Learning to sail . . .

[Searush]

How did you get into sailing?

In my day it was invariably thro' dinghies cos no-one could afford a yacht until they were an ancient mariner. FYI, I am a Baby-Boomer, started sailing in 1960 in Fireflies & Cadets with Sea Scouts. Got my own boat (a cat) in '68 by spending money for SWMBO's engagement ring (served her right for dumping me). Didn't get a yacht until 1981 - paying £5k (mostly from a matured ins pol) for a Westerly 25.

Today, many seem to go straight for cruisers, buying a lifestyle. (all the gear, no idea?)

With thanks to Dogwatch for stimulating this post in an PM discussion we have just had. Yes, that means I pinched it.

 

[AlJones]

I learnt in Jupiter Point on Hurley's!!

A spin out to the Edystone and back, a bloody long sail for a little 22 and baby Royal Naval sailors.

Anyone else learn here?

Al.

 

[MoodySabre]

Lived by the sea all my life but never sailed. When I was 53 (8 years ago) and only working 3-4 days a week we were talking with friends and decided to buy a boat. For me it was something that I'd regretted not doing - the friend had sailed in dinghies yonks ago (always the crew and never in charge it transpired). We bought a Snappie 26. His sail trimming and my common sense got us going.

We have since ended the boat share and bought a bigger and better. Friend is relieved not to have the worry - he only went out 3 times in the last year of the share. I can't get enough of it /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[AlJones]

Nice one Roger!

Blackwater sailors do it later and with confidence!!!

Al.

 

[Marmalade]

Mirror (like many thousands of others I'm sure)

other people's 420s / Hornets / Wineglasses

Break

Wayfarer (taught family to sail - got kids interested)

Cruiser 28'

Cruiser 44'

 

[hlb]

It started on Butlins boating lake, or maybe before. Parents, hated boats, but for some reason, I loved them. Got married, young kids, bought an 8ft dinghy. At the same time, rented boats on the broads. Moved on to National Ospray, still learning and still hiring mobo's on the broads. Towed both boats behind us, for years. 25 holidays I think. Then a V8 American thingy power boat, soon got rid of that. P33 then P 35. Done both power and sail, rented, um sorry. Charted a few sail boats round the Greek isles. Never wind in the right direction, so just a slow mobo. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[jimboaw]

The idea of going somewhere for nothing and not paying for a hotel when I get there. I know better now but am still hooked.

 

[wooslehunter]

Learned in an Enterprise on a lake at 15, followed by lots of other dinghies: laser, laser 2, 420, 470, solo, wayfarer + others I can't remember. Taught dinghies for a while & got paid.

Then got a proper job & started windsurfing. Then got a wife & mortgage. Stopped sailing. Got kids.

Still got kids, mortgage & wife but now have a shed with sails (W Centaur. I can call it a shed with sails & not get offended cos I have one. Anyone else calls it that & all us Centaur sailors get offended /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif).

Kids have oppies now & the cycle continues...............

 

[snowleopard]

My school acquired a couple of cadets in 1958 and I learned on a lake in Gloucestershire. 50 years ago this summer! Graduated to a leaky 1908 gaffer in 1971. Saw the light and built my first multi in 1975.

 

[damo]

Re: Learning to sail . . .

Went for a sail on a mate's boat, then trips with him all over SW and X Channel about once a year, first in a Corribee, then a Pageant.
Eventually bought my own after selling my flat and became a skipper for the first time /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Swampyhotdog]

How come nobody mentioned Optimists? That's what I started with, then on to toppers, flying fifteens, cruisers.

 

[Vara]

Family thing, Father was into offshore racing and dinghy sailing, first clinker row boat at 5, slight gap while stationed in the Midlands, then dinghy sailing on the Mohne See and Havel, going to a school where sailing was an alternative to Rugby/Cricket helped. Then onto offshore courtesy of BKYC and JSSC.

Slight hiatus at present, but watch this space!

 

[cliffordpope]

I can't actually remember the process of learning to sail, or any age when I couldn't. Pottering about in the the family tender dinghy (modified Cadet, home-built) I suppose I just picked it up by practice, like riding a bike.

One advantage of learning that way is that I have never bothered looking at flags, burgees, tell-tales etc. I just watch the pattern of little waves on the water, feel the wind on my face and know where it is.

 

[Salty John]

I was dragged up in Hong Kong and we had a 21' motor boat. My best friends family had a converted junk on which I spent many a weekend and learned about sailing.

