To non sailors that wonder why go sailing, I would ask why do you invest time and energy in your pastime? Why ride a horse? Why ride a motorcycle? Why playgolf? Why go fishing, when buying fresh fish from a commercial fisherman is much cheaper, faster and easier than owning a fishing boat? Why buy a guitar and learn to play it when you can just stream Clapton? The doing is the thing. When comparing sailing to power boating (and I own one and enjoy power boating) I would say when power boating you decide where to go, the boat does the work (I am over simplifying here) and you are mostly a passenger. While on a sailboat you make the boat move with your mind and your senses. It becomes a form of meditation and an achievement as you earn every mile. And while that sounds like alot of work it is actually is very relaxing.
We bought our Suenos de Pipa 2 years ago in Queens New York. We worked on it for about 3 months. Lots of maintenance and upgrades. Then left for Florida…..in the end of November! While it was unseasonably warm when we started the cold came. Luckily we had a little fireplace to keep her warm. It took us about 5 months to get to Saint Mary’s Georgia. Right on the border of FL and GA. Not QUITE to our sunny warm goal. But just as we arrived and had to leave, after literally freezing our asses off 70 percent of the way, we got weather in the 70’s. 5 days prior we had 3 inches of snow on the deck.
We did it all by motoring. Why? We didn’t know how to sail. Neither my wife or I had ever been on a sailboat, sailing or not, previous to buying. It was what we wanted to do and lack of experience wasn’t going to deter us.
So we left the boat in Georgia, left for 8 months. Returned to work on her for several more months. And then left Georgia for Florida. Within about a month we had a good friend we’d met at the boatyard take us out for a couple hours and we finally SAILED our SAILBOAT! WOW! 16-20 winds. Calm lake on the ICW. Tacked about 10 times in 2 hours! Quite a sail. But with a set of training wheels, our friend Mike.
Then several weeks later my wife and I were on our own. In the ocean out from Pompano beach FL and it was to be the first time we put the sail (yes only headsail) out. By ourselves. And turned the engine off.
Wow. It was an entirely different world. A dot in the ocean. No noise. Except the wind and the water. Beautiful day. Our first. No DIESEL NOISE! A memory we both will always remember.
Now we are headed back to our inexpensive boat yard in GA to put her on the hard for another summer. We sail as often as the wind and weather allows. We’ve lost count of how many times we’ve put the sails up. We’ve been sailing up the ICW a lot. It’s a good way to practice because everything has to be done in a channel that can be somewhat narrow.
She’s a Catalina 30 and we are greenhorns. The seas some would call calm, well we might not. Yet. We will leave and then return to do some more boat work (she’s in pretty good condition now, but the sea isn’t something to be fooled with as you stated).
And then we will make the journey to the Bahamas. On sail alone. And have our first experience with no land in site.
Suenos is one of our family members now. Our home. Our car. Our kitchen. Our bedroom. Our diving platform. Our part time job! Ha. Our adventure. Our partner. She’s half of our lives when we aren’t living in Mexico on the LAND.
Right now we are in a beautiful anchorage outside Cape Canaveral. Not a house in site. Only birds, and dolphins, and shoreline, and a beautiful sunrise. Yesterday evening we grilled steaks over a wood fire we built on the beach. And watched the sun set. It’s quite magical this life. Sometimes. Sometimes not, sometimes stress out the ying yang. But we love it.
Someday after thousands of hours of sailing and thousands of hours of work we will have to sell Suenos. And it will be very very difficult.
Her name is Espanol for Pipe Dreams. It was my pipe dream. Now my wife and I share that dream together.
Maybe we will cross wakes. DAMSELv is home ported in Manatee Pocket Stuart. If you are headed to the Abacos, West Palm Beach is a good departure inlet. It's a solid day south of Stuart/St Lucie inlet at ICW speeds.
I am one of those sailor-writers. I’ll offer a question: doesn’t the quiet strength of a boat doing what it is meant to do extend to your writing? Why the sad excuses and acceptance (inclusion) of the incredulous? Closer to the bone is E B White’s The Sea and the Wind that Blows for me. Fair Winds, Will
Hi I have at 52 started my sailing adventure with my partner and captain .. any advice would be amazing ..im new to this although my partner is an experienced sailor… we have our job rioja in glasgow moored up and ready to go… please follow my journal
To non sailors that wonder why go sailing, I would ask why do you invest time and energy in your pastime? Why ride a horse? Why ride a motorcycle? Why playgolf? Why go fishing, when buying fresh fish from a commercial fisherman is much cheaper, faster and easier than owning a fishing boat? Why buy a guitar and learn to play it when you can just stream Clapton? The doing is the thing. When comparing sailing to power boating (and I own one and enjoy power boating) I would say when power boating you decide where to go, the boat does the work (I am over simplifying here) and you are mostly a passenger. While on a sailboat you make the boat move with your mind and your senses. It becomes a form of meditation and an achievement as you earn every mile. And while that sounds like alot of work it is actually is very relaxing.
