Sailing Alone

[guysnell]

I have no expectation for this be a walk in the park or to just up and go. I understand the amount of planing and work that will be needed to put into this. But i dont intend to go on a trip, that boat would be my home, i would live on it and go where i please for the rest of my life. Its personal reasons why i want this and at such a young age but im not naive or overlooking anything, i truly understand. And yes kingspoint will prepare me for every aspect of being at sea and have an excellent sailing program. I have a great sailing club down the road and many many people who i can learn from and aquire a great deal of knowledge from. However, everybody has said that it takes so many years of experience and work and time, well thats why im starting now, it will be 6-7 years before i shove off and i have no intention of not knowing what to do in a life threatening situation. I have loads of time to learn and im dedicated to doing that. Does anybody have a good source online or a book that they would recommend i look into?

[gwmort]

I recommend "How to Sail Around the World" by Hal Roth.

I enjoyed it immensely and found it answered many of the early questions I was having, just as you are.

[CoastalCowboy]

Guysnell,

You'll have to excuse a few of the posters that responded to you. Unfortunately, you stepped in a pile that other people left behaind. We get quite a few "I'm gonna cruise around the world, what boat should I buy? And BTW, what's a rigging?" kind of posts from time to time, and some of the members on here get a bit annoyed by people who think they can just "go sail" without any real experience. Fact is though, its clear that's not you (you stated you're going to school to learn FIRST). And for those who think you're too young, I'd suggest they (and probably you too) read the book DOVE. Its about a 16 yo who sails his boat around the world. I'd also suggest they visit Laura Dekker's website. What you want to do is doable, expecially with the courses you are about to take behind you. But right now you need to just concentrate on learning the craft, not on what boat you'll leave in when you're ready. Trust me, by the time you go what you want in a boat will look a lot different than it does now. Concentrate on learning our craft, sail on every kind of boat you can, and when you're ready, you'll know the boat you need/want.

[guysnell]

I can definitely understand and i respect that. Thanks ill check it out. I enjoy learning new things and am open about how to do it and the different styles. But like i said i have the time and the determination to figure it out.

[boasun]

Originally Posted by guysnell

I can definitely understand and i respect that. Thanks ill check it out. I enjoy learning new things and am open about how to do it and the different styles. But like i said i have the time and the determination to figure it out.

Then you should learn to sail locally and do a couple of one week cruises off shore for trial runs... Some people will and do find out that they are social animals and need at least one or more other people on board the boat with them...
For those of use who single hand are true loners that can go months without needing social contacts.
And if you read the book "True Spirit" by Jessica Watson, you will note that she had satellite telephone on her boat and could always contact some friend when she needed that social contact. And she did her trip around the world at the ripe old age of sixteen.

[s/v Breakaway]

Two books I would suggest are "Sensible Cruising" by Don Casey and "The Voyager's Handbook" by Beth Leonard.

[Cormorant]

I admire your focus on two basics:
1) learn a trade
2) sail around the world

If you're methodical about both you'll do fine.

It occurs to me though, that if you're an artist you already have a trade. You could paint pictures in every harbor around the world and earn enough to feed yourself and probably more.

A good read (not about circumnavigation) is "Princess" by Joe Richards. He was an artist who sailed in a Friendship sloop down the east coast of the US back before WWII. He painted along the way, and it not only made him money -- it made him a good number of friends.

http://www.biblio.com/details.php?dc...791&aid=bkfndr

[Hudson Force]

guysnell, Even the most seasoned salts started out young and in manure and most didn't have a plan as focused as yours. There's no dishonor in being bold enough to ask what others learned long ago.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by mrohr

Kingspoint has a sailing program and a good rep..Get out on their small craft (and large) and BEGIN your education.Your plan is doable but will take many years to get ready.Best of luck.

I agree. Even though the OP's goal is a cat or trimaran, all sailing will be useful.

I just hope when he goes out with othrs, they let him experiment a little and not just take over the oment something goes a little awry. But I doubt this young man will let that happen!

