Does anyone else here sail?

[Blueberry]

I don't, but wanted to say congratulations!!!! Where do you plan to keep it docked?

CA

[Xrayted]

The last sailboat I was on was a 34" Catalina. What a gorgeous boat. I love the lines and details of those boats. I'm sure you will have a wonderful experience on her. Just start with taking her out with the engine and then let her loose. Congrats!!

[mimitabby]

I went sailing down a hill today; on my bike!
I WAS SAILING!!!

[emily_in_nc]

I don't, but wanted to say congratulations!!!! Where do you plan to keep it docked?

Thanks CA! We're excited! We're going to start at a small marina in Washington, NC, which is the shortest drive for us. However, we might change to New Bern after the first year as a couple of folks at work are members of a sailing club and marina there, and it's less expensive and sounds more social and lots of fun. Didn't know about it til we signed the year lease at the first place, but that will be a good place to start as it's more "rural" and fewer boats around, so we can practice to our heart's content!

Emily

[salsabike]

I don't sail now but I used to, both on Lake Erie and here in Puget Sound. I even crewed on some races here, both coed and women's races, the latter of which were a ton of fun. You will do fine on your new boat--you already know the basic stuff you really need to know, so once you do a few sails and get to know the boat, it'll be great. Keep us periodically posted!

[Pika]

Both DH and I sail- we have a santana 525 mainly just used for racing- DH would love to get a bigger boat for overnight trips- we can tolerate a weekend in the 525 but as I said it is pretty stripped out for racing.( It would be like comparing backpacking to camping in an RV)
This year I am on a team entered in the canadian national keelboat womens regatta Hopefully we won't be chewed up and spit out the back- we still need lots of practice!!!
Have fun on your boat- you'll be great I bet- nothing beats getting out there and practicing and just enjoying your boat
Have fun!

[7rider]

Wow. Congratulations! My old boss got a 34' Catalina and we got to sail on it. It was a really great time.

DH grew up sailling. I grew up with motorboats. The only sailing I did was on a Sunfish and an occasional HobieCat.

DH spends his free time looking for the perfect sailboat for us, is a regular reader of Soundings and Good Old Boat magazines. Good Old Boat is a great reference for boaters sailing "older" boats. If we had a good crop come off the money tree, and lots of time to ride bikes, kayak, AND sail, we'd probably get on a Freedom or a Nonsuch in the 28' - 33' range. Our dream retirement is to sail the Circle Route before settling into a "Sail and bike all summer, Ski (and bike) all winter" kind of life.

I've been looking at this place to take some sailing lessons. It's been a while since I've taken a USCG Boating Safety class, too.

Do a Google search on women's sailing clubs in your area and see if anyting turns up.

Congrats, and wishing you smooth sailing!

[Pedal Wench]

My parents are sailors! So, I grew up always on the boats - once it's in the blood, it stays! We had a trimaran for years on the Hudson River, out of Nyack or Haverstraw, and that boat is now in the Bahamas and they have a Cat in NY. (I think it's a Catalac?) It's an amazing sport - they both still race - Mom just did a women's race - and she's 76 years old!

There really is nothing like the feeling after motoring out from the marina, turning the boat into the wind with all the noise of the engine and sails flapping when the wind fills the sails and they snap taut and the engine is cut. That moment of perfect silence... Hmmm, I miss it more than I realized.

[emily_in_nc]

My parents are sailors! So, I grew up always on the boats - once it's in the blood, it stays! We had a trimaran for years on the Hudson River, out of Nyack or Haverstraw, and that boat is now in the Bahamas and they have a Cat in NY. (I think it's a Catalac?) It's an amazing sport - they both still race - Mom just did a women's race - and she's 76 years old!

There really is nothing like the feeling after motoring out from the marina, turning the boat into the wind with all the noise of the engine and sails flapping when the wind fills the sails and they snap taut and the engine is cut. That moment of perfect silence... Hmmm, I miss it more than I realized.

Oh I know, I know...I think that exact moment is what sold me on sailing, absolutely! It's hard to describe/explain to someone who hasn't experienced it. What a rush!

That is so cool about your mom! I grew up, as did DH, with completely non-boating parents, so this is all so new to us, and pretty intimidating. But when I look at how far we've come since our first class in Dec. '04 (what's a jib??), I am very proud.

Cats are cool. We sailed on a Manta 40 for our Bareboat & Catamaran Cruising ASA classes, and it was incredibly comfy and spacious. But they are a bit beyond our budget at this point, and harder to find a slip for.

Thanks for the post!

Emily

[emily_in_nc]

Do a Google search on women's sailing clubs in your area and see if anyting turns up.

Congrats, and wishing you smooth sailing!

Thanks Regina! I wouldn't want to join a women's sailing club, though, since this is an activity DH and I will be doing together. We took all our ASA classes together too. I just thought it would be fun to chat online with another female sailor. I found out after I posted this that a couple of people I work with (men) are members of a sailing club down at the coast, and they keep encouraging us to get on the waiting list to sign up and get a slip in the marina. It does sound like fun, but it's a longer drive from where we have already rented a slip for the next year, so we'll wait and see how we like where we'll be first. I will hopefully meet some other women on the docks!

It's good to hear from some folks who enjoy sailing here. BTW, you mentioned Freedom. our 2nd choice boat of the ones we looked at was a gorgeous 1987 Freedom 30 Sloop. The woodwork inside was amazing, and the carbon-fiber stayless mast VERY impressive! Ultimately, though, the galley was TEENY, it needed more work, it had no refrigeration or AC power, and the price was higher, so we went with the Catalina, which was much more of a turnkey boat, since we don't live very close to where the boat will be (2.5 hours each way) so can't be there working on it all the time. But that Freedom was a real beaut.

Emily

[7rider]

Thanks Regina! I wouldn't want to join a women's sailing club, though, since this is an activity DH and I will be doing together. <snip> I will hopefully meet some other women on the docks!

Emily

Yes, of course, Emily. I was actually thinking listservs, socials, things of that nature. Sorry I wasn't more clear. I'd certainly want to sail with my DH, too, if/when we got a boat! I'm sure you'll meet others at the marina, too!