Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Sailor's Start-Up: A Beginner's Guide to Sailing
    Sailor's Start-Up: A Beginner's Guide to Sailing
    Sailor's Start-Up: A Beginner's Guide to Sailing
    Ebook248 pages1 hour

    Sailor's Start-Up: A Beginner's Guide to Sailing

    By Doug Werner

    4/5

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    This beginner’s sailing instructional guide covers both monohull and catamaran sailing with an emphasis on basic technique, safety, and fun. Skipping complicated sailing jargon that can stymie most novices, this book goes straight to the very basic questions, such as How do I leave the dock? and Where are the brakes? Technique and simple theory are illustrated in plain detail, including the basic physics behind sailing in all four directions.
    LanguageEnglish
    Publisherchristine+tracks
    Release dateJun 1, 2001
    ISBN9781935937524
    Sailor's Start-Up: A Beginner's Guide to Sailing

    Read more from Doug Werner

    Related to Sailor's Start-Up

    Related ebooks

    Outdoors For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Bluewater Pollywogs

      Jun 15, 2021

      Bluewater sailing is 25 percent actually sailing and 75 percent learning how to live on a boat at sea, in constant motion and with no chance to get off the roller coaster. I cannot over-emphasize how difficult normal daily functions become at sea, ev

      4 min read

    • Article

      Master Your Mainsail

      Aug 13, 2020

      Master Your Mainsail
      11 min read

    • Article

      Fatal Boat Capsize MAIB Report

      Nov 25, 2021

      Fatal Boat Capsize MAIB Report
      1 min read

    • Article

      25 Best Apps For Cruising

      Apr 28, 2022

      25 Best Apps For Cruising
      11 min read

    • Article

      Navigation Apps Tested

      Oct 7, 2021

      Navigation Apps Tested
      9 min read

    • Article

      Stress Free Nav

      Feb 21, 2020

      Stress Free Nav
      6 min read

    • Article

      17-20ft POCKET CRUISERS

      Jan 19, 2023

      17-20ft POCKET CRUISERS
      13 min read

    • Article

      Where To sail Next

      Nov 11, 2021

      Where To sail Next
      6 min read

    • Article

      Tom Cunliffe

      Aug 27, 2021

      Tom Cunliffe
      5 min read

    • Article

      Safety Lessons Learned

      Dec 14, 2021

      Safety Lessons Learned
      2 min read

    • Article

      Mediterranean

      Sep 16, 2021

      Mediterranean
      4 min read

    • Article

      Sail Faster & Safer Downwind

      Nov 10, 2022

      The words ‘pink spinnaker’ are enough to send a chill down the spine of anyone who’s ever watched Cowes Week disaster footage. There’s Atalanta of Chester, which dis-masted when their fuchsia-coloured kite wrapped around the anchor of a tanker in Aug

      14 min read

    • Article

      ‘We Sold Up And Sailed Away’

      Dec 23, 2021

      The Pollard family, Dragonfly, Oyster 56 After three years of planning, the Pollard family made it to the start of the ARC+ but received devastating news; a crack in their mast needed urgent repairs. “It could have been much worse,” says New Zealande

      12 min read

    • Article

      A Life At Sea

      Oct 7, 2021

      A Life At Sea
      9 min read

    • Article

      Skip Novak

      May 13, 2021

      Skip Novak
      3 min read

    • Article

      Boats For Offshore Sailing

      Mar 14, 2024

      Boats For Offshore Sailing
      13 min read

    • Article

      Masterclass

      Sep 8, 2022

      Keeping a boat moving in light airs can be more challenging than dealing with big winds and seas. It requires a huge level of attention to detail and a lot of effort that may seemingly reap low rewards. All sailors will eventually end up in a situati

      4 min read

    • Article

      Doing It Yourself

      Jul 17, 2018

      Doing It Yourself
      8 min read

    • Article

      Lifejackets For All?

