Hello friends! A lot of you are wondering "but what is this amazing school that you learned at?!" Unfortunately, our favorite instructors in the World don't run a school anymore. If they had, we would have spread the gospel as much as we could to bring them all the business we could get them because they were truly incredible. So the next best thing we could do was to give you tips!
I just did an RYA course similar to yours (two weeks on board) in Corfu. www.corfuseaschool.com/rya-practical-sail-cruising-courses-in-greece/. Excellent Excellent tuition and really good people. Highly recommended and I think they do courses all year rond.
Allabroad in Gibraltar is a great RYA sailing school - Gib is a great place to learn to sail because it's easy to access, tidal and challenging sometimes. Sailing in the bay surrounded by a hundred tankers manoeuvring or at anchor makes you a bit less nervous when you see one on the horizon later in your adventures! See you in the Caribbean, planning on my transatlantic this year hopefully!
Guys, as a RYA Instructor can I take this opportunity to thank you so much for endorsing the importance of getting training and in particular the RYA. Many people come on courses because they are inspired to take up sailing by You Tubers like yourself. Sadly however there are some within the community who will bleat that the Competent Crew Course is a waste of time and that you won't learning anything on a Day Skipper Course. It is so frustrating when some students turn up with this kind of mindset and have a miss held belief that the course is an attendance only course. They watch a few You Tube videos and think "How Hard Can It Be" then after a couple of days they suffer quite a shocking reality check. Keep up the good work.
I'm scheduled to take the ASA 101 course a couple weeks from now. Currently reading a US Coast Guard Sailing Fundamentals book. I've always wanted to sail the seas, but growing up in the midwest US, a thousand miles from the nearest coast, I don't think I ever really believed it would happen. I'm so pumped! Thanks for the inspiration!
We all take slightly different paths, mine was 20 years of Sunsail chartering, interspersed with RYA Competent Crew, Day Skipper Theory (at night school) and Practical, Yacht Master Theory (again at night school) and Costal Skipper Practical. For the transition from serial yacht charterer to yacht owner, the Hamble School Of Yachting's 7 day Yacht Maintenance course has been essential.
One very solid advice I once got from an experienced skipper was to make a plan before you sail: "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail". I found that a very wise advice.
A very good commentary on the learning curve. I have been on boats since I was a child, my family having been in various boat businesses. But those were power boats. My future wife and I plan to have a sailboat built when I retire at the end of next year and I am starting at zero on the knowledge scale. Despite the normal trepidation, I am looking forward to it.
Really..a very well done episode. Relatable, knowledgeable and fun to watch ! I love how you guys have progressed, responsibly, into confident sailors. Very cool....
My journey: 1. Crewed on a 22' Catalina for three summers racing in NW Arkansas (1983-86) 2. Took an ASA 101 course from Seattle Sailing School (2017) 3. Took an ASA 103/104 course from Seattle Sailing School (2018) 4. Crewed on a 47' Kaufman with John Kretschmer - USVI to Annapolis (10 day passage offshore - 2019) 5. Took an ASA 105 course in preparation for 6 (2020) 6. Signed up (through Crewseekers) to crew on a 40' Bavaria from BVI to Denmark (2020) For me, this has worked exceptionally well. I have been comfortable at all times. And it's been a very workable timetable for me. Personal circumstances preclude buying a boat and setting off for distant shores; however, I have found that this has satisfied my appetite for sailing. I will probably continue on this path, seeking crewing opportunities each summer (I'm an academic, so...) and possibly pursuing additional certifications and licenses to allow me to skipper on deliveries. So, I think there's an answer for everyone that will fit their personal requirements. I really envy (and admire) what you two have been able to accomplish.
Putting up the mast this weekend (hopefully) and then go for my first sail ever. I have motored her down here before. I do it step by step.. It cant be that hard. They say you learn how to sail in one day, but seamanships takes a lifetime to accquire.
My hats off to you guys, I'm impressed how you take on projects with no experience or knowledge, but thats how you get experience. From water filter installs to fishing, great job, hat off to you guys!
As someone looking to buy and start sailing in the next 2-5 years this is a great help. Thanks for all the great info advice and help definitely look forward to seeing more.
I’ve Nigels book on Diesel engines on my kindle and the other one is in the shopping cart to buy a physical copy once I recollect my boat. Anytime I read it I feel like I can overhaul it by myself as it’s written in a simple and complete way. Great guy.
For anyone looking to learn, I recommend Sailaway simulator. Weather and currents are taken from live data, thus when you sail the world, you must, route plan, weather plan, navigate as well as trim the sails and change sail plans as per wind etc. Very life like sim, minus the sea sickness.
You RYA instructor Chris is a dude - he's a friend taught me my day skipper too! He now lives in Rubicon in Lanzarote. Well done guys, love the channel!
Just one to add: Consider to join your local sailing club, there you can get a lot of first hand information from more experianced sailors or you can get member of some crews to rise your experiance.
This is great advice, thanks. My wife and I are thinking about taking to the water but have zero experience and I wasn't sure where to start. We're both experienced scuba divers and see a boat as a natural progression to travel and enjoy our passion.
You guys are great and am really enjoying watching your videos we started our live aboard on a 43ft Carver very scary but like you said great community and plenty of people to help I have loved using the boat made sure I could bring it into the berth and rafting up with other boats we have now sold her and have bought a yacht 42i Jeanneau SO and am learning all over again, we are about to sit our Boat masters course here in New Zealand 🇳🇿 and hope to start our cruising full tim in a couple of years, just can't wait. Thanks again Sophie and Ryan
I've been watching your videos for several hours today and have to comment on how useful and entertaining they are! Awesome job from both of you! I'm waiting for March to come round as the RYA Courses where I live don't run over the winter and I'm a complete beginner! Keep safe on your adventures and I can't wait to see what you post up next! (Big Thumbs up!)
This is the video I've been looking for! We completed out sailing lessons in Canada earlier this year and just bought a Lafitte 44 in Florida. Have been having a lot of thoughts about whether we were ready etc. Plan is to take it easy until we get our bearings with it but happy to hear we're not the only ones who kinda "winged it". Off to the Bahamas in a couple months hopefully,, maybe we'll cross paths one day. Thanks again!
