This thread just keeps on going, and going, and going... I think that I
have found the immediate remedy to my quest. I think that I will join
the Harbor Island Yacht Club. I have a few friends that sail there and
all enjoy it. I'll have access to good instruction and several
different boats. What a better way to start out. I can also buy a
small motor boat for putting around when we go camping to keep the
family happy. Win-win.

Carl

"CJH" wrote in message
...
This thread just keeps on going, and going, and going... I think that I
have found the immediate remedy to my quest. I think that I will join the
Harbor Island Yacht Club. I have a few friends that sail there and all
enjoy it. I'll have access to good instruction and several different
boats. What a better way to start out. I can also buy a small motor boat
for putting around when we go camping to keep the family happy. Win-win.

Sounds reasonable. Nothing quite like the experience and opinions of
experience sailors to help a newcomer along. But bear in mind that a lot of
what you'll hear at the HIYC will be opinions, and opinions are just
that--not facts.

Sounds one hell of a lot like alt.sailing.asa, dunnit?

Small motor boat is a great idea. I have a Boston Whaler Rage (15' jet
drive) as a play boat to fill in on those sultry, windless days when raising
sails for no good reason, etc., is a pain. Only problem is that everyone
else on the dock wants to use it.

Mac . . . er, Max

CJH wrote:
This thread just keeps on going, and going, and going... I think that I
have found the immediate remedy to my quest. I think that I will join
the Harbor Island Yacht Club. I have a few friends that sail there and
all enjoy it. I'll have access to good instruction and several
different boats. What a better way to start out.

Can't really think of one, myself. The opportunity to get
first-hand experience on a wide variety of boats is invaluable.

The one bit of advice I would offer is, if you are solicited
to join a racing crew, ask discretely around the club to see
if the skipper is a screamer. If by some chance, you do get
shangaied into racing (or sailing at all) with a nice guy
who suddenly turns into a screaming butt-head, please don't
conclude that all racers (or sailors of that type boat) are
like that. This is a common situation even though screamers
are a small minority, but they drive away good crewand thus
are always recruiting.


I can also buy a
small motor boat for putting around when we go camping to keep the
family happy. Win-win.


It doesn't have to be fancy, those "tin skiffs" are very
practical and a lot of fun.

DSK