Thread: Sailing

Wife and I just returned from a 5 day live-aboard sailing trip/ private lesson. Was a fantastic trip!

First two days learning basic keel boat aboard a Capri 22. Remainder of trip aboard a Beneteau 31 (lived aboard all 5 days). Remainder of time we earned our basic cruising cert.

Wednesday night the instructor had us sail to Catalina island at night (I had expected to sail ThursDAY) but the instructor talked us into a night sail. Hey, why not?

It was a full moon. 10-15 foot swells, no make that waves, with winds at 25 knots, gusting to 30 knots, sailing towards Two Harbors at the isthmus.

Mind you that prior to Monday I had never sailed a boat before. I felt like a rodeo cowboy riding those waves, that is after I was done sh*ting my pants! After getting over that "hump" (yes, I was a bit nervous at first) it was pure thrill.

Next day the instructor took off (as planned) and we sailed back to Long Beach solo.

Now we're "thinking" about looking at sail boats for sale.....ha!

10-15 ft swells? You're lucky to be alive! Those Capri 22s are good boats. I used to teach people to sail but I think with swells like that you're pushing it to the limit of it's capabilities.

I'm glad you're still interested in sailing! Most people would be thanking higher powers and never step foot on a boat again. But I bet you were yelling at the winds when you got used to it. It's fun!

No. LOL! I guess I wasn't clear. We did our basic keelboat training in the capri. But the trip to Catalina, and the big swells, in the Beneteau 31. The Beneteau is a 31 foot blue water cruiser.

There's no way we'd have made those 15 foot swells in the capri 22. I shudder at the thought.

Originally Posted by honedright

No. LOL! I guess I wasn't clear. We did our basic keelboat training in the capri. But the trip to Catalina, and the big swells, in the Beneteau 31. The Beneteau is a 31 foot blue water cruiser.

There's no way we'd have made those 15 foot swells in the capri 22. I shudder at the thought.

Sailing those seas in a 22 would definitely make you reconsider your sanity! LOL I bet you might have even considered it in the 31. I'd think you were crazy if you didn't.

Anyway cheers and good luck on your search for a boat!

Originally Posted by paulwjax

Sailing those seas in a 22 would definitely make you reconsider your sanity! LOL I bet you might have even considered it in the 31. I'd think you were crazy if you didn't.

Anyway cheers and good luck on your search for a boat!

Yes, at first I questioned my sanity and wondered what I had gotten myself into. It was dark (the full moon hadn't yet fully risen) and I was disoriented. Every time I turned the wheel, I felt as though, or it appeared like, the bow kept turning beyond the point I had aimed for. And I kept over-compensating.

I eventually found my "zone" and all my fears ended, my confidence soared, and the remainder was a blast.

Initially I was apprehensive about the day time solo voyage (without the instructor) back from Catalina. But after surviving that night time adventure, everything else was a cake walk.

Makes me remember my first open water sail. Sure do miss my sailboat. Cruising was the best time of my life. My wife still laughs about the time I refused to come to shore for over 2 weeks. Maybe I'll just have a look and see what's for sale as well. . .

That is wicked cool. Congrats! You definetely need a boat!!

Originally Posted by honedright

Wife and I just returned from a 5 day live-aboard sailing trip/ private lesson. Was a fantastic trip!

First two days learning basic keel boat aboard a Capri 22. Remainder of trip aboard a Beneteau 31 (lived aboard all 5 days). Remainder of time we earned our basic cruising cert.

Wednesday night the instructor had us sail to Catalina island at night (I had expected to sail ThursDAY) but the instructor talked us into a night sail. Hey, why not?

It was a full moon. 10-15 foot swells, no make that waves, with winds at 25 knots, gusting to 30 knots, sailing towards Two Harbors at the isthmus.

Mind you that prior to Monday I had never sailed a boat before. I felt like a rodeo cowboy riding those waves, that is after I was done sh*ting my pants! After getting over that "hump" (yes, I was a bit nervous at first) it was pure thrill.

Next day the instructor took off (as planned) and we sailed back to Long Beach solo.

Now we're "thinking" about looking at sail boats for sale.....ha!

That's so cool! I wish SWMBO and I could do that. Unfortunately, she gets sick in the backseat of the car...you can imagine what boats do to her.

Originally Posted by Quick Orange

That's so cool! I wish SWMBO and I could do that. Unfortunately, she gets sick in the backseat of the car...you can imagine what boats do to her.

My SWMBO (LOL!) normally does not get motion sickness, but I am quite prone to it, especially if I'm a passenger in a car, and usually on boats. But we both did very well using Bonine.

She lost her cookies during the night time open water trip to the island and spent the majority of the trip below deck in bed. I was actually OK, that is until AFTER we docked and I got off of the boat. Go figure. I didn't loose it, but felt pretty queezy for a while. But it was only that one time for both of us.

We're both looking forward to sailing again.

Good for you! Sailing has got to be about the most beautiful, peaceful and exciting mode of transportation on planet Earth. I am a certifed Red Cross sailing instructor. I have sailed on everything from lightnings and lasers all the way up to Ted Turner's Tenacious and the maxi racers Nirvana and Boomerang. I've crewed in two Bermuda races and I bareboat chartered around the Grenadines. I returned the boat to St. Georges in better shape than when I took her out (I kept myself busy underway by making minor repairs and doing some fancy knotwork around the boat)so the charter company (Moorings) offered me a job running the yard there in St. Georges, Grenada. I kick myself daily for refusing the offer. Of all the sailing I've done, I never had more fun that I had on the little Victoria 18 I owned for a few years. Here is what she looked like: