start sailing advice
Discussion
hi all
I have 3 kids (12, 8 and 5) and they are busy on Saturdays (football and cycling) but we are frequently left looking for something to do on a Sunday. Thire fairly wide age spread means it can be difficult to get them to agree to doing activities, which often ends up in too much ipad time!
I have been researching sailing as something that we could do together. I would hope that all my kids would enjoy and get something out of an afternoon sailing?
We live just outside Cardiff, so have easy access to the Bay.
My plan would be to do the RYA sailing course myself to learn the basics first, then join a club (£240 family membership) and buy a larger dhingy like a Wayfarer (£2k ish?) to start us off. Storage £115. Kids could do the courses too.
The costs of this dont seem too bad actually, especially assuming the boat wouldnt lose much value, unless i am missing something? Upgrade itus?
any thoughts please?
thanks in advance
I have 3 kids (12, 8 and 5) and they are busy on Saturdays (football and cycling) but we are frequently left looking for something to do on a Sunday. Thire fairly wide age spread means it can be difficult to get them to agree to doing activities, which often ends up in too much ipad time!
I have been researching sailing as something that we could do together. I would hope that all my kids would enjoy and get something out of an afternoon sailing?
We live just outside Cardiff, so have easy access to the Bay.
My plan would be to do the RYA sailing course myself to learn the basics first, then join a club (£240 family membership) and buy a larger dhingy like a Wayfarer (£2k ish?) to start us off. Storage £115. Kids could do the courses too.
The costs of this dont seem too bad actually, especially assuming the boat wouldnt lose much value, unless i am missing something? Upgrade itus?
any thoughts please?
thanks in advance
Great, sounds like I am on the right lines.
I think longer term plan would be to swap wayfarer type boat for something like a lazer pico for single sailing/racing (or sell it) and get a slightly larger day sail cruiser that I would moor.
Something about 20ft, like a Hunter 20, ideally with a large cockpit for family to sit out on. Wouldnt be sleeping on it.
A swing mooring isnt as expensive as i thought.
I think longer term plan would be to swap wayfarer type boat for something like a lazer pico for single sailing/racing (or sell it) and get a slightly larger day sail cruiser that I would moor.
Something about 20ft, like a Hunter 20, ideally with a large cockpit for family to sit out on. Wouldnt be sleeping on it.
A swing mooring isnt as expensive as i thought.
An update....
It has taken some time admittedly, but I am now at the tail end of a 6 week evening course (level 1) at local RYA club.
I have been learning in a wayfarer, my daughter in a topper and son in an oppie. We are all enjoying it. Last night was week 5 of 6 and was particularly good!
I went out in an RS Feva for the first time, with main sail only. Promptly capsized it as i was sat too far back and just couldn't steer it. Once I sat well forward and could steer, I got to grips with it more and it was great fun. My daughter is older than most kids there and is pretty much having 1 to 1 tuition and so getting on well. My son is happy playing games sailing to secret islands and beaches- I have no idea where they are, but he comes back to the pontoon in the end!
We are all keen to carry on so will have to work out what to do after the last session next week. I suspect for me, i will do the level 2 and look to join the club.
It has taken some time admittedly, but I am now at the tail end of a 6 week evening course (level 1) at local RYA club.
I have been learning in a wayfarer, my daughter in a topper and son in an oppie. We are all enjoying it. Last night was week 5 of 6 and was particularly good!
I went out in an RS Feva for the first time, with main sail only. Promptly capsized it as i was sat too far back and just couldn't steer it. Once I sat well forward and could steer, I got to grips with it more and it was great fun. My daughter is older than most kids there and is pretty much having 1 to 1 tuition and so getting on well. My son is happy playing games sailing to secret islands and beaches- I have no idea where they are, but he comes back to the pontoon in the end!
We are all keen to carry on so will have to work out what to do after the last session next week. I suspect for me, i will do the level 2 and look to join the club.
Club wont let you even set foot on the pontoon without bouyancy. Kids wear helmets too.
I think one of the good things of doing it over 6 weeks rather than a weekend has been the different wind conditions. One evening the direction shifted almost 90 degrees. It made me think hard!!
I think one of the good things of doing it over 6 weeks rather than a weekend has been the different wind conditions. One evening the direction shifted almost 90 degrees. It made me think hard!!
Edited by covmutley on Wednesday 18th July 12:33
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.
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.
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!
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!
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