Many years ago, a sailing friend at a New Jersey marina was being abused by a power boater about how slow his sailboat is. He said “lets race for $100”. The power boater said “you’re ON! Where to?”. My friend said “Bermuda”. The powerboater said “I don’t carry enough fuel to go that far”. My friend said “pay up!”
my dad's old boat broker adapted a ferro cement double ended sailboat into a trawler and put 2000 gallons worth of diesel tankage on it, bragging he could motor it all the way from California to Hawaii!
How to sail: 1. Point the boat in the direction you want to go. 2. Pull in the sail until it stops flapping. 3. If the sail is all the way in and still flapping, choose a different direction.
How many moves do you need to have an elephant in your fridge ? three moves is enough 1. open the fridge 2. put an elepahnt inside 3. close the fridge. How many moves do you need to have giraffe inside your fridge ? four moves are required 1. open the fridge 2. get the elepahnt out 3. Put a giraffe inside 4. close the fridge
Exactly! If its still flapping its a header, DUH! Course you probably don't wanna do that if you're directly downwind. The point of all this is you need a BRAIN to sail. But with motorboats you really do not require very much of a brain (at least not compared to sail).
How to Sail a Sailboat (by Dave Barry) 1. Figure out where you want to go. 2. Whichever way it is, do NOT aim the sailboat in that direction. 3. Aim the sailboat in some other direction. 4. Trust me, this is the way sailboaters do it. 5. They are heavy drinkers.
Where does that quote come from? Or is it just a popular saying that sailors use? I'm writing a book about sailing, and I need to use that, but I also need to attribute it. My captains said things like that all the time. So a lot of just common things. "It's like falling down the stairs for 14 hours." < - sailing in a storm "It's like standing in a cold show burning 100-dollar bills."
@@JamieSmith-fz2mz paraphrasing Tom from the Sailing Bohemia channel, sadly now inactive as a medical emergency caused them to sell and head back to land. He peppered their 200+ episodes with gems of that calibre...
The proper credit would be: "I can only assume at this point that it's origins are lost to antiquity... same as why ancient mariners didn't built a poop platform at the stern."
When you’re sailing you’re one with nature. You’re not making a horrible wake, you’re not polluting the environment and yes, you are enjoying the sun, quietly gliding through blue water and being enchanted by the huge wing above your head called Sail) No wonder humpbacks are surfacing next to your sailboat leaving you in awe 😊
I prefer the company of dolphins or porpoises. They will play under your bow for awhile if you're going fast enough to entertain them. At night, in phosphorescing plankton, it's a show!
As a non-sailor, I’ve just been on my 3rd sail on a lake with a friend, and was allowed to ‘man’ the rudder this time (under his instructions, obviously.) This is exactly how it felt, quiet, ‘in-tune’, feeling the rudder pressure right under my fingers. Yet when the wind picks up, it’s so thrilling, how everything happens quicker and is so much more responsive. I fly sailplanes, and this ‘discrepancy’ between gliders and powered planes is exactly the same up in the air. It’s graceful, efficient and so empowering. Getting a sailing license has just moved up a couple notches on my bucket list :))
Sailing is like playing any sport , that it is not easy is part of the fun . What fun would playing basketball 2 feet off the floor be if the ball was shot in the basket by a machine for you ? All the fun is the work to get there . Same for sailing .
@@in4theride75 I have. I built several rock crawlers over the years. Been to several hammers. Been around the tin benders scene and Johnson valley, panamints etc. sailing is better. I love wheelin. But sailing really bit me. But he’s right in the video about motorcycles too. I’ve done em all. Love em all. But there’s something serene about sailing I haven’t found anywhere else.
Genuinely no experience? I'm continually contemplating just doing it, but I'm going to get some lessons and qualifications first as I'd probably end up in the water rather than on it!
Surfing over 20 knots with a spinnaker is more thrilling than motorcycles and skiing. I also love singlehanded sailing probably more than any other sailing. The challenge of self reliance is both thrilling and peaceful.
HELL YEAH to this one! Not to mention, the feeling of zipping or cruising with just the breeze in your sails, there are highs I can't even describe here.
My Sabre (small 3.7 single handed sailboat designed for Port Philip Bay Melbourne) of some 50 years would disintegrate at that speed. At 4 - 5 knots boat speed I get speed wobbles but I enjoy it. 🇦🇺👍🍺
I've owned both power and sail. Sailboats are far more comfortable in rough seas. Sailboats don't blow up at fuel docks. When bad weather approaches an anchorage, it's the sailors who know it's coming. Sailors live longer, and we need to because we go so slow!!
The only power boat that was thrilling, and it may just be nostalgia, was my grandpa's bass boat. It would get up to 67mph. In a 21 foot boat that was cooking. Still never felt as on edge as doing 9knts in a J29 laid over on its side the whole way, hiking for what felt like your life. You could feel the boat on the edge of control the whole time. Thankfully our skipper has a steady hand. Sailing with old, life long racers is just different.
I've sailed my old 21'6" sharpie cat-schooner on lakes in what appeared to be dead calm. Not enough breeze on the surface to make a ripple. But find the right direction, shift to the downwind side so the sails would take the right shape & our bow ripples became the only surface disturbance. Another kind of exhilarating! She'd "sail in a fart" as one fellow quipped.
Since I started sailing, our power boat sits idle and our enjoyment of life on the water has gone up immeasurably. My wife and I both agree that our spontaneous purchase of a 26 foot Pearson and consequent lake racing has been the best investment with the most ROI we ever spent on anything for our family.
Most of us long distance cruisers will admit that we use the engines a lot more than we would like. Even running my engine sipping .75 gallons of diesel per hour for days at a time a sailboat is still an incredibly economical way to travel long distances.
Once when chartering sailboat for a week, we had to do at least a third of our journeys with the engine due to no wind, plus all the shunting around in the marinas and anchorages etc. At the end of the week we had a spare day while waiting for our flight so hired a small light speedboat for the day.... That little thing used more fuel in just 3 hours than our >5 tonne floating home had done all week! Not just a little bit more either, can't remember exactly but think it was about 2 or 3 times as much.
We bought or sailboat with no boating or sailing experience--A 1980 Hinterhoeller Frers F3. Went for a test sail and we were hooked. First outing we had the same book he had out in the cockpit and learning how to sail main sail only. She was a fast and forgiving boat--and we looked like a bunch of rookies on a boat that was more advanced than we were. There's magic in them sails! If you ever considered getting a sailboat...just do it.
I have been around power boats my whole life - my father was in the US Navy. One day out of the blue randomly I decided I wanted to learn to sail. I am in the Indianapolis area - so landlocked. I assumed there would be no good way for me to actually learn without having to take a trip to a shore - and plan weeks or months. A quick Google search revealed a sailing school near - about a 50 minute drive - on a reservoir. The first time I was at the helm and we killed the motor and heeled over in the wind - I was hooked. I spent the next 6 months researching sail boats and looking at them online. I spent many many hours driving to look at boats - sometimes 8 hours one-way. Eventually I bought my boat and while it's a lot of work - I've enjoyed every minute of it. You're absolutely right about the racing - we do races on our lake every Wednesday and Sunday during the season - me and my kids - and we have a blast. Don't get me wrong - power boats can be fun - but it's an entirely different kind of fun from sailing. Until someone has sailed - it can be hard for them to understand.
I went dinghy sailing as a kid. Loved it ever since! Took my friends out on the lake too. At age 38 sailed to Mexico for 8 months. Took friends again. Love the ocean night sails, so peaceful….
I remember my first arrival in Bermuda. I was in awe of myself for reaching this destination the same way those who discovered the island hundreds of years ago (minus the shipwreck!).
Get a small sailboat as your first boat, for the same reason the Navy teaches sailing at the Naval Academy: it teaches you the effects of wind, tide, currents and vessel trim in ways a powerboat wont.
Learned to sail age 12-16 in the Boy Scouts. My father had a Catalina22 swing keel when 17-22 we took to Folsom Lake, Sacramento delta, SF Bay Area. Putting in at Richmond was the bomb. Sailing is bliss.
I’ve been a subscriber for several months and can’t count how many of your videos I’ve watched to this point….and this is the first time for me to comment on one of your videos. I’m in my early 40’s and have been around powerboats my entire life, but I have always been fascinated by sailing. About two months ago my 10 year old son said he would like to learn how to sail. I bought a “how to” book on sailing, watched several tutorial videos, and a month later I bought a sailing dinghy for my son and I to start sailing. The first month has been a lot of fun and my son and I talk about what we would like in our first “real” sailboat and what we want to do with it. We both love going across the lake and looking back at how far we traveled without any motor and without paddling. Hopefully by Spring we will have upgraded to our next sail boat. At this point I’m still a bit apprehensive about buying a “real” boat because of the fear of what I don’t know. Lol
Get him a Sunfish. My kids all learned to sail on them. In fact my 10 year old girl sailed it solo many times (protected waters of course). She's now 54 but she will never forget those days she said they were the happiest of her entire life. She learned to right it if she dumped it (as a 10 year old, mind you). Always wear a good life jacket (one that turns you on your back with head out of water if unconscious). We live in Florida which helps as this place is a "waterworld".
