Absolute Beginner - Please help!

[stevenreynolds]

Hello there! Can I just start by saying how fortunate I feel to have become a member of this, the (best?) yachting and boating forum, it really is a pleasure. I guess I’d better introduce myself. My name is Steven Reynolds and I found this forum while looking for advice about my approaching boat/yacht trip.

I want to begin by admitting that despite being a keen lover of all things sea-related; I know little-to-nothing about boating (or yachting for that matter) so please bear with me if anything I say sounds a little stupid.

I had a dream about 4 nights ago where I proposed to Joan, my partner, on some sort of boat. We were all alone watching the sun disappear behind the horizon and it was just so romantic. Unfortunately my next door neighbour and his annoying power-drill woke me up just after I popped the question but I am pretty sure she would have said yes anyway.

Over the last couple of days I have been thinking how lovely it would be if I could make that dream of mine become a reality and so here I am hopefully to get at least some of my questions answered.

To put it as simply as possible I have chosen to list my initial questions for ease of answering and the following is the aforementioned list:

1. What sort of boat/yacht would be best for an absolute beginner like me?

2. Is there any way I can borrow a boat/yacht for a day or am I going to have to acquire my own?

3. Will I need lessons of some sort or is it something I can just ‘pick-up’?

4. Can anyone recommend me a UK coast to set sail from where at sun-set there will be no other boats in sight?

5. Is there a specific flag I would need to fly on the boat to let others know that I am a beginner (rather like an ‘L’ plate on a car)

6. Can anyone recommend me a good way of getting my partner to overcome her fear of water before we set sail?

If anyone would be kind enough to answer these few questions for me, it would be very much appreciated.

Thank you

Steven Reynolds

 

[Jonny_H]

Welcome to the forum!

Wow - where to start?

I think it would help if you expanded on a few points to help people with their answers:

1) Is it a sail boat or a power boat you are interested in?
2) Is it just for the big proposal or are you taking this up as a hobby?
3) Whereabouts do you live?

As for your questions:

1) Depends on the above answers!
2) You can hire yachts (although you will need proof of competancy / qualifications) and you can hire a boat with a skipper to sail it for you / instruct you.
3) Depends on type of sailing - if you want to potter around a lake you should be able to pick it up quite quickly after a couple of lessons - if you want to sail over the horizon it will take a little longer!
4) Avoid the south coast - lots of boats - but even there if you head out in the evening mid week you'll be pretty much alone - its not like the M25 out there! Although given your lack of experience being completely alone may not be the best idea?

5) Nope!

6) A good lesson - a good instructor will help you gain confidence in the boat and the safety equipment. Other than that - swimming lessons??

Hope this helps as a starter

Jonny

 

[tobble]

Welcome! If you just want it to propose on, charter a yacht for a weekend!

1. the smaller the better

2. see facetious comment above, google yacht charter. not something I'm at all familiar with i'm affriad, but you can charter with a skipper to point you in the right direction...

4. The more northerly the better...

5. no. It may ammuse you as much as it ammused me, to find out that one requires no qualifications to sail a (leisure) boat in UK waters...

6. depends on too many variables, i.e. her...

you will find this forum a mine for useful information and banter in equal measure...

Tips:
use the seach tool to answer questions before starting a new thread, or at least claim to, people will be more likely to help.

avoid threads with 'anchor' in the title

 

[graham]

For a beginner I think the best weay forward is to join a club and ask around if someone will take you out once or twice.

Its impossible to recommend a type of boat from the information you give.Are you thinking of a dinghy you can tow behind the car or a large ocean going yacht or more likely something in between the two?For most people the cost is the deciding factor.

The worst thing you could do at this stage is to buy a boat.Inevitably it would be unsuitable and likely hard to sell on again.

Another way forward is to book a week on a charter boat with an instructor/skipper.Just google on RYA Sailing Schools.

PS You wont need a flag to indicate you are a beginner,it will be obvious /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif.
Good luck ,you could be on the slippery slope to becoming a yachtie /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Norman_E]

Buying a boat to find out if it is for you is definitely not a good idea. I do not know where you are located, but I hope that some forumite with a boat near you will offer to take you out for a sail.
If you want to learn, then the best ways to do it are either to find a course in dinghy sailing (there is one held at Bewl Water, near me on the Kent/Sussex border and undoubtedly many more around the country) or to enroll on an RYA "Competent Crew" course, at one of the many sailing sckools around the country. This will give you five days sailing on a cruising yacht and teach you the rudiments of life on a yacht. I started that way, got hooked, and ended up with a yacht of my own.
A look in the back of any of the main yachting magazines (Practical Boat Owner, Yachting Monthly and, dare I say it here, Sailing Today) will give you a selection of sailing schools, and yacht charter companies. Some of the yachts available for skippered charter can be had for a day sail when not otherwise engaged. That might appeal to you, as you could take your partner to see if she also enjoys sailing. A word of caution though. Introduce your partner to sailing very carefully. Most women do not appreciate being soaked and frozen, or scared half to death in a force 7.

