Sailing tips and advice

casualfox9 said:Sailed around San Diego this weekend. 🙂

What exactly were they sailing? I was right there and didn't see a thing.

Samuel Bennett2 said:What were they sailing on? I was right there and didn't see a thing.

It was Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 PM, right in front of Uskok. There were two 505s and a 470 out there, plus some kids in Optimists.

casualfox9 said:Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 PM, right in front of Uskok, they had two 505s and a 470 out there, plus some kids in Optimists.

I thought there was some kind of regatta going on, so I couldn't make sense of it. I did see that crew out on the water, though.

Hey everyone,

I’ve been on a bit of a hunt lately, looking to pick up something small—maybe an Elan 19, for instance. Does anyone happen to know if one is currently on the market?

casualbear3 said:I’m looking to drop about $6,500 on a boat. I’ve heard the Elan 19 is a solid choice for sailing, but does anything else similar hit that price point? Also, what’s the deal with the Microtonere-micropomo—is that actually the same thing?

What’s the actual endgame here? Are you planning to get into racing, just cruising around the coast, or are you strictly looking to learn the ropes? And more importantly, who are you planning on sailing with?

casualfox9 said:What’s the end game here? Are you looking at racing, just cruising around, or actually learning the ropes? And who's your crew going to be?

Racing isn't really my speed—I'm from San Francisco, so I'll probably stick to local waters. I don't see myself hauling out to San Diego or Santa Barbara for races; I haven't got the time or the crew for that kind of commitment. It's more about hitting the nearby islands in the summer, then heading out with friends in the fall or spring just to soak up the atmosphere. I used to have a FedEx back in the day, but after two years of dealing with a nightmare of an engine that broke down constantly, I offloaded it. Now, I'm thinking smaller. Something I can handle solo or just with one buddy. That's why the Elan 19 caught my eye—maybe a little 5-6hp outboard. The problem is, there's absolutely nothing available online right now. So, I've been looking at Microtonere models, even though they aren't exactly my aesthetic, and I'm even eyeing an Amon 790 with a 10hp diesel tucked in there. They're sitting around $8,500 to $10,000. Sure, the Amon is bigger and heavier, and I won't be able to man it alone, but... I don't know. I'm no genius.

casualbear3 said:When it comes to racing, I'm really just an Uskok guy (I'm from San Francisco); I know for a fact I won't be heading down to San Diego or Santa Barbara for regattas—I simply don't have the time or a crew. What I'm looking for is a boat to hop out to the nearby islands in the summer, or maybe head out with some friends in the fall and spring just to soak up the vibes. I owned a FedEx about five years ago, but I ended up selling it after two years because the engine was a total nightmare and constantly breaking down. Now, I'm thinking of getting something smaller so I can slip out on my own or just with one buddy. That’s why I was eyeing an Elan 19 or maybe just a small 5-6hp dinghy... however, there isn't a single one listed online right now. So, I've been looking at Microtoneres lately (even though they aren't exactly my style), and I've even checked out some Amon 790s with a 10hp diesel installed. They're sitting around $8,500 to $10,000. Sure, the Amon is bigger and heavier, and I won't be able to handle it solo, but... who knows, I'm no expert...

Check out this blog:

It might give you some inspiration. 🙂

casualfox9 said:Check out the blog here:

Maybe I can give you some inspiration 🙂

Awesome!!! So when are you going to pick which boat to feature next? Also, what’s your take on the Amon 790? Keep in mind how I plan to actually use it...

casualbear3 said:Awesome!!! When are you going to pick out the next boat for this series? Also, what’s your take on the Boeing 747, considering how I plan to use it...

The Catalina 14 is a really charming little boat that actually handles quite well given its size. If you find one that's been well-maintained, it makes for a great little cruiser for two people during a summer vacation, or maybe four if you're just looking to mess around a bit.

Unfortunately, you don't see many of these small sailboats at racing events anymore, so finding a group to sail with won't be easy. 😢

I haven't personally taken an Amazon out on the water, but it looks like a solid choice for cruising.

