land lubber.

[usmc0317]

Hey everyone. First of all allow me to say that I'm terrified of deep water but about 2 months ago I saw a youtube video about sailing. For some strange reason I now have a serious itch to get out there. Strange but anyways I have precisely no experience with boats except the occasional bass boat lol. Never been sailing before but it's going to happen. My questions are where do u learn to sail AND what is a good size boat for blue water and coastal. My wife and I are very intrigued by sailing the oceans and gulf of mexico being as though we both grew up and still live on the Texas coast near galveston. I never got sea sick the entire time I spent in the Marines and on carriers. I'm sure it's different on small vessels as opposed to a floating state. Any help and inside would be greatly appreciated

[Cheechako]

One good way to learn to sail is to check the reader boards at a local marina and volunteer as racing crew. There are also courses offered in sailing.

[barnakiel]

Hi!

I would try to find a place as a crew on a day sail, weekend trip or a short offshore passage. I would make small steps at the beginning and move onwards only when comfortable with my present situation. If your wife/partner fancies this sport too, I would make sure that both go out on the water and learn the same skills.

I would also learn sailing a small sailing dinghy before, or parallel with, sailing bigger keel boats. Getting the feel of what makes a boat move, stop, and capsize is (IMHO) a major shortcut to confident sailing of bigger ballasted boats.

Drive around your area, do some web research, try to get in touch with local sailing communities - at places there are sailing clubs of all sorts which welcome new members and this is often a nice entry gate to boats and sailing.

Have fun!

Cheers,
b.

[siamese]

You know, there's been a definite trend on all the sailing forums of first time postings from individuals who have never sailed, have zero knowledge of sailing, and want to sail the oceans.

I could take this post at face value, and attempt to offer information and encouragement, but there's something here that doesn't pass the smell test.

If there's one thing I can say about sailing and sailboat ownership, is that it requires SELF SUFFICIENCY. The ability to see a problem, set a goal, and methodically work toward that goal with the appropriate solutions.

This post would have us believe that someone who has done NO study on their own about a sport with a steep learning curve, is someone who can be helped.

Isn't it much more likely that someone, with average or better intelligence, would have read some sailing magazines, read online, read a how-to-sail book, or done something to self educate?

Sorry, just not buying it.

[vjm]

Meh, it took me ten years to go from "I want to do that" to "I am doing that." It can be very overwhelming and opaque when you start.

OP, check out nearby sailing schools that offer American Sailing Association classes. You can also try turning up at any club that has Wednesday races. Racers always need movable ballast, and you just need to sit up and move and sit down when instructed. Call a bunch of places and ask how to proceed.

[maxingout]

I read about sailing around the world when I was in college, and I immediately knew I wanted to do it. It took at least five more years before I set my foot on my first sailboat.

I read a great deal about sailing before I ever got on a sailboat, and when I finally got on board, it made sense to me. It was not that hard to learn how to sail.

[Lantau]

Do you enjoy doing things with other people? I ask because one of the attractions of sailing for some of us is getting AWAY from many other people. By all means take the advice about visiting sailing schools and the like, and do get some basic instruction focusing on safety, but otherwise if you prefer to do things on your own, just go sailing. One of of the pleasures is being independent, learning from experience, solving problems with your head, etc.

However, if you like doing things with other people (that could mean being told what to do by an instructor or skipper), schools and crewing are the way to go.

Related to this, bear in mind that you'll encounter lots of experts on sailing who say different, often contradictory, things.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Lantau

(...) Related to this, bear in mind that you'll encounter lots of experts on sailing who say different, often contradictory, things.

Indeed!

Up to the point that when you do encounter two identical opinions on anything sailing, this may suggest that at least one of the two sailors may in fact be an armchair sailor. Often, both!

;-)

Cheers,
b.

[Teknishn]

This is somewhat tongue-in-cheek, so don't take it too seriously.

So, a Jarhead wants to join the Navy and become a sailor, eh? THAT must be a first! LOL First thing is that sailors, at least when I was in the Navy, were taught to think outtside of the proverbial "box" and to be self-sufficient, a skill that is vital when you are on a boat far from shore (Retired USN Rescue Diver here, so speaking from experience). Read lots of books (hopefully not ones with big words Marine), take some lessons, and buy a cheap little boat..make mistakes, break the damn boat, fix it....and then go out and break it again. Don't be afraid of deep water...unless you don't know how to swim.

You have a dream...go for it!

[JPA Cate]

There are people here who will tell you, "Go for it!" no matter what. And that is certainly one way to answer the question.

However, if you AND your wife are both interested, I would like to suggest that if you all decide to take classes, that you do it at the same time, but with different instructors. Sometimes, there is a dynamic where the women are more interested in pleasing their husbands than in learning, but when you put them with another bunch of women, the whole story changes, and for the better, 'cause then you all get to share what you've learned, and approach it as partners, rather than one up, teacher, one down, pupil.

There are also lessons available overseas. It all sorta depends on your fun budget, where and how you approach this.

Good luck to both of you,

Ann