where did you learn to sail.

where did you learn to sail.

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bazza white

Original Poster:

3,552 posts

127 months

Friday 31st October 2014
quotequote all
Those who sail where did you learn, did you learn on toppers or just go for it or offer as a deckhand on other yachts.


I'm tempted to get a dinghy, can keep it at the yacht club in cardiff my brother already has a motorboat there so spend a lot of time there.

Seems a few yacht owners on here but not sure how many into smaller sail boats and dinghys.




s2kjock

1,677 posts

146 months

Friday 31st October 2014
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General consensus seems to be that learning on a dinghy teaches the basics better, but people learn in all sorts of ways. Even the folk who buy a 40 footer, go on a couple of day's course and then set off around the world seem to get on OK - or do people no longer do that these days?

I started off messing about on small dinghies with my parents (who had limited experience of sailing, albeit my Dad had spent a lot of time on cobles as a youngster), did a couple of dinghy one to one training sessions, odd bit at school, but mostly through reading and applying in family dayboats we increased in size every few years.

When a student, I did a Dayskipper course on my first "proper yacht", which gave me enough to cope with 30 footers the family had for several years.

b14

1,060 posts

187 months

Friday 31st October 2014
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I was taught the very basics by a friend on a charter holiday, then threw myself into it after that by doing an Atlantic crossing as crew (found via crewseekers). After that, loads of cruising via crewseekers, before joining Uni sailing club and sailing dinghies for years. During that time I bought my own skiff and started racing that, through that scene ended up doing ok, now I race yachts again.

Never taken a course in my life... but mine was an unusual journey I suppose.

TTwiggy

11,500 posts

203 months

Friday 31st October 2014
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'Sailing', by which I assume you mean setting the sails in a way that propels one across the water is quite simple. Obviously if you want to win a race or learn how to hove to in a F10, then it can get more complex.

Many people claim, and I'm sure they're correct, that it's good to learn in a dinghy as any mistake can put you in a drink. By contrast a keel boat is very forgiving.

I learnt in the Navy, then, many years later I bought a 21ft sail boat and just 'messed about'.

telford_mike

1,219 posts

184 months

Friday 31st October 2014
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I learned on Cadets at a school sailing centre at Chasewater in Staffordshire when I was about 12.

Converted to yachts a few years ago, just bought a share in a Bavaria 34 in Greece smile

I do think dinghies are the best way to learn the basics of sailing, but it's easier on a yacht as everything happens so much more slowly.

Riff Raff

5,087 posts

194 months

Friday 31st October 2014
quotequote all
telford_mike said:
I do think dinghies are the best way to learn the basics of sailing, but it's easier on a yacht as everything happens so much more slowly.
Sometimes it happens a bit quick on a keel boat.....



Famous photo of Silk II taken by Beken of Cowes.

ecsrobin

17,024 posts

164 months

Friday 31st October 2014
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I learnt on a Victoria 34 on the solent. my first time stepping on a yacht was a competent crew 5 day course, a year later after getting 2/3 weeks of sailing in I was back for the day skipper week course and a shore based VHF course. really wanted to get my coastal skipper, but work got in the way and havent stepped on a yacht in a couple of years frown was meant to go away at the beginning of the year, did all the planning and ended up working instead!

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 31st October 2014
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I started crewing for a work colleague many years ago.

He had an Impala at Hamble and I did the winter race series with him.

Boy that was a cold, wet way to learn - but awesome!!!

dirkgently

2,160 posts

230 months

Friday 31st October 2014
quotequote all
Riff Raff said:
Sometimes it happens a bit quick on a keel boat.....



Famous photo of Silk II taken by Beken of Cowes.
I still love that shot.

timbo999

1,287 posts

254 months

Friday 31st October 2014
quotequote all
dirkgently said:
Riff Raff said:
Sometimes it happens a bit quick on a keel boat.....



Famous photo of Silk II taken by Beken of Cowes.
I still love that shot.
Agreed - apparently the bowman is where he should be - on the bow - throughout that incident...