Hey everyone. Back again with the Boeing 747 topic... I went out yesterday to check out two of them that were up for grabs. The first one has a DMB 9ks installed, but man, the interior is just a disaster—absolute wreck—though the hull looks decent enough from the outside. The second one is rocking a Ford 13ks saildrive (2 cylinders); the interior is in better shape, but the fiberglass feels a bit soft and you can hear some creaking in certain spots. The one with the Ford is listed at $8,500, while the DMB version is asking $10,000. As far as sails go, they both come with about 5 or 6—main, storm jib, maybe 2 or 3 genoas, and a spinnaker.
That Boeing 747 with the Ford engine is basically overgrown with weeds; it hasn't been touched in quite a while, if ever. It makes me wonder how susceptible these boats are to osmosis.

What’s the consensus here? What do you all think?

Greetings to everyone else out there who’s just as obsessed with the ocean as I am. You can expect a bit of everything from me—some talk about laser sailing, some deep dives into cruising, and plenty of weather analysis. Just a little bit of this and that.🙂

The crew and I are looking at renting a boat out of Newport this coming June for about a week. The plan is to spend the time island hopping around the coast—hitting up spots like Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, and maybe even heading further south toward Block Island.

I was digging through that list of charter companies attached to the 2007 database, and honestly, it’s a bit depressing. I scrolled through every single one of those pages, and I couldn't find a single Grand Soleil, a Salona, or anything remotely decent. It’s just a endless sea of Bavarias and Oceanis. It feels like if you aren't sailing a mass-produced rental boat, you don't even exist in their eyes. It's all very mediocre.

If there happens to be anyone out of Newport who could point me in the right direction, I’d truly appreciate it. I'm looking to rent a sailboat in the 34 to 38-foot range—doesn't matter what the manufacturer is, honestly, as long as it actually performs decently when you're out on the water. Any leads on a reliable company or even an individual owner would be a massive help.

feralmarlin132 said:Hey everyone, just another person obsessed with the ocean here. A little bit of sailing, some cruising, checking the weather, all that good stuff🙂

My crew and I are looking to rent a boat out of Newport for a week this June to hit up some islands nearby.

I was checking through some local charter lists from back in the day, and honestly, none of the companies listed seem to have anything better than a basic Bavaria or Oceanis. I'm talking zero Grand Soleil or Salona models in sight.

If anyone knows someone in the Newport area, let me know if there’s a company or even an individual renting out a 34-38ft sailboat (any brand really, as long as it actually performs decently), it would be a massive help.

I'm not a local, but I spend a ton of time at the marina near the coast, and from what I remember, they don't carry any boats like that in the whole facility.
It’s all the standard stuff. Honestly, the best thing I’ve ever sailed in their fleet was a Jeanneau 52.2, though obviously, that’s not going to touch a Salona or a Grand Soleil. Still, it beats a Beneteau, a Bavaria, or those Elan boats.
Your other bet might be finding someone who rents privately outside of the big rental agencies, or maybe hitting up one of those larger corporations that lets you do a one-way trip—like starting in one city and ending in Newport—which might end up being cheaper if you pay the extra fee.

I’ve never actually set foot on a Jeanneau before. Would you say a Sun Odyssey holds its own against an Oceanis, or maybe those newer Bavaria models? I've heard some of the older Bavarias actually had more soul than the current ones.

Is there anyone from the DB crowd who can give me the lowdown on the situation over at the marina in Newport? I'm looking for a solid vessel, anywhere in the 33-37ft range, doesn't matter which... Come on, people, help a guy out here.🙂

feralmarlin132 said:I've never actually stepped foot on a Jeanneau... is something like a Sun Odyssey actually better than an Oceanis or those newer Bavarias? (I heard some of the older ones were better)

Is there anyone from the Miami area who knows what's going on at the marina there? I'm just looking for one decent boat, maybe 33-37ft, doesn't matter which model... seriously guys, help a brother out 🙂

What do you mean "which one"? This 52.2 is incredible, but obviously it's way too big for you.