For most people thinking of getting started, I’d suggest that a better book to start with than Beth’s is Captain Fatty Goodlanders How to Inexpensively and Safely BUY, OUTFIT, and SAIL a Small Vessel Around the World. The primary aim is to assist the frugal, safety-conscious sailor in the purchase and repair of a modest sailboat capable of circumnavigating. The core premise: there is little correlation between dollars spent and pleasure received when it comes to cruising offshore. Cheaper boats can be far more seaworthy than their expensive counterparts if the skipper’s money is spent wisely. It is also a practical step-by-step guide to circumnavigating inexpensively-written by a freedom-loving sailor who has sailed twice around the world on a $3,000 salvaged boat. What equipment do you really to sail offshore? How can you acquire much of this gear for free or inexpensively? What items are cheap where? How can you earn "freedom chips" as you cruise? Which routes are best? What common cruising gear do you NOT need? Why? It even points out the advantages of being on a tight budget: more friends, sharing, destinations, time, culture, freedom, fun, camaraderie, parties, and a clearer cruising focus. In addition, it opens up a completely new, fresh “sea gypsy” world to the landlubber-a wonderful, wacky, watery world of international brotherhood upon the high seas. Of special interest is the unusual, non-PC section on earning-as-you-go. The book is divided into three main sections: How-to buy a boat for peanuts, How-to safely outfit that vessel cheaply, and How-to happily sail around the world on a handful of pennies. The focus is on simple, effective, practical, inexpensive solutions that allow the sailor-on-a-shoestring to have twice the fun on half the money. The dream of leisurely sailing around the world is neither an impossible nor unrealistic one. Dozens of sailors escape to paradise every day. Why not you?
Oh that’s so cool!!! Well, here is something that we have done for people who were like us when we got started: www.brighttrip.com/sailing It launches next week and is all about how to get started, how to learn and build up experience, how to choose a boat and how to equip it. I think you’ll like it :)
If there was a billboard chart of sailing channels yours is definitely coasting easily at no.1 for me. Honest, sincere, funny, informative, friendly, you've got there off your own blood sweat and tears. Thank you Ryan and Sophie, keep coasting there at the top!! Just got to give a mention also to Sailing Yacht Florence who are fab and coming at at nbr 2! :-). x
Great video, really enjoyed it! We are just learning to sail with our McGregor 26. Lake sailing.....so far. Interesting to know how other couples start. Thanks from Western Canada eh!
Thanks for this video. Great tips. When Sophie was listing all the people in your lives who've never sailed for some reason I had the thought, Joseph Conrad sailed for only 20 years, John Le Carré was a spy for only about 5 years, I have no idea (after reading all his books) if Patrick O'Brian actually sailed. I found this in Wikipedia: "He sailed for two weeks in 1994, his friend who owned the boat said "... his knowledge of the practical aspects of sailing seemed, amazingly, almost nil" and "...he seemed to have no feeling for the wind and the course, and frequently I had to intervene to prevent a full standing gybe. I began to suspect that his autobiographical references to his months at sea as a youth were fanciful." Tip #6 Go outside your comfort zone. Deliberate Practice is when you take apart the skill and practice specific discrete elements. This is what professional golfers do and why they're good, retired dentists who golf as many hours as a pro never get any better because they do not take apart the skill and work on specifics. There is no such thing as 'natural talent.' I think I've proved this a hundred times. Always I'm a disaster starting out. The Manoeuvering at Close Quarters book is an example of deliberate practice. Today is my first sailing lesson. Thanks for the encouragement.
Great video! One thing I would add is don't let anyone near your boat to carry out repair work unless you are really sure of their ability AND costs. There are a miriad of books on boat maintenance and it pays in every respect to get to know your boar and it's maintenance requirements yourself. Your early videos are really insightful as to just how stressful it can be, tempered with excitement of every day being a new adventure.
Thanks for a fantastic Video. I am off to Gib in June to do my Coastal Skipper ready for an adventure like yours. Thanks for sharing, really insightful. I am expecting a few stumbles and bumps along the way
Thanks a lot for giving me the link for this video. It was soooo good. You guys were really directing this to me I'm sure. Yes, the ASA is what I planned on doing. I live in Ca. so there are plenty of schools here. I was writing down the titles of the books you showed and then at the end you said you had a link, lol. I'll pick up a couple. I'll wait for a newer edition of "The Voyagers Handbook". Again, you guys did a good job and I really enjoyed watching and I learned a few things already. Ok. I'm going to take a look at some of your other videos.
Good resources. Good video. I like and intro to sailing book that Gary Jobson contributes to. He's easy to read and follow especially when things get complicated. Also, good advice on challenging ourselves. That's my plan for this summer on my little 22 foot kee; boat.
As an addendum to tip #1 I’d add start with small boats, maybe not dinghies but something around 21-24 feet so the loads are small and you can actually feel how the sail controls, wind and waves all interact. These dynamics are making more muted on big boats. In addition to getting training from an accredited school with a standardized curriculum, then look for local sailing associations or clubs that organize informal and formal racing. Skippers are always looking for crew, so you can practice your skills and expand your knowledge on somebody else’s boat first.
I would not say the ASA and RYA are equivalent but I take you point. The RYA are a lot more practical hands on, ASA has a lot more classroom only . Not sailing with other sailors is a mistake, you can learn so much from others sailors. Cheers Warren .
It’s good to have a trade when traveling,you’ll be more welcomed and tools,it’ll ease on the expenses of life in other locals, it’s nice living on the water,it is a family, peace and adventure
At 10:40 , I can see the fear in your eyes. It is like wow these waves are big. I guess I stick with my Laser 1 on the local lake. I enjoyed your vid. There is so much to learn and I am glad you guys are pointing that out. One thing you did not mention other then the Voyagers Handbook is how to finance it all. Cheers
I was s**t scared!! Honestly, those waves weren't that big, but it was shallow and extremely choppy... Glad that passage is behind us, but I'm definitely more comfortable these days!
HI, have been following your channel for quite some time I really loved to see my home waters! I live in Nacka, been having my boats around Nacka for 20 years :) I really liked your tips for beginners - I still see myself as an amateur, even tough I have spent all my summers on my boat and every weekend from april/may to october the last 20 years. First morotboats and now a sailboat, we enjoy the east coast of Sweden. We have a plan to take a break and sail full time, the kids needs to be a little bigger first so they coap long passages. I missed one crusual tip - that really should be on the top - No shouting what so ever! We see this all the time, when people are trying to moor. The people on the boat shout at eachother, when someone shouts at you get stressed - shout back - more stress and so on. Me and my wife most of the time uses handsiglans to show when to stop and how far we are from the dock/land or what ever, this works very well! Our friends often say - damn you two are so calm when you moor - how :) Another tip is to singlesail/single moor - so you know how to manuvre the boat yourself - then the helping hand becomes - help - not something you have to rely on. You can single do things while you are two on the boat. Keep up the good work and hope to see you out on the blue!
