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I want to learn how to sail...but I'm in a desert.
billwill
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
What the title says.
I live in Las Vegas, Nevada. I want to learn about handling sails on boats, how to maintain a boat, etc. Am I pretty much screwed if I don't move to the coast? If there are services available, can anyone recommend some?
Also, I've had advice given to me that I should go to a port somewhere and try to learn that way. Do sailors really just pick up their crew at ports?
I live in Las Vegas, Nevada. I want to learn about handling sails on boats, how to maintain a boat, etc. Am I pretty much screwed if I don't move to the coast? If there are services available, can anyone recommend some?
Also, I've had advice given to me that I should go to a port somewhere and try to learn that way. Do sailors really just pick up their crew at ports?
I hate you and you hate me.
billwill on
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Not since the 18th century I imagine.
How about saving up for a beginner's sailing holiday?
Basically.
You stopped having a chance at grabbing a position on a passing freighter the second shipping companies realized they just could hire experienced sailors from the Philippines for dirt cheap.
Your best bet is likely going to be either a friend who can teach you, or some type of sailing school. If you really wanted to learn how to sail (and you were qualified), you might want to look into joining the Coast Guard.
I think the op's looking to sail sail not just get on a boat. Unless the Coast Guard actually teaches you this. Then disregard my post.
Well, if you go to the Academy, or enlist and are lucky enough to land a job on EAGLE, then you learn how to sail. Otherwise not so much.
Once sailing season really starts, it's pretty easy to just cruise down to a marina or yacht club and let people know you want to learn how to sail and are willing to crew for people. There's always people looking for guys to crew. I don't know what to tell you though if you're stuck in the desert. I guess you could go on vacation to "sailing camp" or something like that.
I don't see how it's possible the there's no dingy sailing available on Lake Mead.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&q=lake+mead+sailing+classes&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=
You'll be pretty much worthless on any big boat crew (which really are amazingly hard to sail) if you don't learn the basics by yourself. You need to get a feeling for the wind, rudder and sails before you can confidently step up.
These smaller sailing boats may not look like much, but sailing on them wil give you an immense feeling of velocity (especially since you're so close to the water). especially if you're sailing with a trapeze (one of these riggings that allows you to hang outside of the boat... almost like flying... )
That being said, lakes are even better than seas to pick up sailing because of the lack of waves and tides. I live nearby to the best sailing waters in my country and i'm 100s of kilometres from the sea. Don't know about your specific lakes, and sailing schools generally are harder to find than motor rentals. (since everybody loves motorboats...)
That being said, you're pretty much screwed unless you find one.
Usually you can just rock up and someone will be glad to show you the ropes (lol)
People do look for crew on the day usually.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFtIQxsQTHU
see also: http://www.windwizards.com/blokart.html
LAND SAILING!
Watch out for the landsharks!
http://www.landsailing.net/
Well I don't really want to work on the big boats, so I guess that works out for me.
And can someone tell me what it means to "crew"? They'll just take me on their boat for a day and show me how to do things, or what?
Look up sailing lessons for Lake Mead, or take a weekend trip to Lake Tahoe. "Crew" is basically doing the stuff. Unfortunately, I doubt many people will be willing to show a stranger the ropes on their boat. The equipment can be very expensive and it is possible to fuck it up if you don't know what you're doing.
Ahoy matey. You do what the captain says and you learn stuff, he gets free help (crew). Win/Win.
On many boats, the shit job is grinder so that's where you start out. Grinder takes the lines (ropes) from different sheets (sails) and uses the windlass (winch/capstan) to bring them in (tighten). Then they're made fast (tied off) on a cleat or held with a clamp. Some boats have enough winches you can leave the line where it is. You adjust these lines during sailing to compensate for wind.
Anyway, if your only option is dingys or the tiny j boats, you might be out of luck. Typically they don't want/need extra crew - too little space. Your best bet would be to take a vacation where you can sail. ASA are the big guys so start there. http://www.asa.com/
Fair winds and following seas!
You can break yourself in a winch though so I can understand Captains not wanting to worry about completely inexperienced folk.
Honestly, the easiest way to learn how to sail is to be railmeat and then crew on a big keelboat. Rail meat is exactly that - you are on the boat to move from one side to the other in order to balance the boat from heeling. Smart railmeat not only do that, but also watch the crew as they move about and do their tasks, learning by proxy some of the things that will make them valuable in the future.
To crew: As a part of the ship's working force, you do your tasks, listen to the skipper and make the boat go.
Crew: Skipper, navigator, tactician, hotbox, main trim, jib trim, spinnaker trim, mast, sewer, foredeck/bowman. If you're a small dude, do yourself a favor and learn how to do foredeck (the dude who directs traffic and raises/lowers sails from the very front of the boat). You will always have a ride if you're a good bowman.
As someone who's been sailing for over 20 years, and racing for most of those, you'll want to start out with a little book learning before actually setting foot on a boat. Learn what the different parts of the boat are; learn the difference between a sheet, a line, and a halyard; learn what it means to be on port/starboard tack; learn at least the basics of the sailing rules of the road.
Good resources are Sailing World, UK-Halsey Sailmakers Learning Center, and if you're comfortable with a wee bit of abuse and some nekkid boobies try Sailing Anarchy (link maybe SFW, forums definitely NSFW)
And seriously, learn how to land sail with the BloKart, those things are ridiculously fun (and very similar to a real boat, part- and maneuvering-wise)
I have this book, which I have read once but need to read again to truly capture the information.
I'm heading to the library in a few minutes, so if you could recommend some beginners books on sailing that are well-written that would be great.
Just browse around the sailing section and take a bunch out, poke through them all and then repeat
Otherwise, I would contact the sailing club located right there at Lake Meade. My experiences with these types of clubs is that they are almost always willing and able to help people who are interested in their hobby/sport/passion. I would bet money that there was someone there willing to take you out as crew or rail meat, you just have to be available on a day they go sailing.
Land sailing is awesome, doubly so if you're a fabricator. It's an interesting twist on the principles of sailing really because lift is of little consequence to boats but a serious concern to land yachts. A land yacht with ANY sailplan more efficient then a catboat* or a gunter* is a serious risk of overturning because the sail will be too efficient.
*The LEAST efficient sail plans there are.