Beginner Questions!

[Simon391088]

Hi,
I would really like to get a boat and go sailing... I've been to the boat shows lots of times, and seen the fantastic boats on offer.
Forgetting about the costs involved, which is difficult, I know....
Where do you actually go in a boat? Is it like caravanning where in the summer Marinas are full of people asleep on their boats?
I have been to lots of Marinas, but they usually have loads of Boats and not many people on board them. I'd really like to go places where there are lots of people enjoying themselves and sleeping on their boats, which is what I intend on doing! I'm a bit apprehensive at sailing to some swinging moorings out in the sea going to bed and hoping for the best!
I've got 2 young kids and a wife, who'll be going with me, so safety is the key. Obviously If I sink, it wouldn't be too good!
Any advice at all would be appreciated, particularly on where to go, and what sort of Boat to get.

Thanks in advance

Simon

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[Talbot]

Welcome to the forums. Unfortunately your bio gives no details so it is difficult to be specific about where people go. Obviously if you are in (or near) the solent, there are a lot of diferent places to go, mostly with some form of decent pub with food and the odd beer/forums/images/icons/smile.gif
The places will vary:
Other marinas (e.g. east and west Cowes) tend to be the most expensive option, but allow you too berth alongside (or rafted up to another boat). They provide easy berthing, and access to chandlery and showers.
Council berths (alongside or at a buoy e.g. Lymington, or on a pontoon e.g. The Folly) These tend to be well frequented and affordable with at least some facilities, but quite often full.
Anchoring - not for the faint hearted, (always a good idea to be awake and on deck at tide change in case the anchor doesnt bite) but the cheapest - but no access to facilities, and not always free - anchoring in Beauleigh river is expensive for what you get.

The best option is to go in a charter boat in your expected sailing area, and this will introduce you to the sport, and show you what you get without a large capital outlay.


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[Lost]

How about keeping your boat in the West country....loads of lovely places to anchor and swim...or the estuaries of the Dart/Yealm Fowey Falmouth are heaving with boats in the summer with lots of moorings and places to anchor or berth alongside.
IIts a shame but boating has become less sociable as more harbours have berths, if you can find somewhere you tie to a wall 5 or 6 deep then you'll meet loads of new people and learn a lot...Weymouth is good for that...its definately more sociable.

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[Lost]

How about keeping your boat in the West country....loads of lovely places to anchor and swim...or the estuaries of the Dart/Yealm Fowey Falmouth are heaving with boats in the summer with lots of moorings and places to anchor or berth alongside.
IIts a shame but boating has become less sociable as more harbours have berths, if you can find somewhere you tie to a wall 5 or 6 deep then you'll meet loads of new people and learn a lot...Weymouth is good for that...its definately more sociable.

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[boatless]

I'd strongly recommend that you take a two week villa/flotilla holiday with Sunsail in Greece for example. You learn in dighies and small dayboats in week 1, week 2 you go out as skipper of your 'own boat' in a flotilla of about eight to ten other boats, shepherded by a skipper and crew on a lead boat.

Your wife would do the courses with you, children are on different courses depending on age. Dinghies, sailboards, catamarans, waterskiing etc etc.. Creche facilities too. Several friends of mine have learnt this way. Good starting point, and of course, it's nice and warm!

<hr width=100% size=1>my opinion is complete rubbish, probably.

 

[GilesC]

Hi Simon,

Buying a boat is a great idea - especially if you have an enthusiatic and willing family crew!
But, a word of caution - do you know if they'll actually like it? Have they been sailing before? Are they happy to be out in all reasonable conditions, or just when the sun's shining, and the wind isn't blowing too much. I moor in a mairna for the convenience of step on-step off sailing with my family - I wouldn't get my wife on the boat otherwise.

But I'd strongly suggest you do a sailing course/weekend with the family if you can before buying anything, if only to get a sense of what will suit you all. That'll help you work out what type of boat would suit.

Best of luck!





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[Simon391088]

Thanks a lot for all the replies! That's certainly given me a few things to think about!
Of course, I just want to get out there and buy a boat, but the sensible advice is clearly to go on a course or charter one on a holiday first.
The west country, weymouth solent etc, are all within reach of where I live (which is probably why I would like to get into sailing in the first place).

Thanks Again Hopefully see you at sea!

Simon

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[Jeremy_W]

Simon,
Why not jump in at the deep end and meet the crowd at Mercury Marina on May 8-9? I'm sure somebody will offer you a berth on their yacht for the weekend. Failing that Hamble has plenty of cheap and cheerful B&B's. You'll discover that most people on this forum are twice as weird and twice as friendly in person as they are in print LOL

Regards,
Jeremy

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[Birdseye]

Simon
You might not like me saying this, but to go off and buy a boat with your current level of knowledge, you really would be a sheep for the slaughter. At best you risk buying something that doesnt suit you. At worst, you get taken for a ride. And boats are a damn sight easier to buy than to sell.

You need to do some sailing in other peoples boats to decide what it is you want / what is appropriate for you. Sunsail is one way of doing this, but can be a bit misleading. A flotilla in the sun is a bit different from the solent on a cold and windy spring day. So its better to try some of the sailing courses in the UK, and join a small friendly sailing club.

And if you want to socialise as implied by your first post, then joining a club is the answer. Planning to socialise in a marina is a bit like doing so in an NCP car park.

I appreciate that you are impatient to get going, but you will never regret holding on to your money for a while until you begin to know your way around. And if you want to chat about sailing, pm me and I will send you my phone no.

<hr width=100% size=1>this post is a personal opinion, and you should not base your actions on it.

 

[Spyro]

Not trying to put you off....but. You say you have two young kids and a wife who will be going with you. This could be your biggest challenge! Do you know they will enjoy it as much as you? Try and get them on a boat for some experience , see how long it takes for the kids to say "are we there yet". I'm not saying don't buy a boat but make sure it has an autohelm because you may find you will be the only one on it unless its below force 4, above 20 degrees and wall to wall sunshine.

this is not just my opinion, it's experience.

good luck whatever you choose
Ian

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