Hello

[Wukong]

I grew up on/near the water in Carrabelle, FL, a place traditional where you are from and not where you are going. I now live in Panama City, FL. Sailing has always intrested me so I finally made the first step by enrolling in a two day sailing class at Tyndall, AFB.

I would like to cruise one day and see if Viet Nam is as lovely from a boat as it is from the air.

Since I do not know diddly squat about sailing or boats in general, I will do a lot of listening and little opining. This should be easy to do as I am a professional pilot and everyone knows that we do not have strongly held beliefs and always sit quietly aside to listen to sage advice.

[Pblais]

Best advice is to just get out on the water - any way you can! Experiance all you can in person. If you like it you'll know it and enjoy it even more.

A class is a good way to learn boats, meet people, and as I say get out on the water. It's where it all begins. No telling where you might end up going.

You'll find a lot of information on this forum from a lot of people who started at the beginning some time. We all have good advice and some bad advice too<g>. You'll be welcome any time.

[Boracay]

Plan to build your own boat.
The knowledge that you will gain will be invaluable, even if you never do it.

[Wukong]

For the last five years I have been staring at a Bruce Roberts Spray with a Gaff Cutter Rig. I would like to build a 36 Footer from copper nickel. I have all the tooling to do so.

But alas, I don't know enough about sailing or boat layout and I would like to sail before I die. I am going to get a daysailer to knock about Panama City and the Florida panhandle. My mom live near Port Arthur, Tx. Would it be too dangerous to attempt a cruise from Panama City to Port Arthur in a 25 ft something or other?

[BC Mike]

If you can find a fin keel Tanzer 22 you might be a happy sailor. The boat will take care of you and you will learn plenty. Do not build a Spray out of anything until you have sailed for a while. So buy a good used boat and go sailing.
Michael

[Jeff H]

You should be able to find plenty of 25 footers that are capable of making the trip from Port Arthur to Panama City. I strongly recommend that you pursue the idea of buying a 25 or so footer and spend time out there learning to sail. I strongly recommend that you look for a used, moderately high production (for ease of resale), responsive, moderately lightweight, tiller steered, fin keel/spade rudder sloop. A boat of that description will greatly accelerate your learning process by providing lots of feadback and should be easy to resell when you want to move up.

With all due respect, your interest in building the 36 foot Robert's Spray gaff cutter in steel suggests that you really need to spend a lot more time sailing a variety of boats before you decide on a bigger boat to build or own.

Good luck,
Jeff

[Wukong]

"I strongly recommend that you look for a used, moderately high production (for ease of resale), responsive, moderately lightweight, tiller steered, fin keel/spade rudder sloop. "

Now that you have rained on my parade, please decode the Greek. How about some examples of what you are describing.

[Wukong]

I survived the first day of class at Tyndall AFB. I spent several hours onboard a Hobie Bravo. I suffer from DJD (Degenerative Joint Disease) in my back and the experience was very uncomfortable. The sailing was intellectually fun, but physically punishing. Having to "right" the capsized boat was also not fun. I did it once for training and twice more when I heeled the darn thing over.

I plan to take an ASA course here in Panama City on a more (larger) friendly boat.

My wife suffers from the same afliction, and I can tell you the 22-25' option is not a good one. These boats are light, boucy, and heel alot. After a day of sailing on a Santana or a Santa Cruz 27, I am reminded of my high school boxing days. You might consider a multihull. Possibly an F-27 or similar. If you want more room, go to a cat.
Regardless, do not get discouraged, as dinghy and small boat sailing is a lot more physically demanding than sailing a cruising boat.

[kokopelli]

You are in a vicious circle here...it is so much easier to learn all the skills and the "feelings" that go with sailing on a smaller, tiller steered boat, but it does take more stength, and more aches to do so...I have a 23 foot boat and regular sail on much larger ones...I am also 52 years old...I generally come away with tired arms and a tired back, but a a very happy spirit. Don't give up but learn as much as you can...you will discover ways to do things that are easier for you. And remember too that speed is not what it's about...going slow is fine and sometimes more comfortable.

In all fairness to small boats, I have to admit that the lively sails I have had on my friend's Space Sailor 20 pocket cruiser have not been nearly as taxing as the same sail on a Santana 22. I will also agree that you do not always have to go fast to have fun, but I have yet to meet a sailor, including myself, that can resist triming for that extra half a kt.
F-27s do have tillers, and I would agree to the tiller being a prefered method of steering a boat under 30', as well as the best way to learn do to the ability to "feel" the boat.
Bottom line is, just do it. If you decide never to sail out of the bay, OK, but give it a try. You will not regret it.

[BC Mike]

A Santana 525 or a Soling or a Holland 7.6 or a Melges 24 or a Capri 25 are the wrong boats. They are all sport type boats. I gave you a boat suggestion, a Tanzer 22. Today I was on a C&C 25 another nice small boat. A Tanzer 26 is a good safe boat.
You will learn more from a small boat than a big boat, so if you want to learn, sail on small boats first. You need to get the feel for what happens. You will not develop these skills if you start with a big boat. Good dinghy skippers are always in demand on big boats. A local sailer just signed on as bow man for the Pirate boat going around the world. He started sailing with his sister on his dads San Juan 21.
Michael.