# Timeline for cruising?



## utchuckd (Apr 4, 2010)

Hey all,

First off I want to say I've enjoyed reading the forum, oh, _constantly_, for the past few days.

I'm trying to put together a plan to get out of Tennessee and onto a boat somewhere south. My first question is how long would it take to go from being a complete novice (one learn to sail course 10 years ago) to being able to go on long weekend or full week trips (or longer)? Could I get there in months? Years? I should be able to spend a lot of time working on it, I just don't know how much time I'm going to have to invest.

Still have many questions, but I'm finding a LOT of info on most of them so far.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

It depends... if you took some solid sailing courses, you could probably get there in a few months. But you really need to learn a lot to go cruising effectively-fiberglass skills, mechanical skills, plumbing skills, etc., are all really necessary to have to go long-term cruising. The better you know the boat and the more you can repair on it, the better off you'll be.

A good foundation to build your cruising skills on would include the ASA 101, 103, 104, 105 and 106 courses.

It would help if you had a boat after taking the courses so you could practice what you learn in them...

You might want to read *Donna Lange's story*, as she went from being a novice to circumnavigating in a relatively short period of time.


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

sailingdog said:


> It depends... if you took some solid sailing courses, you could probably get there in a few months. But you really need to learn a lot to go cruising effectively-fiberglass skills, mechanical skills, plumbing skills, etc., are all really necessary to have to go long-term cruising. The better you know the boat and the more you can repair on it, the better off you'll be.


Is this really true Dog? Some basic handyman skills yeah....but fiberglass? I think all this really depends on how much money one can throw at stuff that breaks.

If you have very little money...then yeah...you're going to have to fix anything and everything that breaks. But if you've got a few bucks...then I think you can probably cruise around for quite a while without knowing how to lay up a keel sump and survive it just fine.

Should someone know as much as possible before heading out? Sure. Can one "cruise effectively" without being all that? Sure.

Hey ut, welcome to SN dude. It's a great place with a lot of opinions! Pick and choose among them...but whatever you do...sail!


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Smacky-

Just tell me what you do if you happen to have a problem where there isn't a convenient boatyard or marina to hire to fix the problem.  If you have the epoxy, fiberglass cloth, and the right skills... you can fix a lot of issues yourself.



smackdaddy said:


> Is this really true Dog? Some basic handyman skills yeah....but fiberglass? I think all this really depends on how much money one can throw at stuff that breaks.
> 
> If you have very little money...then yeah...you're going to have to fix anything and everything that breaks. But if you've got a few bucks...then I think you can probably cruise around for quite a while without knowing how to lay up a keel sump and survive it just fine.
> 
> ...


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

sailingdog said:


> Smacky-
> 
> Just tell me what you do if you happen to have a problem where there isn't a convenient boatyard or marina to hire to fix the problem.  If you have the epoxy, fiberglass cloth, and the right skills... you can fix a lot of issues yourself.


I guess that's my point though. How many cruisers out there are carrying enough fiberglass supplies to fix anything serious? Honestly.

Furthermore, assuming the problem is serious enough to need immediate repair by said cruising sailor, can he/she really do it in the water...assuming as you say that there's not boatyard or marina to help him/her out? And if it's not that serious, can't it wait until he/she makes it to port?

Same with plumbing, electrical, and margarita machine repair.

I'm just saying that these are great skills to know (especially the margarita machine repair thing) but, jeez, aren't you setting the bar a bit high to say that one can't "effectively cruise" without these skillz?


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Most long term cruisers I know have at least some fiberglass cloth and epoxy aboard the boat....even if it is only a kit of MarineTex.

There are epoxies that will set underwater to patch holes... and MarineTex is one of them IIRC.

Here's a *story* about a sailboat that was saved using such a product.


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## captbillc (Jul 31, 2008)

smack---- being able to fix whatever goes wrong gives you a lot of confidence when you are 500 miles from land. i could easily pay someone to do repairs, but i would rather do them myself. each time you make a different repair it is a learning experience. right now i am installing a new gas spring in my profurl boom vang because they told me the vang was not repairable. i like a challenge.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

I'd point out that Maude Fontenoy broke her mast 200 nm from finishing her circumnavigation...... She didn't call for help...she jury-rigged the boat and told her shore team that she might be running a bit late... 

I'm guessing that smacky would be pulling the trigger on the EPIRB in that situation...


