| Living on a sailboat does not mean having a parrot on | | | | change belts on your inboard engine, bleed the diesel |
| your shoulder and saying ARGH all day. I remember | | | | engine and how to rebuild your outboard motor |
| the skeptical looks I got on the dock. We had just | | | | carburetor. The other stuff you can pick up. There are |
| purchased an Island Packet 35 in May and I | | | | other cruisers who can help you. |
| announced I would be taking the boat to the Caribbean | | | | Living on a sailboat you have to know a bunch of |
| in November. Sure you are...behind my back they said | | | | knots. Wrong - if you can tie a bowline and know how |
| He doesn't know diddly about boating. PS... 14 years | | | | to tie a line to a cleat you have what you need in this |
| later most of them are still at the same dock. | | | | area. To look cool you should also know how to coil a |
| Let's look at how much they said I needed to know | | | | line that make take you 2 minutes to learn. With a |
| before cruising. | | | | needle and waxed whipping twine you can keep all |
| Navigation - living on a sailboat with a GPS pretty | | | | your lines looking neat. |
| much makes you equal with Magellan. What if it | | | | Living on a sailboat - you need to be a real sailor. |
| breaks? Take a backup for less than $200 get a | | | | Never met any of the yellow slicker crowd in 8 years |
| spare. How hard is it to read a chart, find your position, | | | | in the islands. Can't remember tacking either. Now it |
| and plot waypoints? Celestial navigation and sextant | | | | real cool to go island hopping under sail. But you make |
| work. Give me a break, I could find the North Star and | | | | passages when the sea is down, 4 to 6 foot max, and |
| identify Orion - big deal you never use that stuff. Red | | | | the wind not on the nose. If you must, turn on the |
| right return...it's not physics folks. | | | | engine and motor sail. Comfort and safety are number |
| Radio stuff - living on a sailboat you need to be a ham. | | | | one. Spinnakers forget it; I think we had the chute up |
| Barf - to get a ham license you have to know Morse | | | | once. |
| code. What! In harbor you use the vhf to talk to your | | | | Now when living on a sailboat you will pick up a lot of |
| buds. Turn on the SSB and talk to your friends 300 | | | | knowledge. You will also learn how much is just |
| miles away. You could show a 10 year old how to use | | | | common sense. |
| it. You tune to the NOAA weather to get weather | | | | If you are on dock and want to go cruising, don't think |
| before island hopping, other than that it sits on the nav | | | | you have to have a PhD in 5 areas of nautical |
| station. | | | | expertise. Those that think they do, are usually dock |
| Living on a sailboat you need to be a mechanic. Now | | | | bound for life and not the most pleasant people either. |
| no kidding you do need a little knowledge here. Know | | | | Living on a sailboat is a lot of fun. With common sense |
| where water can come into the boat; know how to | | | | and a few basic skills you can enjoy cruising. I hope |
| work on your stuffing box. You should be able to | | | | you go soon. |