Hi folks.

I wanted to get the opinion of the sailors in the group. I have an
option of getting back into sailing this summer full-time as I need to
sell a house and ... move somewhere. I'd like to be able to get onto
a sailboat and do what I need with my business, which is mobile (I
write software).

I used to sail Lasers up until the age of 16, and I grew up on an
Alberg 30 as a kid. Sailing doesn't intimidate me, and I want to be
able to eventually go there. Maybe this is my ticket to doing so.

What is the best way to catch up on sailing, especially on a boat
larger than a Laser? What services can I get in Toronto (where I
live) that might train me for sailing? I want to be able to be on a
boat singlehanded, which I can take down the Erie Canal system down to
Florida, etc.

Love to hear your input.

Cheers

On 2008-02-23 10:59:05 -0500, BeeRich said:

I wanted to get the opinion of the sailors in the group. I have an
option of getting back into sailing this summer full-time as I need to
sell a house and ... move somewhere. I'd like to be able to get onto
a sailboat and do what I need with my business, which is mobile (I
write software).

I used to sail Lasers up until the age of 16, and I grew up on an
Alberg 30 as a kid. Sailing doesn't intimidate me, and I want to be
able to eventually go there. Maybe this is my ticket to doing so.

What is the best way to catch up on sailing, especially on a boat
larger than a Laser? What services can I get in Toronto (where I
live) that might train me for sailing? I want to be able to be on a
boat singlehanded, which I can take down the Erie Canal system down to
Florida, etc.

If I took on crew, I would welcome a Laser sailor before someone
without that experience. If you can handle a Laser, you can sail pretty
much anything. If you raced Lasers, I'd remove the "pretty much"
qualification.

Frankly, the larger the boat, the easier it is to single-hand -- to a
point. Docking a big boat requires more patience and often more crew.
(Our 28 is still small enough that I do all docking solo; my wife will
accept or put the bow lines, but I do the spring lines that allow her
to take her time.)

Living aboard is a separate item. How much space and stowage do you require?

Our 28 is big enough for me for liveaboard, but a bit small for two of us.

A dockmate purchased a grand old Hinkley as he worked at a low-end job.
The mortgage was less than he would have paid for an apartment. When he
was laid off some years later, he and his current girlfriend headed off
to the the islands. He returned 5 or so years later. (I didn't hear
anything about the girlfriend.)

Similarly, one of my nephew's roommates bought a 5 year-old Beneteau
and lived on it in Miami, his base of operations. Again, the mortgage
was less than comparable rents. Additionally, he found there ain't no
better "line" than "would you like to come down to the yacht club to
see my boat?"

Last we heard, he and his new wife were moving the boat to somewhere in
the Carolinas.

--
Jere Lull
Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD
Xan's pages: http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/
Our BVI trips & tips: http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

On Sat, 23 Feb 2008 07:59:05 -0800, BeeRich wrote:

jeez louise don't ya hate that when that happens...forced back? okay
then...T.O. ...no shortage of yacht clubs and marinas...from Hamilton all
the way out to Whitby really...just get out the Yellow Pages...it is lee
shore sailing for the most part, but Lake Ontario is so deep the wave
behaviour tends to be big long rollers and not the kind of bulkhead
loosening rip-rap you get on Lake Erie...if you've got coin, there's no
shortage of nice boats for sale and some real bargains...check out
http://www.boatforsale.net for lots of Ontario listings and since Jere has
mentioned the 28' variety here's a link to my personal fave...

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listi...currencyid=100

cheers

"BeeRich" wrote in message
...
Hi folks.

I wanted to get the opinion of the sailors in the group. I have an
option of getting back into sailing this summer full-time as I need to
sell a house and ... move somewhere. I'd like to be able to get onto
a sailboat and do what I need with my business, which is mobile (I
write software).

I used to sail Lasers up until the age of 16, and I grew up on an
Alberg 30 as a kid. Sailing doesn't intimidate me, and I want to be
able to eventually go there. Maybe this is my ticket to doing so.

