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Want to learn and get experience on a sailboat.

Discussion in 'General Catamaran Discussion' started by dontrumps, Jun 14, 2016.

  1. dontrumps

    dontrumps New Member

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    I would be willing to volunteer as an inexperienced crew member. I am in Texas and close to Galveston/Kemah area. I am retired and don't need an income job.
  2. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Just walk the docks around your area and I'm sure someone will be willing to take you out for free. Sailboaters are like that. You may or may not actually get someone who knows what they're doing, or not.
  3. Ken Bracewell

    Ken Bracewell Senior Member

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    Go to your local yacht club, and hang around a bit. Wednesday nights are typically informal race nights, and people are always looking for crew.
    Good place to start.
  4. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Yup, sailboaters are nice guys. :)
  5. Kevin

    Kevin YF Moderator

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    Pretty much the best way to go that I've ever found. The clubs will often have a list of crew looking for rides and owners looking for crew... just get in touch, add your name, and they find a boat for you to get on.
  6. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Local sailing club or yacht club are your best bet. Check out the local sailing schools too.

    I would avoid racing as a way to experience sailing for the first time as even on informal Wednesday night racing, you may find it to be a bit stressful. Racers are a different breed, kind like th fishing crowd on the power side.
  7. Loren Schweizer

    Loren Schweizer YF Associate Writer

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    You are right on the money. I got started with an invite on a race boat, and the owner turned out to be a "Screamer". You know what I mean. But, it was all good, because everything afterward was pleasurable.
    Trial-by-fire. The learning process. That's life.
    Warning to dontrumps: sailors are known to partake in vast quantities of.... RUM.
  8. bliss

    bliss Senior Member

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    I used to race out of the St Francis Yacht Club in SFO. There was always a need for crew -- and I was young and stupid. Fortunately there were those who would not just tell what to do but why it needs to be done. One reason to start out buying a small sailboat is that they are not subtle. You screw up and they punish you instantly. Bigger boats can be a little sneaky - they can let a problem develop and then OH, &%#@!
    Of course, there is the argument that you should not waste time and money. Just jump in with your check book and buy big, first time out. If you do you are going to need help, and probably never learn a lot of good stuff.
  9. brian eiland

    brian eiland Senior Member

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    So you have some basic idea of what you are doing I would suggest an informal sailing class and a couple of experiences on very small boats. Is there a decent small boat rental operation in your area?

    You can make big mistakes while learning on a very small boats, without dire consequences....ha...ha. And you can experiment/experience.

    Quite some years ago I've owned a few 'off-the beach' small boat operations. We taught a lot of first time sailors how to sail out and return to the rental location, and they subsequently returned to the rental operation over and over again as they learned something new each time. We even had one fellow in St Thomas who started as a child with us and grew into an international and Olympic sailor.
    Last edited: Aug 4, 2016
  10. chesapeake46

    chesapeake46 Senior Member

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    Small sailboats are more fun too IMHO
  11. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    The small sailboats are a lot more fun than the big ones. Just got to be careful you don't roll one and end up in the drink!
  12. chesapeake46

    chesapeake46 Senior Member

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    Depends on who your sailing with.....:rolleyes: