Next step?

[Lucky Luke 1]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

G'day Luke,

Sounds like you are well on your way already. The Pacer will be a good first step in learning basic sailing, but I agree that pretty soon you should start sailing on larger boats (owned by other, hopefully helpful, people).

I dunno where you are, but it sounds like the Tamar or Mersey or there-abouts, and I'm not familiar with the club environment up there in the Northland. Down here in the D'Entrecasteaux area there are a number of small, low key sailing clubs that would welcome you as a new member and offer plenty of OPB opportunities for sailing. Shucks, we could give you a ride or two and others at the Port Cygnet SC would do t he same. I'd imagine the situation up there is similar, and it sounds like you have already started kissing frogs, so keep it up!

I agree that chartering is a poor means of getting experience for going cruising. Expensive as you have said (a weeks charter would buy most of a decent trailer-sailor) and far too "spoon-fed" to be a true learning experience. I'm in favor of learning on your own boat... something around 20-23 feet that lives on a trailer would give you some useful tutelage and some fun with short coastal hops along the N coast and some river cruising. Also dips your toe into the maintenance waters... some of the skills desperately needed by cruising sailors and that you don't get in dinghies or while chartering. You could also trailer the boat up to the Queensland coast/Whitsundays for a cruise, tho' the ferry fares are kinda steep. Come to that, a trip down to these beautiful cruising waters would be pretty easy, too, and very rewarding. By the time you have worn out the fun in that boat you will be able to press onward from your own knowledge and not need CF for general advice.

So, that's my general outlook and advice. It is a parallel to how I cut my teeth sailing all those years ago: 15 foot day sailor, Catalina 22 trailer sailor, S&S 30 keel boat for coastal cruising in California and a Hawaii round trip, 36 foot ex IOR one tonner for our first serious cruising boat, and now our lovely Jon Sayer "last boat". An epic 50 year passage covering over 150,000 miles.

You can do it too!

Jim

Thanks for your reply. Mersey yacht club.

I came across this channel last night. 30ft traveling around Tasmania. Well worth a watch.
18 episodes on cruising Tas.

For those curios these will be my learning grounds.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...654em6Phdl7Xj4

[Lucky Luke 1]

Heard some great news yesterday. Wife and I went up to the club for a couple of drinks in the afternoon and the Vice Commodore informed me that the Club is about to come into possession of a Farr38 for sail training. Which is awesome news for us. Good to see the club and members being proactive about recruiting new members.


My wife is at a She Sails event today. Which I think are a fantastic idea.

[DMF Sailing]

Originally Posted by Lucky Luke 1

Heard some great news yesterday. Wife and I went up to the club for a couple of drinks in the afternoon and the Vice Commodore informed me that the Club is about to come into possession of a Farr38 for sail training. Which is awesome news for us. Good to see the club and members being proactive about recruiting new members.


My wife is at a She Sails event today. Which I think are a fantastic idea.

That is very good news. Lucky you, Lucky Luke!

[boatman61]

Looks like things are panning out nicely for you at your club.. Nice one..
Instead of chartering as one poster said I feel you'd spend your money more wisely taking an RYA live aboard Day or Coastal Skippers course in case you ever decide to cruise out country in the future.. beats the crap outa just stuffing someone's bank account and likely cost less.
https://pacificsailingschool.com.au/...ualifications/
Nice part of the world to sail in..

[Lucky Luke 1]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Looks like things are panning out nicely for you at your club.. Nice one..
Instead of chartering as one poster said I feel you'd spend your money more wisely taking an RYA live aboard Day or Coastal Skippers course in case you ever decide to cruise out country in the future.. beats the crap outa just stuffing someone's bank account and likely cost less.
https://pacificsailingschool.com.au/...ualifications/
Nice part of the world to sail in..

Not arguing that this is not a good idea but is this 100% needed to sail your own vessel thru countries?
I was of the understanding that this is great for employment/ charters, but not needed for recreational.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Lucky Luke 1

Not arguing that this is not a good idea but is this 100% needed to sail your own vessel thru countries?
I was of the understanding that this is great for employment/ charters, but not needed for recreational.

You will need some sort of Certification.. in Europe ICC has become the minimum standard, the good old days of 'you sailed an ocean to get here' does not wash much any more and more countries are demanding paper evidence you can navigate their waters safely.
Most times you won't be asked but the odd occasion you are can stop you dead as an Irish couple discovered in Portimao, Portugal a few years back.
All it needs is a marina official or Harbour Master having a bad hair day going by the book.

[DMF Sailing]

Originally Posted by Lucky Luke 1

Not arguing that this is not a good idea but is this 100% needed to sail your own vessel thru countries?
I was of the understanding that this is great for employment/ charters, but not needed for recreational.

As I just blathered in another thread, sailing is all about humility before forces that are greater than you. Before I went anywhere that involved sailing thru countries, I personally would want to be 100 percent sure.

That's why—though I qualify for long coastal passages in the U.S., and have a card that says I can charter a boat anywhere—I personally would start with RYA Day Skipper.

Others here who learned by doing will no doubt disagree, and call that a waste of money, and I say more power to them!

[Lucky Luke 1]

Interesting, as an avid Vblogger watcher i know Riley from La Vagabond has no formal qualifications and seems to call in where he wants.

I dont suppose a normal boat license is satisfactory as i already have one of those?

[Lucky Luke 1]

Had my first capsize yesterday, luckily the water wasn't to cool. Managed to right the Pacer and clamber back on like a fat, drunk seal.
Only two boats went out yesterday afternoon and no luck getting on those unfortunately.

Popped into the club for a beer later on in the afternoon and the first thing I hear is "you look a bit drier" lol.

