail one of us has to be a certified capt...

My second ex-wife's mother was like that.

Take courses offered by the US Coast Guard Auxiliary or the US Power Squadrons.

[LTDsailing]

Another way to get up to speed quickly is by taking a live aboard course. We offer courses in the Grenadines - a great place to experience sailing! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding our courses or other similar courses.