# Hi! Bought a sailboat without knowing how to sail..



## Racecase (Feb 5, 2013)

Hi there, I new to boating in general and very new to sailing (ive only sailed a sunfish.) But I purchased my first boat just last week and love it so far. Its a 1983 25ft Watkins fixed keel. She has a few minor deck leaks and a clogged head, but other than that she is ready to sail. Im a design engineer by trade so I plan on doing all the work myself such as redoing the entire wiring harness, rebedding and fixing the deck leaks, and maybe even fixing that clogged head. Id like to get her in prestine condition and doing some weekend cruises to the bahamas before potentially upgrading to someting bigger that could be a livaboard.


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

Hey Rac - welcome to SN dude. You'll learn a lot here.


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## steve77 (Aug 5, 2010)

smackdaddy said:


> Hey Rac - welcome to SN dude. You'll learn a lot here.


And some of it might even be about sailing!

(Welcome Racecase)


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## CalebD (Jan 11, 2008)

If you've sailed a Sunfish you know something about sailing.

Here are the sailing mumbo-jumbo specs on your boat: WATKINS 25 sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com

Good luck fixing up your new baby and welcome to the asylum.


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## deltaten (Oct 10, 2012)

Welcome Aboard, Racecase.. and welcome to the Watkins family! 

Quite handy indeed, is the Watkins sub-heading near the bottom of the main page in boat-specific forums. 
If you have any Watkins specific problems or questions, feel free to reference the Watkins Owners page at :
www.http://watkinsowners.com/
or join other Watkins owners at:
watkins : watkinssailboats

Best to ya,
Paul... another Watkins [soon-to-be] sailor


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Welcome aboard. Sounds like you have the basic of sailing down, but might consider a week long liveaboard sailing course. It would really tune you up and expose you to the knowledge of cruising a keel boat.

Your goal of making her pristine has taken down more than one sailor. Keep in mind that boats are continually exposed to a harsh evironment and while you are completing one thing on your list, another is likely to be added. 

Just be sure to maintain a healthy balance between maintenance and sailing. Pursuit of the perfect boat with nothing on the to-do list is the holy grail and no one has found it yet.

Good luck.


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## Lake Superior Sailor (Aug 23, 2011)

Welcome , Nice to see new people around here!...Dale


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## DonScribner (Jan 9, 2011)

Race,

Welcome. You've already won half the battle since you've sailed before. The Watkins is bigger and far less likely to flip. But . . . the hull speed for a displacement hull is less than a planing hull. Your 25 will max out around 6 knots. So, if you plan on the Bahamas, factor the speed (or lack there of) into the mix. Other than that, take a course on Sailing and Seamanship thru your local Power Squadron. Lots to know or at least have a clue about, OK, know how to look up.


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## mikecoder3 (Feb 6, 2013)

Welcome aboard. Glad to see you took the bull by the horns. You are more experienced than I so hats off to you. I did the same thing and purchased my boat without any sailing experience.

I have a product I am going to use on my deck to prevent leaking. I cannot post the link yet as I have to have a few more posts under my belt before I can copy and paste a link in the forum, but the product is called Poly Coat and is used in commercial applications for patio's and decks in high rises for total leak proof decking. It can be used on fiberglass and wood. I will share the website with you when Imam able.

Good luck with your project and welcome !!!!!!


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## mikecoder3 (Feb 6, 2013)

DonScribner said:


> Race,
> 
> Welcome. You've already won half the battle since you've sailed before. The Watkins is bigger and far less likely to flip. But . . . the hull speed for a displacement hull is less than a planing hull. Your 25 will max out around 6 knots. So, if you plan on the Bahamas, factor the speed (or lack there of) into the mix. Other than that, take a course on Sailing and Seamanship thru your local Power Squadron. Lots to know or at least have a clue about, OK, know how to look up.


Don that is great advice, I will do the same and look for a course in Sailing and Seamanship as well as lessons !!!!!


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## SirRedemption (Feb 14, 2013)

Racecase said:


> and a clogged head, but other than that she is ready to sail.


Welcome to SN. if you find yourself in need of some free knowledge on that feel free to hit me up. When I do mechanic work easily 50% of the work I end up doing is black water plumbing issues. I have almost an unreasonable amount of knowledge in that area.


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## Boatsmith (May 3, 2009)

I am in the same neck of the woods as you are Racecase. Welcome


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## Racecase (Feb 5, 2013)

Thanks for all the advice! A little update...
I took the head completely apart, got the "master" rebuild kit for a groco head, and replaced everything. It was a pretty nasty job but it went alright. Now I have a head that works perfectly! The outboard didnt work when I got her but I rebuilt the carburetor, put in fresh plugs and new fuel and it started right up. Motored around for about 2-3 hours and the engine didnt even hickup. I pulled out all the electronics. Battery, fuse & switch box, and everything in between. It was a hackjob someone did and nothing worked. So the rest of the week ill be rewiring everything. Im also stripping and refinishing all the outside teak. Next week is rebedding all deck hardware. Fun! I actually tried sailing too, I put up the mainsail in 10knot winds but couldnt get her to go anywhere.... haha. So the sailing part still needs some work. But im still having an awesome time!


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Your mainsail will work on exactly the same principal as the Sunfish you've sailed in the past.

If you're rusty, I would high encourage some training with your available boat bucks. The two major benefits are avoiding self-taught bad/dangerous habits and more likely to be comfortable to go sailing more.


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## wayne56 (Mar 28, 2009)

Dont know the boat, but agree it sounds like a perfect size for a first pocket cruiser. 

Agree with other members comment....the "goal of making her pristine has taken down more than one sailor"! My own minimum boat ratio of sailing versus working is 70/30. Projects always take 3 times as long and cost twice as much as expected.....


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## SirRedemption (Feb 14, 2013)

Congrats. Sounds like your steaming right along. If your the type that truely enjoys tinkering like I do then the projects are a good portion of the fun!


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## Tranquilo (Feb 2, 2013)

May I suggest you read the book Sail of Two Idiots by Renee Petrillio. We stumbled on it at the Toronto boat show, and it was the first book I've ever read cover to cover. Some may question its important, due to thier lack of experience. I say it's a real life, and very informative tale of learning to sail, and survive living the dream!


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## Racecase (Feb 5, 2013)

Im actually reading that book right now and im about half way though. I think its pretty informative and its got some good humor, id definitely suggest it too. I actually had my first sail last Saturday!! Everything went great and we practiced all the sailing maneuvers. Now all I need is more practice. Also, Ill be moving aboard in a month, but thats a story for another thead.


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## jimgo (Sep 12, 2011)

Welcome aboard! I've heard very good things about the Watkins - hopefully she'll serve you well!


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## Racecase (Feb 5, 2013)

So I added an album with some pictures. So far I've done a ton of cleaning and some repairs/maintenance, but she is shaping up to be a nice looking boat in my opinion. In July ill be headed down to the keys from West Palm Beach through the ICW and maybe a little offshore cruising. Until then im going on day sails with some much more experienced sailors and doing as much reading as I can. Ill think ill be ready in three months.
SailNet Community - Racecase's Album: Ti'Punch


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## flandria (Jul 31, 2012)

I would like to endorse the recommendation to enrolled in a Power Squadron and Sail course. Invaluable in so many ways!


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