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## HuskerDave (Aug 18, 2008)

*newbie to cruiser*

I'm in the same boat as you! I've taken the ASA courses through coastal cruising, am studying to get my HAM license now, and getting out on a couple weekends a month to go sailing when weather is decent.

Our plan is to liveaboard at a marina for at least 3 months with as much sailing, fixing, learning as possible. We're blessed with good neighbors at the marina that are eager to teach too.

Our hope is to head out cruising at the end of hurricane season this year.

The first time I ever set foot on a sailboat was not quite 2 years ago. I'm amazed at what I've learned, but more so at what I have yet to learn. I just bought our cruising home - and spent 30 minutes trying to find the damn dipstick (hidden behind a extra tank of coolant that the former owner had installed!) That was frustrating - I mean how simple should it be? We took the boat out (Beneteau 423) for a couple hours - too windy for us to sail so just motored - and learned the landscape a bit -- even had one brief, soft grounding where the chart said we had 7 feet - but found only 3 1/2 feet of water. So even the first day had lots of learning for us.


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

captbillc said:


> smack---- being able to fix whatever goes wrong gives you a lot of confidence when you are 500 miles from land. i could easily pay someone to do repairs, but i would rather do them myself. each time you make a different repair it is a learning experience. right now i am installing a new gas spring in my profurl boom vang because they told me the vang was not repairable. i like a challenge.


Totally agree cap - it does give you a lot of confidence. And I'm personally learning everything I can (I just started a thread about trying to wire my C27 for A/C - knowing very little about it at this point).

I'm just saying that putting these kinds of things as a pre-requisite to cruising is taking it a little far I think. Knowing how to sail/navigate/etc. is obviously critical. But knowing how to overhaul a Perkins shouldn't hold somebody back from hopping the BVIs for a few months, right?


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

sailingdog said:


> I'd point out that Maude Fontenoy broke her mast 200 nm from finishing her circumnavigation...... She didn't call for help...she jury-rigged the boat and told her shore team that she might be running a bit late...
> 
> I'm guessing that smacky would be pulling the trigger on the EPIRB in that situation...


Dude, the guy asked about _cruising_...not circumnavigating with Maude. Good lord man! That's my point.

PS - This is me with Maude last spring. I also told my shore team that I'd be running a bit late:


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## Freesail99 (Feb 13, 2006)

I think the point is that while you are cruising, that $500 repair that would cost $75 if you did it yourself may be the difference in what you're eating or doing for entertainment or how much fuel you are going to be able to buy for the next couple of weeks while cruising, until the next pension check or SSI check arrives in your bank account. For many that is a fact of life.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Smacky-

The fact that she was on a circumnavigation has little to do with this situation...but the fact that she was only 200 nm from her destination means a lot... how far is it from Marion, MA to Bermuda???

Also, note, I didn't say all those skills were PREREQUISITES, but that *they would necessary to cruise long-term effectively*.


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## Powerdude (Feb 6, 2010)

That is an amazing story. Truly amazing.

I suppose anybody that has moderately competent mechanical skills, has done a brake job, and can follow moderately complicated directions probably can acquire the skills to do fiberglass work, rebed stanchions and be reasonably self-sufficient when cruising.

There are always things that you can learn by doing them yourself, and when in doubt or in a hurry, could in theory pay somebody to do it, and maybe learn something in the process.


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

Freesail99 said:


> I think the point is that while you are cruising, that $500 repair that would cost $75 if you did it yourself may be the difference in what you're eating or doing for entertainment or how much fuel you are going to be able to buy for the next couple of weeks while cruising, until the next pension check or SSI check arrives in your bank account. For many that is a fact of life.


That's absolutely true Free. And, as you say, that's the choice that all of us make based on our own circumstances. The only issue I had with the statement above is that it shouldn't be presented as a pre-requisite to "effective or 'long-term' cruising". Circumstances are different for each person. You GOTTA know how to sail/navigate/anchor/etc. But you can hop around the islands and coasts for a very long time without having to kedge your hull using a New Guinean axe-wielding dude and a pint of underwater epoxy. Just sayin;.


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

sailingdog said:


> Also, note, I didn't say all those skills were PREREQUISITES, but that *they would necessary to cruise long-term effectively*.


"Necessary" sounds like a prereq to me. That's why I said something. Maybe you meant "a good idea"? That makes a lot more sense to me.


