I Am So Excited . . . Reading My First Sailing Book

[Dreamofsailing]

I am completely green to sailing but I can't shake the interest and fascination with sailing! I've never sailed before but watching them from shore and seeing them in movies; I knew this was for me... I ordered two books, Your First Sailboat, and The Complete Sailor...I am half finished with Your First Sailboat, I started last night; can't put it down! I am going to take classes at the Strictly Sail and planning to attend the Chicago Boat show.... I've got the bug bad! I really hope I can crew this summer to gain on water experience and that combined with classes I hope I will be prepared for my on boat In 2011! I can't remember being this excited about anything.
When I tell friends, they all try to discourage or extinguish my fire.... If I hear "the two best days for a boat owner" anecdote one more time, I'm going to scream!

[simonmd]

Originally Posted by Dreamofsailing

If I hear "the two best days for a boat owner" anecdote one more time, I'm going to scream!

LMAO! As a boat owner myself, that is so true. I'm sure someone will get wet someday saying it to me!!

Yup, you got it bad that's for sure, hope you can get out there when the weather gets warmer in your part of the world.

[KayKay58]

Hi, and welcome to our forum! You sound like your on the right track, both those books are excellent, I have them, and they have helped me and my husband a great deal. The best experience is to just get out there, preferably crewing on OPB's until you get enough experience to go solo! Sailing schools are great too, and the Coast Guard offers some inexpensive boating courses also. Good luck, and may the wind always be in your sails! P.S. I hate that addage, "The two best days in a boat-owners life.." too!!

[imonaboat]

I can recommend two more books, for when you finish those!

'Dove' by Robin Lee Graham
and
'Cruising in Seraffyn' by Lin and Larry Pardey

[frank_f]

I definitely recommend the Pardey books.

They are what got me into sailing in the first place. The Seraffyn series is not so much 'how-to' as it is 'why-to'. Great reading when you tire of the technical stuff for a bit.

Welcome aboard.

[Dreamofsailing]

Thanks, I'll definately pick those two books up!

[Mainebristol]

Chicago is okay (used to live there) but if you truly wish to sail in some gorgeous water, I would recommend a trip to either coast. I'm partial, but sailing in Maine is next to heaven. The northwest is also very beautiful, especially up into B.C. From where you are, you might consider a cruise up past Door County, past Mackinaw, and on into the northern channel, if I remember correctly from my childhood.

Sailing is fun in and of itself, but sailing somewhere beautiful and new with people you love is one of the great adventures of a lifetime.

While your reading, pick up a copy of "This old boat" or any one of the many sailboat maintenance books. You had better figure on learning this stuff, even with a new boat. Remember, one definition of a sailboat is 'something that's broken." Don't think of maintenance as a bad thing. Learning new skills for fixing things is part of the adventure. It helps a sailboat owner be more self-sufficient.

[boatman61]

Your best day is when you buy it.. then there's loads of great days interspersed with **** days... the truth is its your second best day when you sell it because unless it was the worst decision in your life to take up sailing... the day you sell is very likely to be tinged with regret as you get the 'flashback' of all those great sails...
Or... has has happened to me... its a heartbreaking decision/event brought on by circumstance...
So Screw them... What do they know...

[3DPhoto]

the other reason for the sale day being great is that it means you can now get a bigger one

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Dreamofsailing

I am half finished with Your First Sailboat, I started last night; can't put it down!

Its sinks in the last chapter.

Also find Joshua Slocombe Sailing Alone Around the World. However beware of it as he lied. He had a goat onboard for part of the trip...

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!
Good to have you here.
kind regards,

[nockerwhite]

On this side of the Herring Pond, most would say the best intro. is dinghy sailing, also my way in, via sea kayaking, but a lot of us here sail quite modest sized yachts, especially from our half-tide harbour.

[DiverChick71]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Its sinks in the last chapter.

Also find Joshua Slocombe Sailing Alone Around the World. However beware of it as he lied. He had a goat onboard for part of the trip...

That is funny. MEAN...but funny.

[Hillbillyfunk]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Also find Joshua Slocombe Sailing Alone Around the World. However beware of it as he lied. He had a goat onboard for part of the trip...

...and a spider

welcome to the asylum, please keep in mind many folks that find safety in the daily routine will try to discourage you, but there is a big world full of adventure out here just waiting to be discovered.

[barnakiel]

Do they say anything about getting cold and scared and seasick (often all at the same time) in those books?

Well, if they do, they are bloody right!

barnie