# Help needed



## Ashil (10 mo ago)

Hello! I am new to this forum, just recently I have gotten the urge to learn sailing after going on a sail boat for the first time in my entire life. I truly fell in love with the idea of sailing in the wind and being on the water. 

My question is how do I get started? I dont have any experience, Should I take free classes on NauticEd.com or any other suggestions. I great appreciate you reading my post and your opinions. 

Thanks


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## PhilCarlson (Dec 14, 2013)

Welcome! Where are you located?

Yes, take the free classes. ASA also offers one: ASA's Free Online Sailing Course These will give you an introduction to the fundamentals. 

You could sign up for a sailing class, or charter a day sail to get started, but those options can be costly. You can look for a sailing club near you and get connected with other sailors. Other people's boats are the least expensive way to gain experience.


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## shoffman57 (Jan 21, 2013)

I started by crewing on a Lightning racing boat. As Phil said above find local sailing clubs and make yourself known.


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## Ashil (10 mo ago)

PhilCarlson said:


> Welcome! Where are you located?
> 
> Yes, take the free classes. ASA also offers one: ASA's Free Online Sailing Course These will give you an introduction to the fundamentals.
> 
> You could sign up for a sailing class, or charter a day sail to get started, but those options can be costly. You can look for a sailing club near you and get connected with other sailors. Other people's boats are the least expensive way to gain experience.


Thanks Phil! I am in San Francisco, theres a lot of people with sail boats around so I'll start reaching out to them.


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## Ashil (10 mo ago)

shoffman57 said:


> I started by crewing on a Lightning racing boat. As Phil said above find local sailing clubs and make yourself known.


Thank you! Yeah I just need to start reaching out to the clubs around.


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## AndyL (Dec 1, 2019)

I liked the free nav rules and sail trim class on NauticEd - I'd certainly give them a shot. 

If you have the opportunity to take ASA 101, that's a good start. You have to study the text book, which is useful, then you get the 2 days on a small boat learning and practicing. It will help give you some background when you crew with others - sailors use a lot of odd terms and you'll have a better understanding of what is going on if you have some knowledge of them. But if you can't take ASA 101, don't let that stop you.

Depending on the time and money you are able to allocate to sailing, you can jump start things with lots of paid instruction. But you'll want to make sailing contacts as well.


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## danvon (Dec 10, 2012)

If you can find a way to learn on small boats (dinghies) it is a great way to quickly get a feel for how wind & sail trim work together. I'm not sure if there is a public sailing program down there - wonder if there might be something at Berkeley?


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## Den (11 mo ago)

3 of the clubs in Toronto have Sailing schools. There is another one on the Queens Quay and I’m sure there are more. They all use sailing dinghies. Then there are a few 37 Jeanneau a Dufour 412 you can lease partial ownership of some kind. They had a Beneteau 41 but I haven’t seen it around. 

Seems to be a great next step in getting your Sea legs. Also helps you make decisions on what you want in your own boat. What options are going to drive the price up stuff etc. 

Sign on a crew. Lots of amateur races and rum races. Join a club. 

RCYC school out no wind Dang


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

Take a learn to sail course which includes time on the water in a boat and in a class room. Ask teacher to guide you on how to use your new skills.


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## LaPoodella (Oct 5, 2018)

Head to 


Ashil said:


> Thanks Phil! I am in San Francisco, theres a lot of people with sail boats around so I'll start reaching out to them.


one of the many yacht clubs in the Bay Area on a weekend morning and chat to the sailors and club personnel. They can help point you in the right direction.


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## eherlihy (Jan 2, 2007)

Join a sailing club and sail with other members looking for crew
download the gosailingapp.com app, create a profile (be honest), and look for sailing opportunities near you
find an instructor, and ask them if they will take you out for a private lesson on their boat (I have done this with couples)
take a sailing class from a US/Sailing, ASA, or NauticED affiliate. ASA wants their affiliates to be exclusive ASA only), while I believe that NauticED and US/Sailing affiliates may offer both.


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## nof-z (Aug 11, 2021)

Ashil said:


> Hello! I am new to this forum, just recently I have gotten the urge to learn sailing after going on a sail boat for the first time in my entire life. I truly fell in love with the idea of sailing in the wind and being on the water.
> 
> My question is how do I get started? I dont have any experience, Should I take free classes on NauticEd.com or any other suggestions. I great appreciate you reading my post and your opinions.
> 
> Thanks


sign onto a (good) crew as a deckhand for a few weeks! you will learn a ton, and get a little bit of money doing it!


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## Northernease (10 mo ago)

If I can add my little piece of advice, start on dinghies. Learning on dinghies is essential to become a really good sailor. If you make a mistake, you are in the water. It is as simple as that. In Toronto, where I live, there are great community clubs that offer introductory courses plus access to their fleet for the entire season at great prices. I am sure you can find something similar in your area. Good luck: sailing is wonderful!


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## Barquito (Dec 5, 2007)

And to follow up on the start-small-dinghy theme; you can often find a small dinghy for the price of a few lessons on a big boat. Learn everything you can from books, videos, and other sailors on the dock, then buy a small boat and start messing around.


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## zykorie (Jan 12, 2020)

Definitely check out NauticEd. In addition to the free courses, they offer a variety of others. And they have lots of schools and instructors who can implement what you learned on the water.


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## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

W elcome.
*Warning. Sailing can be addictive. Those who tend to be ruled by their passions should enter sailing with caution*

In your situation my suggestion would be to buy a 15 foot or smaller, very cheap dinghy that's pretty beat up, but serviceable. This is not going to be a boat to take your friends out on, but instead you will be crashing into docks, running aground and even tipping her over on occasion. This is the boat to make all your beginner's mistakes on, before you buy a nicer, more expensive boat. And believe me, if you start with the more expensive boat, you are still going to make all the same mistakes, classes or not, but the repair bills will be much more expensive. Don’t load the boat up with friends, there is the possibility of someone getting hurt, until you’ve got a handle on the “boating thing“. Sailing isn't rocket science, but it does take a lot of sailing to get it.

This is how almost every professional sailor of note learned to sail, not through some expensive cookie cutter course.

Along with your little beater, I would highly recommend a great little book called Royce's Sailing Illustrated, a fun yet very comprehensive book filled with important information for the novice sailor or experienced professional. No massive preachy tome this, just a well put together book with everything from rigging, docking and even splicing. I've been using it to teach sailing for over 45 years, and still refer to it now and then, myself.

As you gain sailing experience, and spend time with other sailors, either just chatting, or sailing on their boats, you'll gain a much better idea of the bigger boat you will eventually want to own.


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