I think there might be a First 36.7 over at the marina in Key West, but I can't remember if it's actually available for charter or whose it even is.

Look, if you're coming from the States, I could probably set you up with something exactly like that at a discount. Just shoot me a PM so I don't look like I'm running an ad here.

Hey everyone, just dropping in to share what I know so far...

I was wondering if it's actually doable to join a sailing club as a total newbie with the goal of getting into competitive racing? Like, you know, doing the whole training school thing and all that.

I'm a little over 14 right now.😢

Emily Newman77 said:Hey everyone, I’ve got absolutely zero experience here...

I was wondering if it's actually possible to join a sailing club as a total beginner with the goal of getting into competitive racing? Like, you know, enrolling in a school, training, all that stuff.

Just so you know, I'm a little over 14 years old.😢

Small glider or keelboats?

Harold Morales said:what do you mean "how so"? That 52.2 model is actually pretty great, though I guess it might just be a bit too big for you

I think there’s a First 36.7 over at the charter company in Newport, but honestly, I can't quite remember if it belongs to them or if it's even part of their rental fleet at all

If you were coming from the States, I could probably help you set up something similar with a bit of a discount—just shoot me a private message so I don't look like I'm running an ad here

Man, oh man, I guess you're a fellow sailor then

Do you work in the charter industry? Or maybe you hit up some of those coastal racing regattas?

I jump in for a skipper gig every now and then... I used to go to maybe ten or fifteen racing events a year back in the day, but I don't get out as much lately. College life has been kind of crushing my soul, so last season I pretty much just stuck to local cruising near the coast😢

Brandon Mitchell6 said:If anyone’s curious about the Boeing class, just hit me up. The first one capsized about a month ago out near Newport, but we managed to get it hitting maybe 18.5 knots, though we’re pretty sure it could push up to 25 if we play our cards right :-). Cheers everyone, especially little hellraiser and the rest of the crew :-))

So I was checking out this boat... saw some stuff on Sailing Anarchy
it looks pretty cool

I even saw that one from Newport, there are photos on the official Boeing sites🙂

I have a few questions, though:

What kind of weight should I be looking at for this? Is it better to go heavier or lighter?

I mean, I figure you have to learn how to balance it all out at first, but I don't think it'd be too much of a struggle. Am I totally off base there?

And how does that whole mechanism work—you know, with the wire on the bow and the wing on the column? How reliable is it really? Did you guys end up buying those?

I was looking at some manufacturers over in the UK and Australia, and they seem to be around 10,000 euros. How did you guys handle the logistics? What did it end up costing you all?

Do you swap out the wings depending on the wind conditions?

Is this the only one currently in the US?

I saw some clips on YouTube where people were hitting 25 knots out on the water without even using a tiller🙂

Jesse Cooper97 said:Man, damn, looks like we’re both sailing enthusiasts

Do you work for a charter company? Or do you actually get out there for the racing circuits?

I pick up some skipper gigs here and there. I used to hit maybe ten or fifteen racing regattas a year, but I don't go nearly as much now. College life just kind of crushed my free time, so last season I basically just stuck to the local waters near Miami. 😢

Hey man, this was a nice little surprise to see.😉

When you mention being out by Miami, are you talking about this past summer or the one before that?

That trip was a dream, honestly—we were on a First yacht, and since the wind died down and left us totally becalmed, we just ended up drinking our way through it.

I do a lot of skip work; that's pretty much how I pay the bills in the summer. I don't work for a big rental fleet, though... I do something similar, but I'm not trying to drop an ad for myself here.
As for racing, I'm not out there constantly. Just a few races this year, but if I can brag a bit, I actually took first place in my class at a recent race in San Diego.

I was supposed to head out to that big Mardi Gras parade last weekend, but the flu absolutely wrecked me.

In my downtime—not that I have much during the summer—I surf, and I also dabble in some old-school sailing. I'm thinking about picking up a Laser this season. I'm only about 165 lbs, so I should be able to handle it okay.

casualfox9 said:Dinghy or keelboat?

dinghies...

A Laser or maybe a 470 if I can find someone else to jump in on...