Hello. You‘re absolutely right. Sailing is a combination of physical work, brain work, constantly learning something new, setting goals and Meditation/relaxation. Although sailing gives inner peace and satisfaction. And… you reach places you never been before. Sailors see things and make experiences anybody else not even have a clue of. So far, my point of view. Have a nice day.
This year i bought my first sailboat hughes 35 i knew nothing about sailing just what i have learned from your videos and a couple other creators, but your videos made me make the jump from power to sail, sailed my first time from erieau where i bought the boat, to port dover marina , i am still learning and the sailing community in port dover and i am sure everywhere is more then willing to teach and help all new sailors with everything they don't know, the people you meet and the peace on the water worth much more then you pay for the boat.
Very very well said...you nailed it beautifully. Especially the mental therapy caused by the constant little adjustments and satisfaction of seeing the result...positive or negative. Sailing is engaging in a way that power boating can never be.
Just do it! It will become a life long obsession. I started at nine, thank you Kevin Johnson’s family. There is an advantage to starting with a small sailboat. I sail by feel and observation while my is tied to the electronics at the helm. She is new to sailing and growing in skill on every trip. Charlevoix, MI
Funny that you showed a clip from "Miami Boat Ramps." Okay, so the reason to buy a sailboat first: you'll learn how to come into a dock and tie it off properly. You'll learn the physics of pulling the bow or stern in using the momentum of the boat. You'll learn how to tie a proper cleat hitch. You'll learn proper speeds for approaching docks. You[ll learn rules of the road. And tons of other transferrable skills that, obviously, 90% of power boaters don't seem to pick up. 😂 Oh, and you'll quickly realize the best time on a boat is when the engine is turned off.
@@hahaha9076 For most sailors the first time on a sailboat after you have raised the sails and the engine shuts off is the "this is it moment". It all makes sense why people do it.
Motor boaters fly pass me, all white-knuckled holding on, looking straight ahead, throwing spray, making noise and waving . They just don't know any better.
I've been sailing a lot in my teens and twenties, doing the regatta circus for a lot of years. Never realized that that attention to detail and the propensity to analyze everything may have been instilled there. That segment of yours towards the end of the video resonated so incredibly with me. Cheers!
I bought my first sail boat last year, never been on a boat before. First time out was a fantastic experience. I've learned more each time about what it takes to sail. I highly recommend getting a sailboat and just do it. You won't be sorry you did. I've always soloed, been caught out in storms, just keep your wits about you. You'll do fine. One word about mooring though, 10 minutes before is way better than 10 minutes after the storm hits.
Really spot on. I love the peace and quiet of sailing, and that I'm actually doing something. Powerboats have their place, like if you want to fish or water ski. But give me a sailboat for just having fun.
Advise for want-to-be sailors? Go sailing with a competent, relaxed sailor. Or, if excitement is your game, sign up as crew at a local club, there are usually racers looking for crew. Racing side by side at 6 - 7 knots is far more exhilarating than 80 mph side by side on the freeway. Either way, for relaxation or excitement, getting out there and trying it is the most positive way of learning the sport. I have unlimited access to a Grand Banks 36 and much prefer my Islander 30, single handed or not! Keep up the excellent videos Tim!
I've wanted to sail since I got a small taste of it many years ago at scout camp. I'm 55 now and have always wanted to learn to sail. Problem is I don't know anyone who sails or boats for that matter and we don't live near the ocean. We do have a large freshwater lake near us but it's filled with jetskis and power boats tearing up the water and we wouldn't feel safe on a small trailer sailer there - especially when we're trying to learn. My wife and I went to Annapolis last year to the sailboat show and paid for a very basic sailing lesson and we had a ball! Only in a small 21 footer but we were out with the captain and another couple and we all took turns on the tiller and maneuvering around all the large, moored sailboats there. Annapolis is 2.5 hour drive away. We also live in the city so no place to even store a boat and trailer. Any thoughts as to how and where we could learn together? I feel like life is passing by and I'll never learn. I don't want that regret later on. We're only getting older. Thanks!
I'm self thought dropping a 23 ft cutter rig in the lake. Going on 8 years now. Far as the lingo if we all agree a sail is called a coconut then a coconut it will be called. That was 3 sailboats ago. Now I cruise full time now still no lessons just stuff I try by trial and error. I'm the first in any family or friends to sail.
I've never found sailing to be boring in the least. My kids do when there's barely any wind and we're barely moving, but for me it's very enjoyable. There's always something to do a sheet to trim a little better or something to tweak. Personally I like hand steering. I know a lot of people have autopilot of some kind. And I very much enjoy putting on a little jazz and enjoying the sunshine or reading a book under sale and just popping your head up once in awhile to see how things are going along. And the best part like backpacking you don't have to go back. You have everything you need with you. You don't need to return to where you started. You can keep moving forward cuz you have your all your needs with you. Housing, shelter, kitchen, fridge, sleeping accommodations.
After 27 years sailing a Seaward 23, mostly singlehanded, I have been told by other sailors around me, they keep hearing at times the yelling of the words - when I have got the rig “just right” with the tiller perfectly balanced: Hee-Haw!, Yippeee!, and Yabbaa-dabba-doooo!! - emanating from my boat. They get it and don’t think I’ve gone nuts. Rather they know what I mean - and gratified I am having such a great time “out-there!” All your reasons and explanations are absolutely - CORRECT! Well done.
My dad had a Santana 21, so of course I learned to sail. He ended up giving sailing up where I sailed my entire life. I was able to take my first sailboat out and sail it after a cpl weeks...but I didn't really feel GOOD at sailing until after about 10 yrs of sailing including crewing some racing. Now...after 36 yrs of sailing I can sail pretty much any sailboat and make it do exactly what I want......it's a good feeling.
Outstanding I'm 58 and looking to start sailing. Yes, powerboats bore me. Plus, I prefer to harness the power of the wind & move with the water. Not beat it to my will. I look forward to exploring New England waters on weekends. I'll eventually make it down south after retirement. I need the action of sailing rather than, set the power & go.
I do not regret one moment the time we had our little 21ft Sirius. Both our boys learned to sail young and we have watched with delight over the years them "racing" out on a "northern lake" on a Sunfish and Mayflower - stealing each others wind. Our little boat was my escape from the craziness of the office. There is nothing like the sails filling with the breeze, and the sound of the hull moving through the water. We miss our little boat and our time out on Lake Erie.
I like your channel in part because I like your mission. I was super intimidated when I bought my sailboat I had zero experience but the first time I got the boat to move just by the power of the wind was an amazing feeling. It’s really not that hard.
It is not a simple hobby - so it is sort of daunting for many people. But it’s one of the reasons it’s so popular with pilots. We are used to learning regulations, many know some maintenance, and we already know weather. It’s also a mindset where part of the fun is learning and honing a skill where there is always something more to learn.
I was 49 when I for the first time sailed a boat alone, the sailing was not the issue but the confidence building was the hardest part, I got so much more respect than I already had for my fellow Dutch Laura Dekker who sailed around the world alone from 14 to 16 years old. Sailing alone tests you like nothing else, sailing the Vendee globe is probably the biggest challenge for any human with something like climbing K2
I have both a powerboat and a sailboat. It is a lot more fun to sail. It is harder to learn and you are also always trying to improve your skills. That is half the fun. Even if you are cruising and not racing and you see a sailboat going in the same direction it seems you start to race. Great video thank for sharing.
I absolutely love sailing! That feeling of freedom that I experienced when I first got my drivers license I still get every time I push off of the dock. Racing or cruising the destination doesn’t matter it’s all about the journey. Edit: advice for buying a boat! Join your local sailing club jump on any crew that’ll have you and go racing! You’ll learn a lot really fast! Do this for long enough and someone will offer you a boat cheap! Normally that boat can stay in what ever slip it’s in and you can avoid the waiting list. Volunteer to help others maintain their boats. All the learning none of the expense! Hobie Cats are fast, exciting, and turn any body of water into an amazing time!
Go to your local marina, look for the yacht club, ask about their weekly sail. Some are more serious about it and call it a race or regatta. Some let it be a fun sail and call it a "sunset sail" or some such. Go and crew on the different boats and see if its for you. This is a great way to learn without investing in a boat. Each boat and each skipper are unique in how they approach sailing and setting up a boat. You will learn so much.
Nice video. I have a little 14’ Expo Solar Sailer that I keep on an inland lake in Northern Michigan. My wife tolerates sailing but doesn’t love it and has no interest in handling the boat. This afternoon we went out on a beautiful 72 degree day with a breeze of 8-10 mph. We sailed around the lake for about 90 minutes and had to tack a lot to get back to the dock. She suggested that we use the boat on a different lake next time because “all we do is go back and forth.” Funny, I was handling the boat, thinking about the wind direction, tacking to take wake from powerboats head on, thinking about the best route back to the dock which was directly upwind, etc. I wasn’t bored at all.