Nacka! 😍 This is where our boat was (we had to take Baggenstäcket each time we wanted to go out South!) and we miss it a lot! Your tip is one of our number 1 rules onboard! (ryanandsophie.com/welcome-onboard-what-to-expect-when-you-come-sail-with-us/) Nothing makes you want to quit more than yelling/complaining/bad atitudes...
Ryan & Sophie Sailing yea I can guess fitting it in will be tricky now . There is Offshore and Offshore celestial if you can find some one to teach it Love you’re stuff Keep it xx Yacht Sea Frog Ebbtide 33
Greetings from Stockholm! I’ve been watching youtube sailingchannels for two years and only discovered you guys this morning! Great storytelling. I’m going to work my way through you videos in order to catch up fast!
I don’t know how you feel but I love this woman. Normally a French accent gets to me. Kinda like finger nails on a chalk board. But what she does with it is music to my heart.
If you’ve got the time go back and watch all these guys videos they are tops and it’s entertaining Sophie is a true professional presenter and such a personality
Great video! We added more books to our cart. We agree that time is everything. We did fantastic on our ASA training. But then came the first solo sail... 🤔
Great vid. After day skipper I hesitantly took a race course that involved a bunch of races...then I stayed with the boat and did a bunch of long distance races over a year...I didn’t really enjoy it because of some personality friction but I don’t regret taking a race course, you def push your limits and learn some valuable lessons while literally exhausted ... like gybing the boat (but only 50 per cent sure of the sequence)under full symmetrical at three in the morning in 20 plus knots...while the skipper is sleeping.Basically... racing involves many moments of chaos... its good to witness this chaos to see feel immense pressure because there is no doubt..you will experience intense moments when you get your own boat.plus you learn pure sailing without the aid of any engines.We even learned what to do when there was Zero wind in the dead of night and we were literally drifting backwards due to a tidal current.
Nick Bowles haha.Exactly! Except in our case...the skipper ,bored of this no wind situation said “I’m going to bed. Wake me up when the wind comes back”. So another newb and I sat there drifting backwards slowly(We didn’t know you could anchor during a race). After awhile we noticed we were gaining speed (in reverse) AND drifting near rocks which were hard to see since it was 2am. At the last moment we woke up the skipper and he immediately yelled “start the engine. We retire!” As we motored to a nearby luxury marina we saw many boats anchored in the dark waiting for the wind. When we got to the resort, we broke into the amazing spa and skinny dipped in the hot tub. ( too bad the crew was comprised only of sweaty dudes).In the morning after an amazing breakfast we sailed home ...the wind had returned! then all of a sudden we saw the racing fleet , heeled over with full sail...still battling it out on the course. In the morning the skipper was quickly scurrying down the dock clutching coffee and croissants saying “ ok. Hurry . Let’s go!”afterwards I suspected he didn’t pay moorage and scammed his way into the luxury breakfast buffet ). We were rested , clean and had full bellies but I wished we were still racing! I realized there that sailors are crafty ,hardy and sometimes scoundrely.
Lots of really useful content here. Thanks for taking the time to do this. Hope you are enjoying your time ashore, now that you finally got there! I bet it takes a couple of days to stop rocking on the spot though :0)
Hello, I found you two because of the Amel 54 review. Then, I was intrigued by both of you; and watched a series of your videos. You are totally charming, straightforward and informative. I dream of experiencing sailing as you did. Now, I would be expecting your next production.
If you don’t know anybody or have any friends to learn from, a) go to a couple of local marinas and inevitably you will find some local publications that are usually free that will have info in them about local resources that you can investigate to figure out how to get going, and b) search the web to find out where and when your nearest local boat show is, as there will be exhibitors there from sailing schools and all kinds of other marine organizations that can provide you with info to get going.
I think i fall in the category of not being nice to my self hehe. I don't allow my self to do mistakes that would hurt me or anyone else nor the boat. This is at the cost of sailing time and slowly progressing. I mainly sail solo so i try not to make stupid mistakes. I do ofc make some mistakes since i'm learning by doing. When i bought the boat my first trip to get the boat home took 3 days(First time riding a sail boat) but all the other sailing iv'e done during last summer has only been day trips and mostly in easy conditions. I do have a lot of time and my goal is to spend weeks on end on the boat but i'm far from reaching that goal. Next summer i intend to explore a bit more in my area(some islands) but that will require me to be in shallow uncharted? waters, i will most definitely hit my first rock/ground doing this. I bought a cheap / not sensitive / not deep boat just for this so i won't feel bad about it taking some hits. The dream would be to sail to the Mediterranean :)
Well done guys heroes from zero , VERY nice episode as usual but I have one point for you: When ever you will do a passage out of your comfort zone take with you an experience sailor as process of building your knowledge.
It is a little funny you choose Gibraltar for a sailing course while living in Stockholm Sweden? It feels like leaving a stream behind when looking for water. And there are sailing schools all over the country during summer (especially in Stockholm and Gothenburg) but also courses for formal certifications and sailing boat associations and clubs. As you probably know by now boat life is an inherited part of being swedish and there is probably no easier way to get into sailing than sailing around with swedes. And by sailing around with swedes you get all the information you want.
Been there, done that! You didn't crash, anchor against gel coat is merely a kiss between boats, keeps your hearts pumping a little faster. During those first years of sailing my wife and I I certainly did a lot of yelling (and cursing) as we learned to dock in ever changing wind conditions. That too shall pass....
I have two tips for anybody starting to sail. One is learn to sail a dinghy - even if you plan to do all your sailing in yachts. In a few hours you will do dozens of tacks and gybes, runs, reaches and beats and you can't reach for the red button when you want to get home. If you do it in an estuary you will also learn to cheat the tide and sail upwind. Your sails will become your primary piece of safety equipment. The second would be to go racing. This will hone all that you learnt on a dinghy. Both these experiences will make you a safer and more efficient sailor and less of a slave to the engine. It's greener too.
