Olivier says hi

[OliV59]

Hello everyone!

I've been considering more and more seriously getting my own boat next year, and decided it'd be great to exchange with more experienced people before diving head first into that kind of project.
I'm not entirely new to sailing, as I've spent a good part of my childhood and teenage years on my grandfather's motorised barge. Sure, sailing along the channels of northern France and Belgium isn't the same thing as cruising at sea, but hey, it's better than nothing!

[Adelie]

Welcome.

I would suggest updating your profile with your general location and your boat make & model or “Looking” in the "Boat" category. This info shows up under your UserName in every post in the web view. Many questions are boat and/or location dependent and having these tidbits under your UserName saves answering those questions repeatedly. If you need help setting up your profile then click on this link: https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ml#post3308797

I would happily help more if the link above is not enough.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by OliV59

Hello everyone!

I've been considering more and more seriously getting my own boat next year, and decided it'd be great to exchange with more experienced people before diving head first into that kind of project.
I'm not entirely new to sailing, as I've spent a good part of my childhood and teenage years on my grandfather's motorised barge. Sure, sailing along the channels of northern France and Belgium isn't the same thing as cruising at sea, but hey, it's better than nothing!

I'll give you my standard answer to this question.

First of all your experience on motorized barges will be of value. You will know your way around boats and water. Even some marine systems may be familiar to you. All Good.

What you need now in addition to some pen-pals (this forum is good) is time on the water on sailboats.

You need to live where there is quite a lot of sailing. Near a coast or large lake for example. Then you need to get out on other people's boats. I don't mean formal lessons although those can't hurt.

I mean by helping other boat owners sail their boats. Every skipper needs help (crew) to sail his boat and sometimes that help is hard to come by. Find some of these owners and offer to crew for them.

One of the best ways is to join a racing crew. Even if you are sure you don't want to be a racer, you will learn a ton about sailing in a short time on a racing crew. They go out often, in all kinds of weather, and they usually know what they are doing. And it does not cost you anything. In a year of weekly racing you will know if you like sailing and what kind of boat you might prefer for yourself.

Contact a local yacht club and ask when they race. Then go there about an hour before the scheduled race and wait around the parking lot. Ask everyone who gets out of a car and heads toward the docks with a duffel bag if they need crew. Be bold but be honest about your experience (maybe don't mention the barge experience) You can tell them you'll do what you are told and keep quiet. You will get a ride. The first one leads to the next one and soon you will be experienced and have no trouble. If you turn out to be good, in a couple of years they will be asking you to take the boat to the next race location.

[skipperpete]

Originally Posted by OliV59

Hello everyone!



I've been considering more and more seriously getting my own boat next year, and decided it'd be great to exchange with more experienced people before diving head first into that kind of project.

I'm not entirely new to sailing, as I've spent a good part of my childhood and teenage years on my grandfather's motorised barge. Sure, sailing along the channels of northern France and Belgium isn't the same thing as cruising at sea, but hey, it's better than nothing!

Hi Olivier, Les Glènans seems to be a good sailing school, I was in the marina at Sète in France 2 years ago and the Glènan boats came in for a respite from the weather and continued training initially in the harbour but when the wind backed off to 25 to 30 knots they went back out to sea and carried on with sail handling and navigation, re docking at day’s end still in difficult conditions. With this sailing school you will learn how to deal with less than comfortable conditions.
All the students, about 40 or more seemed to be having a great adventure and a lot of fun with very serious sailing.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Olivier.

[LittleWing77]

Originally Posted by skipperpete

Hi Olivier, Les Glènans seems to be a good sailing school, I was in the marina at Sète in France 2 years ago and the Glènan boats came in for a respite from the weather and continued training initially in the harbour but when the wind backed off to 25 to 30 knots they went back out to sea and carried on with sail handling and navigation, re docking at day’s end still in difficult conditions. With this sailing school you will learn how to deal with less than comfortable conditions.

All the students, about 40 or more seemed to be having a great adventure and a lot of fun with very serious sailing.

I agree with Pete. This sounds like a super opportunity to get aboard and fill-in the sailing part of the equation.

Welcome aboard!
LittleWing77

[Nauticus]

Hi and welcome from Ontario Canada

[OliV59]

Thank you for your messages! I can't really fill in the information about my boat since... I don't have one yet, but I looked up the sailing school at Les Glénans, I had seen their site, but didn't know they offered motorised sailing lessons as well (as they were advertised as a "wind sailing school").