When I left HK to make my way in the world I found no opportunity to sail until, in 1980, I decided to take it up again and did a 5 day sailing course from Bosham and another the next year to get a Day Skipper ticket and start my log book.
I still keep up the same log book, with additional pages stuck in over the years. It now shows time spent on the Vaal Dam in South Africa, several years on Chesapeake Bay in America, two long term cruises ending in the Caribbean and now a little boat on Lake Windermere.

One of these days I might find I've learnt to sail!

 

[Resolution]

Another Hong Kong one here. I was a total car enthusiast until the age of 30 when I met a guy who was selling an MGA Twincam. During negotiations he explained he was funding the purchase of a 23ft Swan River Special keelboat, and asked me to crew for him. We learnt to race together, taking it a chapter at a time each week. First spinnaker hoist was on week 5 or 6! Massive fun on a minimal budget.
BTW, I bought the Twincam, spent £30,000 restoring it, never got it to work satisfactorily, sold it in 1989 for about £12,000 to pay school fees. Have stuck to yachts ever since.

 

[phanakapan]

I grew up on the Isle of Wight but never did any sailing other than going on the ferry. Yachts were for the despised ,posh, rich yellow welly brigade.

About 7 years ago my boyfreind and I were driving into Brighton on the cliffs, saw yachts out at sea. He said 'let's learn to sail and go off round the world one day'. Well in those days his commitment to me was no more than 'maybe I'll see you at the weekend', and we had very few interests in common, so I grabbed at this very romantic sounding idea. We did a weekends dinghy sailing course- great fun; then the local yacht club do an 'introduction to racing' course which we signed up for. The first day was quite breezy; neither of us had ever been on a yacht before. The boat we were on, the engine wouldn't start, enormous amount of diesel fumes filled the air. Got towed out through a very lumpy Brighton entrance, the race was on and the shouting started. Within seconds, I was more seasick through fear etc than I have ever been in my life. I really thought I was going to die; and didn't care because I was losing my guts- nearly from both ends! As I hung over the rail, I saw not just my sailing dreams being ejected into the sea, but the whole romantic future I had built up in my head. I continued to feel really ill when back on land, couldn't stop shaking for hours.
However, I am not a quitter, and it got progressively easier; did night class Day skipper, began to understand a bit more, day skipper practical, share in a folkboat, bought a Macwester 26, Yachtmaster theory, flotillas with the kids, coastal skipper practical, and then last year bought a Moody 33 and sailed it back from Northern Ireland.
I accept that those who have been brought up on dinghies, on to a lifetime of sailing might be tempted to scoff at the 'lets do a course, buy a boat' in middle age brigade; but I found the more courses I did, the greater understanding of the theory I got, the less scared, powerless and seasick I felt- and I now cannot imagine life without a boat.

 

[explores]

Re: Learning to sail . . .

We were asked to go on sailing holiday in the ionion ,so thought better learn to sail. Taught in Wayfarer on local resevioar. Later, sailed Laser,cats,and various yachts.Now have a 18ft day boat Explorer,have great fun in her.

 

[ex-Gladys]

Joined the School Sailing Club (and it was a state school!) in 1966. SPent Easter hols paint stripping and rubbing down two Enterprises in which I learnt to sail. Moved on to crewing more exciting boats pretty quickly (Fireball, Hornet with sliding seat) bough a Cadet for £25 (sold my trainset to raise most of the cash) which I sailed in a bit before deciding the front end on a trapeze was where I was best. Crewed Ospreys as well, spent a couple of years with another Hornet (seat again and no spi chute) then 505's before getting my own laser. Also did some round the cans and passage racing in cruisers (Ballad and Sonata)

Then got married and moved away from the coast and boats until I got divorced. Started crewinig in a Dart 18, got a Prindle 19, then a Hobie 17, got remarried, got a Tornado (wife crew) and then had a year not sailing before we dcided to get back into it with Amber...

 

[geoid96]

Re: Learning to sail . . .

My father built a GP14 when I was about three. I've sailed ever since; Cadet, Moth, 420, 470 on the Blackwater. Got into 'big boats' when a student in Portsmouth where I sailed on quarter, half and three quarter tonners doing JOG & RORC races and cruising the channel. After a few years back in dinghys (RS600), my interest is now cruising. Plan on buying something suitable as soon as I return to UK.

 

[arfa]

Re: Learning to sail . . .

started on the good old mirror dinghy at school on a nearby lake. Followed on with toppers lasers and the occasional blast on hobie cats. Folks then sailed on Lake Windermere on cruisers. I did the odd charter with friends over the years and I finally got back to regular sailing a few years ago when i did my dazed kipper with a view to chartering. Then discovered no one charters out small boats anymore and ended up buying a small boat which has provided loads of fun for me and the family, so hopefully the cycle continues !