Great vlog again...thanks guys ...my husband is sitting his final exam in his RYA Theory Day Skipper course next week here in Ireland ...then he has to do the practical Day Skipper Course ...any suggestions for good instructors in Europe by your other followers would be greatly appreciated ...we have been motor cruising for 12 years now but as you know they do not compare ....TIA
Just came across your channel because I was searching for this topic. I subbed and intend to keep watching . How do you build confidence? I learned to sail thru Boston sailing school but I still was afraid to take out my 30' sailboat. Thank you for the straightforward advice, you guys rock.
I'm about to start out but for Covid-19 would have been taking RYA course. I did a beginners course in a yacht club in Philippines and learned how to ready a boat, set off from mooring and the techniques of jibe and tack. This video is very useful and I wonder if you recommend buying a boat as soon as I pass the training as I have no sailing contacts. Do you have how to identify a and buy a boat video or advice?
Great video you two. We also felt the same after we did our RYA courses in Gibraltar in February 2019. It then took us a while to find our yacht in Spain and get her kitted out the way we wanted. So it was about 5 months before we could actually head out of the marina to begin our adventure and our biggest fear was that we'd forgotten everything we'd learned in February. It's been a varied ride since then. Just one question, Why did you only spend 1 season in The Med? Cheers, Baz & Aannsha.
We met them in Lanzarote indeed, and it was such a great moment, showing them our boat and talking about the Atlantic crossing with them :) I don't know which of them or us were the proudest! ☺
While I would definitely applaud the fact you were smart enough to take some intro sailing instruction, the next logical progression would have been for you to get a bare boat cruising certification where you would have learned a lot of those skills that you had problems with. Then actually do some bareboat charters someplace warm like the BVI. Then maybe start the thinking about buying a boat.
Good advice and working and helping out more experienced crews is a good way to progress. Important to do all the courses though to understand the basics
In terms of certification (experience aside), do you really only need the day skipper certification? Does that allow you to cross Oceans or is it restricted to a certain distance off the coast?
Hi Ryan and Sophie! I'd like to ask your opinion about sailing licenses. Is the RYA day skipper licence enough to sail around the world? I live in Germany and have an equivalent sailing licence for sailing in coastal waters. But here they insist that one should have at least an ocean-going skippers licence. I think that is equal to the yacht masters licence. What is your opinion after having crossed the big pond?
Could you talk about something I have not scene on many sailing channels which is , how much money do you feel comfortable with in reserve or for emergency or for comfort. IE Savings and Future exploits and change of lifestyle. Do you consider yourself Nomads or Nomadic as far as work sailing and Country ?
If I understood correctly, you bought your boat, had a 7 day season and then just winterized. Wouldn't it have been better and cheaper to charter a boat out for a few weeks, on different occasions so you can get the reps in?
your view point is valid and is the exact reason a lot of people charter boats but we wanted to get to learn OUR boat, the boat we would be sailing around the world in. Sailing is sailing but learning about the boat can be done at the dock or when hauling out. So while we maybe only sailed her 2 or 3 weeks of the year we were always out on here, learning all the non sailing, sailing parts. Ryan
Yes and no! She was a big boat, especially in Stockholm's archipelago. But we got to grow with her and get to know her by heart. In retrospect, we should almost have bought bigger :/
Thank you guys for the time and energy you put into producing these vlogs! Channels like yours have fueled the dream and furthered the education of many sailors. My wife and I took the plunge 2 years ago and purchased our first sailboat. Thinking ~30’ we wound up with a 38’ boat in the end. We also have no regrets in spite of all the advice for newbies to start small. There was certainly an intimidation factor to work through the first few outings but we quickly became comfortable. We took an excellent week long live aboard course and had experienced sailors aboard for the initial voyages. I think your advice to get good instruction and keep learning thru responsibly pushing your personal comfort level is spot on. The right size of boat is a function of that comfort level and will be different for everyone. Bottom line - get out there! Fair winds
Hello friends! A lot of you are wondering "but what is this amazing school that you learned at?!" Unfortunately, our favorite instructors in the World don't run a school anymore. If they had, we would have spread the gospel as much as we could to bring them all the business we could get them because they were truly incredible. So the next best thing we could do was to give you tips!
positive SOPHIE very +++ molto bene . need a first mate as positive and constructive as you are !
I just did an RYA course similar to yours (two weeks on board) in Corfu. www.corfuseaschool.com/rya-practical-sail-cruising-courses-in-greece/. Excellent Excellent tuition and really good people. Highly recommended and I think they do courses all year rond.
Allabroad in Gibraltar is a great RYA sailing school - Gib is a great place to learn to sail because it's easy to access, tidal and challenging sometimes. Sailing in the bay surrounded by a hundred tankers manoeuvring or at anchor makes you a bit less nervous when you see one on the horizon later in your adventures! See you in the Caribbean, planning on my transatlantic this year hopefully!
Awesome you 2 are an inspiration to this world...Best content on UA-cam
Guys, as a RYA Instructor can I take this opportunity to thank you so much for endorsing the importance of getting training and in particular the RYA. Many people come on courses because they are inspired to take up sailing by You Tubers like yourself. Sadly however there are some within the community who will bleat that the Competent Crew Course is a waste of time and that you won't learning anything on a Day Skipper Course. It is so frustrating when some students turn up with this kind of mindset and have a miss held belief that the course is an attendance only course. They watch a few You Tube videos and think "How Hard Can It Be" then after a couple of days they suffer quite a shocking reality check. Keep up the good work.
I'm scheduled to take the ASA 101 course a couple weeks from now. Currently reading a US Coast Guard Sailing Fundamentals book. I've always wanted to sail the seas, but growing up in the midwest US, a thousand miles from the nearest coast, I don't think I ever really believed it would happen. I'm so pumped! Thanks for the inspiration!
We all take slightly different paths, mine was 20 years of Sunsail chartering, interspersed with RYA Competent Crew, Day Skipper Theory (at night school) and Practical, Yacht Master Theory (again at night school) and Costal Skipper Practical. For the transition from serial yacht charterer to yacht owner, the Hamble School Of Yachting's 7 day Yacht Maintenance course has been essential.
One very solid advice I once got from an experienced skipper was to make a plan before you sail: "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail". I found that a very wise advice.
Thank you for this. At 57, I am learning to sail. I know my first day out alone will be an experience that both terrifies me and excites me.
best of luck! Fair winds sailor ~
How exciting!!! We wish you the best of luck and let us know how it went!
