Andy wrote:
Gary wrote:

Andy wrote:


My wife and I bought a 36 footer and cruised from San Diego to Panama
City and back after about 24 hours of instruction, a few day sails
around San Diego Bay, and copious amounts of reading about cruising,
navigation, anchoring, etc.


You are very lucky.

Gaz


Why do you say we were very lucky? What exactly does one need a lot of
experience with before going coastal cruising that can't be learned
from books?

Lots experience counts. A lot depends on where you cruise and the boat.
Of course in very mild areas with a small basic boat there is less to
learn.

The actual sailing part of cruising is pretty simple and
straightfoward. While it could easily take a lifetime to master the art
of sailing for maximum speed, for purposes of cruising you just need to
know how to roughly trim the sails.

Sailing is easy until the weather turns against you then some experience
is a big asset.
Navigation, especially with a GPS, is pretty straightforward and can be
learned from books.
Of course but once the GAPS fails then experience counts. Whip out the
sky wrench and a book. Pull out HO 249 and a pencil. Lets find land.

Anchoring is an important skill, but it can really be learned from
books, and getting an oversized anchor can provide a good safety
margin.]
Tell that to the hundreds who have experienced dragging or weighing in
adverse conditions. Or anchored where it is deep, rocky and windy.

The other skill needed for cruising, which is repair and maintenance of
the boat and its systems, is not really taught in sailing courses
anyways, and in any event, those can be picked up from books too.

It is taught in the advanced courses.
Andy

Of course everything can be learned from a book but nothing counts like
experience. Sometimes looking it up in the book is too slow.

Gaz