# New to Sailing



## MakersM4rk (Feb 6, 2016)

Hi

With the last child on his way to college, my wife and I would like to get into sailing. I am in my 50's and was raised on power boats in New Jersey in the 60 and 70's, so have dated experience. My wife has none.

We are planning a VK to Florida, Miami to the Keys, in a month or two and would like to go day sailing on a captained boat. Wife is uncertain that this is for her and would like to experience sailing 

Any recommendations are appreciated

Thank you


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## Steelhands (Jan 25, 2016)

The fact that am posting a response is perhaps suggestive of something on the forum that I am missing. Where are the experts? Which is what I am not. What I am is a beginner sailor with years of sea time on US Navy vessels. I suggest you find a good sailing club with a school to learn basic sailing, which is what I did. The keepboard 101 class from either US Sailing or American Sailing Assoc. (ASA). 

I too, am making the transition from power to sail and loving it.

I suspect that by now you have googled the sail options in the Keys, (I lived in So. Fla. for 20 years) and realized that there are simply tons of options. I have never searched for a crewed boat but these days with social media, I would think one could find a reputable captain.


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## newt (Mar 15, 2008)

Grumpy old sailor here. We get so many new to sailing posts that it is easy to overlook a few. Sorry. The ASA classes are good, and I liked Bluewater Sailing School out of Ft Lauderdale. Most of the schools down there are decent for beginning sailing. If you can get a friend to take you out for a week or weekend it is cheaper. If you were on the Left Coast and VKing in Oregon I could help. The water down in the Caribbean right now is a great deal warmer.
BTW, don't neglect the local lakes where you are to get some early sea time. You don't have to take on the ocean right now. In fact your wife might like it better if you advanced slowly from protected waters.


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## Yorksailor (Oct 11, 2009)

https://www.cgsc.org/adultsailing The instructors are excellent!

Coconut Grove is a very nice place to vacation.

Phil


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## chuck5499 (Aug 31, 2003)

I think is it not a lesson you want but a day sail to see if she even wants to move beyond that. You will need to do some digging but there may be some day charters from Miami that will take you out for a day sail. There use to be some in the Key Biscayne area but not sure now as we have not been there in a while. Good luck and I hope she enjoys it as we are experiencing life to the fullest while we can. 
We have been underway 8 years and I turned 70 this years and still going strong. It is an incredible lifestyle.


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## gamayun (Aug 20, 2009)

Welcome! 

So, has your wife never been sailing before or never been out on a boat? Either way, go easy and keep it simple. Maybe even a little sail on Lake Okeechobee (if there are any sailboats on the lake) or else go out on a really calm day in a big comfy boat. Swells and heeling for a newcomer might give her an instant dislike. I came from a power boating background. It took a while before I got used to heeling and that wasn't even with swells thrown in for an added adrenaline rush. Now if the wind isn't up and the boat doesn't have some heel on her, I get a little impatient. Actually, a LOT impatient


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## Sal Paradise (Sep 14, 2012)

Are you still in New Jersey? I'm at s similar place in life - FWIW our boatyard in Kingston is flooded with power boaters from Jersey every weekend.


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