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## utchuckd (Apr 4, 2010)

captbillc said:


> ...installing a new gas spring in my profurl boom vang because they told me the vang was not repairable...




*fires up google, again*



Seriously, thanks for the replies. Right now I'm mostly deciding what track to take while doing all the early learning/courses. Not sure I can ditch everything, buy a boat and live aboard for a while and learn to sail, so that means extra $$$ to get a place, live, and buy a smaller 'practice' boat to learn on.


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## solzephyr (May 2, 2007)

You guys are all amazing and the knowledge, experiance and disparate opinions keep me comming back to this old website when I'm board on dry land. For me,therapy starts tommorow evening when I continue to develope my crusing skills in the regattas of spring. Formal education, ASA 101, 103,104,106, 107 will speed the progress, but do not compensate for time under sail and motor in less than favorable conditions. I am an ASA instructor and we never intentionally take students out in less than perfect conditions, which they will encounter while crussing for any length of time. The long distance regattas do help prepare for that heavy weather time.


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## pontiakos (Jun 1, 2007)

Sailing is an ongoing learning experience, even with all the course knowledge the real confidence comes from going out and coming back, experimenting with your boat, seeing what works with your rig, floating and stowing your sea anchor etc. The courses, practical knowledge all come with time. You originally asked about going out on an overnight, that is a good place to start once you get through the navigation and basic seamanship stuff. The ability to be the calm in crisis, whatever the situ is a function of doing, so get out and do...the plumbing, glass repair, celestial navigation, motor mechanics, all come with time. The most important skill is your own objective assessment of your capabilities sailors, pilots, car drivers, barflys all get into trouble when they are overconfident....learning the craft never ends, that is what is so fun about it...


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

*NO, I meant what I said. Learning those skills are necessary to cruise long-term effectively. *

If you're just doing coastal hops and are always going to be within shouting range of civilization and SeaTow/TowBoatUS, then no, you don't need to learn them-but you'll pay through the nose for any work you need done. Maybe that's okay with you and the way you want to cruise. *However, in talking to many long-distance, full-time cruisers, that doesn't work for them*.


smackdaddy said:


> "Necessary" sounds like a prereq to me. That's why I said something. Maybe you meant "a good idea"? That makes a lot more sense to me.


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## ccam (Dec 17, 2006)

Back to the original question! Go for it! 
I sailed a Hobie a for 15 months before I bought my Hans Christian 33. Was there a difference? Yes, it was 10 times easier to sail. However those tied to the dock couldn't figure out how to sail her due to the absence of anemometer. I soon repaired the problem so my fair weather friends could sail with me
Skills gained on the way are always a bonus but not necessary, put the wind on your face you'll do fine. 
When you venture offshore, you will begin to think of what your life is worth! Then read and consider all of the above posts! The dog doesnt' have 35k post for nothing Do your best. 
BTW, I didn't go through the training, I had an ASA Captain go on an overnight before I sailed 2400 miles down the West Coast. Was it scary, hell yes and I wouldn't trade one life experience for it. Did stuff break, yes, did things malfunction, yes. Prepare yourself for problems(And as my friend Richard Bala, after 4000 miles from the Marquesas to Chile defines problems as(opportunities) (sail 2000 of that without engine), fix them, pat yourself on the back, they are never ending! And last but not least! Have the attitude, fortitude and where with all of the Smackdaddy

Cam Campbell 
s/v Sea Horse
San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico


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## Omatako (Sep 14, 2003)

The time line for going cruising probably has as much to do with people as it does with boats and gear. I am with SD on the knowledge thing - I think that being able to fix stuff is vital to confident cruising. But that's maybe because I am competent to tend to virtually everything on my boat. Maybe the confidence is born from knowing that whatever goes wrong, you have the dinero to fix it rather than the skill.

But a timeline that enables you to be sure you're going to have fun and enjoy it is really important. And that the people that are going with you are going to enjoy it too. And if you're saying that you're planning on going alone, revert back to the first point with* real focus*.

There are legions of boats out there that have been abandonded when the dream became a nightmare. It happens a lot and it could happen to you.

So once you have learned how to fix yourself when you break, then you should start working on understanding the other less important stuff like boats and gear.

Oh, and Smack, I would never leave the dock without glassfibre and resins to fix things. There are a heck of a lot of things that can be fixed with GRP.


