Buck Turgidson
Well-known member
I’d say about 2-3 hours to learn what to do and how to do it and a lifetime to learn when.
How hard is it to learn how to sail a 10 metre boat
- Thread starter Adetheheat
- Start date
jac
Well-known member
Learning to sail is actually pretty easy. A vaguely knowledgable friend, a book and a day of gentle winds to practice then build from there.
Learning to do it well is easier in dinghies as they are more responsive but no need if you are just thinking of sailing a typical comfy cruiser.
My suggestion would be a total beginners flotilla somewhere like Greece so you can try it as a family before committing to a purchase.
Learning to do it well is easier in dinghies as they are more responsive but no need if you are just thinking of sailing a typical comfy cruiser.
My suggestion would be a total beginners flotilla somewhere like Greece so you can try it as a family before committing to a purchase.
Chiara’s slave
Well-known member
Now that’s a good idea.
PaulRainbow
Well-known member
Operate the mobo at sailboat speed and it'll use a fraction of the fuel it uses on the plane and no sailing gear to buy and maintain.
V1701
Well-known member
Do a bit of sailing & if you like it then think about switching but you're not necessarily going to save a ton of money by switching to sail - sailboats need new sails, standing & running rigging periodically plus there are other things to maintain like winches, lights at the top of the mast, e.g.
Refueler
Well-known member
Costs ..... there are those who insist that so much must be renewed at xx and xx .... and hike up the costs of sailboats ...
While UK based and later over here in Latvia .... I can honestly say that every MoBo owner I knew had far greater expense than I ever had - and that includes when I re-engined etc.
But I think that OP was talking more about general running costs ie - going for a day sail or whatever. Not the upkeep costs - which can actually be less on a MoBo when you think about it ... no mast / rigging etc. But even then - many sailboats go for many years not replacing gear ... depends how much you decide ..
While UK based and later over here in Latvia .... I can honestly say that every MoBo owner I knew had far greater expense than I ever had - and that includes when I re-engined etc.
But I think that OP was talking more about general running costs ie - going for a day sail or whatever. Not the upkeep costs - which can actually be less on a MoBo when you think about it ... no mast / rigging etc. But even then - many sailboats go for many years not replacing gear ... depends how much you decide ..
Sticky Fingers
Well-known member
Engine and stern gear servicing, especially if you have outdrives, can be very costly. Waaaay more than the yacht engine and saildrive would require.
steveeasy
Well-known member
Id say if you want something to challenge you for a good few years, then sailing will do that for you. The basics of sailing is simple and doing it the first time might be a little daunting, but you soon get over it. Its the rest of it that will challenge you, where to sail, how far, single handed. you can do anything and everything. Oh nothing modest about a 10 mtr boat. regardless of size and shape they all need the same care and attention and if you look after them they will look after you.
Best wishes
steveeasy
Best wishes
steveeasy
Dellquay13
Well-known member
I changed from motor boat to sail, albeit a size down from you, to save horrendous fuel consumption and needing to get more space.
You will miss arriving on time, you’ll find that tides don’t just rise and fall but can really impede progress, heeling really alarms some people if they don’t understand and expect it, but most importantly your partner will suddenly find they have a lot more to do underway, and have be willing to be very hands on. My missus used to look at the scenery or read, now she’s usually in charge of the tiller while I handle the sheets or navigate
I’d suggest you have a nice day out as a couple of guests on someone else’s yacht, then if it doesn’t scare you both off, book on a RYA day skipper practical and flotilla combination holiday together in the sun to confirm you like sailing while getting some knowledge .
As a benefit, I have saved the initial purchase price of my modest yacht in just the three years I have owned it by not buying so much fuel. I try not to think about the ongoing costs and improvements though, that isn’t far of my old fuel bill each year.
I’d echo steveeasy, learning the new stuff is both challenging and immensely rewarding, I’m enjoying my new time afloat much more than I have done for years
You will miss arriving on time, you’ll find that tides don’t just rise and fall but can really impede progress, heeling really alarms some people if they don’t understand and expect it, but most importantly your partner will suddenly find they have a lot more to do underway, and have be willing to be very hands on. My missus used to look at the scenery or read, now she’s usually in charge of the tiller while I handle the sheets or navigate
I’d suggest you have a nice day out as a couple of guests on someone else’s yacht, then if it doesn’t scare you both off, book on a RYA day skipper practical and flotilla combination holiday together in the sun to confirm you like sailing while getting some knowledge .