A very good commentary on the learning curve. I have been on boats since I was a child, my family having been in various boat businesses. But those were power boats. My future wife and I plan to have a sailboat built when I retire at the end of next year and I am starting at zero on the knowledge scale. Despite the normal trepidation, I am looking forward to it.
Really..a very well done episode. Relatable, knowledgeable and fun to watch ! I love how you guys have progressed, responsibly, into confident sailors. Very cool....
I'm glad you made it this far, but tomorrow another day of unknowns. double thumbs up!
Isn't that all the thrill? ;)
My journey:
1. Crewed on a 22' Catalina for three summers racing in NW Arkansas (1983-86)
2. Took an ASA 101 course from Seattle Sailing School (2017)
3. Took an ASA 103/104 course from Seattle Sailing School (2018)
4. Crewed on a 47' Kaufman with John Kretschmer - USVI to Annapolis (10 day passage offshore - 2019)
5. Took an ASA 105 course in preparation for 6 (2020)
6. Signed up (through Crewseekers) to crew on a 40' Bavaria from BVI to Denmark (2020)
For me, this has worked exceptionally well. I have been comfortable at all times. And it's been a very workable timetable for me. Personal circumstances preclude buying a boat and setting off for distant shores; however, I have found that this has satisfied my appetite for sailing. I will probably continue on this path, seeking crewing opportunities each summer (I'm an academic, so...) and possibly pursuing additional certifications and licenses to allow me to skipper on deliveries. So, I think there's an answer for everyone that will fit their personal requirements. I really envy (and admire) what you two have been able to accomplish.
Putting up the mast this weekend (hopefully) and then go for my first sail ever. I have motored her down here before. I do it step by step.. It cant be that hard. They say you learn how to sail in one day, but seamanships takes a lifetime to accquire.
My hats off to you guys, I'm impressed how you take on projects with no experience or knowledge, but thats how you get experience. From water filter installs to fishing, great job, hat off to you guys!
Thanks Don!
Thanks! Learning to sail is my 2024 goal.
As someone looking to buy and start sailing in the next 2-5 years this is a great help. Thanks for all the great info advice and help definitely look forward to seeing more.
I’ve Nigels book on Diesel engines on my kindle and the other one is in the shopping cart to buy a physical copy once I recollect my boat.
Anytime I read it I feel like I can overhaul it by myself as it’s written in a simple and complete way. Great guy.
For anyone looking to learn, I recommend Sailaway simulator. Weather and currents are taken from live data, thus when you sail the world, you must, route plan, weather plan, navigate as well as trim the sails and change sail plans as per wind etc. Very life like sim, minus the sea sickness.
Ryan's short haircut is a keeper. This was well done and organized. Perfect newby stuff.
You RYA instructor Chris is a dude - he's a friend taught me my day skipper too! He now lives in Rubicon in Lanzarote. Well done guys, love the channel!
Just one to add: Consider to join your local sailing club, there you can get a lot of first hand information from more experianced sailors or you can get member of some crews to rise your experiance.
I was a noob when I bought our Cat - my top tip is to learn about weather because it is foundational for route planning. 💋⛵🎸🎶
agreed!
This is great advice, thanks. My wife and I are thinking about taking to the water but have zero experience and I wasn't sure where to start. We're both experienced scuba divers and see a boat as a natural progression to travel and enjoy our passion.
Awesome Rober!
You two are absolutely right..when you are out of your comfort zone is when you learn the most.👍 Great tips. Thank you 😊
You guys are great and am really enjoying watching your videos we started our live aboard on a 43ft Carver very scary but like you said great community and plenty of people to help I have loved using the boat made sure I could bring it into the berth and rafting up with other boats we have now sold her and have bought a yacht 42i Jeanneau SO and am learning all over again, we are about to sit our Boat masters course here in New Zealand 🇳🇿 and hope to start our cruising full tim in a couple of years, just can't wait. Thanks again Sophie and Ryan
That is sooooo cooooll!!!!! Great job Liz!! We would love to cross path on anchor someday! :) /Sophie
I've been watching your videos for several hours today and have to comment on how useful and entertaining they are! Awesome job from both of you! I'm waiting for March to come round as the RYA Courses where I live don't run over the winter and I'm a complete beginner! Keep safe on your adventures and I can't wait to see what you post up next! (Big Thumbs up!)
How fun! Thanks Greg, and good luck on your course! Hope you have a great time and that you get as much out of it as we did :)
Absolutely the best thing I've seen all day! Absolutely.
Oh thanks guys!
This is the video I've been looking for! We completed out sailing lessons in Canada earlier this year and just bought a Lafitte 44 in Florida. Have been having a lot of thoughts about whether we were ready etc. Plan is to take it easy until we get our bearings with it but happy to hear we're not the only ones who kinda "winged it". Off to the Bahamas in a couple months hopefully,, maybe we'll cross paths one day. Thanks again!
For most people thinking of getting started, I’d suggest that a better book to start with than Beth’s is Captain Fatty Goodlanders How to Inexpensively and Safely BUY, OUTFIT, and SAIL a Small Vessel Around the World.
The primary aim is to assist the frugal, safety-conscious sailor in the purchase and repair of a modest sailboat capable of circumnavigating. The core premise: there is little correlation between dollars spent and pleasure received when it comes to cruising offshore. Cheaper boats can be far more seaworthy than their expensive counterparts if the skipper’s money is spent wisely.
It is also a practical step-by-step guide to circumnavigating inexpensively-written by a freedom-loving sailor who has sailed twice around the world on a $3,000 salvaged boat.
What equipment do you really to sail offshore? How can you acquire much of this gear for free or inexpensively? What items are cheap where? How can you earn "freedom chips" as you cruise? Which routes are best?
What common cruising gear do you NOT need? Why?
It even points out the advantages of being on a tight budget: more friends, sharing, destinations, time, culture, freedom, fun, camaraderie, parties, and a clearer cruising focus.
In addition, it opens up a completely new, fresh “sea gypsy” world to the landlubber-a wonderful, wacky, watery world of international brotherhood upon the high seas.
Of special interest is the unusual, non-PC section on earning-as-you-go.
The book is divided into three main sections: How-to buy a boat for peanuts, How-to safely outfit that vessel cheaply, and How-to happily sail around the world on a handful of pennies. The focus is on simple, effective, practical, inexpensive solutions that allow the sailor-on-a-shoestring to have twice the fun on half the money.
The dream of leisurely sailing around the world is neither an impossible nor unrealistic one. Dozens of sailors escape to paradise every day. Why not you?
