Never Sailed

[patber]

So many helpful people, so little time! Thanks to all. I must go take care of Mom (my Mom) now!

[BlackOak]

Living on a boat, tied up to a dock in a marina is easy peesy. You have electric, water, and the ammenities offered by the particular marina, with easy access to terra firma.

Living on a boat that is attached to an anchor or mooring ball in relative proximity to terra firma, is easy. Yet ya gotta make your own electricity and haul your own water and fuel out to the boat (and thats a bit of a hassle to get the water or fuel from the little boat up to the mothership), and pay people to come pump the sewage out of your waste tank, bout once a week. Then there is the cleaning of the bottom of the boat regulary, to keep it in good shape, not to mention the hauling out of the boat onto dry land to repair, replace, paint, scrape, wash, the parts that come into contact 24/7 with the water every couple of years or so, or when needed. Then there is the bad weather, wind,wave, and rain that will keep you ever thinking if the boat is ok, its not drifting away, or water is leaking into the boat causing rot to the woody stuff on the inside.

Living on a boat that actually goes somewhere get a little more difficult, with all of the above added to the navigation, finding a safe place to sit in bad weather, and having the equipment to help you do these moving around things.

This has been my philosophy about owning and living on a sailboat.

If ya want to go a-sailing, then go find a reasonably priced sailboat (that fits your budget) that is ready to go sailing, and go do it! If ya hate it, then sell the boat and walk away, or donate it and walk away.

The actual sailing part isnt all that difficult. You can learn alot by reading books and watching you-tube videos. Some of these people here on this forum would have ya spend the next 2 or 3 years taking sailing classes, finding a crew postion on another's boat, or buying a little $4k daysailer to practice around the calm waters of a little lake or inlet.

If ya wanna go sailing....Go Sailing!!!! Dont wait around for the next 5 years doing nothing and wishing you went sailing 5 years ago.

[Ranaylor]

Since you're in Williamsburg, you're right up 64 from Yorktown and Hampton. I'd widen my scope to those areas for sailing resources and schools.

[patber]

Thanks to all and I love the good advice! I noticed today at Chickohominy river area the wind was nice and I was imagining myself able to sail on that river. Don't know how deep it is though! No Sailboats out, just a jon boat and a canoe!

[Paul Annapolis]

Pat What a great thing to do--at any age. I will give you one piece of advice that was told to me many years ago on the first of many trips down the ICW--by a couple in their mid-60's. They sad "Just remember--the boat can always take more than the crew..." Think about that! I am a professional sailing coach and consultant. Perhaps I can be of assistance--and I am in Annapolis. I'll send you a PM. thanks

[cheoah]

Nice area, we sailed up and anchored in Sarah Creek and tied up at York River Yacht Haven. Took the kids to Busch Gardens, the water park, and C. Williamsburg.

Consider the piloting classes from the Power Squadron at some point. That will teach you the basic skills to read charts and know whether beautiful spots like you saw on the Chickohominy will accommodate your vessel.

Good luck with your new adventure. There's lots of ways to enjoy a boat, you'll find out which parts you like the most. I think you'll find plenty of sailing resources up on the bay, like Paul Annapolis in previous post. I sailed up to Annapolis this summer from NC, and there is a lot going on up there. Visit the sailboat show,(disclaimer - I've never been) you can learn a lot just by being around boats and boat people

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by BlackOak

Living on a boat, tied up to a dock in a marina is easy peesy. You have electric, water, and the ammenities offered by the particular marina, with easy access to terra firma.

Living on a boat that is attached to an anchor or mooring ball in relative proximity to terra firma, is easy. Yet ya gotta make your own electricity and haul your own water and fuel out to the boat (and thats a bit of a hassle to get the water or fuel from the little boat up to the mothership), and pay people to come pump the sewage out of your waste tank, bout once a week. Then there is the cleaning of the bottom of the boat regulary, to keep it in good shape, not to mention the hauling out of the boat onto dry land to repair, replace, paint, scrape, wash, the parts that come into contact 24/7 with the water every couple of years or so, or when needed. Then there is the bad weather, wind,wave, and rain that will keep you ever thinking if the boat is ok, its not drifting away, or water is leaking into the boat causing rot to the woody stuff on the inside.

