Am I doing the right thing?

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CalmSkipper

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I'm a fair weather RYA 2 dinghy sailor about to realise a dream of 10 years satnding by buying a 36 foot AWB. Only draw-back is I can't actually sail it yet, but
1. I've chartered with a skipper helping me sail in a F6 (ok, partly sheltered waters) and driving rain and LOVED IT
2. i'm in the middle of my DS theory so will be done by March
3. My kids and SWMBO all want to do CC while I do DS
4. I'm happy to engage a skipper/tutor after that if I need more help

Given all that, some of the time it will be just me and SWMBO so I just have a slight niggle going for a 36 footer (which I favour as the berthing has so many options for taking friends and family out).

So, Am I doing th right thing (the YES vote) or should I go for something smaller (the NO vote)

all opinions welcome!
 
Sorry - I could have been clearer here. Some of the time it will be me and SWMBO. Probably more of the time we'll have at least one of the children (youngest currently 15) with us. So what I'm really asking is regards those occasions when it will be just SWMBO and I. I.e, 'Is it feasible for me and SWMBO to sail a 36 footer given our current lack of experience, (but taking into account the fact we're willing to get trained and work at it) or am I being over-ambitioius?
 
I agree with Lescargot. Maybe run this past you? Say that you and SWMBO feel reasonably confident sailing said 36 footer together, but how would SWMBO be at sailing it on her own, should you become incapacitated for some reason, or even vivvy verca? Would either of you, in that situation have to call on CG for help?
 
If you are careful with the weather you will soon gain both confidence and experience. 36 foot is not too big and if you take berthing very slowly to begin with (only practical in light winds) then you shouldn't come to grief. I assume you are doing the RYA practical as well as theory courses, if you do DS practical you will probably not feel the need to have an experienced helper aboard. Always remember you are doing it for enjoyment!
 
perhaps I've forgotten, but IMHO if you can handle a 30 foot boat, there isnt too much difference in handling 36ft... maybe mooring etc., but in an emergency, a few scratches wouldnt be an issue.

My SWMBO will do most of her learning on Rogue, (44ft), and, by coincidence, marina handling training is the first thing she has been involved in. BTW, Janet doesnt think 44ft is a big deal cause she has never known anything different.

If SWMBO was involved in some of the practical training, they might end up as skilled as each other?

Happy to stand corrected.
 
Reckon that\'s right...

[ QUOTE ]
IMHO if you can handle a 30 foot boat, there isnt too much difference in handling 36ft...

[/ QUOTE ] Within reason, bigger boats tend to be easier to handle short-handed or single-handed, because they're usually more stable and tend to react more slowly. A 36ft boat is well within the scope of single-handed operation.
 
IMHO,the important factor is that all concerned are motivated -you get the training, you gain the necessary confidence and Bob's your uncle!
Go for it!
 
What kind/size of boat are you doint the courses on?

When Janet does Competent Crew here in Lagos, it will probably be on a 38ft Bavaria or a 41 ft Beneteau.
 
Having observed the activity around our marina for some time I would suggest that the smaller boats (<30') get used much more than the larger boats (>40'). This is only based on my own observations and I accept that it is a generalization and that someone will be able to demonstrate exceptions to the rule.

I have sailed a jeanneau sun odyssey 43’ on several occasions with a fully qualified crew (DS/YM etc) and up till the last trip it had been my dream boat. This all changed when it came to berthing it with a F5 pushing us straight down an isle full of forty odd foot boats with davits on the back. When the layout of the marina was designed 30’ boats were the norm. We had to drop the anchor to turn around so we could approach the berth, into the wind. Without the anchor there simply was not enough room to get the bow to turn onto the wind.

I sh_t myself in marinas and take my hat off to those who make it look easy and safe coming alongside under these conditions. When I park up my own 26’ boat I am usually sad as it’s the end of a trip, when I parked up the jeanneau I was glad the trip was over.

Everything is a compromise. I love my 26’ snappy as I can get it in and out of all kind of tight spots shorthanded and I feel comfortable sailing it in rough weather. I love the jeanneau for the room and comfort that it provides. Your choice at the end of the day
 
We were not particularly experienced when we bought our 36 footer. We had done some 500 miles in our Norfolk Gypsy, which we also taught ourselves to handle.

We just gradually stretched the rubber band from our home marina in good conditions and felt competent in a few months.


Enjoyed it all ever since.

Pops
 
Quote: "I sh_t myself in marinas and take my hat off to those who make it look easy and safe coming alongside under these conditions."

