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Rover_Tasmania · 07-04-2020, 17:25

Joined to gain more info on sailing as this is a new venture for me. Have been reading all about sailing and experienced a few days on a boat locally here down in southern Tasmania earlier this year.

Got hooked on that experience and now learning everything sailing (theres not much else I can do with COVID), watching loads of videos, and planning to undertake courses (vhf radio, Day Skipper) when things resume.

Would love to hear from Tas members too to get to know more people, more about sailing etc.

So I dont have a boat (just got my motorboat lic earlier this year) and trying to figure out what is best as a learner - eg from a trailer sailer 22ft up to a 28ft sailboat). Most likely want a project type small boat as I am hands on DIY type of guy (having recently rebuilt an 1963 Land Rover Series 2a from ground up).

Cheers,

Carlos

Wotname · 07-04-2020, 17:57

Welcome aboard CF, Rover_Tasmania.

Any one who has rebuilt a Series 2a can't be all bad

. Perhaps off topic but what engine did you have in it?

You can use you navigation skills to work out my approximate location

Rover_Tasmania · 07-04-2020, 18:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wotname

Welcome aboard CF, Rover_Tasmania.

Any one who has rebuilt a Series 2a can't be all bad

. Perhaps off topic but what engine did you have in it?

You can use you navigation skills to work out my approximate location

Originally they mainly came with the 2.25 petrol, but im a diesel man so I put in a Series 3 2.25 diesel.

If you are interested in the build, Rover Tasmania is my youtube channel. My content is very dry, meant for DIY mechanics so my youtube vids are not the usual over the top, full of music crapola

So you must be near my neck of the woods

Cheers,

**Jim Cate** · 08-04-2020, 00:22

G'day Carlos and welcome to cf and to the wide world of sailing. Ann and I have been sailing in Tasmanian waters in the summers for over 20 years now, and this year, with the help of some bloody viruses, we're gonna winter over. Brrr... currently anchored in Port Cygnet, looking at a long, cold season. But perhaps the safest place in the civilized world so far!

Anyhow, I hope that you can find a suitable trailer sailor to get started with... I sailed a Catalina 22 for around 7 years in the San Francisco area, and feel that such a boat is a great learning tool, and plenty fun to sail as well.

And FWIW, Wotname's advice is usually pretty good, except when he disagrees with me, and it is worth your time to listen to him.

Hope our wakes cross one day, when this plague is over.

Jim

**GordMay** · 08-04-2020, 01:16

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Carlos.

Rover_Tasmania · 08-04-2020, 01:24

Thanks for the welcome all.

Jim - good to know another tasweigian. Funny, today I drove past a sailing club and noticed a poor unloved TS on its trailer, flat tyres and filthy dirty. I thinks its a 22ft (tandem trailer, weight load 1950kg). I had a Good look over it and I thought its exactly the size I'm after.

May go back to the club and ask about it...

cheers,

Wotname · 08-04-2020, 02:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rover_Tasmania

Thanks for the welcome all.

Jim - good to know another tasweigian. .......

Haha, as you are new here you will be forgiven!

Jim (and Ann) are not born and bred tasweigans. Crikey they aren't even born and bred Aussies but I should say they are definitely honorary Aussies and bludi decent ones at that.

I should add they have probably spent way more time in Tassie than me even though I live here.

I'm looking forward to having a gander at your youtube Rover stuff!

Rover_Tasmania · 08-04-2020, 02:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wotname

I'm looking forward to having a gander at your youtube Rover stuff!

Before you do, lower your expectations, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay low, then have a gander

Cheers,

GILow · 08-04-2020, 06:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rover_Tasmania

Funny, today I drove past a sailing club and noticed a poor unloved TS on its trailer, flat tyres and filthy dirty. I thinks its a 22ft (tandem trailer, weight load 1950kg). I had a Good look over it and I thought its exactly the size I'm after.

May go back to the club and ask about it...

cheers,

The TS’s are great boats. A heck of a lot of fun to sail but they are not forgiving and would not be my first choice as a learner boat, unless you are ok with things going wrong.

If you can master the learning curve they do at least offer some great sailing and will make a better sailor of you than something more sedate.

Rover_Tasmania · 08-04-2020, 14:25

Thanks GILow. I am actually after a boat that will challenge me. Something I can scoot around in heeled over, but also something I can take the family in more sedately.

I have always had the 'go head first' attitude, much to my wifes

lol. My brother in Melb also started sailing (we decided we would do this together) and he jumped right into a 420 club dingy and has already been doing really well, even to the surprise of some there, as he has the same attitude.

Anyway, see what pops up over the next few months, things can change.

On tube topic, to give you an idea, back 20 years ago he and I build 3 steel Hull and deck yachts (Payne and Radford designs)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/186957975@N03/

GILow · 09-04-2020, 05:30

Well, from what I’ve heard, the TS16 is probably the best of the lot. I’ve sailed the TS16 and 18, but not the 21. The 16 was way too much fun. I know they are not fast by modern standards but they sure feel fast, and the helm response is superb.

I’m more of a sedate sailor (I don’t race!) so my old Austral 20 was much more my cup of tea.

Anyway, starting in the 20 foot or below range sounds like a really smart move to me. I don’t know why so many first time sailors think they need something over 30 feet. By that size you’ve lost lots of the feedback that makes you a better sailor and have committed a lot of money to an activity that may turn out to be not to your liking.

I do, however, think your brother has the right approach. I guess because I learned to sail in dinghies I feel everyone else should too. But I do think it makes you a better sailor overall.

**JPA Cate** · 09-04-2020, 15:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by GILow

Well, from what I’ve heard, the TS16 is probably the best of the lot. I’ve sailed the TS16 and 18, but not the 21. The 16 was way too much fun. I know they are not fast by modern standards but they sure feel fast, and the helm response is superb.

I’m more of a sedate sailor (I don’t race!) so my old Austral 20 was much more my cup of tea.

Anyway, starting in the 20 foot or below range sounds like a really smart move to me. I don’t know why so many first time sailors think they need something over 30 feet. By that size you’ve lost lots of the feedback that makes you a better sailor and have committed a lot of money to an activity that may turn out to be not to your liking.

I do, however, think your brother has the right approach. I guess because I learned to sail in dinghies I feel everyone else should too. But I do think it makes you a better sailor overall.

Hi, Rover,

I think GILow's right. And I didn't get my start in dinghies, but I think it would have been total fun at your age, that I would have become a better sailor if I had, and encourage you to take in what he wrote.

Ann

Rover_Tasmania · 09-04-2020, 16:55

Thanks for the pointers. A factor that I didnt expand on here is the other half... she would not want to be cramped and I have already shown her photos of various TS and she has indicated that a little more room is better. So in the interests of making sure she has a good experience sailing, ill see what comes up.

The reason my brother in Melb has a 420 dingy to practice on is because there is nothing in the bay to enjoy, basically its a power boat area. However, in Tassie its the opposite, loads of little hidden beaches to 'park' the TS on. This is why ill be going for a TS rather than a dingy.

My brother and I are both over the half century age now, but that doesnt stop us from playing around like teenagers

As long as the TS has the main components of the bigger yachts for me to practice on then its a good possible transition to a blue water yacht in the next few years.

Cheers,