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## wind_magic (Jun 6, 2006)

I think Smack is right in terms of what the OP actually said and asked, if the OP is just going cruising for days or a week at a time then it would probably be okay to just have a boat and pay someone to fix it. That isn't long term cruising, that is just going on the occasional cruise for a week at a time.  Still, you're taking your chances doing it that way.

But for long term cruising I'd agree with the dog, and others. Our lives depend on millimeters of fiberglass (or steel, wood, etc), we're in the middle of an uncaring ocean that we're not meant to live in, etc, it isn't like when your car breaks down and you can just walk to the next town. Some amount of preparation is required, and the more the better.

I also agree with what SD said about finance, I think if we did some kind of a survey of cruisers and took the mean of their cruising kitty and cruising incomes, it would be hard to justify the expense of paying others to keep the boat maintained. Paying other people to maintain the boat is more for boat owners who are working, or for the extended vacation cruiser that will only be out until the kitty is empty, or the autumn cruisers who are enjoying the last of the wine. I think we'd find that most long term cruisers are forced by simple financial reality to do everything themselves, the math is ugly.


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

This is a topic that comes up frequently. I wrote the following for a different purpose but hopefully, it begins to address the OP's question,

Learning to Voyage 

The dream of voyaging under sail can be a powerful one. There was a period when several times a month I would receive an email from someone who is considering doing just what you are proposing. I have watched literally dozens of folks go through this. Some are successful in getting 'out there', some discover that they really enjoy sailing and find that they really have no need to 'go out there'; some have discovered that the sailing life is just not for them, and others have not even gotten past the dreaming stage. 

From what I have seen, the most successful (especially when children are involved) have been the ones who have been somewhat systematic about going. There is a lot to learn before one can safely venture offshore. No one would assume that they could buy a jet airliner take a few lessons and be able to fly around the world. I think most rational people would expect to start with a small plane and work their way up. But for some reason people assume that they can just go out and buy a big boat, take a couple lessons, read a few books, and then go safely cruising.<O</O
<O</O

While there are people who literally taken a few lessons, read a few books and went out cruising, those that were successful following that route are far more rare than those who have done some kind of apprenticeship. Learning to sail and learning to cruise involves a lot of knowledge and no matter how much you know, there will always be more to learn, but I suggest that you at least take the time to learn the basics, and that just about can't happen if you buy 'a big sailboat' and move your family aboard. <O</O
<O</O
I find myself saying this a lot lately but here I go again. We all come to sailing with our own specific needs, our own specific goals and our own specific capabilities. The neat thing about sailing is that we all don't have to agree that there is only one right way to go sailing. There is no more truth in expecting that there is one universally right answer about many aspects of sailing than there is in trying to prove that vanilla ice cream is universally better than strawberry ice cream. One area of sailing for which there is no one universally right answer involves the amount of knowledge one requires to go sailing. <O</O
<O</O

For some, all they need or want to know about sailing is just enough knowledge to safely leave the slip sail when they want and get back safely. There is nothing inherently wrong with that approach. Lack of knowledge will impact the level of risk, cost, comfort, and performance, but if you want to get out there with minimal knowledge it can be done. But for others, like myself, there is much more to sailing than simply developing a rudimentary knowledge of sailing basics. If you fall into that camp, it is next to impossible to learn to sail really well on a boat as large as the one in question. <O</O
<O</O

While I am in no way suggesting that this makes sense for everyone, for those who really want to learn to sail well, I strongly suggest that they start out owning a used 23 to 27 foot, responsive, light-weight, tiller steered, fin keel/spade rudder (ideally fractionally rigged) sloop (or if they are athletically inclined then a dinghy.) Boats like these provide the kind of feedback that is so necessary to teach a newcomer how to really sail well. Boats like these have small enough loads on lines and the helm that you and your children can all participate and learn together. Being able to learn and participate, the children will be more engaged and less likely to be bored and feel kidnapped. <O</O
<O</O

By sailing well, I mean understanding the nuances of boat handling and sail trim in a way that cannot be learned on a larger boat. Used small boats generally hold their values quite well so that after a year or even few years or so of learning, you should be able to get most of your money out of the small boat and move on to a bigger boat actually knowing something about which specific desirable characteristics of a boat appeal to you as an experienced sailor rather than the preferences of some stranger on some Internet discussion group. From the advice that you have already gotten you can tell that there will not be a consensus of opinion on how to go distance cruising. <O</O