What is the best way to catch up on sailing, especially on a boat
larger than a Laser? What services can I get in Toronto (where I
live) that might train me for sailing? I want to be able to be on a
boat singlehanded, which I can take down the Erie Canal system down to
Florida, etc.

Love to hear your input.

Cheers

Although I had only lived in Toronto for a short 5 months while attending
school in 1968/69, a number of the Sandpiper 565 owners I converse with live
in the greater Toronto area and elsewhere in Southern Ontario. Some seem
to like the Toronto Canoe & Sailing club for smaller boats.
http://www.tscc.net/tsccjoomla/

On 2008-02-24 06:52:22 -0500, "mr.b" said:

On Sat, 23 Feb 2008 07:59:05 -0800, BeeRich wrote:

jeez louise don't ya hate that when that happens...forced back? okay
then...T.O. ...no shortage of yacht clubs and marinas...from Hamilton
all the way out to Whitby really...just get out the Yellow Pages...

I don't think I'd appreciate the 6-week season (for our purposes), but
I have lots of friends in the area since our lovely lady was originally
Canadian.

--
Jere Lull
Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD
Xan's pages: http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/
Our BVI trips & tips: http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

On Mon, 25 Feb 2008 05:13:55 +0000, Jere Lull wrote:

I don't think I'd appreciate the 6-week season (for our purposes), but I
have lots of friends in the area since our lovely lady was originally
Canadian.

hah...6 weeks...that's only in the bad years..most years we get 7...7 and
a half...

In article ,
BeeRich says...

What is the best way to catch up on sailing, especially on a boat
larger than a Laser? What services can I get in Toronto (where I
live) that might train me for sailing? I want to be able to be on a
boat singlehanded, which I can take down the Erie Canal system down to
Florida, etc.

Hi;

Not sure quite what you mean by services. There are many school options in the
Toronto area. Queens Quay, right downtown, has keelboat classes mostly on
smaller boats. Humber College has classes as well, as as they are a registered
school, you get a tax deduction!

Many Yacht Clubs, my own Port Credit Yacht Club (www.pcyc.net) have an adult
learn-to-sail that might be a good intro to "big-boat" systems, if you did not
pay much attention at the time you were on the Alberg.

You may want to "invest" in some classes for diesel maint, navigation, etc., but
of course, it all depends on your background and current knowledge.

Humber and other as well will arrange for private instruction on your own boat,
which, as a former laser sailor are more likely in the power handling and
docking area I suspect, rather than the sailing itself, again, depending on how
much you remember from your Alberg days.

Please feel free to contact me off-list if you like and good luck!
scottgregory AT yahoo DOT com

On Feb 24, 3:08*am, Jere Lull wrote:
On 2008-02-23 10:59:05 -0500, BeeRich said:

I wanted to get the opinion of the sailors in the group. *I have an
option of getting back into sailing this summer full-time as I need to
sell a house and ... move somewhere. *I'd like to be able to get onto
a sailboat and do what I need with my business, which is mobile (I
write software).

I used to sail Lasers up until the age of 16, and I grew up on an
Alberg 30 as a kid. *Sailing doesn't intimidate me, and I want to be
able to eventually go there. *Maybe this is my ticket to doing so.

What is the best way to catch up on sailing, especially on a boat
larger than a Laser? *What services can I get in Toronto (where I
live) that might train me for sailing? *I want to be able to be on a
boat singlehanded, which I can take down the Erie Canal system down to
Florida, etc.

If I took on crew, I would welcome a Laser sailor before someone
without that experience. If you can handle a Laser, you can sail pretty
much anything. If you raced Lasers, I'd remove the "pretty much"
qualification.

Frankly, the larger the boat, the easier it is to single-hand -- to a
point. Docking a big boat requires more patience and often more crew.
(Our 28 is still small enough that I do all docking solo; my wife will
accept or put the bow lines, but I do the spring lines that allow her
to take her time.)

Living aboard is a separate item. How much space and stowage do you require?

Our 28 is big enough for me for liveaboard, but a bit small for two of us.

