learning to sail

[jhopps]

I believe the CP 16 to be one of the best boats to learn to sail with.

I had rented  a Sunfish a few times when I was younger which was all
the experience I had to sailing when I bought my CP 16.  I saw my boat sitting in someone's driveway with a For Sale Sign on it, It looked like just what I thought was the right boat for me so I bought it without a clue to what I was doing.  

Some sailor I talked to along the way for for advise told me to take it out in all conditions if I wanted to realy learn how to sail.  Well, That is just what I did.  First year spent two or three days a week trailering out to nearby lake after work.  Sometimes not launching because I thought the conditions were too strong for me.  But after that first year most of my sailing was done on Lake Sinclair, MI.  I tried all kinds of stuff to get to know my boat and grew to love her.  One of the best TIPS I can give any new owners out there once they have mastered the basics is to tie the helm down at dead center and then experiment steering the boat with just the sails.  Bring the jib in  and she will fall off the wind, ease a little and she'll come back up.  Try bringing in the main and she'll point up, ease again and fall off.  Tacking is pretty hard unless you have lots of speed but a jibe will get you on the other tack.  Good Luck to all the new sailors in the Group