 

[reginaldon]

Mind you, Joan may have an aversion to boats. My SWMBO (She who must be obeyed) has such an aversion (not fear, she's fearless) and has told me that if she ever comes down to the boat it will be with a drill.
When she said, ' We don't want a boat, I took it she was using the royal plural, so this is now the 'boat of contention'. Good luck!

 

[Lakesailor]

[ QUOTE ]
Most women do not appreciate being soaked and frozen, or scared half to death in a force 7.

[/ QUOTE ] You'd noticed that then? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Gordonmc]

Welcome to the asylum, Steve. Likely you will get a load of advice. Some may even help, but your request might get better response if you fill in your user profile with some information, especially location details as a lot will depend on where you are. It may bring advice from someone who lives locally to you.

Don't apologise for wanting to learn. We all started from a zero base and some of us have forgotten some of what has been picked up, so we all can learn something, especially about the sea.

Down to your specifics.

1. The kind of boat best suited depends on many factors, most of them down to your own situation and personality. Assuming sailing is what you aspire to, do you see yourself spending extended periods cruising, or would a day-boat do? Do you want to race?
There are many yachts in the 22 foot range which are fine for a couple of nights but for a couple could become cramped after a week or so. On the other hand something over 30 foot might be a tad too much for a complete novice. If you live near the East coast and/or near a river estuary the choice of hull could be important as ditch crawling might dictate a bilge or retractable keel.
What options are there for parking the boat near you? Marinas can be prohibitively expensive and moorings are in short supply in many coastal locations. You might want to look at a trailerable boat that you can take home, but you need space at home and the launch/recovery can eat into a weekend's sailing time.

2. I don't think even the most generous owner would hand over his/her pride to a novice. Chartering would be very difficult without proof of competence. That leaves the cheapest and best introduction: brass-neck it at a sailing club and let folk know you are willing to crew to get on the learning curve. That way you will get experience of sailing and a variety of different boat types.

3. You can pick up an awful lot from experience, but at some point you will run into a knowlege wall at which point you should think about signing up for an RYA course. Not only will it introduce you to navigation etc but it will also give a qualification for chartering.

4. Most coastal areas of the UK are as you describe - November to April.
Seriously, there are bolt-holes where you can experience total isolation if you want it, but don't get upset if another yottie wants to share the experience!

5. No.

6. I don't know your missus, so can't help here, other than to say if she or anyone else is in the lease nervouse, don't force the issue. Don't go out if there is any chance of drama. Choose the calmest, sunniest day, even if there's no wind and you don't go anywhere. Lifejackets can give a sense of security, but not as much as a partner who knows his/her limitations and remains within them.

Best of luck and good sailing!

 

[Largslout]

Proposed to Joan " on some sort of boat" Me thinks Joan may, just may find the QE2 a tad more romantic. My Mrs proposed that if I didn't shut the feck up I'd end up over the side - how romantic is that?

 

[VicS]

Hi Steven,

Welcome to what is without doubt the best boating forum, that's why it is supported by members world wide. It takes a while to discover the areas in which the various members are experts though.

Dreams can be dangerous things. If your YL is afraid of water introducing her to boating of any form will have to be very gentle, and you may find the plan is best abandoned.

IMHO if you are considering a sail boat dinghy sailing is the finest way to learn the basics. As far as a cruising yacht is concerned I think it is best not to go too big to begin with. Around 24 to 26 ft for a few years might be sensible, maybe be even starting off with something smaller. Cockups with big boats can be big cock ups but having said that in many respects big boats are easier to handle once you have learnt the techniques but you have to learn them. Once you get to 30 feet you start to get to sizes with good offshore capabilities and comfortable accommodation.

A proud owner is unlikely to lend his pride and joy to a novice so I would suggest you try to get pally with someone who will take you (both) sailing. There are some good cruising clubs around whose members will often oblige or indeed need crew. I belonged to good one in based in Guldford for many years whose members mostly had boats around the solent. I sailed a variety of boats with them and eventually ended up as regular crew to someone with a 31 footer. I have seen most of the south coast from the Solent to the Scillies and a good bit of the north coast of France from the Seine westwards to Ushant including the Channel Islands. All with out the expense of owning a big boat, I just kept my own little boat for pottering about

They RYA approved courses would be the way to learn formally, starting with a dighy course perhaps then the Competant Crew, Day skipper, Coastal skipper and finally Yachtmaster courses

Once you have the skills and the experience what about chartering a boat some where realy nice, where they always have decent weather for your romantic ambitions. Romantic sunsets seem rare. High winds, rough seas and rain are more common around the UK! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Channel Ribs]

Welcome!

