1st Sail

[Rumdirty]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIp6b-vZIbs

Above is a link to a 50 second youtube video. I'm talking but you never see me in it. My friend Joe came out with me. He has never been on a sailboat either. I poseted the video on facebook but wanted to share with the greatest boat forum ever. You guys (and gals) are my internet friends and it's because of so many of you that i had the courage to go buy myself a Mac and go hit the water.

So may I present me and my friend, for our first ever in our lifetime, sailing excursion. Yup, never sailed before in my life. Read sailing for dummies, bought the boat, went sailing. Not the recommended way to learn to sail, but a hull of a lot of fun!

[sailboatmike]

Nice work, congratulations.

May I suggest using the traveller to reduce the amount of heel, just move it to the leeward side a stop or two and the boat will sail faster and more upright, a heeled boat is a slow boat

[yukonbob]

FYI with any on water youtube video’s, don’t opt for the image stabilizing, it really messes with it as the software tries to stabilize the video, but you’re on the water so it ends up distorting people and objects trying to stabilize the water and horizon it never works properly. The worse the weather the worse the distortion.

[Rumdirty]

Thanks for the tips guys! I learn something every day

[Tomfoolery]

Just don't try to release that traveler while it's under load. I didn't notice any control lines on that car, so trying to move it under load is likely to bite a body part pretty hard. Just head up to luff the sail, or slacken the main sheet, move the car (or unpin it), then fall off and/or take in on the main sheet.

Same is true of all live rigging, by the way. Take a turn or two around a winch drum before letting off on a jib sheet that's heavily loaded. Don't let a line slip through your hand, or at least, you won't do it a second time if you do it a first time. Wear sailing gloves if it's getting exciting out there.

[vizwhiz]

Congrats!

[topcat0399]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIp6b-vZIbs

Above is a link to a 50 second youtube video. I'm talking but you never see me in it. My friend Joe came out with me. He has never been on a sailboat either. I poseted the video on facebook but wanted to share with the greatest boat forum ever. You guys (and gals) are my internet friends and it's because of so many of you that i had the courage to go buy myself a Mac and go hit the water.

So may I present me and my friend, for our first ever in our lifetime, sailing excursion. Yup, never sailed before in my life. Read sailing for dummies, bought the boat, went sailing. Not the recommended way to learn to sail, but a hull of a lot of fun!

Just as we did, bought a boat, read a book, and splashed it.
Just be sure to always expected the unexpected and mind your situational awareness at all times -
especially when asleep at anchor.

[dlandersson]

And if you were closer we could be even more friendly, say at midnight with some parts runs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIp6b-vZIbs

Above is a link to a 50 second youtube video. I'm talking but you never see me in it. My friend Joe came out with me. He has never been on a sailboat either. I poseted the video on facebook but wanted to share with the greatest boat forum ever. You guys (and gals) are my internet friends and it's because of so many of you that i had the courage to go buy myself a Mac and go hit the water.

So may I present me and my friend, for our first ever in our lifetime, sailing excursion. Yup, never sailed before in my life. Read sailing for dummies, bought the boat, went sailing. Not the recommended way to learn to sail, but a hull of a lot of fun!

[Catigale]

Sail shape was perfect...well done! One of the reasons you did well was ypu didn't pick a light air day. Enough wind to move the boat easily without being crazy....

You need to wear PFDs under sail, at all times. If one of you goes overboard you will have trouble going back to get him...

(sorry to pontificate...but.....

[TaZ-n-Izzy]

congratulations

[Rumdirty]

Still working on all the finer arts but managed to make the boat sail downwind and upwind(ish). Wind was perfect for learning conditions. Every change, adjustment, or mistake pretty much showed immediate results. Absolutely exhilarating experience.

I'll be getting one of those west marine auto-inflate life jackets for soloing. If the conditions were bad we probably would have worn PFDs but both of us are confident enough swimmers that we were comfortable without them. I know some folks swear that they should be worn at all times and some don't. I wear mine based on conditions and or whether or not I'm with another person. Were we are in the bay it's preety easy to swim to shore or depending on the tide, just stand up.

Tom, interesting advice. I was keeping one hand on the main and the other on the wheel for about 20 minutes early on. Getting a feel for the power and proper look of the main. I imagine the pulley system made it much easier for me to manhandle it. When I tried tightening in my jib earlier, it was such a load I almost broke the winch out. Couldn't believe how much muscle force it too to bring that jib in! So is the traveler under load feeli like the forces of the jib or still like the forces on the main?

Can't wait to overnight in some anchorage. Got some electrical work to do first. May just go stay at a marina in the meantime!

Thanks again everyone!

[Signaleer]

A lot of what you were doing looked great. There are many on here that can help you with balancing the sails, shape, trim, etc.

One thing I do is this: As the skipper of your boat, you are responsible for every soul on board... I wouldn't be in a boat under sail without each passenger wearing life vests. (Yes, I too did my first sail without them...) But as an experienced skipper now, it wouldn't happen. There's too much risk that is not even related to sailing - what if someone has a medical condition, or any other issue that results in them in the water? A life vest and knowing proper recovery techniques is something I'd encourage anyone new to boating/sailing learn early on.

Now keep having fun! Looks like you are doing awesome.

Ed.

[seahouse]

Well done Rumdirty! Tilting too!

Another thing to be aware of (if the rules and regs are the same as here) is that the inflatable PFD's do not count as being on board unless you are actually wearing them at the time. So if those are the only ones you have on board, and you aren't wearing them, then you aren't in compliance. As you know, non-inflating ones don't need to be actually worn to count.

[sailboatmike]

I hate to be a scare monger or drama queen but really wearing a life jacket is just a basic especially while your learning the ins and outs.

I recon if you spoke to half the people that drowned in boating accidents they would tell you they a good swimmers or they didnt worry because they were just offshore, the thing is if you accidently gybe or tack it way too easy to cop a hack from the boom and go overboard, the best possible outcome would be that come to the surface shake you head and your mate can bring the boat around in a reasonable time, the worst is that you are injured or unconscious and the life jacket will keep you afloat.

Crash gybes or taking the nose passed the wind so the boom swings over is very easy while your learning and trying to watch everything (sail shape, trim, helm) at the same time.

Be safe on the water is rule No. 1 and any sailing book worth 10 cents will tell you that on the first page

[Do+fus1]

We, the Admiral, and I, did our first sail yesterday on our Mac 'N Seas. My brother and his wife came along to give pointers since he used to sail. We picked the hottest day possible. Congratulations and have fun.