New deckhand, crew position, large yacht

Nelson12345 · 07-12-2008, 02:05 PM

thank you for your help I am working to get my diploma , and I would like to get a degree in maritime archaeology , I was just looking at this for the year I get out of highschool as a way to get some money for school . I would like to have the experiance .I was just planing on doing somthing like this before college . and I thought it might be a good way to pay for a house later on .thank you for yor help.

vivariva · 07-12-2008, 05:00 PM

May I suggest taking a 'learn to sail' course in your state to start sailing right away? There are US Sailing/ASA affiliated schools that offer beginner courses; for both theory and on-the-water practice. There should be community boating centers in Ohio that are not costly. NYCap123 and Marmot offered good advice; I would like to add a few of my suggestions.

I would recommend you to learn to sail with a small keelboat first. A Laser or a daysailer sloop would be perfect to get the 'feel' of it. A smaller boat would be less forgiving in the case of sail trim and steering mistakes. If you have time to spare during the summer, why not go for a weekly course or two. Afterwards, you might find it easier to get into the commercial side with this past experience.

Lastly, being a book freak, I know the ASA book you mentioned. It is written in concordance with the ASA course syllabus so it lacks the 'practical' explanations you might need to remember. I would recommend 'Sailing the Basics' by Dave Franzel if you want to read a better one.

Nelson12345 · 07-13-2008, 01:13 PM

bottom line, if I follow all of the suggestions posted will I be able to do this for a gap year before college, and make some money towords my schooling? I was thinking that this might be a good way to pay for other things to such as a house or somthing like that ? thank you for all of your help .

Ken Bracewell · 07-13-2008, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nelson12345

bottom line, if I follow all of the suggestions posted will I be able to do this for a gap year before college, and make some money towords my schooling?

Since we haven't met you in person, it's hard to give a guarantee, but there are plenty of people who do just that.