      Nov 25, 2021

      Lifejackets For All?
      7 min read

    • Article

      Planning A Cruise

      Dec 30, 2022

      Planning A Cruise
      6 min read

    • Article

      Saffier SE 27 Leisure

      Sep 13, 2022

      Saffier SE 27 Leisure
      2 min read

    • Article

      At the Helm: Schooled

      Dec 14, 2021

      Pre-cook your meals for the first two days. Reef early. Don’t drink too much the night before departure. Don’t expect to poop until the third day at sea. Don’t sail to a schedule. Some lessons are ubiquitous and obvious (including the pooping one, th

      4 min read

    • Article

      The CLASS of 2022

      Aug 24, 2021

      The CLASS of 2022
      23 min read

    • Article

      Dufour 470

      Jun 21, 2022

      Dufour 470
      5 min read

    • Article

      Work Smarter, Not Harder

      May 30, 2023

      Work Smarter, Not Harder
      7 min read

    • Article

      Best Ever Bluewater Yachts

      Jul 11, 2019

      Best Ever Bluewater Yachts
      12 min read

    • Article

      Summers on Keppel

      May 13, 2021

      Summers on Keppel
      12 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Sailor's Start-Up

    4/5

    2 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Sailor's Start-Up - Doug Werner

      go!

      Chapter 1:

      What to wear

      The boat you should be in will not tip over easily so you needn’t worry about getting wet. Dress like you would if you were just strolling the water’s edge — warm or cool enough so that you’re comfortable.

      Hat with visor or brim

      The sun is bad news. If you’re thinning on top, caps are a must.

      Sunglasses

      Unless you enjoy viewing the waterscape in a white-out with a headache, wear eye protection — with a strap.

      Sunscreen

      The water magnifies sunny conditions.

      Sneakers

      You’ll be scrambling so something with a grip is required.

      Life preservers

      This is the law. One for each sailor. Not necessarily worn but in the boat.

      As you progress and try tippier boats you will capsize. You’ll need to consider wet suits or dry suits in cooler water and weather — but that’s later.

      Chapter 2:

      The right boat

      One of the major factors involved in happy beginnings.

      Sailboats are like cars, computers and portable heaters — there are a billion makes and models. What makes sailboats different is that boat builders have had 2,000 years or so to refine the confusion.

      But the right boat for you is easy to describe and easy to find. I suggest a 14–foot monohull. Monohull means one hull, as opposed to two (or three), like a catamaran. It’s a model that’s available most places that have sailing. They are built by several different manufacturers the world over.

      These boats are big enough for up to four people, yet quite manageable for one. The common version is wide and steady (it won’t capsize easily), simple to rig and easy to handle.They are also relatively inexpensive and reliable (they last forever). In short, they’re a good, basic sailboat for all levels of expertise.

      A 14-foot monohull is perfect for beginners.

      Stay away from anything much bigger. There’s usually more stuff to confuse and they can be intimidating. It’s less frightening to feel out of control on a 14–foot boat than a 22–foot boat.

      Smaller boats are OK but avoid the tippy ones. Certain models may seem dorky or too cramped for adults.You want something that’s comfy enough to spend some time in, steady enough that you can concentrate on your sailing, and dry enough that you don’t have to worry about getting wet.

      Learn the basics in a monohull. Catamarans are sexy but a bit tricky. Learn how to walk, then you can fly. Mind you, this is a vast simplification of what’s what in sailboats — but simple is good for now.

      Rent

      Find a place that rents. That way all you have to do is show up in your yachting ensemble. No trailers, no ramps, no parking your boat in the alley. Buy when you know more and you’re sure you want to try backing boat and trailer into the garage.

      Basic sailboat parts

      Chapter 3:

      Parts

      This is your boat

      Sailboats are simple once you get down to basics.

      Sails

      Every sailboat has at least one sail. Our boat has two — a big one called a mainsail and a little one called a jib.A boat with this configuration is called a sloop. The way sails work is interesting, but we’ll get into theory later.

      Why two sails? More sail means more area for the wind, which means faster sailing.You don’t need two sails. Just make sure you have

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1