Need help introducing my wife to sailing.

jackieadams75 · February 01, 2015, 01:18:33 PM

I have sailed for many years. Even crewed on many different boats through GBCA.

I took last year off from sailing to recover from an accident. So I have not been sailing since 2013.

My wife wants to learn what sailing is all about and I have only crewed (no boat owner yet).

Is there anyone out there that would like to help me introduce Natasha to sailing?

Bee · February 01, 2015, 01:35:36 PM

Well Jackie you could always ask the Fat Old (and I do mean OLD) mean and somewhat ugly Bee to take you and her out.

Hopefully you still have my contact info.

Maarten · February 01, 2015, 03:37:37 PM

Have a look at the windward bound sailing camp at the Houston Yacht Club. My recommendation is to get some lessons in a small boat first to get a good feel for wind etc. On a larger boat you will learn to be good on the winch or good on the fore-deck but you miss the general sailing.

sailor here · February 03, 2015, 06:43:55 AM

Great explanation for the reason to take some sailing lessons. Nice and concise. I keep telling my wife she needs to take lessons even though she has experience sailing on big boats. Thanks...

Eric713 · February 03, 2015, 02:04:40 PM

South Coast Sailing has a Colegate 26 for basic keelboat classes. I agree with starting on small boats. Learning from experienced instructors is a great way to introduce someone to sailing. It can be a bit intimidating, but well worth it in the long run. Just my 2 cents worth. I started on 16 ft cats on East Beach in Galveston in 1984. Just getting off the beach, feeling the cooler air, and moving along in total quiet.. I was hooked.. Two weeks later I bought a new Nacra 5.2.

ls120 · February 03, 2015, 03:44:35 PM

My wife and I would be happy to introduce your wife to sailing. We are retired, we have a 32 foot boat, and we can go sailing almost anytime. Pick a nice day and give us a call.
Larry
281 468-7789

Tye Dyed Gary · February 17, 2015, 11:52:27 AM

Have you thought about the Wednesday night races. The next seminar is Feb.25th, It's a good place to meet both experienced and novice sailors, and maybe get a ride. The web site is clearlakeracing.org. Plus on Wed. nights there is always a boat that need crew, and you will learn more in one hour on the lake because of the short legs, then in a weekend on the bay. After April 1st, Seabrook Marina dry storage is a great place to get a ride, just be honest about your sailing knowledge.

STuma · April 24, 2015, 10:18:00 AM

Quote from: jackieadams75 on February 01, 2015, 01:18:33 PM
I have sailed for many years. Even crewed on many different boats through GBCA.

I took last year off from sailing to recover from an accident. So I have not been sailing since 2013.

My wife wants to learn what sailing is all about and I have only crewed (no boat owner yet).

Is there anyone out there that would like to help me introduce Natasha to sailing?

This is defiantly a delicate balance, because the wrong experience could send her the opposite direction. I would recommend a basic class at South Coast Sailing Center or Sacketts Sailing Center. This would give her a basic idea of what to expect. There is a lot of information and depending on how well she absorbs it, could become frustrating. I know both of these programs and they do a good job. I would recommend a more cruising type of environment to keep her interest. Something where the boat does not heal a lot and she can stay comfortable and secure.

How well she takes to sailing, also depends on the personality of who is giving the instructions. Many times I have witnessed couples on a boat and one of them gets quite a bit more excited than the other. This typically turns into some sort of bickering back and forth and eventually one of them quitting. The Windward Bound program is also an excellent program for women to learn to sail. It allows a women to women interaction which takes the male intimidation out of the mix. There are some great male instructors out there, but many times people handle new experiences better with same sex instructors. This all depends on your's and her's personality; there is a method for every combination. But, for her to like it, she has to want to go and enjoy it.

If you need any further information about any of these programs, or any others, please give me a shout.

Good luck and we hope you find something that works.

Cheers...
Scott