I'm not sure if Shesails is worldwide or just in Australia but what a fantastic thing. Wife got to go out for about 4 hours on a cat, saw a huge pod of Dolphins playing around the boat and had a blast. All for $5 which included afternoon tea. Bargain. She will be doing more of these events. Shame these are not available for men.

Seasons winding up so need to make a decision on investing in a trailer sailor.

[Lucky Luke 1]

Thought i'd update my journey. I got to crew on a keel boat in the local winter race series a couple weeks ago on a Beneteau 31.7. Skipper has 11 Sydney to Hobarts under his belt. So spending a little bit of time at the yacht club having the odd beer is paying dividends.

I also went to the south of the state and visited Kettering marina, Which has a large number of boats compared to my little local club. Was well worth the walk around and had a chat to an owner or two. I've been thinking of boats that might be just to big for my wife and I to sail- that was an eye opener and good for the modest budget.

[parachute]

Thinking the offshore survival course? Add a medical course it tells you what drugs you need to carry and the medical kit needed.

[DMF Sailing]

Originally Posted by Lucky Luke 1

Had my first capsize yesterday, luckily the water wasn't to cool. Managed to right the Pacer and clamber back on like a fat, drunk seal.

OMG I climbed back on boat the same way when I did it!

[Lucky Luke 1]

Update:
I have scored a place on a Farr 38 (Mersey yacht clubs offshore sail training boat) that will be shadowing the race fleet in the Launceston to Hobart race starting the 27th of December. Two to three days at sea. Most time i've spent on a sailboat is 2 hours..lol...

I'm excited and chit scared at the same time. I still know next to nothing about sailing but it was just to good an opportunity to pass up.

[LittleWing77]

Well done, Luke!

That'll be an exciting sail.

I remember my first offshore and I, too, was anxious and excited. For me, the thing I was most anxious about was if I would get seasick or not. (I'm lucky, I actually don't; after 24 hours, I forgot to worry about that anymore.) You might get a hold of some stugeron and have it on hand - or take it prophallactically for the first 24-48 hours.

As strange as it sounds, I find that sleeping and eating well (non-greasy foods) and staying properly warm and dry is essential. Ensure you have proper sea boots and foulies, warm socks and good synthetic layers (no cotton). Also separate dry pyjamas you can sleep in that you are rigorous about keeping salt *out* of!

Here are the five rules of offshore sailing that some old salt croaked at me before I went offshore my first time:

1. **Never be late for a watch** Get up early, get into your foulies and be fully ready to step on deck exactly on time. This is #1 for a reason. You'll find out for yourself someday when you have a crewmember who is always late. The on-time crew will be tempted to throw them overboard - yes, it's that maddening...
2. One hand for you and one for the boat Ensure you keep yourself safe at all times. Only you can. Get/borrow an offshore Spinlock PFD and tether and wear it while on deck - always - and absolutely ALWAYS at night. Walk and move carefully around the boat (mindfulness practise!) and develop the habit of making sure you have one hand - for you - connected to something sturdy which supports your weight. Wedge yourself into a corner of the galley when prepping food underway or clip yourself in if there are galley-straps/clips; don't take out a bunch of utensils/ knives that could go flying.
3. Don't be selfish. If you're making a cuppa, or a sandwich, check who else wants some and make it for everyone. Another way this works well is when starting night watches, heat a kettle enough for your going on-watch and the person coming off-watch - make a coffee for yourself and a sleepytime tea for the person coming off-watch.
4. Keep all your $*it in one place. Sailboats are small, snug quarters and nothing will drive everyone more nuts than one crewmember who leaves all his $*it everwhere, all over - a sock here, a book there, foulies in one corner where everyone ends up contacting their wet, soggy sleeves and getting salt all over themselves everytime they pass or unsecured stuff that ends up flying everwhere... such thoughtlessness will drive everyone around the bend and foment a secret resentment toward you. Don't do it!
5. Take care of the boat and she'll take care of you Reef as soon as you think of it and reef down at night. Make a practise of walking around deck at least twice a day checking for chafe and things that might be coming unsecured and would bash; rig a preventer downwind - properly - to avoid uncontrolled jibs and unnecessary strains on the rig. You probably won't be making these sorts of decisions this time out, but you can note and learn from those who are making these calls. Keep this idea in your mind and see if your own calls would mesh with the onboard decisionmakers'.

Sorry if it sounds like I'm being tough, but with around 30 years of sailing, I often bless that old crumudgeon (can you believe I don't even remember his name?), because by god have those rules stood me in good stead!

Have fun! You'll learn a lot. Sailing offshore is very wild and free feeling and your love of the sea will grow when you're experiencing just the sea and no land for a few days. I love, love, love it - in all her moods. For me, it feels like home.

Oh, and I don't know if I already recommended this book for the Admiral as a stocking-stuffer, but it has a wealth of cruising info to support the woman in a cruising relationship:

Cruising Woman's Advisor
https://www.amazon.com/Cruising-Woma...s%2C166&sr=8-4

Fair, fair winds, Luke - and following seas!
Warmly,
LittleWing77

[Jim Cate]

Well Luke, "shadowing" the race fleet could lead to some exciting sailing. I hope that you get decent wx for your first longish sail... we've made it a practice to never sail during that period because the S2H race always brings gales (not really)!

Little Wing's list of rules is a great one, and should be tattooed on every crew member's body somewhere! Seriously, all her points are valid and important... and all too often ignored by sailors who should know better.

If you should get down to the Cygnet area, give us a hoy. It will be one hell of a lot less frantic than Hobart and the RYCT area. I'll PM you our phone number.

Jim