A dockmate purchased a grand old Hinkley as he worked at a low-end job.
The mortgage was less than he would have paid for an apartment. When he
was laid off some years later, he and his current girlfriend headed off
to the the islands. He returned 5 or so years later. (I didn't hear
anything about the girlfriend.)

Similarly, one of my nephew's roommates bought a 5 year-old Beneteau
and lived on it in Miami, his base of operations. Again, the mortgage
was less than comparable rents. Additionally, he found there ain't no
better "line" than "would you like to come down to the yacht club to
see my boat?"

Last we heard, he and his new wife were moving the boat to somewhere in
the Carolinas.

--
Jere Lull
Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD
Xan's pages:http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/
Our BVI trips & tips:http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

Hi there. Sorry for the delayed reply. My world is spinning at the
moment with all kinds of stuff going on.

I am eyeing a Beneteau 35 foot sailboat, but I will have a condo as
well. Beyond that, I have my eye on an Elan 52' sailboat.

I'm looking forward to using that line. Heh.

Cheers

On Feb 24, 7:52*am, "mr.b" wrote:
On Sat, 23 Feb 2008 07:59:05 -0800, BeeRich wrote:

jeez louise don't ya hate that when that happens...forced back? *okay
then...T.O. ...no shortage of yacht clubs and marinas...from Hamilton all
the way out to Whitby really...just get out the Yellow Pages...it is lee
shore sailing for the most part, but Lake Ontario is so deep the wave
behaviour tends to be big long rollers and not the kind of bulkhead
loosening rip-rap you get on Lake Erie...if you've got coin, there's no
shortage of nice boats for sale and some real bargains...check outhttp://www.boatforsale.netfor lots of Ontario listings and since Jere has
mentioned the 28' variety here's a link to my personal fave...

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listi...&units=Feet&cu...

cheers

Hi there. I don't know if I mentioned it, but I was "brought
up" (loose term) on an Alberg 30. I find the Ontario version of
boating to be a bit small for my tastes. I'd rather something
larger. I'm starting to look at a Beneteau 35' and then I want to
move up to something larger. I also have my eye on a slip at National
where I was a member (as a small kid) 35 years ago.

On Feb 26, 9:48*am, sdg wrote:
In article ,
BeeRich says...



What is the best way to catch up on sailing, especially on a boat
larger than a Laser? *What services can I get in Toronto (where I
live) that might train me for sailing? *I want to be able to be on a
boat singlehanded, which I can take down the Erie Canal system down to
Florida, etc.

Hi;

Not sure quite what you mean by services. *There are many school options in the
Toronto area. *Queens Quay, right downtown, has keelboat classes mostly on
smaller boats. *Humber College has classes as well, as as they are a registered
school, you get a tax deduction!

Many Yacht Clubs, my own Port Credit Yacht Club (www.pcyc.net) have an adult
learn-to-sail that might be a good intro to "big-boat" systems, if you did not
pay much attention at the time you were on the Alberg.

You may want to "invest" in some classes for diesel maint, navigation, etc.., but
of course, it all depends on your background and current knowledge.

Humber and other as well will arrange for private instruction on your own boat,
which, as a former laser sailor are more likely in the power handling and
docking area I suspect, rather than the sailing itself, again, depending on how
much you remember from your Alberg days.

Please feel free to contact me off-list if you like and good luck!
scottgregory AT yahoo DOT com

Hi there.

I inquired at the National Yacht Club, and they have courses where
people can learn about boat handling. If they are about "this is how
to sail", that does me no good. But I want to learn concepts of why a
Gib versus a Genoa, etc. I don't know deck terms for larger boats,
heaving-to, etc. Things like that we just don't have on a Laser. I
was 5 years old on the Alberg, so I have faint recollections of it
just being a boat. Again, it isn't about learning how to sail, as I
can rig and race a Laser in 20 minutes. I've also done my Power
Squadron, but that is more theory than sailing-specific instruction.

I think I'll chase up the courses at National.

Cheers