You'll also use a sailboat more because it is free to use. I know so many people with power boats who think "I kinda want to go out, but that's a lot of fuel cost so I'll avoid doing it". The marginal cost for me trailering my Melgis 14 or 15 to the water is basically zero (assuming I'd be towing a power boat there in the other way). Even on days without races, there's always things to try out to get better. I can do a bunch of tacks and jibes all by myself and get a little better each time, and come in at the end of the day and feel good about it. Can the same be said about literally turning a steer wheel left and right a bunch and changing the throttle? Though I totally agree that the exhilaration of high-wind sailing feels awesome, the most pure satisfaction I get is from light air sailing: when you find the right sail trim voodoo to slowly inch away from other stuff, it feels like being some sort of "nature whisperer". The only thing I've done with greater levels of fun is windsurfing (imo), but I can't take a few friends for a weekend cruise on my windsurf board!
I don’t claim to be a veteran sailor yet, but I’m learning and enjoying every moment. Everything thing you said regarding power vs sail rings true. I had a powerboat before but lost interest. Despite speed differences, there is simply an indescribable felling of having everything dialed in on a sailboat that can’t be replicated with a powerboat. It’s truly you finding that right balance with nature when you sense from the ship that all is right and you’re clipping along.
I've owned three sailboats. I'm into geezer age territory now and have not sailed in a long time. Whenever I have my blood pressure taken I close my eyes and think of some idyllic sailing experiences I enjoyed years ago; it helps reduce my BP. I do this almost overnight to help set conditions for a good sleep. I also owned a power boat. I loved it and had fun with it, bur I never think about it.
Sailing is a gestalt. We keep doing things while sailing because we have a mindset (alpha thinking) that lets us detect what is going on. Knowing the sailboat well is, of course, critical. Even relaxing and even dozing while sailing, the mind is always on quiet alert for different noises and motion. I started sailing with a Pearson 26 52 years ago and only this year passed it on to my son, who grew up with the sailboat. He is tickled pink and happy as a clam at high water.
First time I moved a wind surfer purely by the power of the wind was almost spiritual. Looking forward to learning sailing at the local yacht club because wind surfing lacks any social contact. Sailing has a lot in comparison with learning a musical instrument (piano for me) We do it because it's a challenge, not in spite of. Motor boating is like putting a CD or Spotify. Mastering an instrument or sails with friends is why we are alive.
Club racing IS the best way to repeatably practice sailing skills. You are on your own boat but also among a little fleet and RC that can assist if you get into any real trouble. Sometimes I get my nerve up to sail in higher winds than I ideally might choose. Now I know I can properly handle my boat when the winds pick up - I've had my Capri 22 fighting against 30 knot winds - excitement plus!. I "race" against myself, each time trying to do better. I get to watch the other boats with more experienced crews. Best of all is having light winds, fair skies, and no real deadlines. Sailing is so peaceful.
I have never even been on a sail boat. Your “ it’s more work “ section makes me wish I did sail. And as someone with an electric motorcycle I do understand the serenity of gliding silently through the forest roads listening to the birds chirp.
Spent a weekend learning to sail in a small dinghy over 55 years ago, did a few years at sea aboard a coaster in my teens, races power boats in my 30s and bought my first sailboat in my 70s. The learning curve is so steep I get dizzy through lack of oxygen but playing with the trim to extract that extra 0.5 knot out of the wind is amazing when you achieve it. Knowing I have a big diesel lump to rely on if I get things wrong is comforting but there is always a sense of disappointment if I have to turn the key. Sailing moves the soul, diesel nails it to the floor.
So I’m a boat guy. I really tried to love sailing. Had a 40’ Morgan, 16’ dinghy and crewed on a race boat. It’s just too dang slow. I did however get a Nacra Beachcat and that’s a fun ride. Not having an engine makes certain situations difficult but you figure it out. On the flip side, every motorboat I’ve own (4-5 in total), needed almost constant wrenching
I learned how to sail because my parents signed me and my brothers to singlehanded sailing classes at an academy during the summer when we went to the beach and since we were 8 we've been sailing every summer, now me and my oldest brother have the captain's title and last year me and my friends went on a voyage on a beautiful sailing vessel and got paid for it (I was contracted through a friend I made at the academy to move it to another port and brought them as crew) and it was amazing and super fun!
Just want to say thank you for your videos. They got me to finely just go and buy a boat and sail. Had my new to me 1975 PY23 out for the fist time yesterday.
I loved your comments about how when you're sailing, your mind is constantly going. You're observing, adjusting, tweaking, and also connecting with nature and the elements. When you're doing that, you've left all your troubles and worries not connected to sailing back on the dock. That's why you should consider a sailboat. The stress relief from the daily grind is real! And the immense satisfaction I get sailing wing on wing through the mouth of the marina after spending a couple hours on the Sea of Cortez is fantastic!
I never had anybody put into words all the joys of sailing,,, being immersed in nature and challenged at every moment is exhilarating. Everyday I sail I look forward to the push off the dock and it feels like a vacation. Everything on land goes away. If you're intimidated just find your way to get on a sailboat....ask around. Almost every sailor I know loves to meet new people and introduce them to the sport. I even had people come up to me as I was getting the boat ready and asked if they could join.
Having never sailed a boat bigger than a sunfish I bought my first 25’ boat and taught my self how to sail it. Second boat was a 30’ Sabre. The current boat I’ve lived on for the past two years is a Centurion 47. Second day owning it I got hit by a white squall with 125 mph winds. Did $478 damage to the mainsail but the feeling of being safe on my boat in any condition is priceless. If I can do this you can too!
Lucky enough to crew on a J24 for Wens night races and a bigger old IOR boat on most weekend races with a great crew. For me it was the best way to really learn to make a boat go fast on all points of sail when cruising. Also taught me that investing in good sails will enhance the experience as they will respond to tweaking more so than sails past their useful life. But good sails cost $$. Nothing is truly free. Small price to pay to do something that makes you thankful to be alive.
Being smart enough to trick the wind to take you where you want to go, is magic. It truly is about the journey and not just the destination. Thanks, always good.
I always say it’s more exiting than a motorboat cause it’s not like driving a gocart at a empty parkingspot U do stuff And ur with nature, u feel the wind and the water waves You feel the force of Nature And it’s so relaxing I’ve both license’s and will always prefer the sailboat My dad has/had both at the same time but sold the powerboat a few years ago Not ultra sad I’m in love with sailing….
"The best way to arrive anywhere you can imagine is by sail...." You nailed it. Nothing like sailing into Venice....or Gibraltar, or St. Georges...or anywhere!
My advice on buying a first boat - and deciding power versus sail - is to crew for an experienced skipper at your local yacht club. Not only will your crew mates help you ‘learn the ropes’, but there is nothing better than the competition of racing to spark your interest in making the boat go better! Taking a power boat out for a ‘drive’ will seem so pointless and dull after a season of racing on a good boat, with great people.
Sailed my whole life, could sail a sunfish before I could swim. Sailed on boats as large as 110ft, loved nearly every mile. In the last three years I've explored over 5500nm in my trailer trawler. Tow it here and there at great expense (8mpg), then cruise at 7 to 27 knots getting 4 to 1.7 nmpg at any point to the wind. AC, heat, hot water, beachable . . . I don't miss sailing much at all for what we get to both see and avoid.
From Dave Barry: How to Sail a Sailboat 1. Figure out where you want to go. 2. Whichever way that is, do NOT point the boat in that direction. 3. Aim the sailboat in some other direction. 4. Trust me, this is the way sailboaters do it. 5. They are heavy drinkers.
Sailing is nice. You meet nice neighbours. If you want to change neighbours, just put up the sails. No removalist, no fuss. It always comes with great views too. Thing go wrong, but it's probably better at under 10 knots.
I had a discussion yesterday with sail guests and why we hate turning on the engine and in my case it started when I was a teenager and the sail camp I went too never used engines for their lake sailboat and we used a boom to move us forward. I rented a lake sailboat last year for a day and my friends didn’t get it when I said we don’t turn the engine on, we are sailors not motorboat people, at the end of the day they all agreed we are the only proper sailors
I Recently bought myself a dinghty with sails - Walkerbay 10. Went out in lake to learn to sail today. Apparently 3 knots of wind is not enough though Haha.. Great rowing excercise today
Well depends on how you plan to use the boat and your physical health. For me I live full time on a 40ft IOR boat. For racing and occasional sleeping it’s fine. Most of my life is spent living on the boat so I’m buying a 2nd boat going to the dark side with a trawler. For living comfortably on a boat trawler is hard to beat. If you’re thinking catamaran only if you’re rich. Catalina 30 is a fine starter boat that can get you into the boat life. Truly boats are a lifestyle not just a hobby.
I'm 110% with you! 3 years ago I almost made a decision to buy a motor boat, as I was so eager to get out on the water and thought sailing and a sail boat was out of my league (which it is/was) but I was fortunate to find another way, there's always a way if you look and try hard enough. You just might get lucky! I know I did!... Nothing beats sailing!