As a benefit, I have saved the initial purchase price of my modest yacht in just the three years I have owned it by not buying so much fuel. I try not to think about the ongoing costs and improvements though, that isn’t far of my old fuel bill each year.
I’d echo steveeasy, learning the new stuff is both challenging and immensely rewarding, I’m enjoying my new time afloat much more than I have done for years
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ashtead
Well-known member
Ideally as others have said you will find a sailing holiday with some tuition hopefully in a warmer location where you might combine dinghy sailing with a chance to also sail with say 3 others on a little day boat yacht. This was how old sunsail clubs worked and gave a variety of boats to try out. It might be of use to vist SIBS and speak to a few charter companies and see what destinations appeal -Turkey is lovely but a couple of weeks learning in Thailand might offer more enjoyment . I msure with the right company a skippered yacht /cat would be distinctly preferable to a week on a sunsail in the Solent with some embittered old instructor who sees students as a source of free holidays and meals as you might find. A lot of what you need to learn depends on your experience and the boat of choice - you will probably find for example a 10m Bavaria yacht easier to reverse into a berth than say a Sealine 34 and a lot of learning is more around boat handling in a tight marina really.
Greg2
Well-known member
An unfortunate example - we had an S34 and it was a doddle to handle in tight spaces!
On a serious note, your point is well made and it does depend on the type of yacht and indeed mobo. A long keeler is a whole different ball game to a fin keel as is a planing hull with outdrives and a semi-displacement mobo with shafts.
I started dinghy sailing as a kid, did a bit with yachts whilst in the RN and have owned mobos for years whilst dabbling with the odd sailing charter. We had a day-sailer last year and are currently considering our options - another day-sailer / small yacht alongside the mobo or a compete transition to sail. The thing is that I know that I love mobos and sailing but SWMBO didn’t like either back in the day and it has been quite a journey to get to the point where she actually enjoys both. Can’t say I always got it right and in reality she is where she is now despite the sometimes scary experiences we have had along the way. In reality she is made of sterner stuff than many so the advice to the OP about taking it slowly and ensuring that both parties enjoy it and aren’t put off forever by the first gust that puts a gunwale underwater is spot on.
The only other thing that I would say relates to speed. It is, of course, true that progress through the water is a whole lot slower in a sailboat but in a cockpit in a good breeze it doesn’t always feel that way. Newcomers to the pastime can be quite surprised by how quickly things can happen to go so slowly!
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Concerto
Well-known member
Adetheheat, may I suggest you chat with some local yacht owners and see if they would take you out for a sail. I have taken a number of people out to see if they like sailing.
If you had provided your location, a forumite may have volunteered to take you out. If I did not have so many commitments for the next couple months, I would volunteer if you are south east based.
If you had provided your location, a forumite may have volunteered to take you out. If I did not have so many commitments for the next couple months, I would volunteer if you are south east based.
ylop
Well-known member
I was a dinghy sailor who moved to power and then up to yachts. Dinghy sailing was useful, but I don’t think in any way essential (if you actually want to learn to use the wind - go windsurf I learned more in one weekend at 30 windsurfing than I had in 15+ years before it!). It also doesn’t teach you stuff you need for the basics of yacht sailing: winches, furlers, jammers, jackstays, nor will a typical beach holiday dinghy have travellers, topping lift, backstay, a compass to steer to, etc. and a 10m yacht probably has a wheel not a tiller. And most 10m yachts won’t have a centreboard. My wife tried dinghy sailing, she said it was much easier to understand what was happening on a yacht as it was slower and more “controlled”. That leads me to my next point - probably better to go for something like the 1 day “start yachting” course than just jump on some random’s boat - that may be nothing like the sort of boating you want to do and give you a wrong impression of it. They might be a “major” type barking orders at everyone and calling everything by a fancy name, or they might be clueless and treat you like a passenger. They might be a racer tweaking every adjustment constantly to get 0.02knot extra or they might not actually know any more than how to pull the sails up and stop them flapping. They might be a panicker who makes a sail round the cans feel like a near death adventure, or they might be so blazee that you feel totally uncomfortable. If you have a family worth perhaps you can fill a whole start yachting course and the instructor will tailor it specifically to help you answer the key question - would you enjoy 5 knot silence.
IMHO Going on a combined flotilla/day skipper course is not a great starting suggestion. The assumption for the day skipper is they can already sail, know the theory of planing and are now ready to execute managing a crew. It’s also probably 2 weeks and many thousands of pounds if you don’t like it.
Finally, I’m not sure why people are obsessed with learning to sail in the warm. If the plan is to do it in U.K. conditions then learn here - it will be far more informative of whether you enjoy bumbling along at 3 knots in the rain or are just going to reach for the engine anyway. As well as understanding features you might find important - sprayhood size, hanging/wet locker, etc. If as someone says you will spend 50% of your time under motor - you are doing it wrong. I’ve probably spent about 15% of my time this year under motor. But the point someone else made about learning how to put the sails up etc is very quick, knowing when is a lifetime I think is very pertinent - there’s no doubt that a lot more thought goes into passage planning and execution under sail than is needed in a similar sizes MOBO.
IMHO Going on a combined flotilla/day skipper course is not a great starting suggestion. The assumption for the day skipper is they can already sail, know the theory of planing and are now ready to execute managing a crew. It’s also probably 2 weeks and many thousands of pounds if you don’t like it.
Finally, I’m not sure why people are obsessed with learning to sail in the warm. If the plan is to do it in U.K. conditions then learn here - it will be far more informative of whether you enjoy bumbling along at 3 knots in the rain or are just going to reach for the engine anyway. As well as understanding features you might find important - sprayhood size, hanging/wet locker, etc. If as someone says you will spend 50% of your time under motor - you are doing it wrong. I’ve probably spent about 15% of my time this year under motor. But the point someone else made about learning how to put the sails up etc is very quick, knowing when is a lifetime I think is very pertinent - there’s no doubt that a lot more thought goes into passage planning and execution under sail than is needed in a similar sizes MOBO.
Dellquay13
Well-known member
Not seen the OP round this thread since the start, maybe it was just a brief musing as he gets used to his first year of boating in a 7.5m 150hp outboard fuel guzzler?
penfold
Well-known member
The dance of the lead-bottomed money gobblers.
Babylon
Well-known member
I agree with Ylop above
Once upon a time I'd have said start with dinghies, but frankly for an experienced motorboat owner like yourself, I'd say ignore that advice completely and contact a local school and ask if they can do you (and your spouse/partner?) a one-day or weekend sail-familiarisation course.
If you do go down the crewing route, be aware that some skippers will be great, others less so, obviously, so go out half a dozen times on different boats in different conditions to build up a broad picture of how sailing differs to motor-boating.
Out of interest, what's your annual diesel bill?
Once upon a time I'd have said start with dinghies, but frankly for an experienced motorboat owner like yourself, I'd say ignore that advice completely and contact a local school and ask if they can do you (and your spouse/partner?) a one-day or weekend sail-familiarisation course.
If you do go down the crewing route, be aware that some skippers will be great, others less so, obviously, so go out half a dozen times on different boats in different conditions to build up a broad picture of how sailing differs to motor-boating.
Out of interest, what's your annual diesel bill?
Babylon
Well-known member
Yes... mind you, OP's need to learn that asking questions isn't for their benefit but merely to give numerous responders (55 replies so far) the opportunity to share their expertise, knowledge, insights, experience and opinions for their own benefit.
PS A quick search suggestions fuel consumption would be around 40 litres per hour, say £60, which is about my annual use!
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Momac
Well-known member
I have a motor boat but have done a little sailing
Sailing requires a lot more physical activity which is not a bad thing but you and the crew have to be able to do it. Unfortunately my crew is not willing or able.
Our friends have a Bavaria 35 which is quite nice but we have more space and better cabins on our 33ft motorboat.
I suspect the running costs are not greatly different but the money is spent differently. Obviously we use a lot more fuel.
Our fried did RYA day skipper training and I would say that is a very good plan.
Sailing requires a lot more physical activity which is not a bad thing but you and the crew have to be able to do it. Unfortunately my crew is not willing or able.
Our friends have a Bavaria 35 which is quite nice but we have more space and better cabins on our 33ft motorboat.
I suspect the running costs are not greatly different but the money is spent differently. Obviously we use a lot more fuel.
Our fried did RYA day skipper training and I would say that is a very good plan.