what lessons/ my dream..:-)

[Guest]

to go coastal sailing (south of England- yet to buy a boat, for wife and me - I'm 24)
1) do you need saling certification? I have done dingy sailing in the past, need to brush up my skills, thinkg of doing the RYA competent crew.. is this enough to meet the legal minimum to be on the sea?
2) competent crew course seems to be 5 days all inclusive for around 400 pounds each - is this about a fair price (need cheeap 'n cheerful but friendly. Need to my wife on side so must be FUN!!!
3) Not got much money, thinking of getting a 19 - 24' boat between 1978 - 1980 for less than £5000. Prepared to do work.. does this sound okay?
4) finally... aim (dream!) to sail to france and live aboad 3 months - yes we are saving hard and see how far we can go.. could we expect the boat mention above to do this

I am hoping that sailing on a budget is an option.. all comments gratefully received about any points- I do need your help.
Thanks, J.

 

[Guest]

Dreamin, you certainly do sound ambitiouse, I was the same when I decided to get afloat. First of all I got in some sailing experience in dinghies like your self, then when I felt I could manage a step-up I sought out owners of larger boats willing to teach me how to handle their boat. When there was no one
I knew I would get my kit bag along with essentials (oilies etc)
and go to the local marinas asking any one rigging up if they wanted crew. I very rarely got turned down and I learned very quickly, at the same time read as much as you can on big boat handling and cruising. you dont get any certificates this way but you get plenty of hands on practical experience.
I own a 23ft cruiser and I feel a confident as any one with a bit of paper. Good luck , David.

 

[Guest]

I think you should do OK with your plan. If I were you I would go for the RYA day skipper course theory and practical -that will give you a good grounding for going crusiing. I bought a Leisure 23 for around the money you have in mind and I was able to sail regluarly from the medway to France. after doing the dy skipper courses and a few weekend of pracitice in local waters. £400 for the course sounds a bit steep - if you are going in season you can get course for about £350 down to about £300 out of season. But check if theere are any extras to pay on the course (some charge berthing fees etc on top).
If you are looking to live aboard you need to go more for the floating caravan type rather than sleek racing machine. The reality is (with your plan) that you will spend 90% of the time on the boat as a home rather than sailing so you might want to take that into account when buying. You can check out the going rate for the boat of your choice through searches of web based brokers and I would definatly get a survey done given your plans for the boat (they normaly pay for themselves by finding work that needs done and giving you bargaining information for the transaction).
You will probably need to keep about £1000 in reserve to fit out the boat, they always need more than you think! Whatever boat you buy will probably have an owner club of some sort and you will get lots of good advice on fitting her out and handling/cruising from other owners.
Wishing you fair winds and calm seas!

 

[snowleopard]

certificates

Re. your question on the legal minimum - fact is you need no qualifications or experience to cruise the British coast. And long may it stay that way.

That said, don't follow the example of the idiots who think they're too clever to need training. Certificates have their place (yes, I am a Yachtmaster) but there's no substitute for sea time. You may get a Day Skipper after a week's course but it won't make you a safe sailor. Get out there on other people's boats and get your experience in a range of conditions. Once you've sailed on a range of boats you'll have a much better idea of what you want to buy.

A good way of finding out what you can afford is to find back numbers of the late lamented Sailing Today which used to do a maritime 'Glass's guide'.

Enjoy learning.

 

[adrianm]

Re: certificates

Surely you're contradicting yourself with those statements. On one hand you like the fact that no qualifications are required and on the other you don't like the idiots who have no training.

Speaking as someone who has had his boat hit twice by people who had just bought a boat (over 40ft in once case!) and thought they could just go off in it, I am all in favour of compulsory training.

 

[Guest]

You have done dinghy sailing - The best way to learn how to sail, So.....you can sail!
Navigation - coastal navigation without fog is simple pilotage, however - pretend you can't see the coast and navigate! This builds up experience and confidence.
Certificate. You are already a competent crew! Day Skipper, Coastal Skipper is your next qualification. Howeve.....Sea time is the important bit. That pratt from Rhyl is the exception, most people who can "sail" can get from A to B without the RNLI. Provided you have the right weather, your engine doesn't go kaput, your sailsstay in one piece.
I am fundamently against qualifications, but, would take a course to learn something new. Books can teach navigation, sea time enables one to LEARN navigation. Courses enable one to find out how much we DON'T KNOW!
2 of you so a trailer sailer would suffice, 26 ft would be wonderfull. Each time you sail you learn. £2,500 would buy a great trailer sailer provide as much holiday time as your employment allows OR a couple of weeks on courses. Take your pick!!


Back 2 Basics R us

 

[Gary]

Hi,

Nice to see someone else who's coming from exactly the same position as me and my girlfriend. We aim to be away in around 18months or so which should give us ample time to get the qualifications we need. I have mailed RYA and they were extremly helpful. They advised that a Coastal Skipper qualification would be better as we may need to travel at night (Day Skipper otherwise would be adequate apparently). Course prices vary from one club to the next, so we are currently shopping around. I've bought a couple of books to get me started (Buying you First Yacht by RYA, and Day Skipper book). The day skipper book is quite in depth but reasonably easy to understand (My girlfriend is the bright one and finds it easier than me though). I've found that everyone I've asked advice have been extremely helpful.
The more I dig around the more it seems we have to know!
If you need any info let us know and we'll send you what we've found out so far.

Clear skies

Gary and Jill

 

[bob_tyler]

Re: certificates & Sailing Today

Sailing Today is under new ownership and continuing to publish as before.

 

[Guest]

Re: great help

Thank you for all of your posts, you have all been most helpful.
As many of you have pointed out, it is not the certificate as such that I am interested in, but having a little tuition so that I am not a danger to myself and others.
I'll be looking into this in more depth, expect to buy the boat early next year, and take a course as a starting off point later this year. Thank you once again - more comments/ experiences always appreciated.

 

[peterb]

still to learn....

I once asked someone (after a refresher course for a Yachtmaster practical exam, which he passed with flying colours) what he had learned from the course. His answer: "How much more there is to learn!"

Keep at it. If there wasn't so much to learn it would get boring.