I think people need to consider what they want out of it and where they will be using it before deciding sail or power. I learned to sail in San Diego while in the Navy, but found it difficult when I returned to my home in Oregon. Pleasure boating in Oregon is mostly done on lakes and rivers, both of which tend to be pretty restrictive and have lousy winds for sailing. There are so many places to go and if you cruise on the rivers there are so many places to visit. It's great if you use a power boat and just went sailing in the Puget Sound area when I got the rare chance to do so. I spent decades with power boats (and also human powered craft). Retiring in San Diego I set out to buy a boat down here and almost bought a nice power boat, but then I realized that about all there is to do with a power boat in San Diego is fish or sit at the dock and get drunk. They don't have salmon down here, so fishing was of little interest and I doubt if I drink more than one or two drinks a month, so there just was no reason to buy a power boat. Then I saw all of that water out there, including a very tame Pacific Ocean (it is not tame up in Oregon and points north of there!) And I realized that it was time to get back to sailing. I bought a sailboat and have been having a lot of fun at it. Really, the hardest thing about it is finding people who want to go as often as I do. My wife likes to go a few times a year, but I aim for once a week. I manage to get enough other people interested so that I probably actually manage it every other week in the summer and once a month in the "winter". (They really don't have winter down here.) The point is to figure out what is going to work for you and don't get hung up on just one option. Be prepared to change your mind if your current choice isn't working. I've enjoyed boating all of my life by being flexible. So many people become unhappy with their choice and just give up.
I'm in my mid 70s and I own a 33' sailboat. My crew and I just finished another successful season on the race course, but the rest of the time I solo sail: main, jib and spinnaker. That feeling of power in the tiller, the load on the sheets, can't be beat. You are controlling mother nature! That feeling is exhilarating. But you have to be alert because that next wind shift might be huge, or the next puff might knock you flat. Sure a sunset sail (drift) with a glass of wine in your hand is idyllic, but if you're an adrenaline junkie, sailing is a sport to consider.
That's awesome that you get to do this! I'm 55 and have been wanting to learn to sail ever since I got a taste in Scout camp many years ago. They had some sunfish there or some kind of small sailboats. I don't remember any more. Problem is we don't live close to the ocean. About 2.5 hour drive. We're in PA and have gone to the big sailboat show in Annapolis last year and we even took a very basic sailing lesson there! Loads of fun! We do have a large freshwater lake near us but it's filled with power boats and jetskis tearing up the water. Any thoughts to how and where we could learn to sail? It's been a dream of mine for many years. We don't even have any boating friends at all. Wish we lived closer to the water.
Sailing by its very nature is communal. More hands on deck is nice, and thusly gives ample oppurtunity to interact with others. This is hard to do when your throttle is open, air rushing by and hitting waves at speed.
That intro sounds like dirty love. New to sailing. Picked up a Mistral and went for it! Read a few books watched some tutorials and sailed off the dock. We overnighted on it last weekend. Hardest part was convincing the wife but now she’s hooked……so much to still learn though😮
I grew up up on lakes and power boats. Pontoon, ski, deck, John, house… weekends at party cove. If it had an engine (or 4) I have driven it. Tied up to a floating flotilla in the middle of the lakes. Water ski. Jet ski. When I moved to Maryland near Annapolis someone from work told me to come out for a sunset sail on a Wednesday night around race time. When we started out of Back Creek I thought this was nice, but a little slow. When he got out, headed into the wind, put up the main, then turned off the engine I was hooked, hard. Pretty soon we were watching everyone come out of the marinas for the races, and I can honestly say I have never looked back more fondly at an evening going so slow. I am part of a sailing club now, and take others out every week on Thursdays. The one piece of advice… just get started. The rest will take care of itself.
Sailing is boring or scaring, until you start to understand what goes on. Then it changes to exciting, or peaceful all depending on what you want to do. It is never mastered completely, a lifetime is not long enough to learn to be a perfect sailor. That always keeps it interesting. Everybody should at least try it, especially before buying the first boat.
I think your last point is probably the most relevant. Most power boaters have no idea that every sailor IS an aeronautical and hydrological engineer. It requires some brains to actually make the boat move efficiently. After 40 some years of sailing, I still sometimes get befuddled by too much weather helm, or for whatever reason just can't seem to get the top tell tale to stream. It takes thought, knowledge, and a holistic understanding of many forces. Key in, turn engine on, prop spins, boat goes. OMG don't stress yourself there bud......
Fluid dynamics (aero and hydro) aren't the easiest things to get your head round, but once you do it's a wonderful thing to understand and to play with. No matter how well you understand what's going on, feeling the boat pull itself in (near-enough) the opposite direction of the wind will always in a sense feel like some kind of magical wizardry. And the more you understand about it, the the more satisfying it is to see and feel it all in action. Being humbled by the strength of the elements yet at the same time master of them - able to control and redirect the forces of nature to your will.
Having the 8500 pound plastic boat cut through the water on a close reach at hull speed while heeling at 35 degrees is sheer magic. I've taken some of my power boating friends out for a quite ride and they loved it and want to go again as soon as the season starts again. The magic of doing this dance with nature and the machine that is a sailboat is a wonder in itself.
I learned to sail some 52 years ago. Owned various sailboats boats over 40 years, sold my last one 7 years ago. I miss sailing, but I don’t miss ownership. At least in SoCal the marine industry’s lack of customer service skills, the government restricted Marina situation and the horrendous traffic even on weekends getting to marinas just burned me out on the experience.
😂 excellent video, I enjoyed it. I have owned my sailboat for 30 years and the amount of preparation and brain thought that goes into every trip sometimes even makes me wonder, but when you have a good day there is nothing like it!
I learned to sail with a Günther captian hook model sailboat and books my dad had laying around (he tried sailing but gave up on it). Sailed an actual boat for the first time when I was 18 on a trip in mexico where they were renting out cats by the hour. I only had enough for an hour but as soon as a got home I saved up bought my first sailboat. I'm 46, still sailing. That being said, I feel like buying a small fishing boat because I just don't have time for sailing these days and I crave fresh fish! I would still keep a small dingy or catamaran to keep the thirst quenched.
Sailed with friends 20 years ago in Annapolis and enjoyed it very much -but they eventually sold their boats and life went on. Am recently retired and will soon take the ASA101/103 courses to get acquainted again with sailing. Enjoy your level headed perspective when you discuss sailing. Am not sure what my sailing future holds yet but your videos are inspirational. Maybe one day I will bareboat a charter in the BVI and be living the dream - if only for a week.
I've never raced a motorcycle, but I race sailboats. It feels so much faster than it probably appears, especially in a blow. The amount of adrenaline you can get going just 7 knots it kind of crazy. Interesting to hear that racing a motorcycle, which I haven't done, is a similar experience.
A sailboat is a lady to love and accomplish goals with as long as long as you treat her right. A motorboat lets you thrust that stick forward as long as you pay.
II have no experience of sailing other than 2 weeks on a sports catamaran at the age of 16, but what you say about terminology is so true and not just in sailing. There are moments when a certain word is important, but most of the time I think it's just about showing that you are a member of the group and a newbie is not.
I took some friends out on a small sail boat and managed to get pinned to the dock side by the wind. A wiser sailer coached me how to sail the boat in reverse! Amazing!!
Dopamine! That's why you should have a sailboat every time you sail you learn a lot and that feels good you get a hit of dopamine. And analyzing the data i.e. remembering the sail and learning brings another hit, good clean fun. Plus core strength, operating on a deck that's out of level ever so slightly change is the way you use your torso very positive result even for passengers.
Many years ago, a sailing friend at a New Jersey marina was being abused by a power boater about how slow his sailboat is. He said “lets race for $100”. The power boater said “you’re ON! Where to?”. My friend said “Bermuda”. The powerboater said “I don’t carry enough fuel to go that far”. My friend said “pay up!”
Boa! Muito boa!
Has the force of a parable. Put this tale in the keeper basket with the turtle and the hare.
I really like this output for the dispute.
That's what friends are for.
my dad's old boat broker adapted a ferro cement double ended sailboat into a trawler and put 2000 gallons worth of diesel tankage on it, bragging he could motor it all the way from California to Hawaii!
Love it!😂
How to sail: 1. Point the boat in the direction you want to go. 2. Pull in the sail until it stops flapping. 3. If the sail is all the way in and still flapping, choose a different direction.
How many moves do you need to have an elephant in your fridge ? three moves is enough 1. open the fridge 2. put an elepahnt inside 3. close the fridge. How many moves do you need to have giraffe inside your fridge ? four moves are required 1. open the fridge 2. get the elepahnt out 3. Put a giraffe inside 4. close the fridge
Exactly! If its still flapping its a header, DUH! Course you probably don't wanna do that if you're directly downwind. The point of all this is you need a BRAIN to sail. But with motorboats you really do not require very much of a brain (at least not compared to sail).
I've been sailing since I was 14 and I endorse your training course.
How to Sail a Sailboat (by Dave Barry)
1. Figure out where you want to go.
2. Whichever way it is, do NOT aim the sailboat in that direction.
3. Aim the sailboat in some other direction.
4. Trust me, this is the way sailboaters do it.
5. They are heavy drinkers.
@@petervanderwaart1138 exactly not rocket science…
"The most expensive and unpredictable way to travel for free"
Love it! 😆
Where does that quote come from? Or is it just a popular saying that sailors use?
I'm writing a book about sailing, and I need to use that, but I also need to attribute it.
My captains said things like that all the time. So a lot of just common things.
"It's like falling down the stairs for 14 hours." < - sailing in a storm
"It's like standing in a cold show burning 100-dollar bills."
@@JamieSmith-fz2mz paraphrasing Tom from the Sailing Bohemia channel, sadly now inactive as a medical emergency caused them to sell and head back to land. He peppered their 200+ episodes with gems of that calibre...