In any event, I think that you have the right idea about taking sailing lessons. If I were in your shoes, I would sit down and put together a list of all of the things that I would want to know before I set off voyaging such as:<O</O

Boat handling<O</O
Sail trim<O</O
Rules of the road<O</O
Weather <O</O
Routing<O</O
Boat husbandry, repair and maintenance<O</O
Diesel/ gas engine maintenance and repair
Sail repair<O</O
First aid<O</O
Heavy weather tactics<O</O
Legal restrictions on leaving and entering foreign countries<O</O
Navigation, (Celestial, dead reckoning and electronic) <O</O
Provisioning
Radio operations and operators license exam requirements<O</O
Safe and dangerous fish to eat<O</O
Survival skills <O</O
Etc&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;..<O</O
 
Once you have put together what you think is, I would suggest that you set up a schedule to try to develop those areas of skill that you were currently lacking. As much as possible try to involve all those involved in as many of those aspects of learning as each is capable of understanding. This process could take as little as a year, but more often takes two to three years. The process itself can be very rewarding and can build the kind of family bonds that are required to be cast away on that oh so small island that a boat underway represents. As you go through this apprenticeship, you may also alter your goals and add to the list of required skills. The result of going through this kind of process in itself can be a very rewarding experience. <O</O
<O</O

Respectfully,
<OJeff<O</O


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Jeff—

I'd add "Coastal Pilotage" to the navigation skill set...


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

ccam said:


> Back to the original question! Go for it!
> I sailed a Hobie a for 15 months before I bought my Hans Christian 33. Was there a difference? Yes, it was 10 times easier to sail. However those tied to the dock couldn't figure out how to sail her due to the absence of anemometer. I soon repaired the problem so my fair weather friends could sail with me
> Skills gained on the way are always a bonus but not necessary, put the wind on your face you'll do fine.
> When you venture offshore, you will begin to think of what your life is worth! Then read and consider all of the above posts! The dog doesnt' have 35k post for nothing Do your best.
> ...


CCam! Dude! It's great to hear from you. Post some pics of your travels when you get a chance.

BTW - my wife and I lived in Hermosillo for a year and spent a lot of time in San Carlos. Cool place.

Have fun, man. And keep checking in when you can.


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

pontiakos said:


> Sailing is an ongoing learning experience, even with all the course knowledge the real confidence comes from going out and coming back, experimenting with your boat, seeing what works with your rig, floating and stowing your sea anchor etc. The courses, practical knowledge all come with time. You originally asked about going out on an overnight, that is a good place to start once you get through the navigation and basic seamanship stuff. The ability to be the calm in crisis, whatever the situ is a function of doing, so get out and do...the plumbing, glass repair, celestial navigation, motor mechanics, all come with time. The most important skill is your own objective assessment of your capabilities sailors, pilots, car drivers, barflys all get into trouble when they are overconfident....learning the craft never ends, that is what is so fun about it...


+1 pontiak.


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## norsearayder (Dec 19, 2006)

rite on dog,a few skills go a long way,fiberglass repair is not really brain surgery...there are epoxy putty that comes in a tube that can be even used underwater for temporary repairs


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

Omatako said:


> Oh, and Smack, I would never leave the dock without glassfibre and resins to fix things. There are a heck of a lot of things that can be fixed with GRP.


Okay - point taken Oma. I'm not at all saying these things are useless or insignificant. I'm just saying that they are not _necessary_ to getting out and cruising - even for fairly extended periods - especially if you are going to be around areas where you can get help (Carib islands, etc.).

For example, how many square inches can a GRP kit (or how ever much material you carry) take care of? Is it sufficient (and intended) for fixing serious, life threatening problems that couldn't wait until you get to port where you could get help? Or is it more intended to fix stuff that just needs fixing but can wait a while?

I'm just trying to set some context here for people thinking about what it takes - minimally - to get into cruising up to a few weeks like the OP asked.

For example, the case Dog mentioned above for the underwater epxoy kit was in freakin' New Guinea! They hit a reef causing massive damage - the boat sunk - then an entire village helped re-float and cradle the boat while they airlifted in some supergoop.

Does anyone's current GRP kit cover that scenario? Should the cruiser have known how to build their own cradle out of kerosene wood with a machete in case the villagers had been busy during mango season? Should they have been carrying all the gear necessary to deal with rebuilding a hull on a reef?

