Hello

[organic snowman]

Hi everyone

Pleased to find a place where so many people come together and help each other live a dream!

I grew up on the cold North Atlantic and still live there. There was always a rowboat or open fishing boat with an outboard, but absolutely no sailboats at all.
Last summer I had the pleasure of sailing on a beautiful Nonsuch. Thank you Reg! We motored out of the sheltered harbour, much like I've done countless times before. Then he put up the sail and the wind caught it making a crack like a gunshot.
Boom! Done! hooked! onboard! addicted! have no choice but to get a boat and travel.

My partner is game and enjoys being on the ocean, But has yet to sail and we do understand that its not always the romantic videos on youtube.

Guess thats the story for now, going to start posting other questions on other parts of the site for people thoughts and opinions for a beginner.

Cheers

Tracy and Gary

[Tkeeth]

welcome

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Gary & Tracy.

[Diesel.]

Welcome to CF! My advice is don't slack, get your boat and get out there.

[SailingFan]

Welcome!

My advice (such that it is) is to find the vessel through looking at MANY, and probably sailing on a few that others own first until you learn a few things, then get a beater that is in good structural shape even if it looks like hell. Use that one a while and learn, then after you know what you do and don't like, do and don't need, and ONLY then, start looking for your first THE boat. Make sure that first beater is in good shape and seaworthy enough to be safe, but maybe it does not have to have all the bells and whistles just yet. Save those improvements for THE boat. You can likely find the first boat for little to nothing in cost, add an outboard on it if needed, and have some fun. Then see what the wind brings your way.

Be careful about "getting out there" though because the ocean is a wicked witch when she wants to be, and it is danged easy to lose track of land when the swells start... VHF is MANDATORY.... (plus life vests, flares, extinguisher, etc...). All the safety stuff MUST be there before you leave port... Oh, and USE that safety stuff (like the life vests).
But that is me...

[rrn]

hello i agree with sailing fans advise the good thing about a boat you have to fix up is you get to know her her strengths and possibly some of her spots that need tending to that you might have to watch under sail or just not take into questionable circumstances if you do decide to take her out because there is always something that needs to be repaired its just when and if we have the resources to do it
good sailing