Buying boat with no sailing experience. How feasible is my plan?

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Doge

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If I really thought you knew what you were talking about I’d worry

Well if my dinghy had sunk I wouldn't have decided to hold my head under the water. I prefer breast stroke for this reason. Keeps the head dry. I find that bringing your knees up to your chest and using your arms to control yourself works better than treading water. Try it and get back to me on who knows what they're talking about.
 

sarabande

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No way that you can keep your head dry in a normal overboard situation. The head weighs about 4.5kg, and keeping that out of the water requires more cardiac energy, which is why LJs are essential and floating techniques are taught in survival courses. Human beings, especially male ones, tend to have low natural buoyancy (it varies to even the negative ) and strong activity is required to keep the head above water, which is why the Royal Life Saving Society's old test in the 1960s included holding a brick out of water for two minutes.

You may not be aware of the background of some of the people who have been posting with kind advice. I am certain they have much greater experience and professional knowledge and skills than you evidence for yourself. I am beginning to think you are either very lucky or disturbingly over-confident and unwilling to listen.
 

Doge

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No way that you can keep your head dry in a normal overboard situation. The head weighs about 4.5kg, and keeping that out of the water requires more cardiac energy, which is why LJs are essential and floating techniques are taught in survival courses. Human beings, especially male ones, tend to have low natural buoyancy (it varies to even the negative ) and strong activity is required to keep the head above water, which is why the Royal Life Saving Society's old test in the 1960s included holding a brick out of water for two minutes.

You may not be aware of the background of some of the people who have been posting with kind advice. I am certain they have much greater experience and professional knowledge and skills than you evidence for yourself. I am beginning to think you are either very lucky or disturbingly over-confident and unwilling to listen.
Try as I suggest. Knees up, arms out pushing down in a backwards circular motion.
 

sailaboutvic

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And there me thinking I'm on the liveaboud fourm ,
Silly me.
Well while I'm here any advice on my rare three penny bit with look like it had boris Johnson head on one side , do that count as a bitcoin?

How long have I got to hold on to it before its worth enough so I can pay for free diving lessons.

My ambition has always been to go the North pole , cut a hole in the ice and free dive naked .
 

DownWest

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Try as I suggest. Knees up, arms out pushing down in a backwards circular motion.
Try that in choppy water, not some calm lake.
The time I had to swim for it, it was impossible to shed any clothes and without a lifejacket I wouldn't be here.
Yes, you have to swim on your back, but at least it keeps you up in sodden clothes.
 
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Doge

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Try that in choppy water, not some calm lake.
The time I had to swim for it, it was impossible to shed any cloths and without a lifejacket I wouldn't be here.
You can. So long as the waves aren't breaking. Its what I used to do sometimes when I was just enjoying being in the sea in spring when it was cold. I find if I get out just as my fingertips are starting to get numb I don't have too much of a shiver.

There's something to be said for this type of experience given that all the advice I can find on the topic assumes you have a life jacket. Presumably that's what professionals are learning. Not much use if you get caught in a riptide or cut off by the tide with unclimbable cliffs or any other scenario where you wouldn't have a life jacket.
 

sarabande

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Try as I suggest. Knees up, arms out pushing down in a backwards circular motion.

Did that 60 years ago in training. It tips your face forward into the water. You really have little idea of proper LS techniques, and seem unable to realise that your rather limited experience and unwillingness to engage with the forum's real experts (not me) is indicative of what risks you are creating for yourself on the basis of your incomplete knowledge.
 

Doge

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Did that 60 years ago in training. It tips your face forward into the water. You really have little idea of proper LS techniques, and seem unable to realise that your rather limited experience and unwillingness to engage with the forum's real experts (not me) is indicative of what risks you are creating for yourself on the basis of your incomplete knowledge.
Well you really need a feel for the water to do it effectively. If it's so ineffective why were you doing it in training?
 

sailaboutvic

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You may not be aware of the background of some of the people who have been posting with kind advice.
I thought I was well awhere of some who posted here and their experience and knowledge but after over 300 replies I started to wonder if covid as play with people brain cells to keep on replying to the nonsense.
 

Doge

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Anyway I'm not saying I'm an expert but that I have experience sufficient to survive being in Windermere with no life jacket. And I do.
 

DownWest

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Anyway I'm not saying I'm an expert but that I have experience sufficient to survive being in Windermere with no life jacket. And I do.
You might have some experience on that, but this thread is (was) about sailing long distances. Anybody who has done that will tell you the primary point is to stay out of the water. Once you are in, your chances are vanishingly small.

As said, you have boundless confidence is some thing you know nothing about, apart from dubious vids.

A book to read: 'Sailing on a small income' by Annie Hill On safety, she said 'If you go over, you are probably dead, if you go over at night, certainly.

She and her husband later divorced and he remarried. His new wife did go over in daylight while he was sleeping. Never seen again, despite a big search.
 
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sailaboutvic

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Just as a reminder for them who lost track what this thread was supposed to be about .

Hi,

So I'm planning on buying a small racing cruiser next spring. I have no sailing experience at all. How feasible would it be for me to just learn how to sail just by doing it? How hard is it for a beginner? The sort of thing most people could probably figure out? Should I get a book or are proper lessons an absolute must?

I'm hoping to spend next summer sailing around Europe, so nothing too heavy in terms of conditions, and hopefully ill be ready for an Atlantic crossing by winter.
 

Doge

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You might have some experience on that, but this tread is (was) about sailing long distances. Anybody who has done that will tell you the primary point is to stay our of the water. Once you are in, your chances are vanishingly small.

As said, you have boundless confidence is some thing you know nothing about, apart from dubious vids.
You've skipped part of the thread. We got onto the topic when I was talking about the time I rowed down Windermere in a cheap inflatable and no life jacket. People said that I was in more danger than I thought. I don't think I was. I'm not suggesting what I describe would work in very cold water at all. But it is good for staying in the North Sea in early spring and similar.
 

DownWest

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You've skipped part of the thread. We got onto the topic when I was talking about the time I rowed down Windermere in a cheap inflatable and no life jacket. People said that I was in more danger than I thought. I don't think I was. I'm not suggesting what I describe would work in very cold water at all. But it is good for staying in the North Sea in early spring and similar.
I have read all the thread and you are arguing about stuff that is unimportant to your goal. Which tends to make you look completely unprepared for what you are apparently planning. And, more worrying, don't want to listen.

Anyway, I have a boat to fix up, so my last post here.
 

sailaboutvic

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I have read all the thread and you are arguing about stuff that is unimportant to your goal. Which tends to make you look completely unprepared for what you are apparently planning. And, more worrying, don't want to listen.

Anyway, I have a boat to fix up, so my last post here.
What you have a boat that needs fixing ?
Your having us all on .
Since when do a boat need fixing?
It's the owners that need fixing for buying the bloody thing in the first place,
 

sailaboutvic

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This is a very important message, please listen closely to this message
Even if you disagree with me, even if you think I'm wrong.


Please don't pee,
In the pool.
Listen to me,
That's just not cool.
If you only,
Follow this one rule,
Listen to me,
Please don't pee,
In the pool.
 
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