It comes down to this: Should someone really not cruise until they have all these skills and gear? I mean, I know Pidgin - so I'm way ahead of the game when in PNG - but c'mon!

Then there's the "Dismasting of Maude" (sounds like a made-for-tv-movie). And the point Dog made was that she was only 200nm from her destination (essentially coastal cruising). Okay, but it sounds like it was a catastrophic rigging failure since the conditions were pretty benign. My assumption, therefore, is that if this were not Maude and instead was some poor cruising schlub, the point of the story would have been that he should have inspected his rigging prior to leaving Tallahassee and that he obviously had it coming. Again, not really a great example for the point of this thread.

So, again, it's about context. As has been mentioned herein - learning all this stuff takes a long time. BUT, it's fun, important, and extremely rewarding. And it gives you a great deal of confidence - AND saves you a great deal of money over time. No argument at all.

But, back to the OP's question, it's not *necessary* for cruising around for a weekend, a week, or even longer.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

smackdaddy said:


> But, back to the OP's question, it's not *necessary* for cruising around for a weekend, a week, or even longer.


*Again, it depends on where he is cruising and for how long*... if he is cruising for two weeks in the Inside Passage to Alaska and back, then it might be necessary... at least to be reasonably safe... If he's cruising the ICW for three months, then no, it isn't necessary.


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## TQA (Apr 4, 2009)

If you are prepared to go simple, go small and you have good common sense then buy a boat and go sailing with a teacher for the first week [ maybe 2 ]and you should be good to go for the easier areas of the world.

_I did and if you are still sail Jack may you have fair winds!_ He took us across the English channel and down to Camaret and that set us up to go on down the coasts of France and Spain and acroos the Atlantic.

GPS has allowed cruisers to go in safety without all the arcane knowledge that used to be required. But please always keep a running plot on a paper chart if it is not local eyeball sailing. Easy access to weather forecasts allows you to choose only good weather to make passage.

As far as maintenance is concerned make sure that you can change a fan belt, the raw water impellor, the fuel filter and bleed the injector system. Buy a boat that has easy access to these items.

Also you should be able to patch a torn sail and cope with a lost halyiard. A spare spi halyiard is fine IMHO not many of us would go up the mast at sea.

Get the books by Pardey, Casey and Calder and read them and refer to them. If you are in trouble in a anchorage somewhere and need some help fixing something a call on the VHF will often bring help. Have a look at the boat he or she comes from if you have a choice go with the one from the rust streaked, wind vane carrying, custom home made awning sporting boat with the faded ensign.

Carry essential spares including a bottle screw, some rigging wire with an eye in one end bulldog clips and a short lenght of chain with some shackles. IMHO a small qty of marine tex should be carried but I see no reason to carry large amounts of epoxy and cloth as if you need to make that sort of repair it is hard to envisage being in a place that would allow you to make the repair without also being able to buy the materials.

I would never say don't carry a comprehensive set of spares but FedEx is world wide and fast.

Make absolutely sure that your tool kit allows you to do the above,


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## utchuckd (Apr 4, 2010)

TQA said:


> Get the books by Pardey, Casey and Calder and read them and refer to them.


And I just spent my gift cards on Travis McGee and Doc Ford books. 

Thanks for the references. I've got a list of books and resources together from other threads.

Again, thanks for all the opinions and input.


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## mikeandrebecca (Oct 30, 2008)

utchuckd said:


> My first question is how long would it take to go from being a complete novice (one learn to sail course 10 years ago) to being able to go on long weekend or full week trips (or longer)? Could I get there in months? Years? I should be able to spend a lot of time working on it, I just don't know how much time I'm going to have to invest.


We've actually been documenting that same process on our blog. You might find some answers there:

Zero to Cruising!

Mike


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## bljones (Oct 13, 2008)

utchuckd said:


> My first question is how long would it take to go from being a complete novice (one learn to sail course 10 years ago) to being able to go on long weekend or full week trips (or longer)?


Today is only Wednesday- you still have time to get ready to leave this weekend.
Seriously. 
You can spend months reading and learning and preparing and taking course after course and getting certification after certification and, and and, and...
Just go sailing! It isn't rocket science!
Learning to sail WELL, on the other hand... now THAT will take the rest of your life. You can take lessons if you want, but it is not like flying- it is not a requirement. In fact, I will posit, and some will vehemently disagree, that heading out on your own, in inland waters, in moderate breezes will be more beneficial to you before signing up for lessons, as then you will know what you don't know, know what i mean?

