Coming over to the dark side

Wiggo

Wiggo

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Temporarily, at least...

So we fancied a boaty break somewhere warm next year, but decided that if we take a mobo it will either be smaller than ours, in which case we'll moan about being cramped, or bigger than ours and we'll be unhappy with ours when we get home.

The obvious answer is to charter a ragboat. We don't fancy a flotilla job, so it would be bareboat. The nav side of things is no issue - I have my yachtmaster for power - and we've had single engine boats in the distant past (albeit not on shafts). However, I have no idea about all those strings and things you guys have.

How feasible is it to pick it up? How quickly can it be done? Ho wmuch would I need to do before Scumsail et al will let me loose? Can anyone recommend a good book to get me started?
 
You DO mean coming over to the Sunny Side - ok brighter side then ... No Smoke with Rags!

I know Neilson would put someone out on Villa-Flotilla with no sailing experience if they took a sailing course in the first week.
Full Flotilla you needed a little more experience....

With your boating experience you should be able to get away with a quick course ... as most of the emphasis is on berthing!
 
If you really have "no idea about all those strings and things you guys have" then no charter company in their right mind would let you loose on a sailing boat.
remember, all the power needed to propel the boat is coming through those ropes, the loads can be substantial and if not treated with respect can cause some real damage, especially to miscreant fingers.

having said that..... The standard required for a flotilla holiday is not all that high (it is higher for bareboat charter) and being able to navigate is a big bonus in your favour.
I would think that 2 weekends of instruction ought to be enough to get you to a point where Sunsail etc would let you loose.
Do a "start yachting" course and tell the instructor to concentrate on the sailing part, not the nav, then book the holiday.
At this stage Sunsail (and I assume others) would ask you to do a "flotilla course" where the instructor will make sure you know enough to be safe in sailing and parking the boat.
 
How easy is it to pick up? all you need is wind awareness. If you dont have that then dont even think about it.
 
Hey, I wouldn't want to put you off, but you can get some nasty winds blowing up pretty quick in the Med. I reckon you need 20hours with someone who knows which strings are which, and can tell you how to put the sails up, and more importantly get them down, or put deeeep reefs in them. Apart from that,, you can figure out how a boat goes pretty easily, and you will do a lot of motoring anyway.... /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
Re: Coming over to the light side

Essentially, it's all just aerodynamics and hydronamics, and once you've grasped that you just need to know which strings to pull to:
a) turn the power on (easy)
b) turn the power off (easy)
c) tune your aerofoils to maximise power (hard to do well, which is one reason that sailing is such a cerebral activity, moderately easy to do adequately, easy to do badly)

Given your starting point, I'd have thought some private instruction for all of those in your family who'll be involved in sailing the yacht would be good, on a similar size boat to the one you envisage chartering. Lots of saily schools - see the back of the yotting comics for a a good selection, then ask here for feedback on the ones you've shortlisted.

<span style="color:red">WARNING</span>
Once the bug bites, you'll be selling your mobo and buying a raggie.
 
We once went on a Nielson villa-flotilla, as friends we went with were novices. They run an Introduction to Yachting course in the first week, where they take complete beginners and give them 4 days of training. After that, they are allocated a boat in the flotilla.

Some picked it and were fine, others got into a complete mess and ahd to have a flotilla skipper put on board for more training.

Apart from basic nav, they concentrate on 3 things
- mooring
- MOB
- reefing

In practice, they are not teaching people to become sailors even to Day Skipper standard. They are simply aiming to give them enough skill to sail 'this' boat, in 'this' environment and nothing else.
 
As it happens, I was browsing a Scumsail brochure this morning. Can't exactly recall what it said, but I think they want Day Skipper Practical (Sail) before they'll let you lose on a bareboat charter.

I note that you're not keen on a flotilla, but if you have kids (which I think you do) it's a great way of making sure that they are kept amused. In the school holidays, there will be other kids, almost certainly their age. I'd consider it, because you don't need such a high level of experience, and they will probably accept your existing power qualifications, plus a bit of hands on experience under sail, as being sufficient. Why not try and bum a lift to Cherbourg and back? Just a thought.

Actually, it's child's play:

DSC00929.jpg


/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Mind you I did a two week bareboat in the BVIs with Sunsail and although I brought all my paper work - no-one ever bothered to check it. Likewise a friend has just come back for Croatia and agian no-one actually checked. Makes you wonder who would be liable if an accident happened?????
 
well you can always motor
or charter a cat and then drive everywhere
Sunsail do a 3 day yacht course on the villa flot. But that then meanss you are spending 10 days of 14 day holiday afloat ( which if you both do it is a bit intense)
i was on flot and a couple had done the course with no experience of boats and managed fine
the loads are big and you will need to remember the sequence of doing stuff
Topping lift and reefing lines are the normal ones to forget to slacken/ tighten

apparently in the carib now they ask the first few charters of big cats the season if they want the sails putting on!

but beware when spanking along or even drfiting along in silence and you can move about the boat and make drinks it will make you realise what its all about
 
If I remember Sunsail give a guide to the level of expertise needed in each area but do not ask you to state your qualifications in any detail.

Even so - as to the orginal question I would agree that actually a flotilla cna be more fun with family - you don't have to travel in formation. And I would still do some from of training - Competent Crew level just to gve me the basics.
 
Who ate all the pies?

[ QUOTE ]
the food is not fairly distributed within the jhr household

[/ QUOTE ] Can't think what you mean.

I think he gets his physiology from his mother - who has a lean and hungry look - rather than me. He has also discovered the secret of perpetual motion, so whatever calories he ingests are usually burnt off within about ten minutes of taking them onboard, by strenuous activity.

I, on the other hand, have a slow metabolism and, due to the sedentary nature of my job, I'm not able to take much exercise. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
 
Verbal contract for liability.

Sailing should be fun, send the kids on a sailing course so at least someone on board will know when to shout duck when the boom comes crashing across.
 
sailings very easy, the sails are only there for effect. Just hoist, make sure all sheets (ropes) are left slack and motor as normal. I think they call it Solent rigged

Cameron /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
You can learn a lot by jumping in a dinghy. Something like a Weyfarer is ideal. Find a beginners course at you local sailing club. Its all the same really. The bits of string have the same names and do the same job its just the loads are more on a big boat, and some suggest the fun is less.

A short refresher on a yacht to learn reefing and whats different and then your away.
 
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