start sailing advice

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NickCQ

5,392 posts

95 months

Thursday 19th July 2018
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Marcellus said:
Off topic but it does amuse me how over-specced that system is.
What is that, 6 mm dyneema and a 57 mm block for a mainsheet on a 150 kg dinghy?

Marcellus

7,111 posts

218 months

Thursday 19th July 2018
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NickCQ said:
Off topic but it does amuse me how over-specced that system is.
What is that, 6 mm dyneema and a 57 mm block for a mainsheet on a 150 kg dinghy?
No Idea, I was recently one of the safety RIBS at a Topper Nationals and don't really know anything special about Toppers, but it looks like a carbon copy of Laser which iirc (cba to get out my class rules) uses a 57mm and anything from 6mm dyneema!

TurboHatchback

4,151 posts

152 months

Thursday 19th July 2018
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I think the thickness of the sheet is more for comfort and less tangling than strength, and the block sized accordingly to run freely (thick ropes round tiny pulleys not being so good).

Glad to hear the OP is enjoying sailing, hopefully it'll be a hobby to last a lifetime.

NickCQ

5,392 posts

95 months

Friday 20th July 2018
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TurboHatchback said:
I think the thickness of the sheet is more for comfort and less tangling than strength, and the block sized accordingly to run freely (thick ropes round tiny pulleys not being so good).

Glad to hear the OP is enjoying sailing, hopefully it'll be a hobby to last a lifetime.
I suppose you are right, it's just that I bought the same block the other week for a 3 ton yacht! smile

Ayahuasca

27,427 posts

278 months

Friday 20th July 2018
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NickCQ said:
I suppose you are right, it's just that I bought the same block the other week for a 3 ton yacht! smile
The block probably gets more use (trimming in and out) on a Topper than on most three ton yachts.

BMWBen

4,899 posts

200 months

Thursday 26th July 2018
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Ayahuasca said:
NickCQ said:
I suppose you are right, it's just that I bought the same block the other week for a 3 ton yacht! smile
The block probably gets more use (trimming in and out) on a Topper than on most three ton yachts.
wobble Quite right, on my laser one of those blocks might last 2 seasons before wearing out if you're lucky, but usually less. The mainsheet lasts about 2 months...

Brother D

3,698 posts

175 months

Friday 27th July 2018
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Great idea first off! I just wanted to add there's a decent Facebook group called dingys and parts for sale which is worth looking at if you do go down the dingy ownership route.

Second the comments about pfds and helmets when you are learning. I mean the professionals wear them - and I still have the facial scar from when I first started sailing : )

Racing is great for honing the skills, but you can't beat tons of practice like sailing without a rudder or centerboard. For the kids playing about in toppers or similar practicing capsize drills and learning their limits can be a ton of fun.

Sonie

238 posts

107 months

Friday 27th July 2018
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OP -glad you are enjoying sailing to learn, the most important thing is to enjoy it and allow your kids to do the same.

As a sailing instructor, we don’t push kids out, we make them try and eventually they realise how much fun they do have. Games are important to keep them entertained as well as making them learn. Don’t feel annoyed if your youngest doesn’t achieve a certificate, it’s about participation at that level.

Unsure which club/centre you are at, but what aim would say is before you go into the world of boat ownership, see if the club have boats you can hire or borrow.

A Topper is great for the middle one, you will find it a struggle being too big, your youngest may be too small. A boat for all of you may be impossible and a boat for dad and kid, not fun enough.

The Southampton Boat show is on in September, if you can, tv is it that to get ideas, try on kit and absorb as much as you can.

The FB group mentioned if good for kit and boats. If it is a Topper you are after, I know of one with a road trailer/trolley combo that isn’t advertised yet that is centre main.

covmutley

Original Poster:

3,012 posts

189 months

Friday 27th July 2018
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Cheers all.

i finished my block of 6 evening lessons this week and passed my level 1- i think (more below!). I sailed around a 3 point course a few times and I feel like I am really getting comfortable with it now. I can tack and gybe without having to think about the action too much, and can instead pay attention to what the boat and wind is doing. i also manage to sail upwind back to the pontoon and land it smoothly.

We are all still loving it.

The club is a little disorgainsied, but in a good way, i think. I asked them what we should do (buying a boat now is not even on my radar yet!) and they said just keep coming. I asked about paying more etc.But it seems because I have paid something, they no longer really care and are happy for me and the kids to keep coming every week for the rest of the season. I think they just want us to keep sailing, to enjoy it and join the club! This suits me completely, but not so much another guy doing the training and just wants to get his level 1 and 2 done before moving onto dayskipper.

So we are going to keep going for the rest of the summer and probably then get a family membership.

BMWBen

4,899 posts

200 months

Friday 27th July 2018
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Sounds like you found a good club! That's very welcoming of them smile Don't rush to buy a boat, when you're a beginner your progress will be rapid and what you think you want now might not be what you want in a few months time.

dhutch

14,198 posts

196 months

Friday 27th July 2018
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Sounds like they are friendly and inclusive, like car clubs most clubs are, some clubs are not!

Good work.

covmutley

Original Poster:

3,012 posts

189 months

Wednesday 12th September 2018
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Well that's the season done! I got my Level 1 certificate and they are saying I am 80% through level 2.

Planning on going back in April and joining the club. My kids are still loving it too.

I am so glad that i followed the early advice on this thread to go to a club and to not even consider getting a boat. I would agree with this entirely and recommend the same to anybody else who may stumble across this thread.

I think when I first started looking at this I did not appreciate just how different dinghys can be!