Thanks for a good section. It was a bit of fun to recognize the places you visited for once. The Stockholm archipelago is like my backyard.
it was ours for many years! I will admit, there are days that I miss it :) /Sophie
what a beautiful backyard it is!
Thank oyu so much for sharing. My wife and I love watching you guys.
Thanks Steve! So glad to read you enjoy these videos! :)
Super video. I'm starting from scratch too.. just did a 3-day theory course. Can't wait to get real sailing experience.
Oh that’s so cool!!! Well, here is something that we have done for people who were like us when we got started: www.brighttrip.com/sailing
It launches next week and is all about how to get started, how to learn and build up experience, how to choose a boat and how to equip it. I think you’ll like it :)
If there was a billboard chart of sailing channels yours is definitely coasting easily at no.1 for me. Honest, sincere, funny, informative, friendly, you've got there off your own blood sweat and tears. Thank you Ryan and Sophie, keep coasting there at the top!! Just got to give a mention also to Sailing Yacht Florence who are fab and coming at at nbr 2! :-). x
Oh Thanks Debbie! 💗
Great video, really enjoyed it! We are just learning to sail with our McGregor 26. Lake sailing.....so far. Interesting to know how other couples start. Thanks from Western Canada eh!
Thanks for this video. Great tips.
When Sophie was listing all the people in your lives who've never sailed for some reason I had the thought, Joseph Conrad sailed for only 20 years, John Le Carré was a spy for only about 5 years, I have no idea (after reading all his books) if Patrick O'Brian actually sailed. I found this in Wikipedia: "He sailed for two weeks in 1994, his friend who owned the boat said "... his knowledge of the practical aspects of sailing seemed, amazingly, almost nil" and "...he seemed to have no feeling for the wind and the course, and frequently I had to intervene to prevent a full standing gybe. I began to suspect that his autobiographical references to his months at sea as a youth were fanciful."
Tip #6 Go outside your comfort zone. Deliberate Practice is when you take apart the skill and practice specific discrete elements. This is what professional golfers do and why they're good, retired dentists who golf as many hours as a pro never get any better because they do not take apart the skill and work on specifics. There is no such thing as 'natural talent.' I think I've proved this a hundred times. Always I'm a disaster starting out. The Manoeuvering at Close Quarters book is an example of deliberate practice. Today is my first sailing lesson. Thanks for the encouragement.
Add to your tip #3 route planning and weather evaluation.
Love you guys 😍haven’t watched for a while but aways love ya when I do.great advice in this episode.very well presented
I bought the Pocket Book of Remote Islands just the other day and now I see it in a video!
Great advises. I would add learn about weather and respect it.
Great video! One thing I would add is don't let anyone near your boat to carry out repair work unless you are really sure of their ability AND costs. There are a miriad of books on boat maintenance and it pays in every respect to get to know your boar and it's maintenance requirements yourself. Your early videos are really insightful as to just how stressful it can be, tempered with excitement of every day being a new adventure.
Thanks for a fantastic Video. I am off to Gib in June to do my Coastal Skipper ready for an adventure like yours. Thanks for sharing, really insightful. I am expecting a few stumbles and bumps along the way
Muchas gracias por sus consejos, yo estoy en la misma situación que ustedes empezaron 😬 pero sus consejos fueron estupendos. Gracias 🙏❤️
Thanks a lot for giving me the link for this video. It was soooo good. You guys were really directing this to me I'm sure. Yes, the ASA is what I planned on doing. I live in Ca. so there are plenty of schools here. I was writing down the titles of the books you showed and then at the end you said you had a link, lol. I'll pick up a couple. I'll wait for a newer edition of "The Voyagers Handbook". Again, you guys did a good job and I really enjoyed watching and I learned a few things already. Ok. I'm going to take a look at some of your other videos.
So glad you liked it!!! Here’s another one on the same theme, which is how to start from scratch! :) ua-cam.com/video/dbLmuKBgrZM/v-deo.html
Thank you, great recommendations.
Good resources. Good video. I like and intro to sailing book that Gary Jobson contributes to. He's easy to read and follow especially when things get complicated. Also, good advice on challenging ourselves. That's my plan for this summer on my little 22 foot kee; boat.
As an addendum to tip #1 I’d add start with small boats, maybe not dinghies but something around 21-24 feet so the loads are small and you can actually feel how the sail controls, wind and waves all interact. These dynamics are making more muted on big boats. In addition to getting training from an accredited school with a standardized curriculum, then look for local sailing associations or clubs that organize informal and formal racing. Skippers are always looking for crew, so you can practice your skills and expand your knowledge on somebody else’s boat first.
I would not say the ASA and RYA are equivalent but I take you point. The RYA are a lot more practical hands on, ASA has a lot more classroom only . Not sailing with other sailors is a mistake, you can learn so much from others sailors. Cheers Warren .
It’s good to have a trade when traveling,you’ll be more welcomed and tools,it’ll ease on the expenses of life in other locals, it’s nice living on the water,it is a family, peace and adventure
At 10:40 , I can see the fear in your eyes. It is like wow these waves are big. I guess I stick with my Laser 1 on the local lake. I enjoyed your vid. There is so much to learn and I am glad you guys are pointing that out. One thing you did not mention other then the Voyagers Handbook is how to finance it all. Cheers
I was s**t scared!! Honestly, those waves weren't that big, but it was shallow and extremely choppy... Glad that passage is behind us, but I'm definitely more comfortable these days!
HI, have been following your channel for quite some time I really loved to see my home waters! I live in Nacka, been having my boats around Nacka for 20 years :)
I really liked your tips for beginners - I still see myself as an amateur, even tough I have spent all my summers on my boat and every weekend from april/may to october the last 20 years. First morotboats and now a sailboat, we enjoy the east coast of Sweden. We have a plan to take a break and sail full time, the kids needs to be a little bigger first so they coap long passages.
I missed one crusual tip - that really should be on the top - No shouting what so ever! We see this all the time, when people are trying to moor. The people on the boat shout at eachother, when someone shouts at you get stressed - shout back - more stress and so on.
Me and my wife most of the time uses handsiglans to show when to stop and how far we are from the dock/land or what ever, this works very well! Our friends often say - damn you two are so calm when you moor - how :)
Another tip is to singlesail/single moor - so you know how to manuvre the boat yourself - then the helping hand becomes - help - not something you have to rely on. You can single do things while you are two on the boat.