The proper credit would be: "I can only assume at this point that it's origins are lost to antiquity... same as why ancient mariners didn't built a poop platform at the stern."
@@mathieut3197 Excellent. Thanks!
When you’re sailing you’re one with nature. You’re not making a horrible wake, you’re not polluting the environment and yes, you are enjoying the sun, quietly gliding through blue water and being enchanted by the huge wing above your head called Sail)
No wonder humpbacks are surfacing next to your sailboat leaving you in awe 😊
I prefer the company of dolphins or porpoises. They will play under your bow for awhile if you're going fast enough to entertain them. At night, in phosphorescing plankton, it's a show!
As a non-sailor, I’ve just been on my 3rd sail on a lake with a friend, and was allowed to ‘man’ the rudder this time (under his instructions, obviously.) This is exactly how it felt, quiet, ‘in-tune’, feeling the rudder pressure right under my fingers. Yet when the wind picks up, it’s so thrilling, how everything happens quicker and is so much more responsive. I fly sailplanes, and this ‘discrepancy’ between gliders and powered planes is exactly the same up in the air. It’s graceful, efficient and so empowering. Getting a sailing license has just moved up a couple notches on my bucket list :))
@@SailSmileReDo sailing can be a great ride . The boat becomes a living thing .
Power boater holds up sign while passing a sailboat “I will get to where I am going before you “. Sailboater holds up a sign “I am already there “.
Love it!
Sailing is like playing any sport , that it is not easy is part of the fun . What fun would playing basketball 2 feet off the floor be if the ball was shot in the basket by a machine for you ? All the fun is the work to get there . Same for sailing .
Sailing is the most exhilarating and fun experience anyone has ever had in a vehicle going under 10mph
Truth!
Second most. You try rock crawling and you'll understand.
@@in4theride75 I have. I built several rock crawlers over the years. Been to several hammers. Been around the tin benders scene and Johnson valley, panamints etc. sailing is better. I love wheelin. But sailing really bit me. But he’s right in the video about motorcycles too. I’ve done em all. Love em all. But there’s something serene about sailing I haven’t found anywhere else.
@@in4theride75naaaaaahhhh
@@in4theride75 I've been off road before and it was more of a chore than fun and my spine hated it, for me at least Obviously for you that's different
I just bought my first sailboat with absolutely no experience. My advice, if you want it, just do it. See everyone in the Bahamas
I'm in a similar situation, just bought in June. What a summer!
Genuinely no experience? I'm continually contemplating just doing it, but I'm going to get some lessons and qualifications first as I'd probably end up in the water rather than on it!
@@RockapeRockape Get one with a motor.
@@RockapeRockape point to wind.. up the main ... ease off .... sailing is the easy part.
I still haven't been out on mine yet other than when I first looked at it. Looking forward to getting out there full time
Surfing over 20 knots with a spinnaker is more thrilling than motorcycles and skiing. I also love singlehanded sailing probably more than any other sailing. The challenge of self reliance is both thrilling and peaceful.
"Thrilling and peaceful" is how I explain the joy of sailing to non-sailors.
20 knots that coud be only a competition sailing boat .my 50 cat if reach 10 knots i am super happy avarage 5-8
HELL YEAH to this one! Not to mention, the feeling of zipping or cruising with just the breeze in your sails, there are highs I can't even describe here.
My Sabre (small 3.7 single handed sailboat designed for Port Philip Bay Melbourne) of some 50 years would disintegrate at that speed. At 4 - 5 knots boat speed I get speed wobbles but I enjoy it. 🇦🇺👍🍺
Maybe 1% of sailboats out there can "surf over 20 knots." Most of us are going 7 knots on a good day.
When you trim her right and the hull and rigging starts to sing to the thrum of the ocean.
Pure bliss.
I've owned both power and sail. Sailboats are far more comfortable in rough seas. Sailboats don't blow up at fuel docks. When bad weather approaches an anchorage, it's the sailors who know it's coming. Sailors live longer, and we need to because we go so slow!!
I've never sailed at 7 knots and thought "this is slow and boring " but I've done 3X that in a power boat and thought that. Lol
Only time think it’s boring is when your doing barely 4knots
The only power boat that was thrilling, and it may just be nostalgia, was my grandpa's bass boat. It would get up to 67mph. In a 21 foot boat that was cooking. Still never felt as on edge as doing 9knts in a J29 laid over on its side the whole way, hiking for what felt like your life. You could feel the boat on the edge of control the whole time. Thankfully our skipper has a steady hand. Sailing with old, life long racers is just different.
Even sailing 2kts is pretty fun, as long as it’s not too hot and I have a drink
@@TrevorOBrien-zq6wn agreed!
I've sailed my old 21'6" sharpie cat-schooner on lakes in what appeared to be dead calm. Not enough breeze on the surface to make a ripple. But find the right direction, shift to the downwind side so the sails would take the right shape & our bow ripples became the only surface disturbance. Another kind of exhilarating! She'd "sail in a fart" as one fellow quipped.
Since I started sailing, our power boat sits idle and our enjoyment of life on the water has gone up immeasurably. My wife and I both agree that our spontaneous purchase of a 26 foot Pearson and consequent lake racing has been the best investment with the most ROI we ever spent on anything for our family.
P26 was my first sailboat. I loved it.
Most of us long distance cruisers will admit that we use the engines a lot more than we would like. Even running my engine sipping .75 gallons of diesel per hour for days at a time a sailboat is still an incredibly economical way to travel long distances.
If time is money, then sailing is ridiculously expensive. However, if you have the time, it is hard to beat.
Once when chartering sailboat for a week, we had to do at least a third of our journeys with the engine due to no wind, plus all the shunting around in the marinas and anchorages etc. At the end of the week we had a spare day while waiting for our flight so hired a small light speedboat for the day....
That little thing used more fuel in just 3 hours than our >5 tonne floating home had done all week! Not just a little bit more either, can't remember exactly but think it was about 2 or 3 times as much.
We bought or sailboat with no boating or sailing experience--A 1980 Hinterhoeller Frers F3. Went for a test sail and we were hooked. First outing we had the same book he had out in the cockpit and learning how to sail main sail only. She was a fast and forgiving boat--and we looked like a bunch of rookies on a boat that was more advanced than we were. There's magic in them sails! If you ever considered getting a sailboat...just do it.
I have been around power boats my whole life - my father was in the US Navy.
One day out of the blue randomly I decided I wanted to learn to sail. I am in the Indianapolis area - so landlocked. I assumed there would be no good way for me to actually learn without having to take a trip to a shore - and plan weeks or months.
A quick Google search revealed a sailing school near - about a 50 minute drive - on a reservoir.
The first time I was at the helm and we killed the motor and heeled over in the wind - I was hooked. I spent the next 6 months researching sail boats and looking at them online. I spent many many hours driving to look at boats - sometimes 8 hours one-way. Eventually I bought my boat and while it's a lot of work - I've enjoyed every minute of it.
You're absolutely right about the racing - we do races on our lake every Wednesday and Sunday during the season - me and my kids - and we have a blast.
Don't get me wrong - power boats can be fun - but it's an entirely different kind of fun from sailing. Until someone has sailed - it can be hard for them to understand.
I went dinghy sailing as a kid. Loved it ever since! Took my friends out on the lake too. At age 38 sailed to Mexico for 8 months. Took friends again. Love the ocean night sails, so peaceful….
I remember my first arrival in Bermuda. I was in awe of myself for reaching this destination the same way those who discovered the island hundreds of years ago (minus the shipwreck!).
Get a small sailboat as your first boat, for the same reason the Navy teaches sailing at the Naval Academy: it teaches you the effects of wind, tide, currents and vessel trim in ways a powerboat wont.
Absolutely. People who learn to sail in cruising boats never get anywhere near the skill level of dinghy sailors.
Learned to sail age 12-16 in the Boy Scouts. My father had a Catalina22 swing keel when 17-22 we took to Folsom Lake, Sacramento delta, SF Bay Area. Putting in at Richmond was the bomb. Sailing is bliss.
I’ve been a subscriber for several months and can’t count how many of your videos I’ve watched to this point….and this is the first time for me to comment on one of your videos. I’m in my early 40’s and have been around powerboats my entire life, but I have always been fascinated by sailing. About two months ago my 10 year old son said he would like to learn how to sail. I bought a “how to” book on sailing, watched several tutorial videos, and a month later I bought a sailing dinghy for my son and I to start sailing. The first month has been a lot of fun and my son and I talk about what we would like in our first “real” sailboat and what we want to do with it. We both love going across the lake and looking back at how far we traveled without any motor and without paddling. Hopefully by Spring we will have upgraded to our next sail boat. At this point I’m still a bit apprehensive about buying a “real” boat because of the fear of what I don’t know. Lol
Get him a Sunfish. My kids all learned to sail on them. In fact my 10 year old girl sailed it solo many times (protected waters of course). She's now 54 but she will never forget those days she said they were the happiest of her entire life. She learned to right it if she dumped it (as a 10 year old, mind you). Always wear a good life jacket (one that turns you on your back with head out of water if unconscious). We live in Florida which helps as this place is a "waterworld".
