# I'm a new member from New Rochelle New York



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Hello, I stumbled on this site after a web search and am enjoying it. I'm a new sailor, I'm 59, just finished the basic keelboat course and am finishing up the navigation course. I'll be taking the first coastal cruising course in a week and then I'll sign up for the coastal passage class. I'm really enjoying this, haven't been this excited about anything in years. Learned to scuba dive when I was 52 so sailing should complement that very nicely. Bought a used boat on ebay a week ago, a 1971 Hughes 29.5 foot sloop by Sparkman and Stephens, with a Universal Atomic 4 FWC engine. 

It needs a bit of preparation work, but hopefully by the end of June, I'll sail her home from Baltimore to the Long Island Sound. I'm looking forward to the summer weekends when I plan to take weekend trips along the Connecticut coast. Everyone I've met so far in the "sailing community" has been friendly and encouraging. My wife is not as excited about sailing, but with the addition of a roller furler on the headsail, I hope to make the sailing experience a bit easier on her. 

I look forward to hearing from you, especially if you can recommend good sailing destinations in the Long Island Sound area or even to hear about your coastal passages up and down the east coast, I hope to increase my experience enough to be able to do that as soon as possible. I hope my little 29.5 foot boat is large enough. It has a rather heavy displacement of 8,600 pounds so hopefully it will be stable in the water and I calculated the capsize index using the cube root formula, cube root of displacement divided by 64 with the beam as the numerator (from the Annapolis sailboat manual and it's less than 1.8, so it sounds safe enough. Hope to meet you out on the water soon.


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## merlin2375 (Jul 12, 2007)

very nice, congrats on the new boat!


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## bubb2 (Nov 9, 2002)

Welcome Neighbor, Tarrytown here


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

Welcome...the sound is a great place to learn and make mistakes while having a lot of fun exploring. Your boat is well suited to exploring the East Coast once you have the confidence in your own abilities. 
Glad to have you here.


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## djodenda (Mar 4, 2006)

Welcome, Roy

David


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## planewood1 (May 9, 2008)

Welcome Roy!
Awesome vessel, and well suited for the area. Keep us posted as your run up the coast approaches. I have done that run so many times. Each time I learn something new. If you have questions, concerns, need advice or local knowledge, fire away. It is a fun trip and great experience!


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## sailingfool (Apr 17, 2000)

Congratulations and welcome to the Lifestyle. I still remember how all consuming sailing was when I was first learing my way around a boat. Funny, 30 years later and it hasn't lost the thrill.

FWIW, I wouldn't worry too much about mumble-jumble like capsize ratios, you will have to go very far, and push the limits well beyond what 99% of Sailnet members ever do in their boating, to have to worry about basic stablity..heavens knows, don't discuss stuff like that with your wife!

I'm thrilled if I can bury the rail on my CS 36T once or twice a year.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Gosh, I really appreciate all the feedback I've received thus far. One of first decisions will be to get a good navigation system. I'm looking at several Garmin units and also Raymarine and Lorance chartplotters. Is there any consensus among owners of boats which type would be particularly good for coastal passage making along the Atlantic coast, particular for a beginning sailer in the inter coastal waterway? I've noticed that some folks are loading the charts in their PCs and hooking a gps up to it. One of things in this regard that I wonder about is the accuracy of units without external antennas. Someone, earlier recommended having a small inexpensive gps kept in a water tight container on board, which also sounds like very good advice. I am really pleased at the cordiality I've received from fellow boat owners thus far, I appreciate it very much. Thanks to everyone that has taken their time to give me their thoughts and advice. I need all the help I can get.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Welcome to Sailnet Roy and best of luck with the boat.


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## planewood1 (May 9, 2008)

Roy,
I have used quite a few different combinations of GPS/computer/DR w/charts and I prefer to use the charts and hand nav skills and then check them with the GPS. This keeps my nav skills sharp and also allows me to tinker with the latest technology. If you are going to hook up your hand-held GPS to a laptop, definitely get an external antenna. Check Ebay for one that fits your unit. 
Be aware though, the refresh rate on the mapping software, the GPS unit and real life are not exactly in sync. Can be a bit dicey in a narrow, busy area like a river or harbor entrance as well as trying to keep in a channel. Rely on your eyes and instincts first and foremost, and check them with the technology. NOT the other way around.
I have seen sailing_ instructors_ rely on the technology and go aground!!!


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