Keep up the good work and hope to see you out on the blue!
Nacka! 😍 This is where our boat was (we had to take Baggenstäcket each time we wanted to go out South!) and we miss it a lot!
Your tip is one of our number 1 rules onboard! (ryanandsophie.com/welcome-onboard-what-to-expect-when-you-come-sail-with-us/) Nothing makes you want to quit more than yelling/complaining/bad atitudes...
Great advice
We done all the RYA up to and including Yacht Master Ocean
Ryan and I are discussing doing our Yachtmaster Ocean as well! we just have to find the time :)
Ryan & Sophie Sailing yea I can guess fitting it in will be tricky now . There is Offshore and Offshore celestial if you can find some one to teach it
Love you’re stuff
Keep it xx
Yacht Sea Frog
Ebbtide 33
what a lovely couple, :-). I’m just about to embark on this adventure and funnily enough I want a Beneteau Oceanis 40,
Thats great! Good luck! Ryan
I want a Bavaria 38.
Greetings from Stockholm! I’ve been watching youtube sailingchannels for two years and only discovered you guys this morning! Great storytelling. I’m going to work my way through you videos in order to catch up fast!
Thanks Joakim! Oooh how we miss Stockholm, say hi to the city from us! 😊
Ryan & Sophie Sailing I’m getting close. Now I’ve seen all episodes fr 1 to 60!!! If you decide to have a meet up in Stockholm, let me know!
I don’t know how you feel but I love this woman. Normally a French accent gets to me. Kinda like finger nails on a chalk board. But what she does with it is music to my heart.
You guys are wonderful! I'm new to your channel, but I'm luv'in everything that I'm seeing!
If you’ve got the time go back and watch all these guys videos they are tops and it’s entertaining Sophie is a true professional presenter and such a personality
Great video! We added more books to our cart. We agree that time is everything. We did fantastic on our ASA training. But then came the first solo sail... 🤔
...And?! Ours was chaotic, to say the least! :)
really helpful this video, and as you said you always make mistakes, I always say if you don't make mistakes you will never learn
Great vid. After day skipper I hesitantly took a race course that involved a bunch of races...then I stayed with the boat and did a bunch of long distance races over a year...I didn’t really enjoy it because of some personality friction but I don’t regret taking a race course, you def push your limits and learn some valuable lessons while literally exhausted ... like gybing the boat (but only 50 per cent sure of the sequence)under full symmetrical at three in the morning in 20 plus knots...while the skipper is sleeping.Basically... racing involves many moments of chaos... its good to witness this chaos to see feel immense pressure because there is no doubt..you will experience intense moments when you get your own boat.plus you learn pure sailing without the aid of any engines.We even learned what to do when there was Zero wind in the dead of night and we were literally drifting backwards due to a tidal current.
I couldn't agree more. Tying a whole load of warps together to anchor in deep water to stop yourself going backwards!
Nick Bowles haha.Exactly! Except in our case...the skipper ,bored of this no wind situation said “I’m going to bed. Wake me up when the wind comes back”. So another newb and I sat there drifting backwards slowly(We didn’t know you could anchor during a race). After awhile we noticed we were gaining speed (in reverse) AND drifting near rocks which were hard to see since it was 2am. At the last moment we woke up the skipper and he immediately yelled “start the engine. We retire!” As we motored to a nearby luxury marina we saw many boats anchored in the dark waiting for the wind. When we got to the resort, we broke into the amazing spa and skinny dipped in the hot tub. ( too bad the crew was comprised only of sweaty dudes).In the morning after an amazing breakfast we sailed home ...the wind had returned! then all of a sudden we saw the racing fleet , heeled over with full sail...still battling it out on the course.
In the morning the skipper was quickly scurrying down the dock clutching coffee and croissants saying “ ok. Hurry . Let’s go!”afterwards I suspected he didn’t pay moorage and scammed his way into the luxury breakfast buffet ). We were rested , clean and had full bellies but I wished we were still racing! I realized there that sailors are crafty ,hardy and sometimes scoundrely.
Lots of really useful content here. Thanks for taking the time to do this. Hope you are enjoying your time ashore, now that you finally got there! I bet it takes a couple of days to stop rocking on the spot though :0)
Hello, I found you two because of the Amel 54 review. Then, I was intrigued by both of you; and watched a series of your videos. You are totally charming, straightforward and informative. I dream of experiencing sailing as you did. Now, I would be expecting your next production.
Aw thanks so much! :)
If you don’t know anybody or have any friends to learn from, a) go to a couple of local marinas and inevitably you will find some local publications that are usually free that will have info in them about local resources that you can investigate to figure out how to get going, and b) search the web to find out where and when your nearest local boat show is, as there will be exhibitors there from sailing schools and all kinds of other marine organizations that can provide you with info to get going.
Those are good tips! At the time we lived in Sweden and Ryan didn't speak Swedish, which didn't help to develop our network... But we made it work! :)
There are Old Sailors, There are Bold Sailors. Over time, there are No Old Bold Sailors.
Loved the video you two! Great work. Cheers!
I think i fall in the category of not being nice to my self hehe.
I don't allow my self to do mistakes that would hurt me or anyone else nor the boat.
This is at the cost of sailing time and slowly progressing.
I mainly sail solo so i try not to make stupid mistakes.
I do ofc make some mistakes since i'm learning by doing.
When i bought the boat my first trip to get the boat home took 3 days(First time riding a sail boat) but all the other sailing iv'e done during last summer has only been day trips and mostly in easy conditions.
I do have a lot of time and my goal is to spend weeks on end on the boat but i'm far from reaching that goal.
Next summer i intend to explore a bit more in my area(some islands) but that will require me to be in shallow uncharted? waters, i will most definitely hit my first rock/ground doing this.
I bought a cheap / not sensitive / not deep boat just for this so i won't feel bad about it taking some hits.
The dream would be to sail to the Mediterranean :)
Good one! Thank you.
Love your content!!
I understand what you mean about sailing among multiple islands. SV Brooklyn PNW San Juan Islands.
Tank you so much! Great information
Well done guys heroes from zero , VERY nice episode as usual but I have one point for you:
When ever you will do a passage out of your comfort zone take with you an experience sailor as process of building your knowledge.
Thanks for the very informative video😎
Cheers guys, great vid again!
