Sailing

[Happy]

Originally Posted by Adrian Kelland

On a similar point to Ray's, I was speaking to someone a few months back about sailing. He had gone and done all the RYA courses and done practical stuff and a few w/e sailing. He then went to the London boat show with his wife.

"You're not expecting me to get on one of these things are you?"


Anyone else to consider?

Adrian

Nice one!! No I don't need to think of anyone else

[Happy]

Please keep comments and suggestions coming.
More info I have the better judgement I can make.
Thanks to all so far that have replied.

Russ

[Naomi S]

Originally Posted by Adrian Kelland

Oh dear Lunch at sea

Lol have you tried making a cuppa tea/ pot noodle underway with a f8 on the nose? Great fun

[Treerat]

Your local LEA activities centre and your local adult education will run sailing courses both practicle and theory.

As others have said learn to sail in a dingy, then combine this with yacht master and other such courses to learn the rules of sailing. Once you have the basics you can sail vertually aything.

I used to teach the practicle side of sailing from the sailing centre in Weymouth. Not sure if they still do now they've moved to Portland but if a boat was available at Portland they could teach you the basics in a good day, but the technical bits will take a good deal longer.


ANdy

[annatrnr]

For what its worth, my father had the bright idea of being "liveraboards". Sailing thought the french cannels along the coast and round the Med with the family (mum younger sister and I). We did for 2 years and loved it but the two things Dad would tell you (despite doing all the RYA courses ect) is that the learning curve was vertical and NOTHING goes to windward better than a boeing 747! (feel free to pm me for questions)

[chrisch]

Dude, the best way to start IMHO is buy a boat. I sailed dinghies at school (about a million years ago ) but moved onto power at 17 in the form of a small angling boat. About 25 years later the missus and I bought our first sail boat, a 24 footer Eygthene (Eygthene 24) and had a bash at sailing.

Some observations.

Firstly its not all that difficult really to get the basics. In calm weather with a nice 3-4 wind any idiot can sail a boat. Forget all the BS terms; sheets are ropes and port is left and you turn a corner not gybe thank you. The sail works like an aircraft wing. You get a nice curve in it and the air passes at different speeds over each side creating "lift" or "pull" in this case and the boat moves. Doddle.

Second, it takes a lifetime to get to be good. Reading waves and seamanship is an art form and only learnt through experience. 25 years of power taught me little about how to handle a sail boat. (I've just bought another power boat - the sail boat is long ago sold...) Dinghy sailing is nothing like yacht sailing and will only teach you the basics (i.e. what you learn in half an hour... {although you learn the BS phraseology })

Third the cost is not buying the boat but running it. Budget for about 100 quid a week upward. What boat you buy size/age/price etc is largely irrelevant (other than the cost of the loan or the capital). Most sail boats will depreciate very slowly, if at all. Its the moorings and maintenance that is crippling. A set of sails lasts about 5-7 years. Moorings are expensive and hard to find. Anything over 30 foot is probably nearer 200 quid a week. (irrespective of whether you actually sail the thing or just wash it on every Sunday like most boat owners) Cheaper is possible but everyone in the world that has a boat is looking for the same pipe dream and so you must rely on luck and some serious personal contacts. The yacht club we belong to has a 5 year waiting list for pontoon moorings. There are rumours of bribes but in total honestly I don't know anything about their accuracy and I hate rumours so I don't listen TBH. The marina near our flat in France has a 10 year waiting list. Weymouth council recommend that if you don't live there - don't bother. Their waiting list is 20 years. All of which means a commercial marina at 3-5 grand a year.

Fourth, sailing round the world needs a sizeable boat and a decent crew. Mr and Mrs will soon fall out if they have to sleep and steer in shifts. My daydream to do just that died when my best friend fell pregnant. Her bloke is an ex-racer for the Australian youth team. They are both divers. Cow.

None of which should put you off. Try it first. Go out with someone else for a trip or two. (I know a guy in Brighton that does skippered charters if you are interested) Some ways round the issues include; trailer sailors (assuming you can keep it on the drive), shared ownership, rent a boat (you need RYA quals) and join a club and beg a ride.

