hi everybody :)

[RMS Olympic]

WOW! i can't believe that no one took this name. i'm thrilled that i got it. my name is Olympic, not really but it is a common real nickname for me because i'm always talking about the real Olympic almost all the time. i'm a 17 year old girl, and this coming school year i will be a highschool senior. i know it might seem werid for a young girl to love ships and boats as much as i do, but they are a huge part of my life and they always will be. i've been around the ocean since i could barley walk, and at the beach is where i have some of my eairliest childhood memories. but seeing as i'm only 17 i don't have a boat yet, but i will someday. actually i don't even have my drivers lisecnse yet. i'm really glad that i found this site. everybody in my family is sick of hearing me talk about ships so i went online looking for someplace. actually mom just kicked me out of her room cuz i was talking about the white star line too much again. lol. other than that i love jack sparrow and pirates of the caribbean and anything with a nautical theme really. see you around everyone.

[TaoJones]

It's good to have you here. You will find answers to just about anything you can imagine that's sailing and cruising related. Of course, not all of the answers may make sense! Just consider them opinions, not the last word.

This is a friendly group, by and large, but be cautious in evaluating what people on the internet tell you. Many have ulterior motives, and females of any age are a minority at Cruisers Forum, so just be careful.

Have you done any sailing yet? I gather that you are somewhere near an ocean, so if you're trying to get started sailing, see if you can locate a nearby chapter of the Power Squadron or the Coast Guard Auxiliary (if in the US), or similar organizations in other countries.

Again, welcome Olympic. Glad you're here.

TaoJones

[RMS Olympic]

Originally Posted by TaoJones

It's good to have you here. You will find answers to just about anything you can imagine that's sailing and cruising related. Of course, not all of the answers may make sense! Just consider them opinions, not the last word.

This is a friendly group, by and large, but be cautious in evaluating what people on the internet tell you. Many have ulterior motives, and females of any age are a minority at Cruisers Forum, so just be careful.

Have you done any sailing yet? I gather that you are somewhere near an ocean, so if you're trying to get started sailing, see if you can locate a nearby chapter of the Power Squadron or the Coast Guard Auxiliary (if in the US), or similar organizations in other countries.

Again, welcome Olympic. Glad you're here.

TaoJones

thank you. the ocean isn't far from my house actually. and i have been sailing, but no one ever trusts me with the boat or ship that i'm on. i think it might be because i don't drive. but this year things are gonna change. i got accepted into a marine studies class at my school and once a week we go out sailing, and the teacher will let students steer the boat! that's gonna be fun. i can't wait. i'm on ships a lot. my favorite ship, friendship is docked up in salem, and i'm frequently on her.

[Weyalan]

Try to find out about local dinghy sailing clubs. You may be able to join and get to sail regularly in one of the dinghy classes: It is a good way to learn a lot about general seamanship and sail trimming. Oh, and welcome aboard.

[slomotion]

Welcome - your sailing class will teach you the basics - hopefully on small boats. This is the best way to learn. Small boats react quickly to changing wind and sea conditions. As a result you learn seat-of-the-pants reactions which become instinctive. These instincts will pay huge dividends when you sail larger/heavier boats which often react slowly, but have a momentum which can get out of control.

If you have some income/savings, do not be tempted to buy a boat which 'needs some work'. If you do, you will learn alot about working on and fixing up old boats, but you won't do much sailing. If you are determined to buy a boat, get the best condition one you can afford; master it; and then take your folks sailing. It may change your life (and theirs).

If you want a really "good read", get a novel called Ripple Effect by Paul Garrison - teenage girl sails the Pacific on a J-27 to find her father and other good stuff.

[kayeiamae]

hi everyone! This forum is really interesting for scuba lovers here... Looking forward to meet other members here too....

[bearphish]

"This is a friendly group, by and large, but be cautious in evaluating what people on the internet tell you. Many have ulterior motives, and females of any age are a minority at Cruisers Forum, so just be careful."

Females are a rarity here? Really? Oh, man. I'm outta here! Hehehe...

Welcome aboard, Olympic. I OWN an Olympic,(the reason I looked at this thread was the name).

I hope you find the threads and all the advice fun, interesting and most of all-informative. LOTS of knowledge in the virtual folds of these pages!

Good luck and Ahoy!

[TabbyCat]

Lack of auto driving experience is no excuse for not letting you on the helm. In fact, you may have an advantage!

While in the Bahamas we had a 13 year old teenage girl at the helm and she set our Bahamas speed record of 12.64kts.

Welcome to the site, hope you enjoy your time here.

[delmarrey]

It sounds like your on the right track to becoming a seaman Ooops! Seawoman.

Take Wayalan's advice! That' the way I started out many years ago and I'm sure others here have, as well. It gives you the basics and the practical experience.

Fair winds to ya!

BTW If any member here gives you any problems due to your age and/or sex. Just send me a Private Message (PM, upper righthand corner) and I will resolve the probelm quickly! We'll nail thar foot to the deck!

Site Admin.
delmarrey

[TaoJones]

Hello again, Olympic. In re-reading your thread-opening post, I wonder if I (and perhaps a few others) haven't misunderstood your primary interests. Your references to White Star Line, RMS Olympic and the Caribbean now make me think that it may be cruise ships (such as Princess Cruises, Carnival Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruise Lines, etc.) that you are drawn to.

Of course, that doesn't make you any less welcome here. And if you want to learn about sailing your own vessel, and perhaps taking her cruising one day, then this is definitely the place to be!

As to your reference to Captain Jack Sparrow, I agree that Johnny Depp has created one of the more memorable characters in contemporary films (with a big Thank You to his pal, Keith Richard of The Rolling Stones). I confess, though, that I found the third film in the series, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, virtually unwatchable. I know that it isn't easy to keep an original concept fresh and compelling, but they were really jumping the shark on Pirates III, it seemed to me.

TaoJones

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Olympic,
Welcome aboard!! A friend's daughter is just graduating from The a Maritime Academy which is where many sea captains launch their careers. I suggest you look into them as a means to a maritime career. My other sailing buddy graduated from the California Maritime Academy and was a Matson Captain before he retired. His career was colorful and he has many good stories to tell.
Hope you'll keep posting and let us know how you are doing.
I had one student at age 8 who sailed rings around all the others in his class of basic sailors. He was fearless and turned into a great sailor after he learned a few rules of road and became a bit safer.
Kind Regards,
JohnL

[Ishmael]

If there was a resource like this available when I was 17, I might be "living the life" right now instead of still just dreaming about it. Good luck in pursuing your dreams.