Blissful Boating for Beginners
Posted On 2009-01-05 , 2:17 PM
Blissful Boating for Beginners
This is the start of a blog of our experiences living aboard a sailboat - including lessons we learned, handy hints, know-how about boating, sailing, places to visit, harbors, marinas, boating fun, restaurants nearby, boat maintenance, repairs, service, and boating products.
Boating is fun, blissfully relaxing, exhilarating – and to do it right, you need a boat, good boating equipment, good personal gear and the knowledge of how to go about boating or sailing successfully.
 Boating conjures up many images: from lazy summer afternoons on a lake or river, to cruising on the high seas; and for some enthusiasts the excitement of a winter frost-bite series of races. Boats come in many sizes and shapes – small dinghies, small sailboats, speedy “cigarette” boats and luxurious power boats and ocean racers. It’s generally better to start small and gain experience before taking off on an adventure on a larger boat, be it sail or power. But whatever option you choose, boating is one of the most pleasurable of activities. We lived aboard a large sailboat for 12 years, and had the most fun times in our lives. It requires mental and physical activity. It is outdoors, and is refreshing and enlivening, even in hot and humid weather. If you are feeling stressed out from a hard week at work, just being on the water, smelling the fresh air and listening to the seagulls brings a sense of relaxation and wellbeing. Boating is so much fun!
To do boating right, you need to decide what kind of boat is best for you – your interests, your location and budget. There are many good yacht brokers to help out there, and if you are new to boating, then they can help you decide what’s right for you; and whether or not the boat is seaworthy.
Equally important for boating is the right equipment for the boat and the right gear for you! Depending on the kind of boating you will be doing, you may need everything from electronics, navigation equipment, engine parts, sails, mooring lines, sheets and halyards (landlubbers think of these last three as ropes!), to winches, windlasses and anchors. You will need personal boating gear for yourself, too. You will need good deck shoes and possibly boots, “oilies” (no longer made from oiled cloth, but special waterproof jackets and pants), wet suits, thermal underwear, sailing gloves, life vests, perhaps even life harnesses.
Boating know-how can be obtained by attending sailing and boating classes. Some of these are privately owned, and some have special classes for children, and women. The US Coast Guard, the Coast Guard Auxiliary and the American Sailing Association all offer classes, or can direct you to classes in your area. Many people with boats need crew – and so they may be willing to give you the opportunity for experience, if they know you are enrolled in a boating or sailing class. Go to a nearby marina and put a note on the bulletin board, or put an ad in Craig’s List.
This first Blog page is taken from the home page of our website, and it will give you an idea of what our website is about. We cover all aspects of sailing and boating in our Blog and on our website. Some of it will be serious - lessons learned from our own experience - and some will be humorous. Join us and tell us about your experiences of boating!
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