I got very close to buying an Oceanis 311 recently but in the end common sense prevailed and the spreadsheet beat the daydream. The credit crunch will turn up some bargains in the next 18 months as well

What finally sealed the decision for me was the woman from Ancasta telling me about the Beneteau weekends I could go to with my new toy. The description of the total wankers that I would have to talk to reminded me why we left Brighton Marina. After being assaulted by a drunk woman at 1 in the morning we put the boat up for sale and called it a day. Our new boat (first trip out today ) lives on a trailer and is parked in a boatyard. The cost (including unlimited launching) is £950 a year. £200 a year insurance (mandatory) So if you include engine servicing and consumables (flares, EPIRB etc) and depreciation and cost of capital about 60 quid a week. Bargain.

Anyroad that's my take on it having had two sail boats and talked myself out the third. They are lovely things that's for sure and if you have 40 grand and nothing better to do with it go buy one. Give me a ring when you do and I will happily show you which rope to pull (and I promise no twatty names for things )

Chris

[Adrian Kelland]

Originally Posted by Naomi S

Lol have you tried making a cuppa tea/ pot noodle underway with a f8 on the nose? Great fun

LOL. We were going for comfort, not speed. First night was the worst, full blown Atlantic storm. We headed south, the F1 boats headed straight west to meet it head on.

Bet they did not have wine or beer with a sit down meal

[Georgina]

Living in El Gouna I meet yachties all the time that have been sailing around the world some for many years. Many spend the winter here because of the good climate. It is fascinating listening to their tales and adventures. One family had three children and the dog on board. They spent two winters here and have just given up because they were home schooling the kids but now the teenager needs a permanent school so they are thinking of living and working in Tanzania where she has been offered a job.

Meet a lot of young guys that are crewing or captains on all the boats too. They certainly seem so much more mature and have experienced so many things all over the world. I love to meet everyone.

I was trying to find a blog that one Dutch couple were keeping of their adventures. If you are interested I will email them to get it again.

Now it is summer most of the yachts have moved to the Med. Also a lot of the luxury motor yachts move up there for the summer too.

We are just having a new marina built to take the super yachts so am looking forward to seeing who arrives in there.

The yachties tend to be on a very tight budget and join rallies where they all sail in groups to the next countries. It is a small world and they all seem to bump into each other as they move around the world.

[sailorbuoy]

Ok... so I admit to not reading all the replies... but here's my thoughts... based on 36 years sailing (from age 2!), RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Qual and 20+ years 'afore the mast in the Royal Navy.....

(1) Don't bother with a dinghy - yacht sailing is a whole different world... a flotilla holiday somewhere nice would introduce the whole thing and get you to know the ropes (which are sometimes called sheets ... or halyards.. or lines...)

(2) learn navigation / RYA shorebased courses through your local college - cheaper and something to do in the winter.... as a minimum do: navigation, radio, engine maintenance, sea survival.

(3) learn how to fix diesel engines... then learn how to fix them when your whole world is rolling around in a force 6 in a shipping lane - trick is (a) a strong stomach and (b) tool discipline....

(4) make sure your family are of the same mind... rolling "downhill" on the trade winds sounds awfully attractive... Antigua and a rum punch 1000nm on the starboard bow... but in reality it is stultifyingly dull and every creak and moan sets your nerves on edge... sail alone (with proper training and cogniscent of the risks blah blah) and learn the trumpet, or run off to sea with a like minded individual (which can be one of the benefits.........)

(5) Have money... lots of money... sailing is NOT a cheap sport....

(6) If you are of a scientific bent read this "Easy On The Helm: Boat Handling Under Sail And Power by CUNLIFFE, Tom" - then practice the manouvers over an over and you will park your tub like a pro..... ( to the delight of the onlookers which might earn you a rum punch and offset some of the costs at (4)).

(7) Save your money and take up diving instead.... I did!

Rich

[Georgina]

Originally Posted by Georgina

I was trying to find a blog that one Dutch couple were keeping of their adventures.

Found it!! This is their entry for February when they were in El Gouna. Scroll down past the quiz night questions. Some nice underwater shots there plus doing our bellydance exercise class in my apartment
Sybaris Travel Log: February, 2008