As suggested, tell us more about where you are and where you would like to sail or motor - I bet a forumite local to you will offer a trip in return for a bottle of Bowmore.

/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[duncan]

[ QUOTE ]
3. Will I need lessons of some sort or is it something I can just ‘pick-up’?


[/ QUOTE ]

is this about the boating or proposing bit?

 

[liverpoold]

Quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Most women do not appreciate being soaked and frozen, or scared half to death in a force 7.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not all of us!
lol

 

[liverpoold]

Ps Believe in your dream!
I did and went out and bought my boat!
Though this was after seperating from my husband, lol, not for proposing!
Lots of learning still to do, but I love it!
Selina

 

[AliM]

If your intended is scared of water, then going out alone with you, a total beginner, in a boat for the first time may not be the stress-free romantic occasion you need.

I suggest you find a gorgeous-looking boat, a competent and discreet skipper, a lovely quiet location (which your skipper ought to be able to recommend) and a gorgeous, calm evening. Let the skipper do the sailing, and you concentrate on her!

If all that works, then you can think about taking up sailing as a hobby.

Good luck

 

[nyx2k]

as for the proposing. hire a nice 30+ ftboat and skipper. get him to smuggle on board the champagne and flowers etc and on your signal he can set anchor and dissapear and lock himself in the heads for an hour or two. good luck

 

[Whitelighter]

Welcome.

That is quite possibly the best first post I have seen in quite a while. I look forward to more posts from you in the future.

 

[stevenreynolds]

Wow, so many responses – thank you so much for responding so quickly! How can I thank you all for your wonderful advice!?

Let me firstly answer the questions posed by Jonny:

Is it a sail boat or a power boat you are interested in?

I am really not sure on this one – as I said in my original post, I really haven’t the faintest idea what would be the best for me. Again, sorry to sound stupid but can I ask what the difference between a sail boat and a power boat is. All I know is that I want to be on a boat with Joan in the ocean somewhere and to be able to watch the sun go down with no-one else around.

Is it just for the big proposal or are you taking this up as a hobby?

Really this is just for the proposal though I guess if I enjoyed it enough then maybe it could become a hobby – This would unfortunately mean that I wouldn’t have as much time for my gardening though.

Whereabouts do you live?

I live in the small town of Caterham in Surrey – Can I just say how nice it is of you to show interest in my life.

I am quite glad to hear that people think it would be a bad idea to buy a boat right now. We haven’t an awful lot of money between us and ideally I would like to save our money for the wedding instead of spending it all on a boat I may never use again.

I am also glad to hear that I don’t need to buy or construct any sort of “Learner’s flag” as I previously thought I might – this would have just meant extra effort on my part.

I definitely do not want to “potter around a lake” as Jonny said – I think you may have missed my point about the sun going down and the horizon etc. Not being able to see the sun go down would make for a very inferior realisation of my dream.

I am a little overwhelmed and also a tad confused by some of the responses above. It seems that some people think I should take some sort of lessons while others think I may not need to. Can anyone clarify for me what would be best?

As for Joan being scared of the water – some people seem to think that I should hire a “skipper” to sail the boat for me. While I do like the idea that I wouldn’t have to sail the boat myself, I do not like the idea that a man (or woman) that I don’t know would be onboard with us when I ask for Joan’s hand in marriage. I wouldn’t want anything to be able to spoil our evening together.

Thanks again

Steven Reynolds

 

[liverpoold]

Hi Steven,
If you want to take her out on a boat by yourself it will be a long undertaking.
You will need some training etc before you will feel competent to take a boat out on your own.
I think a skipper is your best bet who can make themselves scarce.
Do you have to be isailing n the middle of the sea?
Could you go on a boat moored up in a harbour and watch the sun setting without going sailing?
Sure someone would let you do that.
You could on mine but if at the wrong point on the tide will have to trudge through lots of mud to get there (not that romantic!)
Sure you can work something out!
Selina

 

[duncan]

overall I think you would be better off poping down the road to Gatwick and going to a carefully chosen location looking West over the ocean (Capetown for example) where the sunset is guaranteed and seclusion realistic. Alternatives are of course Wales and Cornwall but the journey time is about the same!