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Belle25 · 22-02-2021, 16:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob_P

Sailing to the dock and Man Overboard are weeks 4 and 5 then you test for your ASA 101 sticker in your logbook. It's all done in a Catalina 22 or similar.

That's what I''ll possibly take. Most offer a reasonable amount of experience in a C22. After ASA 101, I'll probably start looking for a C22 or 25 and become a day sailor for awhile. I don't think I'll rush to the further steps for a long while.

Rob_P · 22-02-2021, 17:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Belle25

That's what I''ll possibly take. Most offer a reasonable amount of experience in a C22. After ASA 101, I'll probably start looking for a C22 or 25 and become a day sailor for awhile. I don't think I'll rush to the further steps for a long while.

You may be surprised at what you find you want to do.

Sailing around the bay can be a good way to be by yourself. It can be fun, adventuresome and uplifting. It can also get old real quick.

There are many islands out there which aren't that far away from you. Islands that you may never have set foot on or explored. Islands that could require an overnight trip. A trip that will be safer if you know the things that ASA 103 can teach you.

It is money and time well spent even if all you do is day sail in the bay because knowledge is never worthless.

Belle25 · 23-02-2021, 03:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob_P

You may be surprised at what you find you want to do.

Sailing around the bay can be a good way to be by yourself. It can be fun, adventuresome and uplifting. It can also get old real quick.

maybe.

Yellowtulip · 23-02-2021, 03:43

It’s certainly true that you don’t NEED to learn to sail in a dinghy, but what you learn from sailing a dinghy is invaluable. You HAVE to learn to sail without an engine in a dinghy. All the strange counter-intuitive things that happen to a boat caused by wind and tide become second nature very quickly and feed through to sailing bigger boats. This even counts if you’re under engine. You don’t need to go through any process of sailing a dinghy first, but I’d recommend that you do some dinghy sailing as well as keelboat. It’s great fun anyway.

Rob_P · 23-02-2021, 07:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Belle25

maybe.

Truth. It is indeed a "maybe."

On the other hand, go down to the beach and watch the surfers. Surfing is a solitary sport. Unusually only 1 person at a time can be on the board and it's all about riding the wave.

Yet if you watch, they raft up. They hang out in the parking lot. They sit on the beach in a line and scope out the swells. They probably chat about surfing online too.

Life is not a solitary sport. The things you do might be things you do by yourself, but there will be times (like now when you're here on this site) when you want/need to talk to someone about your life and your goals. And since life is not a solitary sport, it evolves and you change. It's why the future for all of us is unknown.

You don't have to let anyone "tell you" what to do. On the other hand, never say never either.
'
Finally, there are good people out there with the same passions you have. People who will help you achieve your goals without interfering with those goals. And it never hurts to have a backup plan.

Belle25 · 23-02-2021, 08:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob_P

Surfing is a solitary sport.
Life is not a solitary sport.
Finally, there are good people out there with the same passions you have. People who will help you achieve your goals without interfering with those goals. And it never hurts to have a backup plan.

Ah, this was a sensitive and empathetic post.
I'm in sales; so many people in my life, and they all want something from me. I have to have solitary activities to recharge my batteries. Of course, humans need humans, no argue on that.
Surfing must be fun but not for me.

DMF Sailing · 23-02-2021, 09:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Belle25

Ah, this was a sensitive and empathetic post.
I'm in sales; so many people in my life, and they all want something from me. I have to have solitary activities to recharge my batteries. Of course, humans need humans, no argue on that.
Surfing must be fun but not for me.

Then you've come to the right place, Belle. When I'm not in one of our cruisers (club rules say you need to take another human with a beating heart, to call the USCG if something happens to you), I solo one our daysailers.

I'll take a Soling and do a big circle around the entire harbor, out past the MoA that marks the entrance to Boston and back. (I call it "circumnavigation, kehd"). It's 4-6 hours depending on wind. In a 15knot breeze from the northeast, you can do the whole thing in [EDIT] three tacks, one in the narrow channel that leads you out of the southern edge of the harbor in Hingham, another when you head toward Boston Light, the last as you round the lighthouse beat up to the Graves, and bear off and reach back in. All alone, just me and the rhythm and constant tasks of making a 27 foot thing go with just and a stick and two rags to propel it, safely, where I want to be.

It's priceless. When I step back on land, my blood pressure is 20 points lower. What you'll appreciate, Belle, is that you can't think about work or conflict, because you're busy with the mindfulness of sailing. Just keep your phone off and in your sail bag. Unless you need it for navigation purposes. ;-)

And don't get caught out there, ten miles from the dock, when the sea breeze dies and the tide's going out. [Done it, lesson learned.

]

Pictured below is Boston Harbor, and my location as I wait for sailing season...

4eyes · 23-02-2021, 09:27

"Chatty Kathys" will never be able to understand what it means to be an introvert, and how exhausting it is for us to interact with other people.

Personally my social needs are met (and often surpassed) by my spouse, daughter, SIL, and the grandkids.
If I find the need to augment there is the barber, or websites like this, where I can engage on my terms.

You do, what works for you, at your pace.

Stu Jackson · 23-02-2021, 09:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Belle25

>>>>>>>

Catalina 22 or 25...
After a minimum amount of sailing classes, I wanna end up in one of those two and start the fun.
Good idea? Bad idea? >>>>>>>>>>>>>>

GREAT idea. Why? That's what we did! I'd sailed as a kid, but it was years ago (1955 to 1983!!!)

Best thing we did was to take the few lessons on our C22. With the instructor on board, we pushed harder and gained a LOT more confidence in the boat and in ourselves.

Then a few years later we moved up to a C25 for over a decade. Doubled the volume of the boat.

We anchored out on the C22, liked it so much we wanted the extra room.

Bought this boat in 1998.

Good luck.

Belle25 · 23-02-2021, 09:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by DMF Sailing

...When I step back on land, my blood pressure is 20 points lower. What you'll appreciate, Belle, is that you can't think about work or conflict, because you're busy with the mindfulness of sailing. Just keep your phone off and in your sail bag...

Belle25 · 23-02-2021, 09:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4eyes

"Chatty Kathys" will never be able to understand what it means to be an introvert, and how exhausting it is for us to interact with other people.

Will the tension headache ever go away?

Belle25 · 23-02-2021, 09:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

Best thing we did was to take the few lessons on our C22. With the instructor on board, we pushed harder and gained a LOT more confidence in the boat and in ourselves.
Then a few years later we moved up to a C25 for over a decade. Doubled the volume of the boat.

We think so much alike. Thanks for sharing your story.

sailingabe41ds · 23-02-2021, 17:33

You might want to look at poster Lexi22....you two have a lot in common. Except her interest was, I think, on a Catalina 27.

Abe

coz · 23-02-2021, 18:51

Save your money. Just search for "Cal 20 racing" , J105 Racing" in your area and find their local yacht club/sponsor bulletin board online and arrange to get on a boat for "beer can" racing. If you are willing to learn all the jobs and consistently show up with a good attitude, you will quickly learn more than a class will effectively teach you. You may be invited to offshore races and sooner or later your brain will be poisoned with very staunch opinions of damn near every sailing vessel ever designed. AND, these people are always selling their boats and moving up, out or where ever. The best part of all this, it is basically free.
So if this is too socially tight, buy the larger Catalina. I would suggest a Catalina 30 as 1 person can live on it quite nicely.