A Newbie from Oakville Looking to Learn Sailing and Meet Knowledgeable People

[romandesign]

Hi,

This forum looks like a very friendly place. My name is Roman and basically I'm looking for anybody who maybe has a boat but needs an occasional crew member or a company aboard and doesn't mind sharing his sailing knowledge.

I'm 35 y.o. from Oakville (web designer, musician, composer) and I've been very interested in sailing for a while. I'm thinking about buying my own sailboat in a couple of years (probably Macgregor 26x so I can trailer it around different places, go camping etc. and not pay marina fees) Obviously it's a good idea to experience sailing first, learn it, and meet some people who can share their knowledge.

I'm not sure I can commit to a full 2-3 week course, I'd prefer occasional sailing 2-3 hours at a time. So I just thought to post in a forum like this - there is always a chance someone sails alone and doesn't mind some company - someone that's eager to listen and learn.

[Vasco]

Go down to Oakville harbour and check around the two clubs there. That's if you're from Oakville, Ontario.

[romandesign]

Originally Posted by Vasco

Go down to Oakville harbour and check around the two clubs there. That's if you're from Oakville, Ontario.

Yes, that's the right Oakville :-) Joining a club seems a bit expensive (I've looked at Oakville or Burlington clubs), and as for their courses I'm not sure I can find enough time for a 2-3 weeks course right now...

[Connemara]

Crew membership is usually not all expensive. And you might not even need to join the club -- all you need is a skipper who needs crew. Your can be his (or her) guest.

And the basic keelboat sailing course is usually a couple of hours one night a week.

Connemara

[romandesign]

Originally Posted by Connemara

all you need is a skipper who needs crew. Your can be his (or her) guest.

Interesting... How do I look for such a skipper?
Sorry for silly questions, but I have no idea how it works...

[Connemara]

The Oakville yacht squadron has a crew bank on its website, with some info on how to get involved. Bronte Harbour Yacht Club has an active racing scene, but no online crew bank.

I bet if you dropped in on either club, you could get a lot more info really quickly.


Connemara.

[romandesign]

Thanks, I'll try to drop by and see... If I find anybody to talk to...

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!
That's a good way to get introduced to a club. Take a basic sailing course if you can fit it in your schedule.
regards,

[mottseng]

I came across this older post and was wondering how the OP made out. This is exactly what happened to us. My better half and I were sitting on a picnic table at the docks in the Bronte Harbour Yacht Club when a gentleman approached us and asked if we were interested in crewing on race nights. We had never sailed and in fact have never been on a sail boat so you can imagine our laughing response to him. Well to make a long story short we agreed and not only did we become hooked but are were able to develop a close friendship with the owner.

Racers are always looking for dependable crew and it is a great way to learn.