Sailing is an activity . The greatest thing about sail is the challenge of working with natural elements of wind and water. ❤
That's true while power boats are for a destination while sail is for the activity
Hello. You‘re absolutely right. Sailing is a combination of physical work, brain work, constantly learning something new, setting goals and Meditation/relaxation. Although sailing gives inner peace and satisfaction. And… you reach places you never been before. Sailors see things and make experiences anybody else not even have a clue of.
So far, my point of view. Have a nice day.
Singlehanded sailing is all about you. Anything not properly maintained or where it should be when needed is all about you. No one else to blame.
Always enjoy getting to point of turning motor off and enjoying that peaceful sound of sailing⛵️
This year i bought my first sailboat hughes 35 i knew nothing about sailing just what i have learned from your videos and a couple other creators, but your videos made me make the jump from power to sail, sailed my first time from erieau where i bought the boat, to port dover marina , i am still learning and the sailing community in port dover and i am sure everywhere is more then willing to teach and help all new sailors with everything they don't know, the people you meet and the peace on the water worth much more then you pay for the boat.
What kind of power did your "power boat" have? Oars, wind, motor?
@captainjimolchs guess I should have been more specific an i.c.e some na and a couple forced
Very very well said...you nailed it beautifully. Especially the mental therapy caused by the constant little adjustments and satisfaction of seeing the result...positive or negative. Sailing is engaging in a way that power boating can never be.
Sailing is a primordial pleasure. It's magic. It is the original "the journey is the destination".
Just do it! It will become a life long obsession. I started at nine, thank you Kevin Johnson’s family. There is an advantage to starting with a small sailboat. I sail by feel and observation while my is tied to the electronics at the helm. She is new to sailing and growing in skill on every trip.
Charlevoix, MI
Funny that you showed a clip from "Miami Boat Ramps." Okay, so the reason to buy a sailboat first: you'll learn how to come into a dock and tie it off properly. You'll learn the physics of pulling the bow or stern in using the momentum of the boat. You'll learn how to tie a proper cleat hitch. You'll learn proper speeds for approaching docks. You[ll learn rules of the road. And tons of other transferrable skills that, obviously, 90% of power boaters don't seem to pick up. 😂
Oh, and you'll quickly realize the best time on a boat is when the engine is turned off.
The engine has always put me off.
Never been sailing. Must do that.
@@hahaha9076 For most sailors the first time on a sailboat after you have raised the sails and the engine shuts off is the "this is it moment". It all makes sense why people do it.
Motor boaters fly pass me, all white-knuckled holding on, looking straight ahead, throwing spray, making noise and waving . They just don't know any better.
I've been sailing a lot in my teens and twenties, doing the regatta circus for a lot of years.
Never realized that that attention to detail and the propensity to analyze everything may have been instilled there.
That segment of yours towards the end of the video resonated so incredibly with me.
Cheers!
Great post my friend.
I'm entering my senior years but still have intentions to sail a passage...... wish me luck! 🌞⛵🌴
You can do it!
I bought my first sail boat last year, never been on a boat before. First time out was a fantastic experience. I've learned more each time about what it takes to sail.
I highly recommend getting a sailboat and just do it. You won't be sorry you did.
I've always soloed, been caught out in storms, just keep your wits about you. You'll do fine.
One word about mooring though, 10 minutes before is way better than 10 minutes after the storm hits.
Really spot on. I love the peace and quiet of sailing, and that I'm actually doing something. Powerboats have their place, like if you want to fish or water ski. But give me a sailboat for just having fun.
Advise for want-to-be sailors? Go sailing with a competent, relaxed sailor. Or, if excitement is your game, sign up as crew at a local club, there are usually racers looking for crew. Racing side by side at 6 - 7 knots is far more exhilarating than 80 mph side by side on the freeway. Either way, for relaxation or excitement, getting out there and trying it is the most positive way of learning the sport. I have unlimited access to a Grand Banks 36 and much prefer my Islander 30, single handed or not! Keep up the excellent videos Tim!
Thanks for watching!
I've wanted to sail since I got a small taste of it many years ago at scout camp. I'm 55 now and have always wanted to learn to sail. Problem is I don't know anyone who sails or boats for that matter and we don't live near the ocean. We do have a large freshwater lake near us but it's filled with jetskis and power boats tearing up the water and we wouldn't feel safe on a small trailer sailer there - especially when we're trying to learn.
My wife and I went to Annapolis last year to the sailboat show and paid for a very basic sailing lesson and we had a ball! Only in a small 21 footer but we were out with the captain and another couple and we all took turns on the tiller and maneuvering around all the large, moored sailboats there. Annapolis is 2.5 hour drive away. We also live in the city so no place to even store a boat and trailer. Any thoughts as to how and where we could learn together? I feel like life is passing by and I'll never learn. I don't want that regret later on. We're only getting older. Thanks!
I'm self thought dropping a 23 ft cutter rig in the lake. Going on 8 years now. Far as the lingo if we all agree a sail is called a coconut then a coconut it will be called. That was 3 sailboats ago. Now I cruise full time now still no lessons just stuff I try by trial and error. I'm the first in any family or friends to sail.
I've never found sailing to be boring in the least. My kids do when there's barely any wind and we're barely moving, but for me it's very enjoyable. There's always something to do a sheet to trim a little better or something to tweak. Personally I like hand steering. I know a lot of people have autopilot of some kind. And I very much enjoy putting on a little jazz and enjoying the sunshine or reading a book under sale and just popping your head up once in awhile to see how things are going along. And the best part like backpacking you don't have to go back. You have everything you need with you. You don't need to return to where you started. You can keep moving forward cuz you have your all your needs with you. Housing, shelter, kitchen, fridge, sleeping accommodations.
After 27 years sailing a Seaward 23, mostly singlehanded, I have been told by other sailors around me, they keep hearing at times the yelling of the words - when I have got the rig “just right” with the tiller perfectly balanced: Hee-Haw!, Yippeee!, and Yabbaa-dabba-doooo!! - emanating from my boat. They get it and don’t think I’ve gone nuts. Rather they know what I mean - and gratified I am having such a great time “out-there!”
All your reasons and explanations are absolutely - CORRECT! Well done.
Thanks for watching!
Have been from the beginning . . . enjoy how you approach the subject!
My dad had a Santana 21, so of course I learned to sail. He ended up giving sailing up where I sailed my entire life. I was able to take my first sailboat out and sail it after a cpl weeks...but I didn't really feel GOOD at sailing until after about 10 yrs of sailing including crewing some racing. Now...after 36 yrs of sailing I can sail pretty much any sailboat and make it do exactly what I want......it's a good feeling.
Outstanding
I'm 58 and looking to start sailing. Yes, powerboats bore me. Plus, I prefer to harness the power of the wind & move with the water. Not beat it to my will.
I look forward to exploring New England waters on weekends. I'll eventually make it down south after retirement.
I need the action of sailing rather than, set the power & go.
I do not regret one moment the time we had our little 21ft Sirius. Both our boys learned to sail young and we have watched with delight over the years them "racing" out on a "northern lake" on a Sunfish and Mayflower - stealing each others wind. Our little boat was my escape from the craziness of the office. There is nothing like the sails filling with the breeze, and the sound of the hull moving through the water. We miss our little boat and our time out on Lake Erie.
I like your channel in part because I like your mission. I was super intimidated when I bought my sailboat I had zero experience but the first time I got the boat to move just by the power of the wind was an amazing feeling. It’s really not that hard.
It is not a simple hobby - so it is sort of daunting for many people. But it’s one of the reasons it’s so popular with pilots. We are used to learning regulations, many know some maintenance, and we already know weather. It’s also a mindset where part of the fun is learning and honing a skill where there is always something more to learn.
I was 49 when I for the first time sailed a boat alone, the sailing was not the issue but the confidence building was the hardest part, I got so much more respect than I already had for my fellow Dutch Laura Dekker who sailed around the world alone from 14 to 16 years old. Sailing alone tests you like nothing else, sailing the Vendee globe is probably the biggest challenge for any human with something like climbing K2
I have both a powerboat and a sailboat. It is a lot more fun to sail. It is harder to learn and you are also always trying to improve your skills. That is half the fun. Even if you are cruising and not racing and you see a sailboat going in the same direction it seems you start to race. Great video thank for sharing.
thanks for watching!
I absolutely love sailing! That feeling of freedom that I experienced when I first got my drivers license I still get every time I push off of the dock. Racing or cruising the destination doesn’t matter it’s all about the journey.
Edit: advice for buying a boat! Join your local sailing club jump on any crew that’ll have you and go racing! You’ll learn a lot really fast! Do this for long enough and someone will offer you a boat cheap! Normally that boat can stay in what ever slip it’s in and you can avoid the waiting list. Volunteer to help others maintain their boats. All the learning none of the expense! Hobie Cats are fast, exciting, and turn any body of water into an amazing time!
You nailed it. Sailors enjoy the journey. Motor boaters seek a destination.
Even though I have only sailed in costal waters so far, there is something incredibly appealing about the idea of unlimited range.
Go to your local marina, look for the yacht club, ask about their weekly sail. Some are more serious about it and call it a race or regatta. Some let it be a fun sail and call it a "sunset sail" or some such. Go and crew on the different boats and see if its for you. This is a great way to learn without investing in a boat. Each boat and each skipper are unique in how they approach sailing and setting up a boat.