On topic - I do think learning to sail a dinghy is the best start, it does teach you about the real effect of wind/sail trim/rudder position!

telford_mike

1,219 posts

184 months

Friday 31st October 2014
quotequote all
Riff Raff said:
Sometimes it happens a bit quick on a keel boat.....



Famous photo of Silk II taken by Beken of Cowes.
Wow! Don't think we'll be doing anything like that on our floating caravan in the Ionian mind.

condor

8,837 posts

247 months

Friday 31st October 2014
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My father had a yacht and taught me the basics then I was competent enough to be useful as a crew for racing dinghy owners.

elwe

192 posts

219 months

Friday 31st October 2014
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In an Optimist on a gravel pit outside Reading on a 30m rope aged 2. My first race was aged 4.

Riff Raff

5,087 posts

194 months

Friday 31st October 2014
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telford_mike said:
Wow! Don't think we'll be doing anything like that on our floating caravan in the Ionian mind.
You never know. The thing about that part of the Med is that it can go from a nice gentle breeze to blowing a hoolie in not much time at all.

Brother D

3,698 posts

175 months

Friday 31st October 2014
quotequote all
Gravel pit here too! At about age 12 on the most unsuitable racing dingy one could imagine bar a prototype Moth. I was sent to Poole harbor most summers to mess about at Rockley Point - which was great fun. Became a qualified dingy instructor at 20.

I would love to carry on doing dingy sailing but am way too old. (Well past 30 with a bad back).
However it's the best way to learn and more importantly understand how to sail. I've been on yachts were the skipper has asked 'how do you know how to set the sails'? and basically would be screwed with out an engine to get them home...

tonycordon

284 posts

229 months

Friday 31st October 2014
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telford_mike said:
I learned on Cadets at a school sailing centre at Chasewater in Staffordshire when I was about 12.

Converted to yachts a few years ago, just bought a share in a Bavaria 34 in Greece smile

I do think dinghies are the best way to learn the basics of sailing, but it's easier on a yacht as everything happens so much more slowly.
So did I!( Chasewater that is) I don't know which era you enjoyed, but mine was early 60's I do remember 'My name's Simpkins...Call me sir' as the guy who ran the school.
We had a great time, but I didn't really follow up on a good start.

caprirob

263 posts

144 months

Friday 31st October 2014
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I learned in dinghies in the late 80's whilst I was at school in otters and then toppers, then crewed in various stuff before getting a Mirror then moving up to an ancient Laser.

I also frequented Chasewater in the late 80's ( think they used to do a Friday night summer series ? ) but in the early 90's as soon as I could drive all my cash was diverted elsewhere.

I took it up again at blithfield in 2007 with another ancient Laser which was fun for a couple of seasons but was much harder work than I remembered it and my wanting to do it just fizzled out sadly. I love boats but have no real inclination to take it up again.

It is a great hobby if you have a group of mates who are into it though

sawman

4,915 posts

229 months

Friday 31st October 2014
quotequote all
I learnt on a small lake in merseyside - crewing an enterprise, eventually I bought my own boat (actually I have bought many over the years) Had a few dry years whilst the kids were small, as going away for weekend regattas every week wasn't very family friendly

for the last couple of years I have been sailing with the kids, and fallen back into racing - so there goes all my disposable income again!

I have even become an RYA instructor. These days most clubs run courses for beginners, which is a good starting point, and a bit of an income generator for the clubs, which helps to keep them running

jimboe39540i

31 posts

155 months

Friday 31st October 2014
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I learned the ropes in the Navy also and went on to qualify as a Nicholson 55 skipper. Fantastic time, loved every minute of it and miss those days very much.

Fishtigua

9,786 posts

194 months

Saturday 1st November 2014
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Dad bought a 2nd hand Laser dinghy for Christmas. The two of us took it out that morning as he showed me the basics. As we zoomed passed the yacht club to wave at Mum, he just bailed out the side and shouted "Now you're sailing" as he swam towards the Bar.

Not the best way to learn.