I'm planning a new boat at the moment - Jen 32 - and suffer nightmares about exactly the same scenario. My 22' was easy (dinghy with a roof really). I'm going to try and get some practice with SWMBO on a Sunsail charter then spend most of the time on a swinging mooring if poss (NOT Newtownards though!!) until I learn her ways (new boat's that is, not SWMBO's whose ways I'll probably never learn, thank God because then she'd become boring).
 
IMHO the smaller the boat the more the fun. But I can understand it's hard, probably, impossible, to resist the temptation of a nice big shiny toy.

You say you're already a dinghy sailor - is the family, and are you keeping the dinghy? 'cos especially for kids, I think the best way to make them want to sail a bigger boat is to let them play around in smaller boats. If they're doing the dinghy sailing too, then they may even enjoy the 36'er.

OTOH something more around the 26 - 30', especially if shallow draft/centreboard will allow you to get into much more fun places, up creeks etc., the fun of drying out, than a deeper draught 36'er, and the family will have much more fun as a result.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I have sailed a jeanneau sun odyssey 43’ on several occasions with a fully qualified crew (DS/YM etc) and up till the last trip it had been my dream boat. This all changed when it came to berthing it with a F5 pushing us straight down an isle full of forty odd foot boats with davits on the back. When the layout of the marina was designed 30’ boats were the norm. We had to drop the anchor to turn around so we could approach the berth, into the wind. Without the anchor there simply was not enough room to get the bow to turn onto the wind.

I sh_t myself in marinas.......

[/ QUOTE ]

Great quote! So do I.. but less so now than I used to.

I'm sure/hoing that someone will provide some advice on berthing in the above conditions... my own guess is that you could have gone down the aisle astern, with the engine ahead to slow you down and give some manoueverability, bit like stemming a tide/current. alternatively, ahead down the aisle, with engine astern... water over the keel and rudder providing manoeuverability....

Looking forward to the answer.
 
[ QUOTE ]
my own guess is that you could have gone down the aisle astern, with the engine ahead to slow you down and give some manoueverability, bit like stemming a tide/current.

[/ QUOTE ]
If it was a really strong wind I'd consider going in stern first, tho' probably with engine also in astern - gently - speed through the water of up to say a couple of knots while being pushed astern by the wind would give plenty of manoeuvreability in astern to keep the bow pointing into the wind, even in a Contessa, which isn't as easy in astern as a Jenneau. If speed astern caused by wind becomes excessive, then the odd blip of ahead will slow you down if necessary, and propwash allow precise re-alignment of bow.

But if it was a just F5 I'd probably go in ahead, and then use propwash over the rudder + propwash in astern to kick the bows into the wind - doing this perhaps a pontoon or so to windward of the target pontoon to allow for being pushed down sideways into the slot. You can do almost anything in mooring through proper use of propwash, and can turn her in a boat length even if there's a really strong wind from behind trying to blow the bows off.

Of course, it's easy to theorise - without seeing the exact set-up. But that's my tuppenceworth.
 
On this occasion we had a YM instructor on board. He had a shot at turning and declared it a lost cause. If I had a bigger pair of ba__s then I might have kept the power on for longer while going ahead but then again ......... I’m happy that we managed to get out of the situation without any damage or heavy use of fenders.

I guess the lesson learned is to reverse in and take the easy option of driving out if things get bad.
 
My SWMBO (who had no experience at all) and I bought a 36' about 4 years ago. She was motivated enough to do the YM theory and made the effort to learn the practical stuff too. After only a few months she was capable of handling the boat on her own out at sea. We gradually increased our range as she gained more experience.

Berthing would probably still be a difficult matter, but as someone else has pointed out in an emergency what's a few scratches? There would probable be people arounfd in a marina to help in any case.

We have had great pleasure from our boat and have never regreted buying her. My advice in a nutshell is: 'Do it!'
 
I don't think the berthing thing should be the prob. It's more the family enjoyment thing that I reckon is significant - and I reckon a smaller boat may make everyone more involved. Bigger boat may be more fun for the Captain though.

So far as the "Just a few scratches thing" is concerned, it's more people hitting my boat, especially when I'm not there to know who hit her and where, that bothers me!
 
thanks for all the replies so far - I don't know how the vote is going (I haven't worked out how to see it, or maybe I have to wait until 20th like everyone else?) but the comments are split. The longer term part of my plan is in line with a few of the comments - I'll explore the solent (home ground!) for the first year. I'd like to sail to dorset, devon and possibly cornwall the following summer (but will have at least 4 on the boat), and the following summer I want to cross the channel. I have to say too I've never felt so compelled to do something as I have this now the opportunity to make it all real has arisen. The only question in my mind is what boat to do it in!
I'm very grateful for everyones views on this. Thank you
 
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