You will learn so much.
It’s a peaceful experience under
The right conditions that mimics meditation but with the right music just heavenly
Nice video. I have a little 14’ Expo Solar Sailer that I keep on an inland lake in Northern Michigan. My wife tolerates sailing but doesn’t love it and has no interest in handling the boat.
This afternoon we went out on a beautiful 72 degree day with a breeze of 8-10 mph. We sailed around the lake for about 90 minutes and had to tack a lot to get back to the dock.
She suggested that we use the boat on a different lake next time because “all we do is go back and forth.”
Funny, I was handling the boat, thinking about the wind direction, tacking to take wake from powerboats head on, thinking about the best route back to the dock which was directly upwind, etc. I wasn’t bored at all.
You'll also use a sailboat more because it is free to use. I know so many people with power boats who think "I kinda want to go out, but that's a lot of fuel cost so I'll avoid doing it". The marginal cost for me trailering my Melgis 14 or 15 to the water is basically zero (assuming I'd be towing a power boat there in the other way).
Even on days without races, there's always things to try out to get better. I can do a bunch of tacks and jibes all by myself and get a little better each time, and come in at the end of the day and feel good about it. Can the same be said about literally turning a steer wheel left and right a bunch and changing the throttle?
Though I totally agree that the exhilaration of high-wind sailing feels awesome, the most pure satisfaction I get is from light air sailing: when you find the right sail trim voodoo to slowly inch away from other stuff, it feels like being some sort of "nature whisperer".
The only thing I've done with greater levels of fun is windsurfing (imo), but I can't take a few friends for a weekend cruise on my windsurf board!
I don’t claim to be a veteran sailor yet, but I’m learning and enjoying every moment. Everything thing you said regarding power vs sail rings true. I had a powerboat before but lost interest. Despite speed differences, there is simply an indescribable felling of having everything dialed in on a sailboat that can’t be replicated with a powerboat. It’s truly you finding that right balance with nature when you sense from the ship that all is right and you’re clipping along.
I've owned three sailboats. I'm into geezer age territory now and have not sailed in a long time. Whenever I have my blood pressure taken I close my eyes and think of some idyllic sailing experiences I enjoyed years ago; it helps reduce my BP. I do this almost overnight to help set conditions for a good sleep. I also owned a power boat. I loved it and had fun with it, bur I never think about it.
Sailing is a gestalt. We keep doing things while sailing because we have a mindset (alpha thinking) that lets us detect what is going on. Knowing the sailboat well is, of course, critical. Even relaxing and even dozing while sailing, the mind is always on quiet alert for different noises and motion. I started sailing with a Pearson 26 52 years ago and only this year passed it on to my son, who grew up with the sailboat. He is tickled pink and happy as a clam at high water.
I sail solo for the last 4 years. Jack lines are your friend. It’s a great safety feature u need if u are alone
First time I moved a wind surfer purely by the power of the wind was almost spiritual. Looking forward to learning sailing at the local yacht club because wind surfing lacks any social contact. Sailing has a lot in comparison with learning a musical instrument (piano for me) We do it because it's a challenge, not in spite of. Motor boating is like putting a CD or Spotify. Mastering an instrument or sails with friends is why we are alive.
Club racing IS the best way to repeatably practice sailing skills. You are on your own boat but also among a little fleet and RC that can assist if you get into any real trouble. Sometimes I get my nerve up to sail in higher winds than I ideally might choose. Now I know I can properly handle my boat when the winds pick up - I've had my Capri 22 fighting against 30 knot winds - excitement plus!.
I "race" against myself, each time trying to do better. I get to watch the other boats with more experienced crews.
Best of all is having light winds, fair skies, and no real deadlines. Sailing is so peaceful.
Perfectly trimmed sails, feeling the boat slice through the waves, and sound of the wind and water. Challenge of finding the shortest path upwind.
I have never even been on a sail boat. Your “ it’s more work “ section makes me wish I did sail. And as someone with an electric motorcycle I do understand the serenity of gliding silently through the forest roads listening to the birds chirp.
Spent a weekend learning to sail in a small dinghy over 55 years ago, did a few years at sea aboard a coaster in my teens, races power boats in my 30s and bought my first sailboat in my 70s. The learning curve is so steep I get dizzy through lack of oxygen but playing with the trim to extract that extra 0.5 knot out of the wind is amazing when you achieve it. Knowing I have a big diesel lump to rely on if I get things wrong is comforting but there is always a sense of disappointment if I have to turn the key. Sailing moves the soul, diesel nails it to the floor.
So I’m a boat guy. I really tried to love sailing. Had a 40’ Morgan, 16’ dinghy and crewed on a race boat. It’s just too dang slow. I did however get a Nacra Beachcat and that’s a fun ride. Not having an engine makes certain situations difficult but you figure it out. On the flip side, every motorboat I’ve own (4-5 in total), needed almost constant wrenching
I learned how to sail because my parents signed me and my brothers to singlehanded sailing classes at an academy during the summer when we went to the beach and since we were 8 we've been sailing every summer, now me and my oldest brother have the captain's title and last year me and my friends went on a voyage on a beautiful sailing vessel and got paid for it (I was contracted through a friend I made at the academy to move it to another port and brought them as crew) and it was amazing and super fun!
It's so lovely to see a sailing footage from my beloved Saint-Petersburg!
Just want to say thank you for your videos. They got me to finely just go and buy a boat and sail. Had my new to me 1975 PY23 out for the fist time yesterday.
So happy for you! 😎
I loved your comments about how when you're sailing, your mind is constantly going. You're observing, adjusting, tweaking, and also connecting with nature and the elements. When you're doing that, you've left all your troubles and worries not connected to sailing back on the dock. That's why you should consider a sailboat. The stress relief from the daily grind is real! And the immense satisfaction I get sailing wing on wing through the mouth of the marina after spending a couple hours on the Sea of Cortez is fantastic!
I never had anybody put into words all the joys of sailing,,, being immersed in nature and challenged at every moment is exhilarating. Everyday I sail I look forward to the push off the dock and it feels like a vacation. Everything on land goes away. If you're intimidated just find your way to get on a sailboat....ask around. Almost every sailor I know loves to meet new people and introduce them to the sport. I even had people come up to me as I was getting the boat ready and asked if they could join.
Having never sailed a boat bigger than a sunfish I bought my first 25’ boat and taught my self how to sail it. Second boat was a 30’ Sabre. The current boat I’ve lived on for the past two years is a Centurion 47. Second day owning it I got hit by a white squall with 125 mph winds. Did $478 damage to the mainsail but the feeling of being safe on my boat in any condition is priceless. If I can do this you can too!
Lucky enough to crew on a J24 for Wens night races and a bigger old IOR boat on most weekend races with a great crew. For me it was the best way to really learn to make a boat go fast on all points of sail when cruising. Also taught me that investing in good sails will enhance the experience as they will respond to tweaking more so than sails past their useful life. But good sails cost $$. Nothing is truly free. Small price to pay to do something that makes you thankful to be alive.
Being smart enough to trick the wind to take you where you want to go, is magic. It truly is about the journey and not just the destination.
Thanks, always good.
Thanks for watching!
You can't trick the wind. Deal with itl
I always say it’s more exiting than a motorboat cause it’s not like driving a gocart at a empty parkingspot
U do stuff
And ur with nature, u feel the wind and the water waves
You feel the force of Nature
And it’s so relaxing
I’ve both license’s and will always prefer the sailboat
My dad has/had both at the same time but sold the powerboat a few years ago
Not ultra sad
I’m in love with sailing….
"The best way to arrive anywhere you can imagine is by sail...." You nailed it. Nothing like sailing into Venice....or Gibraltar, or St. Georges...or anywhere!
Thanks for watching!
or sailing right into your slip in front of a big crowd of landlubbers and power boaters
🤣
My advice on buying a first boat - and deciding power versus sail - is to crew for an experienced skipper at your local yacht club. Not only will your crew mates help you ‘learn the ropes’, but there is nothing better than the competition of racing to spark your interest in making the boat go better! Taking a power boat out for a ‘drive’ will seem so pointless and dull after a season of racing on a good boat, with great people.
Sailed my whole life, could sail a sunfish before I could swim. Sailed on boats as large as 110ft, loved nearly every mile. In the last three years I've explored over 5500nm in my trailer trawler. Tow it here and there at great expense (8mpg), then cruise at 7 to 27 knots getting 4 to 1.7 nmpg at any point to the wind. AC, heat, hot water, beachable . . . I don't miss sailing much at all for what we get to both see and avoid.
From Dave Barry:
How to Sail a Sailboat
1. Figure out where you want to go.
2. Whichever way that is, do NOT point the boat in that direction.
3. Aim the sailboat in some other direction.
4. Trust me, this is the way sailboaters do it.
5. They are heavy drinkers.
Sailing is nice. You meet nice neighbours. If you want to change neighbours, just put up the sails. No removalist, no fuss. It always comes with great views too. Thing go wrong, but it's probably better at under 10 knots.
I have my 10th sailboat since 1971, time with my boat is as exciting as the first time
Find a dingy sailing course. Did that while I was stationed in the UK. Worked out great.
