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Old 22-12-2020, 22:26   #1
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Location: South Africa
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Newbie looking for advice

Morning Guys

Well lets say it that time in my life when I can finally chase the dream .
Im looking to start learning to sail from scratch (Last did dam sailing about 30 years ago )
I have had some great advice so far which has led me here ,
The grand plan is to do my Combo course next year in Durban with the end goal being to proficient enough to handle and sail my own 40ft mono hull firstly coastal , till I get my skill up then longer trips .

Any help or advice that can get me to that end would be appreciated
Crew opportunities and what ever is required I am happy to do .
Semi retired so I have time , prepared to share costs to get NM in and to learn from experienced skippers

Great to be here
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Old 23-12-2020, 12:59   #2
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Re: Newbie looking for advice

Quote:
Originally Posted by Selabi View Post
Morning Guys

Well lets say it that time in my life when I can finally chase the dream .
Im looking to start learning to sail from scratch (Last did dam sailing about 30 years ago )
I have had some great advice so far which has led me here ,
The grand plan is to do my Combo course next year in Durban with the end goal being to proficient enough to handle and sail my own 40ft mono hull firstly coastal , till I get my skill up then longer trips .

Any help or advice that can get me to that end would be appreciated
Crew opportunities and what ever is required I am happy to do .
Semi retired so I have time , prepared to share costs to get NM in and to learn from experienced skippers

Great to be here



I was new, and still am to sailing about 10 months ago. I also reached out here for information and the absolute best advice I got was to pick up a small sailboat and take her sailing. I picked up a 22 foot Catalina and have been sailing her at least once a week for the last 4 months or so. I am looking at larger boats (40 foot or so) and I am so glad that I learned on and am continuing to learn on this littler boat in a smaller lake.
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Old 23-12-2020, 13:41   #3
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Re: Newbie looking for advice

Quote:
Originally Posted by Selabi View Post
Morning Guys

Well lets say it that time in my life when I can finally chase the dream .
Im looking to start learning to sail from scratch (Last did dam sailing about 30 years ago )
I have had some great advice so far which has led me here ,
The grand plan is to do my Combo course next year in Durban with the end goal being to proficient enough to handle and sail my own 40ft mono hull firstly coastal , till I get my skill up then longer trips .

Any help or advice that can get me to that end would be appreciated
Crew opportunities and what ever is required I am happy to do .
Semi retired so I have time , prepared to share costs to get NM in and to learn from experienced skippers

Great to be here
Congrats!!!! If you have a local racing yacht club around, getting aboard a few boats for some beer can racing might be worthwhile.
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Old 23-12-2020, 20:04   #4
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Re: Newbie looking for advice

Good on ya mate for the having the dream and being flexible in how to work towards it.

I have seen many newbies who insist on their first boat being a big cruising yacht. Too proud to learn from others and start small. Some didn’t want to spend a few $100’s on a short charter to see if the wifey liked sailing, yet they were happy to buy a $150,000 yacht. Many of these people ended up selling the yacht at great financial loss before the first year was out.

I would suggest you start with a 5-6m self-bailing dinghy with main, jib and spinnaker first. They are cheap and you will really learn the basics of sailing from the “seat of the pants”. If you mess up, you just get wet. On a calm day you can go solo and you can advertise for crew at the local yacht club.

When you’ve got the basics down, get a trailer-sailer say 7m long. Again cheap, can be sailed solo, and you can do short over-night trips.

I would also strongly suggest you do a bit of “club” racing; it doesn’t have to “killer instinct“ stuff, but this is absolutely the best way to really hone your sailing skills. Over the years I’ve met many cruisers who simply don’t know how to sail. Its a safety issue because there are times when the engine will not get you off that lee shore, or cutting off a few days from a 1500nm trip will get you out of the way of a storm system. Plus there’s just way more satisfaction in sailing a boat to her potential.
Best of Luck...
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Old 23-12-2020, 20:17   #5
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Re: Newbie looking for advice

Welcome aboard Selabi! Aside from taking lessons and getting plenty of practice in your own little practice boat and other people's boats, I recommend searching out a respected local delivery skipper and ask him or her if they could use crew. Crewing on a delivery can teach you a lot!