We bought our Suenos de Pipa 2 years ago in Queens New York. We worked on it for about 3 months. Lots of maintenance and upgrades. Then left for Florida…..in the end of November! While it was unseasonably warm when we started the cold came. Luckily we had a little fireplace to keep her warm. It took us about 5 months to get to Saint Mary’s Georgia. Right on the border of FL and GA. Not QUITE to our sunny warm goal. But just as we arrived and had to leave, after literally freezing our asses off 70 percent of the way, we got weather in the 70’s. 5 days prior we had 3 inches of snow on the deck.
We did it all by motoring. Why? We didn’t know how to sail. Neither my wife or I had ever been on a sailboat, sailing or not, previous to buying. It was what we wanted to do and lack of experience wasn’t going to deter us.
So we left the boat in Georgia, left for 8 months. Returned to work on her for several more months. And then left Georgia for Florida. Within about a month we had a good friend we’d met at the boatyard take us out for a couple hours and we finally SAILED our SAILBOAT! WOW! 16-20 winds. Calm lake on the ICW. Tacked about 10 times in 2 hours! Quite a sail. But with a set of training wheels, our friend Mike.
Then several weeks later my wife and I were on our own. In the ocean out from Pompano beach FL and it was to be the first time we put the sail (yes only headsail) out. By ourselves. And turned the engine off.
Wow. It was an entirely different world. A dot in the ocean. No noise. Except the wind and the water. Beautiful day. Our first. No DIESEL NOISE! A memory we both will always remember.
Now we are headed back to our inexpensive boat yard in GA to put her on the hard for another summer. We sail as often as the wind and weather allows. We’ve lost count of how many times we’ve put the sails up. We’ve been sailing up the ICW a lot. It’s a good way to practice because everything has to be done in a channel that can be somewhat narrow.
She’s a Catalina 30 and we are greenhorns. The seas some would call calm, well we might not. Yet. We will leave and then return to do some more boat work (she’s in pretty good condition now, but the sea isn’t something to be fooled with as you stated).
And then we will make the journey to the Bahamas. On sail alone. And have our first experience with no land in site.
Suenos is one of our family members now. Our home. Our car. Our kitchen. Our bedroom. Our diving platform. Our part time job! Ha. Our adventure. Our partner. She’s half of our lives when we aren’t living in Mexico on the LAND.
Right now we are in a beautiful anchorage outside Cape Canaveral. Not a house in site. Only birds, and dolphins, and shoreline, and a beautiful sunrise. Yesterday evening we grilled steaks over a wood fire we built on the beach. And watched the sun set. It’s quite magical this life. Sometimes. Sometimes not, sometimes stress out the ying yang. But we love it.
Someday after thousands of hours of sailing and thousands of hours of work we will have to sell Suenos. And it will be very very difficult.
Her name is Espanol for Pipe Dreams. It was my pipe dream. Now my wife and I share that dream together.
Cheers
Maybe we will cross wakes. DAMSELv is home ported in Manatee Pocket Stuart. If you are headed to the Abacos, West Palm Beach is a good departure inlet. It's a solid day south of Stuart/St Lucie inlet at ICW speeds.
This is what it’s all about!!! Love it and thanks for sharing!
De Nada!
Well said and exactly right. Thanks for sharing!
Well enough said, kudos.
I am one of those sailor-writers. I’ll offer a question: doesn’t the quiet strength of a boat doing what it is meant to do extend to your writing? Why the sad excuses and acceptance (inclusion) of the incredulous? Closer to the bone is E B White’s The Sea and the Wind that Blows for me. Fair Winds, Will
Thank you and fair point! E.B. White: a great one for sure!
I miss sailing also.
Everything above is true.
Keep up the good work!!
Thanks Brad! Get out there!
Hi I have at 52 started my sailing adventure with my partner and captain .. any advice would be amazing ..im new to this although my partner is an experienced sailor… we have our job rioja in glasgow moored up and ready to go… please follow my journal
Awesome! Following!
Thanku so much
Nailed it. This is why I sailed for so many years till I aged out. Than you
Thank goodness for memories!
I must admit, I do miss sailing 🫡