Living on a boat that actually goes somewhere get a little more difficult, with all of the above added to the navigation, finding a safe place to sit in bad weather, and having the equipment to help you do these moving around things.

This has been my philosophy about owning and living on a sailboat.

If ya want to go a-sailing, then go find a reasonably priced sailboat (that fits your budget) that is ready to go sailing, and go do it! If ya hate it, then sell the boat and walk away, or donate it and walk away.

The actual sailing part isnt all that difficult. You can learn alot by reading books and watching you-tube videos. Some of these people here on this forum would have ya spend the next 2 or 3 years taking sailing classes, finding a crew postion on another's boat, or buying a little $4k daysailer to practice around the calm waters of a little lake or inlet.

If ya wanna go sailing....Go Sailing!!!! Dont wait around for the next 5 years doing nothing and wishing you went sailing 5 years ago.

I'm going to argue with this. it's not "easy" to live on a sailboat, even at a dock, when it's new to you. Many things take five times as long as they normally do.

The others take ten times as long, from showering to doing the laundry. Multiply that all by another ten if you're on a mooring, except that you should REALLY know a lot more about a sailboat than a beginner is going to know.

At least at the dock, if a hose starts leaking and your boat starts sinking while you're gone, someone might notice that your boat is too low before it's WAY too low.

For someone who's never sailed, generating one's one electricity would be a monumental task.

I do think learning to sail first is the only wise way to go, but I can only speak for myself.

You can move on the boat, put up lee cloths to keep your belongings on the shelves, and sail the boat. You can hire an instructor. It's all possible. When you're 62, sorry, but time is of the essence. I started when I was 62. I didn't have years and years to gradually learn what I needed to know to do what I wanted to do.

This person needs to put herself on a rapid learning curve for sailing, and I mean immediately, so she can start fitting what she imagines to what is really out there. She needs to spend the night on a bigger boat and see if she still feels claustrophobic.

She needs to not make the mistake I made, and make sure she doesn't get seasick in the cabin BEFORE moving aboard. (I was lucky; I don't, but lots of people do).

But what she doesn't have, speaking as a 67 year old woman, is lots of time to do it all in. I started at 62 and I did it. It's up to her.

[patber]

This is very valuable information that I am receiving! Thank you so much and please keep it coming! I am having cataract surgery in late June and then should be ready for my sailing lessons!!!

[David M]

After you learn how to sail, charter a boat for a week or two in the size range that you think you might like to buy and see how you like living onboard. No big financial commitment would be necessary in order to find out if you like this lifestyle or not. You would also learn better what you like and do not care for in a liveaboard boat.

There are sailing clubs that both teach sailing and charter boats.

Enjoy your lessons! Start reading now about sailing and boating so that you become familiar with the terminology and the theory. This will make your lessons go a little smoother. There is a significant amount of material to learn. The learning never stops with boating.

Start a nautical library. I would start with Chapman's which is pretty comprehensive in covering the basics.
http://www.amazon.com/Chapman-Piloti...words=chapmans

[letsgetsailing3]

I think I would start out with a two day sailing class, and take it from there.

This is a cruiser's forum, but you don't need to live on a boat to experience sailing, and in many ways, living on a boat interferes with the sailing part. Those are two different things. Living on a boat requires significantly more "stuff", which tends to makes sailing that boat a different kind of chore.

There is no reason than a 65 year old can't learn to sail, and experience the power of the wind to take one out on a nice day, and that's the place to start.

[zeehag]

i found moving on board very easy --even in 1990..didnt take longer to do anything except walk to shower..lol..didnt have one in my boat. heck that boat didnt even have an interior--i bought her for her lines and potential..lol
i worked professionally as a rn manager of post anesthesia care unit in a hospital in lost angeles, among other positions as an rn working intensive care and emergency room and triage which i filled while living on board many years while my boat was berthed in marinas as well as at anchor and with boat on moorings....
is all a matter of perspective. what one enjoys doing is easy.
do learn to sail-it is fun.
welcome to cf.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome to the world of sailing!
Good to have you here and I second the idea of a basic sailing course. It'll sort out whether or not you really like it.
In the classes I've taught over the years we've had students from 8 to 80 and even the top end of the ages did very well. It's more attitude than anything and it seems you have a great attitude.
kind regards,

[patber]

I am so happy to be getting all this encouragement! Thank you!