Getting into boating/sailing

[tomcle19]

Im new to all this! Ive been talking to my father in law about buying his small power boat - not sure what it is but it is called the "Ultra Violet" and is VERY purple! Does anyone know what boat im talking about here??

Ive always loved the idea of sailing - never known how I would go about doing it though but have always loved the idea of it! Especially after randomly bumping into Ellan McCarther in barcelona airport last year and talking to her about sailing around the world - top class lady!

Im finally in a job where I can earn the money to endulge in some kind of hobby! How would I get into sailing?? Whats the best way? I currently live in sale, cheshire so im not close to any coast!

Im keen on both powerboating and sailing so what can people recommened?

Also out of general interest, the folk who enter all these round the world sailing races etc, how do they do it? How do you get into sailing around the world?!

Cheers!

 

[SnaxMuppet]

Welcome.

I think the best way is to join a sailing club and to start racing as crew. Once you are a member go along to the club race nights and get it known that you want to crew. I am sure that there will be many boat owners that would like a keen beginner especially if you are willing to commit to racing all season with the same boat.

Once you are racing with other club members everything will fall into place because you will then have regular interaction with experienced sailors/racers.

It doesn't really matter if you live away from the coast. What matters is that you can get to the sailing club regularly and when required by your skipper. If you don't have your own transport that could make it difficult. We have racing members who live 150 miles from the club but still race regularly!

Hands on experience is the most important and a sailing club is the very best way to learn and to get to know what and where to go and what to do.

If you don't wwant to race yachts straight away you could start by taking a Dinghy Sailing course at an RYA school and then get your own dinghy. Dinghy racing is a great way to learn everything about the water and it prepares you for sailing yachts or moving on to powered craft. Again, join a club and attend regularly. Some clubs let you rent a dinghy for racing until you get your own. Some allow you to store your dinghy at the club to save you from having to transport it each week.

Join a club, attend regularly. You will soon get to know what is what.

 

[tomcle19]

Brilliant! Cheers for all that info Arny!

I currently live in Trafford, literally 10mins drive away from the Trafford Water Sports Club - would this be a good place to start with dinghy racing and training? I think that would be the best way to get into it before moving onto racing yaughts.

When you talk about racing, what kind of racing do you mean? If you could explain it that would be great! I would love to get racing yaughts, i have no experience at all except spending a day on a canal boat when I was 11! But i am only 19 so im young with lots of energy and enthusiasm to give and would love to learn the craft!

Through being crew on a racing yaught, would that lead to crewing on these races across to america etc? Again, I am clueless to what they are actually called but I did read an article in GQ or Esquire magazine a month or two ago that profiled some of the racers!

Also, as I am currently living cheshire, where would the best place to get involved with crewing on a racing yaught? I am assuming that it would be on the coast!

If you could give me some more info, if it would be easier via email then let me know!

Thanks again for all your help!

 

[tomcle19]

Just been surfing the net - I was talking about the Americas Cup as it turns out - that perfectly demonstrates my ignorance to yaught racing! haha!

So, to elaborate on my previous question - would the yaught racing that Arny was talking about lead to being involved in the Americas Cup and other such events??

Thanks again! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[SnaxMuppet]

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