It is a little funny you choose Gibraltar for a sailing course while living in Stockholm Sweden? It feels like leaving a stream behind when looking for water. And there are sailing schools all over the country during summer (especially in Stockholm and Gothenburg) but also courses for formal certifications and sailing boat associations and clubs. As you probably know by now boat life is an inherited part of being swedish and there is probably no easier way to get into sailing than sailing around with swedes. And by sailing around with swedes you get all the information you want.
Great tips
Great video, 8:29 - don't sit on the cockpit table, it will crack.
Been there, done that!
You didn't crash, anchor against gel coat is merely a kiss between boats, keeps your hearts pumping a little faster. During those first years of sailing my wife and I I certainly did a lot of yelling (and cursing) as we learned to dock in ever changing wind conditions. That too shall pass....
It was a loud kiss then... 😅
MotherShip Adrift led me here. They are a nice sailing family, raising kids while sailing.
We love the guys on Mothership. Such a wonderful family. Ryan
@@RyanSophieSailing Subscribed. Now will binge watch to get caught up :)
I love it. Subscribed and will now watch all your videos from number one!
they are a great channel, you should check out their instagram too!!
SV Avocet Thanks, I’ll do a search. Subbed to your channel too!
@@TheBeggFamily well thank you so much!
I have two tips for anybody starting to sail. One is learn to sail a dinghy - even if you plan to do all your sailing in yachts. In a few hours you will do dozens of tacks and gybes, runs, reaches and beats and you can't reach for the red button when you want to get home. If you do it in an estuary you will also learn to cheat the tide and sail upwind. Your sails will become your primary piece of safety equipment. The second would be to go racing. This will hone all that you learnt on a dinghy. Both these experiences will make you a safer and more efficient sailor and less of a slave to the engine. It's greener too.
Great vlog again...thanks guys ...my husband is sitting his final exam in his RYA Theory Day Skipper course next week here in Ireland ...then he has to do the practical Day Skipper Course ...any suggestions for good instructors in Europe by your other followers would be greatly appreciated ...we have been motor cruising for 12 years now but as you know they do not compare ....TIA
Just came across your channel because I was searching for this topic. I subbed and intend to keep watching . How do you build confidence? I learned to sail thru Boston sailing school but I still was afraid to take out my 30' sailboat. Thank you for the straightforward advice, you guys rock.
I'm about to start out but for Covid-19 would have been taking RYA course. I did a beginners course in a yacht club in Philippines and learned how to ready a boat, set off from mooring and the techniques of jibe and tack. This video is very useful and I wonder if you recommend buying a boat as soon as I pass the training as I have no sailing contacts. Do you have how to identify a and buy a boat video or advice?
Great stuff
Good stuff as usual guys.
very helpful tips, thanks
Great video you two. We also felt the same after we did our RYA courses in Gibraltar in February 2019. It then took us a while to find our yacht in Spain and get her kitted out the way we wanted. So it was about 5 months before we could actually head out of the marina to begin our adventure and our biggest fear was that we'd forgotten everything we'd learned in February. It's been a varied ride since then. Just one question, Why did you only spend 1 season in The Med? Cheers, Baz & Aannsha.
Great video, you said you met your former sailing instructors in Canary Islands, they must be so proud.
We met them in Lanzarote indeed, and it was such a great moment, showing them our boat and talking about the Atlantic crossing with them :) I don't know which of them or us were the proudest! ☺
While I would definitely applaud the fact you were smart enough to take some intro sailing instruction, the next logical progression would have been for you to get a bare boat cruising certification where you would have learned a lot of those skills that you had problems with. Then actually do some bareboat charters someplace warm like the BVI. Then maybe start the thinking about buying a boat.
Where's the joy in that?
Merci.. bluffé et heureux d'en connaitre un peu plus sur le pourquoi et comment de cette chaine.. kenavo et bon vent
Merci Jean Louis! Kenavo!
Good advice and working and helping out more experienced crews is a good way to progress.
Important to do all the courses though to understand the basics
In terms of certification (experience aside), do you really only need the day skipper certification? Does that allow you to cross Oceans or is it restricted to a certain distance off the coast?
Hi Ryan and Sophie! I'd like to ask your opinion about sailing licenses. Is the RYA day skipper licence enough to sail around the world? I live in Germany and have an equivalent sailing licence for sailing in coastal waters. But here they insist that one should have at least an ocean-going skippers licence. I think that is equal to the yacht masters licence. What is your opinion after having crossed the big pond?
U may have done so, but if not plz do a elisode on produce shopping
Maybe compare different countries??
If u have plz send link
Love your channal
Insight of the year - Without training you have no idea. Who would have thought ;P
Great video.
Could you talk about something I have not scene on many sailing channels which is , how much money do you feel comfortable with in reserve or for emergency or for comfort. IE Savings and Future exploits and change of lifestyle. Do you consider yourself Nomads or Nomadic as far as work sailing and Country ?
Where did you get that t-shirt?
is that port solent you bought it from?
If I understood correctly, you bought your boat, had a 7 day season and then just winterized. Wouldn't it have been better and cheaper to charter a boat out for a few weeks, on different occasions so you can get the reps in?
your view point is valid and is the exact reason a lot of people charter boats but we wanted to get to learn OUR boat, the boat we would be sailing around the world in. Sailing is sailing but learning about the boat can be done at the dock or when hauling out. So while we maybe only sailed her 2 or 3 weeks of the year we were always out on here, learning all the non sailing, sailing parts. Ryan
so how did/do you deal with sea sickness?
Sound advice 👍Sail Safe. Ant, Cid & the Pooch crew.
Hugs to you and the doggies! :)
A 40' boat is a lot of boat for a first boat. In retrospect, do you wish that you had started out on a smaller boat to get your skills honed?
Yes and no! She was a big boat, especially in Stockholm's archipelago. But we got to grow with her and get to know her by heart. In retrospect, we should almost have bought bigger :/
Thank you guys for the time and energy you put into producing these vlogs! Channels like yours have fueled the dream and furthered the education of many sailors. My wife and I took the plunge 2 years ago and purchased our first sailboat. Thinking ~30’ we wound up with a 38’ boat in the end. We also have no regrets in spite of all the advice for newbies to start small. There was certainly an intimidation factor to work through the first few outings but we quickly became comfortable. We took an excellent week long live aboard course and had experienced sailors aboard for the initial voyages. I think your advice to get good instruction and keep learning thru responsibly pushing your personal comfort level is spot on. The right size of boat is a function of that comfort level and will be different for everyone. Bottom line - get out there! Fair winds