I would venture that the vast majority of us here are self-taught, and we have all survived.

Now, for long-term cruising, off a mooring with a tight budget and no economic safety net? Then learn how to fix what you break before you break it.


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## pontiakos (Jun 1, 2007)

Interesting topic...it has been my experience that one should be prepared for anything at any time...what I mean by that is what happens if you don't have a glass patch kit and u need one, what do you use? fan belt breaks, electrical outages...things break at bad times, what is YOUR plan? Even if you have the repair materials, can u take time off the helm to effect them? Have u tried to roll up a mattress or cushion, buttress it to a bulkhead? in the dark?What do you use for braces? the table? does it come off easily etc?? It is the plan that makes the preparation successful, it is confidence that makes the plan work. Sooooo imho, you will never have all the things you need on the boat for every contingency, but you need to have a plan, practice that plan and prepare. You should take all the comments to heart, learn your boat, practice problems and get out there...welcome to the blue water, no better place to be!


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## bljones (Oct 13, 2008)

utchuckd said:


> And I just spent my gift cards on ... Doc Ford books.
> 
> .


I think that if you focus on Tomlinson's adventures, it almost qualifies as a cruising guide.

Seriously, R W White is one of my favourite authors- he knows the Keys and it shows.


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

utchuckd said:


> And I just spent my gift cards on Travis McGee and Doc Ford books.
> 
> Thanks for the references. I've got a list of books and resources together from other threads.
> 
> Again, thanks for all the opinions and input.


Dude! Travis McGee rocks! Hanging out on "Busted Flush", drinking Boodles, solving crazy crimes with his buddy Meyers, and scoring more booday than any man in history? Perfect research for cruising ut.


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## utchuckd (Apr 4, 2010)

I've been reading the McGee series for a good decade, pick up one or 2 a year. Got a few more to go, but can see the end from here. (Btw, named my new puppy McGee back in the fall when I got him.)

I picked up a Doc Ford novel on a whim at the bookstore and was hooked immediately. Part of it is because the learn to sail course I did was on Captiva, so I was like 'Hey! I know where Sanibel is!'


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## solzephyr (May 2, 2007)

Watch for a good 7 day weather window and sail from Fort Myers to Captiva to Sanibel and then head South to Key West and then West to Dry Tortuga. You will learn so much between that and the return passage. If you don't wreck the boat you will learn what you don't know and why you need to know more. Carry the recomended ASA emergency equipment including a submersable hand held vhf radio. If you do wreck the boat you are still in safe range of USCG rescue. There is no Someday. Everything breaks and in the end the ocean will win. Good luck and fair winds.


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## utchuckd (Apr 4, 2010)

bljones said:


> Today is only Wednesday- you still have time to get ready to leave this weekend.
> Seriously.


Sounds great, but how do I go about it? I assume you can rent a boat for a day? Do I also rent somebody to go out and show me the basics too? How expensive is a small boat daysail rental? Right now it may be a pretty good option as I can get very cheap airfare and hopping down every couple/few weeks would give me a good jump start I think.


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## utchuckd (Apr 4, 2010)

mikeandrebecca said:


> We've actually been documenting that same process on our blog. You might find some answers there:
> 
> Zero to Cruising!
> 
> Mike


Thanks, great site!

Btw, I just got a TRX for Christmas. Was just thinking how perfect it would be on a boat...


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## mikeandrebecca (Oct 30, 2008)

Thank you!

I just posted a video on the blog this morning of us launching our boat yesterday (no excitement in the video though... they didn't drop it). After all that we saw snowflakes at the marina today!!! We're definitely looking forward to the warmer weather so we can get back to sailing.

Mike


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## utchuckd (Apr 4, 2010)

Sweet! Must be awesome to see your boat in the water.


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

utchuckd said:


> Sounds great, but how do I go about it? I assume you can rent a boat for a day? Do I also rent somebody to go out and show me the basics too? How expensive is a small boat daysail rental? Right now it may be a pretty good option as I can get very cheap airfare and hopping down every couple/few weeks would give me a good jump start I think.


We found a day charter dude that would teach us while we sailed. It was our first time ever on a sailboat (Hunter 30). You can find the same thing with the big companies, but they're definitely more expensive. Ours was like $200 for the day.

Just do some poking around. You really can learn a lot in a couple of days with this kind of arrangement.


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