Good luck and keep us posted about you adventures!
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Old 24-12-2020, 08:47   #6
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Re: Newbie looking for advice

Quote:
Originally Posted by Selabi View Post
............The grand plan is to do my Combo course next year ..............with the end goal being to proficient enough to handle and sail my own 40ft mono hull firstly coastal, till I get my skill up then longer trips
Good plan.............just do it!! Lots of options to gain that experience from sailing clubs to crewing on boats with experienced sailors. Nothing beats time on the water sailing.
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Old 24-12-2020, 09:14   #7
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Re: Newbie looking for advice

Joining a club in your area is the best advise. Most have discounted classes to go along with your club dues. Many also have race days in which you can team up with other members to work your way up the ranks to team skipper. You will learn fast while racing as you will be making so many sailing maneuvers in short time. This will also give you experience on smaller boats working your way up to sailing and racing larger boats. Once you have the confidence to handle a boat on your own buy a smaller boat (under 8 meters) to gain more skills before committing to the expense and responsibility of a bigger world cruiser. The time spent on smaller boats will also give you more awareness of what your final dream boat will be.
cheers,
jim
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Old 24-12-2020, 09:44   #8
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Re: Newbie looking for advice

All good advice previously about starting small with your own boat if possible, with lessons at same time.

I crewed (perhaps foolishly) for an ex Merchant Marine Engineer who had bought a heavy 51' ketch as his first sailboat. He was sure his background as a professional mariner had made him an expert in yachts and in sailing. It was hard for him to accept that a younger guy with experience in sailing small boats wpuld teach him how to sail but he eventually caught on about the time we got to Tahiti!
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Old 24-12-2020, 10:07   #9
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Re: Newbie looking for advice

Agree with crewing and or going small to start, much more likely to spend quality time on water rather than bogged down figuring out a 40 footer as first boat. Great time being new. Enjoy
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Old 24-12-2020, 10:08   #10
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Re: Newbie looking for advice

starting with a smaller boat makes sense but a 40 footer is very different-
slower response, need to anticipate rather than react. why a 40 boat? large family or what? if that's what you want I would suggest a few years in a smaller boat including multiday cruises.
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Old 24-12-2020, 10:10   #11
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Re: Newbie looking for advice

I started small on C22 in 2019 and am glad I did. I made stupid mistakes that I knew to not do but I didn't have the muscle memory or intuition or what ever you want to call it. It cost less on a small boat to replace damaged parts and you can start on a trailer which lowers the entry cost by a great deal, it also teaches you about the rigging to have to raise/lower assemble/disassemble the rig every time you launch.
I single hand and am now cosidering stepping up to a 30' within about a year or two until retirement and find a nice 38-42 at that point.
Just buy something that is salable and sailable
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Old 24-12-2020, 10:40   #12
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Re: Newbie looking for advice

Hm... The 1,000Km round trip from J'burg to Durban and back again may be an impediment to week-end sailing :-)

As others have said: Try to get in some crew time while you wait for your course, but if by "next year" you mean 2021, the time available would seem rather short except, perhaps, for a hop from Durban to Maputo (or vice versa)

If by "dam sailing" you mean sailing Optimists or similar on Emmarenthia, doing that again is not likely to add much to your progress, so maybe you should advertise your availability in our subforum called: "Crew Positions: Wanted and Available". That should get your name out worldwide.

Beste wense :-)

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Old 24-12-2020, 10:49   #13
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Re: Newbie looking for advice

Bula from Fiji Selabi.

Hoping that you'll gain help and useful information from the forum.

Definitely agree with the other posters, sail, sail, sail. Whether on your own boat or on someone else's. If you can find/make a friend with the same interest it really helps too. And when you sail with others then ask questions starting with 'why'. You can sit in a classroom all day, or watch 'how to' youtube videos all you want; doesn't make you a better sailor unless you go out on the water and try the methods/suggestions presented.


Also do feel free to post your own thoughts, questions and ideas here on CF. The forum only works when people post, and 95% of members here seem reluctant. Don't be a lurker. Also please fill in your profile so we all know something about you. I rather suspect few will know where JHB is.
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Old 24-12-2020, 12:27   #14
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Re: Newbie looking for advice

Quote:
Originally Posted by Selabi View Post
Morning Guys

Well lets say it that time in my life when I can finally chase the dream .
Im looking to start learning to sail from scratch (Last did dam sailing about 30 years ago )
I have had some great advice so far which has led me here ,
The grand plan is to do my Combo course next year in Durban with the end goal being to proficient enough to handle and sail my own 40ft mono hull firstly coastal , till I get my skill up then longer trips .

Any help or advice that can get me to that end would be appreciated
Crew opportunities and what ever is required I am happy to do .
Semi retired so I have time , prepared to share costs to get NM in and to learn from experienced skippers

Great to be here
Sounds like you're in South Africa. If so, the Aguilles Channel off the East coast is said to be no joke and very weather dependent. While there's nothing wrong with taking coarses, your better bet is to find someone with a 40'er who needs some crew help. There are a lot of constructive things a newbie can do on a sail boat with the proper guidance. The small starter boat is not a terrible idea as long as you find a a place sheltered enough to practice on - I'm not sure this is possible where you're located. Do not make the mistake of sinking a lot of money into a starter boat with the intention of upgrading later - you rarely see a reasonable return on your investment. Be aware that a 40' boat will be much more stable in open water than a 20' boat though not nearly as maneuverable. I had a friend who bought a Cal 20 as his starter boat. It was so unpleasant that his girl friend (later his wife) wouldn't get on it after her first sail. He upgraded to a Santana 30' later but it still took years before she would go sailing with him. Those little boats everybody here likes to rave about can really sour the sailing experience for some. As a windsurfer, I have to admit that Cal 20 sucked big time.
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Old 24-12-2020, 12:49   #15
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Re: Newbie looking for advice

Quote:
Originally Posted by Selabi View Post
Morning Guys

Well lets say it that time in my life when I can finally chase the dream .
Im looking to start learning to sail from scratch (Last did dam sailing about 30 years ago )
I have had some great advice so far which has led me here ,
The grand plan is to do my Combo course next year in Durban with the end goal being to proficient enough to handle and sail my own 40ft mono hull firstly coastal , till I get my skill up then longer trips .

Any help or advice that can get me to that end would be appreciated
Crew opportunities and what ever is required I am happy to do .
Semi retired so I have time , prepared to share costs to get NM in and to learn from experienced skippers

Great to be here
Hello, Selabi, and welcome aboard CF.

Are you really 1,000 miles from the sea? Honestly, a week or two of courses is not enough to make you a good sailor, one able to get good performance out of his boat.

nuku34's really telling it like it is--thanks to him, he saved me writing that, and it is worth a re-read: Good on ya mate for the having the dream and being flexible in how to work towards it.

I have seen many newbies who insist on their first boat being a big cruising yacht. Too proud to learn from others and start small. Some didn’t want to spend a few $100’s on a short charter to see if the wifey liked sailing, yet they were happy to buy a $150,000 yacht. Many of these people ended up selling the yacht at great financial loss before the first year was out.

I would suggest you start with a 5-6m self-bailing dinghy with main, jib and spinnaker first. They are cheap and you will really learn the basics of sailing from the “seat of the pants”. If you mess up, you just get wet. On a calm day you can go solo and you can advertise for crew at the local yacht club.

When you’ve got the basics down, get a trailer-sailer say 7m long. Again cheap, can be sailed solo, and you can do short over-night trips.

I would also strongly suggest you do a bit of “club” racing; it doesn’t have to “killer instinct“ stuff, but this is absolutely the best way to really hone your sailing skills. Over the years I’ve met many cruisers who simply don’t know how to sail. Its a safety issue because there are times when the engine will not get you off that lee shore, or cutting off a few days from a 1500nm trip will get you out of the way of a storm system. Plus there’s just way more satisfaction in sailing a boat to her potential.
Best of Luck...


If you really want to sail coastally and then further afield, you will need ocean hours. You will need to just practice with your boat, a whole lot. Thirty years ago of protected water in a little dinghy has long ago taught you sensitivity to light, flukey air sailing, but big boats are different, as is the ocean from the lake.

Wherever you are, see if you can get on as low level race crew. It is amazing how much you can learn from other people on boats, and it also will clarify for you what you prefer in boats. You'll also experience different styles of skippering, which may define for you what kind of skipper you'll be.
Often such skippers are looking for volunteer crew for the races and also for help with haul outs. It is a great opportunity for you to learn just by the input of time.

Good luck with it. I hope you can find a way to find some ocean waters.

Ann
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