I had a discussion yesterday with sail guests and why we hate turning on the engine and in my case it started when I was a teenager and the sail camp I went too never used engines for their lake sailboat and we used a boom to move us forward. I rented a lake sailboat last year for a day and my friends didn’t get it when I said we don’t turn the engine on, we are sailors not motorboat people, at the end of the day they all agreed we are the only proper sailors
unbelievably chilled out after a sail.. even though I am really tired… I can drive an hour home.. and not notice the traffic..
I Recently bought myself a dinghty with sails - Walkerbay 10. Went out in lake to learn to sail today. Apparently 3 knots of wind is not enough though Haha.. Great rowing excercise today
Well depends on how you plan to use the boat and your physical health. For me I live full time on a 40ft IOR boat. For racing and occasional sleeping it’s fine. Most of my life is spent living on the boat so I’m buying a 2nd boat going to the dark side with a trawler. For living comfortably on a boat trawler is hard to beat. If you’re thinking catamaran only if you’re rich. Catalina 30 is a fine starter boat that can get you into the boat life. Truly boats are a lifestyle not just a hobby.
I'm 110% with you! 3 years ago I almost made a decision to buy a motor boat, as I was so eager to get out on the water and thought sailing and a sail boat was out of my league (which it is/was) but I was fortunate to find another way, there's always a way if you look and try hard enough. You just might get lucky! I know I did!...
Nothing beats sailing!
I think people need to consider what they want out of it and where they will be using it before deciding sail or power. I learned to sail in San Diego while in the Navy, but found it difficult when I returned to my home in Oregon. Pleasure boating in Oregon is mostly done on lakes and rivers, both of which tend to be pretty restrictive and have lousy winds for sailing. There are so many places to go and if you cruise on the rivers there are so many places to visit. It's great if you use a power boat and just went sailing in the Puget Sound area when I got the rare chance to do so. I spent decades with power boats (and also human powered craft). Retiring in San Diego I set out to buy a boat down here and almost bought a nice power boat, but then I realized that about all there is to do with a power boat in San Diego is fish or sit at the dock and get drunk. They don't have salmon down here, so fishing was of little interest and I doubt if I drink more than one or two drinks a month, so there just was no reason to buy a power boat. Then I saw all of that water out there, including a very tame Pacific Ocean (it is not tame up in Oregon and points north of there!) And I realized that it was time to get back to sailing. I bought a sailboat and have been having a lot of fun at it. Really, the hardest thing about it is finding people who want to go as often as I do. My wife likes to go a few times a year, but I aim for once a week. I manage to get enough other people interested so that I probably actually manage it every other week in the summer and once a month in the "winter". (They really don't have winter down here.)
The point is to figure out what is going to work for you and don't get hung up on just one option. Be prepared to change your mind if your current choice isn't working. I've enjoyed boating all of my life by being flexible. So many people become unhappy with their choice and just give up.
I'm in my mid 70s and I own a 33' sailboat. My crew and I just finished another successful season on the race course, but the rest of the time I solo sail: main, jib and spinnaker. That feeling of power in the tiller, the load on the sheets, can't be beat. You are controlling mother nature! That feeling is exhilarating. But you have to be alert because that next wind shift might be huge, or the next puff might knock you flat. Sure a sunset sail (drift) with a glass of wine in your hand is idyllic, but if you're an adrenaline junkie, sailing is a sport to consider.
That's awesome that you get to do this! I'm 55 and have been wanting to learn to sail ever since I got a taste in Scout camp many years ago. They had some sunfish there or some kind of small sailboats. I don't remember any more. Problem is we don't live close to the ocean. About 2.5 hour drive. We're in PA and have gone to the big sailboat show in Annapolis last year and we even took a very basic sailing lesson there! Loads of fun!
We do have a large freshwater lake near us but it's filled with power boats and jetskis tearing up the water. Any thoughts to how and where we could learn to sail? It's been a dream of mine for many years. We don't even have any boating friends at all. Wish we lived closer to the water.
Sailing by its very nature is communal. More hands on deck is nice, and thusly gives ample oppurtunity to interact with others. This is hard to do when your throttle is open, air rushing by and hitting waves at speed.
That intro sounds like dirty love. New to sailing. Picked up a Mistral and went for it! Read a few books watched some tutorials and sailed off the dock. We overnighted on it last weekend. Hardest part was convincing the wife but now she’s hooked……so much to still learn though😮
One of your best videos! Well done!..."When you catch the wind and the sails fill, you're holding hands with Mother Nature."
Wow, thank you!
I grew up up on lakes and power boats. Pontoon, ski, deck, John, house… weekends at party cove. If it had an engine (or 4) I have driven it. Tied up to a floating flotilla in the middle of the lakes. Water ski. Jet ski. When I moved to Maryland near Annapolis someone from work told me to come out for a sunset sail on a Wednesday night around race time. When we started out of Back Creek I thought this was nice, but a little slow. When he got out, headed into the wind, put up the main, then turned off the engine I was hooked, hard. Pretty soon we were watching everyone come out of the marinas for the races, and I can honestly say I have never looked back more fondly at an evening going so slow. I am part of a sailing club now, and take others out every week on Thursdays. The one piece of advice… just get started. The rest will take care of itself.
Sailing is boring or scaring, until you start to understand what goes on. Then it changes to exciting, or peaceful all depending on what you want to do. It is never mastered completely, a lifetime is not long enough to learn to be a perfect sailor. That always keeps it interesting. Everybody should at least try it, especially before buying the first boat.
I think your last point is probably the most relevant. Most power boaters have no idea that every sailor IS an aeronautical and hydrological engineer. It requires some brains to actually make the boat move efficiently. After 40 some years of sailing, I still sometimes get befuddled by too much weather helm, or for whatever reason just can't seem to get the top tell tale to stream. It takes thought, knowledge, and a holistic understanding of many forces. Key in, turn engine on, prop spins, boat goes. OMG don't stress yourself there bud......
Fluid dynamics (aero and hydro) aren't the easiest things to get your head round, but once you do it's a wonderful thing to understand and to play with.
No matter how well you understand what's going on, feeling the boat pull itself in (near-enough) the opposite direction of the wind will always in a sense feel like some kind of magical wizardry. And the more you understand about it, the the more satisfying it is to see and feel it all in action. Being humbled by the strength of the elements yet at the same time master of them - able to control and redirect the forces of nature to your will.
Having the 8500 pound plastic boat cut through the water on a close reach at hull speed while heeling at 35 degrees is sheer magic. I've taken some of my power boating friends out for a quite ride and they loved it and want to go again as soon as the season starts again. The magic of doing this dance with nature and the machine that is a sailboat is a wonder in itself.
I learned to sail some 52 years ago. Owned various sailboats boats over 40 years, sold my last one 7 years ago. I miss sailing, but I don’t miss ownership. At least in SoCal the marine industry’s lack of customer service skills, the government restricted Marina situation and the horrendous traffic even on weekends getting to marinas just burned me out on the experience.
😂 excellent video, I enjoyed it. I have owned my sailboat for 30 years and the amount of preparation and brain thought that goes into every trip sometimes even makes me wonder, but when you have a good day there is nothing like it!
Thanks for watching!
I learned to sail with a Günther captian hook model sailboat and books my dad had laying around (he tried sailing but gave up on it). Sailed an actual boat for the first time when I was 18 on a trip in mexico where they were renting out cats by the hour. I only had enough for an hour but as soon as a got home I saved up bought my first sailboat. I'm 46, still sailing.
That being said, I feel like buying a small fishing boat because I just don't have time for sailing these days and I crave fresh fish! I would still keep a small dingy or catamaran to keep the thirst quenched.
Sailed with friends 20 years ago in Annapolis and enjoyed it very much -but they eventually sold their boats and life went on. Am recently retired and will soon take the ASA101/103 courses to get acquainted again with sailing. Enjoy your level headed perspective when you discuss sailing. Am not sure what my sailing future holds yet but your videos are inspirational. Maybe one day I will bareboat a charter in the BVI and be living the dream - if only for a week.
Thanks for watching!
I've never raced a motorcycle, but I race sailboats. It feels so much faster than it probably appears, especially in a blow. The amount of adrenaline you can get going just 7 knots it kind of crazy. Interesting to hear that racing a motorcycle, which I haven't done, is a similar experience.
A sailboat is a lady to love and accomplish goals with as long as long as you treat her right. A motorboat lets you thrust that stick forward as long as you pay.
II have no experience of sailing other than 2 weeks on a sports catamaran at the age of 16, but what you say about terminology is so true and not just in sailing. There are moments when a certain word is important, but most of the time I think it's just about showing that you are a member of the group and a newbie is not.
Sailing into St. Augustine is indeed an incredible experience.
I took some friends out on a small sail boat and managed to get pinned to the dock side by the wind. A wiser sailer coached me how to sail the boat in reverse! Amazing!!
Dopamine! That's why you should have a sailboat every time you sail you learn a lot and that feels good you get a hit of dopamine. And analyzing the data i.e. remembering the sail and learning brings another hit, good clean fun. Plus core strength, operating on a deck that's out of level ever so slightly change is the way you use your torso very positive result even for passengers.