What are the advantages and disadvantages of going sailing?

Answer 1

If you are infected with a love of sailing, then I don't need to explain it. If you are not, then I probably can never explain it.

In my case, the principal advantages that it brings me great pleasure. I discovered that about 60 years ago, and decided to arrange my life to allow me to do a great deal of sailing, and therefore have a great deal of pleasure. It is all about priorities. Sailing almost always involves being outside in nature, which depending on where you live in the world, can be very enjoyable, or depressing, or even life-threatening.

One mental exercise that I enjoy, is the knowledge that the wind was going that direction anyway, and with my knowledge and the equipment of my sailboat, I can utilize the wind to make even very large boats move, often quickly and easily, from one place to another. Hopefully the destination is where you intended to arrive. But it doesn't always work out that way.

It is free energy, if you don't count the investment and maintenance in the sails, mast, and other parts of the sailboat. On our 38 foot sailboat, we can use our sails to generate the equivalent energy of a 100 hp or greater engine, with no fuel consumed it all. And almost silently. We like that.

We have sailed about 35,000 miles and used a very few hundred gallons of fuel. and sailing is usually very quiet. We like that, too.

The disadvantages are that it's often expensive. You could be injured or killed. Some people find it very boring. Some people get seasick. Some people are frightened when they get away from land, due to the very real danger of dying a horrible death.

If you have not done it before, I recommend in the strongest possible terms, that you not buy a sailboat, until you have experience. Reading books, taking classes, and renting boats are all good ways to learn.

Many marinas have informal races one day a week during some months of the year. You may get on the telephone and find several marinas or yacht clubs near you that do that. Then, depending on the situation, it is often easy to go down and hang around the Marina or yacht club. Be polite and appropriately dressed. Ask intelligent questions. Smile a lot and chat people up. And the first thing you know you'll be invited to go along for free.

As you come to know more people, and become more skilled at the sailing arts, you will become a valuable property that is in demand and get asked to go on more demanding sailing situations. I knew a man who started from zero and within two years crewed on a large sailboat returning from Hawaii to Seattle. For free. They paid his airfare and food. He was very bright, charming, and motivated. Your mileage may vary, but I have lived on a very tight budget all of my life, and in addition to the joy of sailing, I enjoy doing things economically. It is a mental challenge for me, that I enjoy succeeding at. When I do succeed. It sort of like sudoku or playing a good game of Golf.

The basics of sailing can be learned very quickly. Go to the internet, or your local library, and you can learn a great deal if you're so inclined. In my opinion having lived on our 38 foot sailboat, as our only home for over 34 years. And having sailed 53% of the way around the world, and covered far more sea miles than it would take to sail around the world. It is my opinion that before you set off on an out of sight of land sailing adventure, it is appropriate for you to learn about the equivalent of a bachelors degree in college-level study.

You obviously need to learn the mechanics of sailing. The rules of the road at sea. And how your particular boat works, and every minute detail. But you also need to be a mechanical engineer, a chemist, a doctor, a psychiatrist, and engine mechanic, a naturalist, a seamstress, good it painting your boat, a good cook, a MacGyver, a think outside the box problem solver, good with budgeting your money and your time, and so on.

You need to know what kind of towels to buy and a million other skills. Hint, they should be very absorbent, but not very thick, or they will take too long to dry. They need to be no bigger than necessary, but big enough. For most people they should be brown or some sort of dark color that doesn't show stains easily, because laundry will become more challenging than you're used to. You need to learn how to clip them onto the close line correctly and quickly, so that they won't blow off when you're not looking. You need to learn what part of the boat makes a convenient close line already, without having to put up a separate rope. But, to not be in the way. And so on. You can have a whole college course just on proper towel operation. Which is humorous, but is actually not a joke.

Also, be warned that most people enjoy the idea of sailing away, but after a year or two, tire of it, and think of other things they would rather be doing. Or even get divorced. At this time they sell their expensive dreamboat at a loss, because they were not well enough educated when they made the thousands of decisions they needed to make as they bought and outfitted it.

However, many people with the right attitude, and some luck never hurts, buy all sorts of boats, and go off and have a fantastic, life fulfilling, wonderful adventure. Their children grow up on board, sailing to distant lands, and getting an education that few if any of the children left behind will ever know.