Sailboats?

9 comments

1. 

   G spot on January 16, 2009 at 6:07 pm

   Sailing is the most fun you can have with your clothes on!!! The wind in your hair, the smell of the ocean….its very alluring. If you haven’t sailed before, i would recommend going out with some experienced sailors and ask lots of questions. There is a lot to know, and its definitly not for everyone. But if you do enjoy it, i would say go for it, buy a sailboat!!! Having a boat can being a money pit, so make sure you get a good deal on a used boat, so you don’t have to worry so much about it. Unless your rich:)

2. 

   science teacher on January 17, 2009 at 1:02 pm

   Sailing is great. Volunteer to crew and get some experience. Start out small and learn to read the wind. Then move on to a bigger boat. take a course. Sail and Power Squadrons are all over and offer courses.

3. 

   omnisource on January 18, 2009 at 1:20 am

   Sailing is for sure a very fun sport. Since you’re new to sailing, I’d recommend taking some courses to develop skills like boat handling, points of sail, and above all marine safety and rules of the road. There are USCG sponsored classes that offer certification after successful completion. With basic safety certs, you’ll find marinas and charter outfits will be more cooperative than if you are unable to prove any skills beyond novice level.
   Learning safety at sea is an unavoidable prerequisite to responsible boating, and its easy to learn most anything provided your interest in learning is sincere.
   Since the high cost of purchasing a boat, whether for offshore cruising or daysailing the local lake, can be a substantial investment, I think its good to experience different boats thru rental outfits before purchasing. Then your better informed to make the right choice.
   There is an old saying that a sailboat is just a hole in the the water to throw your money into. Costs of ownership exceed by far, the initial purchase price, so examine all the angles first.
   I’ve enjoyed offshore coastal sailing for over 25 years and I’ve never owned a yacht-chartering has been just great and provided more experiences in variety in the type/size/design of various yachts than ownership could allow.
   Hope this answer helps get you started-fair winds and following seas!

4. 

   Campo on January 20, 2009 at 1:50 pm

   I started out on an 8′ sailing dingy when I was a kid. It took me a while to get the hang of it, but once I could really make it go, I was hooked! Since then I have sailed various boats up to about 30′ long. The amazing thing is that once you learn how to sail the dingy, going to larger boats is a very small adjustment, and a short learning curve.
   Here is some advice. Look for a place that rents small sailboats. Take a beginner course there, and rent a boat a couple times. Then you will know if you like it. When buying one, for low maintenance you want a fibreglass boat. When comparing boats take a good look at the rigging. That is all the pulleys, mast, boom, rudder, lines, winches, etc. The difference between cheap rigging and quality rigging is immense. I once built a sailboat, and fitting it with quality rigging was my largest expense. If you are buying used, I recommend finding one in top condition and paying extra for it as opposed to a fixer-upper. The most expensive way to buy a boat is one part at a time! Good luck and welcome to a great pastime!

5. 

   kenneth o on January 21, 2009 at 1:32 am

   sailing is fun!.not hard to learn unless you want to race.I learned to sail on a singlehand trip from S.C. to Tn.you just start out with less sail area and experiment.what you should buy depends on what you want it for.live on it ,cruise on it or just go out for the day.I suggest a small cheap one,you can always go bigger or not, when you become addicted

6. 

   Dan on January 22, 2009 at 6:09 pm

   Sailing is the most fun i have ever done, before going out and buying a boat go and crew on a boat for a while so that you can get the feel for sailing, learn how to sail and find out weather if is for you or not. The only negative thing about sailing is that there is a high chance of injuring yourself\somebody on your boat if you are not careful, although i have been sailing for about a year and we haven’t really had any injuries. To get started go to your local yacht club and find a boat that wants crew, most clubs have a crew register of boats that need crew and people who want to find a boat, so get your name on there and get started. Once you have started sailing you will never want to stop. Once you get your own boat they are very expensive to maintain and keep in the water. Remember buying the boat is only a fraction of the cost, there is insurance, services, things break\wear out, you will need to slip it every year or two to clean it’s bottom and polish it, than there is other general maintenance. It is ok to just crew and not even own a boat, most sailors don’t own a boat they just crew because they can’t afford the cost of the boat. Definatley give it a go, it is a great sport

7. 

   cudavll on January 23, 2009 at 1:12 pm

   FORGET SAILING —G

8. 

   chuggie on January 24, 2009 at 9:39 am

   Type in “my first yacht ” on google and this will give you an insight into boating

9. 

   WHO on January 26, 2009 at 12:20 pm

   sailing is an experience that everyone should get at least once in a lifetime. You may not like it, or you may be so hooked on it.

   I knew I wanted to sail ever since I saw one pass me by during my motoryacht handling course. So I bought “Introduction to sailing” books and a 8′ft dinghy. I was definately hooked and moved up to a keelboat within a year.

   I simply like how a boat glides so quietly under wind power. No sound of motor, no disturbing the peace, no oil and leak, no complicated engine maintenance. I dont get the guilty feeling of zipping around in a powerboat. I sometimes feel guilty wasting fuel and adding to polution for my own leisure purposes…

   So try it. At least once. You wont regret it.