New guy checking in.

[captnem]

Hello all! My name is Matt and I am 27, soon to be 28 years old. I live in Indiana, near Lake Michigan. I am currently commercial pilot working on my flight instructor certificate. I have a huge desire to learn how to sail, and to eventually one day take some nice long trips with my wife. I don't know too much about sailing, but have been around power boats all of my life. I look forward to learning alot from this board and getting to know some of you "regulars".

Welcome aboard captnem. Put a few details in your profile so we can get to know you. It will help us give better answers to the questions you ask if we are reminded of where you are. As for "regulars", I guess it is better than calling us normal
Oh, and we welcome power boaters here as well. They just make a little more noise than the rest of us are used to.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Capt,
Welcome aboard. Lots of good books on sailing. The best instructional for a new sailor and small boats is Start Sailing Right! Once you get into small boat handling then you'll want to do piloting/navigation, diesel mechanics, plumbing, electricity, ad infinitum.
For now just ask questions and make comments and read what others post. You'll enjoy it.
Kind Regards, --JohnL--

[sneuman]

Welcome fellow Hoosier. You are from Gary, no doubt ...?

I was raised in Fort Wayne, though about as far from there as possible now.

[Talbot]

Welcome, If you live near Lake Michigan, a good way to learn to sail is to get out in a small dinghy. Any errors are immediately obvious, whereas with a larger yacht it is sometimes not so obvious. (it is also cheaper to learn in a small dinghy)

If your long term ambition is to get away in the baot, you need to involve you wife as son as possible.

[chuckr]

welcome captenm - one of the things you may want to consider is if your wife has the same interest - take an asa (american sailing association) sailing lessons together -- the instructors really know how to teach a husband and wife to sail as a team -
there is a lot of info here -- so lean back and enjoy
chuck and soulmates