Sailing Lessons?

[Ted]

carry-on,

By "screw" I mean a tie down. It looks like a two foot long corkscrew. I have two them screwed into the bottom of the lake, some chain, and then ropes. I had one of them but it was pulled up in a windy storm, so now I use two of them. It works quite well. I actually keep one in the boat and if I want to anchor overnight somewhere in a lake I sometimes use it instead of an anchor if the water is shallow - it holds better than an anchor, of course.

- Ted

[Bob23]

Henry C:
   Sounds like you learned to sail at the Sailing School of Hard Knocks...same one as me. Eons ago, I found an old abandoned Sunfish hull, found or bought mast, spars, a sail and made a daggerboard and rudder. Put her in the water and started sailing. I made many of the same mistakes (read: lessons) that you did. On top of that, I had to sail that boat out a few lagoons to reach the bay. And then back again. I had a blast!
   I think a Sunfish is the best boat to learn on...you flip it, right it, you really can't hardly kill them. Plus you develop a feel for the wind that one can't match on a big boat. We still keep a few of them around.
bob23

[ahmch]

Ahoy
I have taken 101 and 103.  The class was invaluable to me because I had never sailed a keel boat solo.  We took it in Santa Barbara.  The skipper ( instructor ) is what makes the class. Ours was an old salt with nerves of steel.  They do teach the test a bit because they want you to pass and come and take another course. The instruction was great though,  Lots of time spent docking and maneuvering a large boat in the marina.  Which can be daunting as you know.  Overboard drills.  More time spent on water than in a class room.   Oddly enough the wind came up the day after the 103 course, I managed everything fine including docking in the wind.  Then I sat on the deck drinking beer and watching the show.  One boat dismasted under a pier, another lost its helm and ran aground.  
Since you have some experience, You can ask the right questions and get even more from the course.  I say it is worth it because like any other class, you get out what you are willing to put in.

andrew

[MKBLK]

How I learned to sail, by Marty K.

Twas a nice August (I think) day back in '72. Wife's college friend had a Sunfish out on the dock on Barnegat Bay in Ocean City, NJ. "Gee, think I could give it a try?", asked I. "Sure, go for it, we'll guide you from the dock. After 5 minutes of on-the-dock instruction, off I went into the bay with a 10 - 15 mph breeze to shove me along. About 15 seconds and 100 feet later, I had turned turtle! And had no clue how to right the boat. Along came a speedboat chock full of young ladies... "Need a hand", shouted one. "Sure", said I as I embarrassingly watched this 100 lb. young lady flip the Sunfish right-side up almost effortlessly as my wife and her friends stood cracking up on the dock. Lesson number one learned! Lesson number 2: When in doubt - let go! Now that I had some experience, I headed off to the NJ mainland. Long story short, made it there and back with plenty of tacking/jibing practice to boot. When I got back to the dock, having absorbed a bit of "salt", I gave rides to all comers. During all this, I did wear a pfd. Getting wet was one thing (hey, it was a Sunfish after all), but getting conked on the head wasn't on the menu!

Since becoming the proud owner of my CP16 "Pegasus", I've read, read, read, including the ASA text book. I do read Chapman's as well. I try to get on the water at every opportunity and always go with a "buddy" (or buddette). If I can't sail my own boat I'm certainly willing to crew on someone elses. The learning never ends. You can't over-educate yourself on sailing skills. Bottom line - the more you know, the more enjoyable sailing becomes. If you can't take a course, read, read, read. Then try what you learned (hopefully with someone more knowledgeable).

Marty K.