[dave777]

Originally Posted by Ram

If I was you I would buy a small Hobie cat (18 ft) if its a cat you want and start learning right where you are, have a lot of fun while your learning- you can do it one step at a time !

+1

What he said. You will get wet on a Hobie. But you will learn about wind, current, and being something small compared to the water. If you consider yourself sporting enough to single hand around the world, then mastering a hobie should be easy for you. Of course, you'll get just as wet and likely experience far wilder conditions on a circumnavigation no matter what single handed boat you get.

Goal setting is a wonderful thing. You've got "single hand around the world" and only you know if you've got the drive to do it. So let's think about the nearer term goals that you want to have completed.

Day sailed local waters as crew on a dingy (or hobie cat).
Single handed local waters on a dingy.
Plenty people don't even get this far.

Then you've got a bigger boat, first as crew. Then longer passages, etc.
There are many steps to take.

How about reading 3 books on sailing in the next month? One book on the basics of how to sail, one book about a disasterous trip, and one book on either diesel boat mechanics, or electrical maintenance and repairs.

Your dream is awesome. The response you get to such a dream may sound "stern" but there are 100s more people with awesome dreams than there are serious thinkers who really complete their goals. By the way, learning the terminology is absolutely important, especially if you want to be able to ask for help. "I need to figure out if the thing connected to the black round piece on the engine is broken" just won't work.

I am certain that there are many large boat owners who would like to take on as crew a talented artist who paints a picture of the Captain's vessel.
You should have a website for your art, which you can do free. You should have sailing and boat pictures on it. You can have an about the artist and talk about your long term and near term goals. "Crew on a delivery from the Keys to Bahamas" for example. You should also line up permission from your parents.

If you're serious, go for it. I've never run into anyone who regretted doing something bold when they were young.

[DtM]

Great response Dave.

[zeta]

Welcome Guy,
I only have kudos for you as when I was your age I was clueless as to what I wanted in life and did not have any talent. I would encourage you to do whatever your heart desires. Few men ever pursue their dream and continually trudge through life saying "one day". Your talent, desire, and motivation will take you many places only a few can ever dream about. There are many salts around your area that would love to teach and share their knowledge, but never, ever, let anyone tell you you can't do something just because they wouldn't. Take control of "your" life or life will take control of you.
in a few more years

[cal40john]

[QUOTE=Bash;822707]What you're looking for will often be referred to as "all lines lead aft" in the boat ads. It's generally understood that this only works for the main and jib on a sloop, and that sails such as a spinnaker still need to be set from the foredeck.

QUOTE]

Hoyt Gunmount

See spinnaker set and lowered from cockpit starting at 1:45

Freedom 21 Demo - YouTube

John

[guysnell]

Thanks everybody, i never expected to get this kind of feed back and its great. I checked out all the books and found some great ones and am ordering them. The comments about the painting is something i thought about but never came up with a good application for on the boat, but now i have some great ones. But another question i have that may be obvious but i dont know is what size boat would you need to go travel the globe?

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by guysnell

Thanks everybody, i never expected to get this kind of feed back and its great. I checked out all the books and found some great ones and am ordering them. The comments about the painting is something i thought about but never came up with a good application for on the boat, but now i have some great ones. But another question i have that may be obvious but i dont know is what size boat would you need to go travel the globe?

Well, here's the thing. it's more than the length. It's its weight, and how the standing riggins is set, and whether or not it has a keel and what type (not an issue if you get a cat or tri) ...

We aren't going to be able to answer such general questions but we can applaud your enthusiasm! You should start sailing every place you can. Make a pest out of yourself and go on as many different types of boats as you can. Find the people who are just completely enamoured of their boat and they will love to explain everything to you, how everything works on their boat and why it's the way it is,

They won't all know what they're talking about and they will cheerfully give you misinformation with great confidence. But little by little you'll start sorting out what to believe and what to discard. It'll happen.