I just turned 50 a few months ago, and last week I finally had my first real day under sail.

I’ve spent the last year or so thinking about sailing, watching videos, reading, learning the basics and telling myself I’d get around to it eventually. Over the last few months I finally decided to take the plunge. I’ve had a huge pull to the ocean for a while now.

Last week that meant a full day on a Catalina 275. Taking the tiller, learning to tack, reefing, dealing with building wind, and even riding through a squall. It was in that moment, being on the water, that I felt a sense of peace and calm I’d been searching for. And it all came together and started to make sense.

I went out wanting to learn how to sail. Mainly to get the feel, if this was something more than an idea or calling. I came back mostly wondering why I hadn’t started this sooner.

I wrote the full story here if anyone’s interested:
bluewaterbaboon.com - First Day Under Sail
It’s part of a bigger personal journey I’ve been documenting about getting out of the routine, trying new things, and actually acting on some of the things I’ve put off for some time now.

because who doesn't like cats on a sailboat?

(most likely taken in the 70's or 80's -- scanned from my found fotos collection)

This is a 1985 Nonsuch Classic says the listing they are asking 19k. I've never seen setup like this, would love to know more - has anyone here ever sailed something like this?

*EDIT* I found a video on youtube that shows how this works for anyone else curious https://youtu.be/FgoJWgDnDe8

Hi - I am trying to get ready for Catalina 22 winter storage (in my driveway). I need to continue working on various parts of the boat, so the cover should be removable.

I can't afford a custom cover.

I think a tarp over the boom would work, but I don't have the mast up. I could put the mast up, but that seems like a bad idea for the entire winter in my driveway.

If you have any photos of your winter storage solutions - especially if they include a tarp that is removable for work days, please share them here.

It is fine if your photos show boom mounted draped tarps, though I"m particularly interested in ideas that don't

A friend of mine dove my mooring last week and took a bit of video. This is isn’t what I expected to see, but I can see how it would work.
I borrowed the mooring from a total stranger, I got the number off the ball. My boat is a 26’ Albin 79. I feel “okay” about this mooring because the previous owner is very confident in the small Bruce anchor the boat came with. With more than 30’ of half inch chain this should pull horizontal and really dig into the bottom.

Any thoughts on using this mooring through a Pacific Northwest Winter. The location is fairly protected from our typical storms.

I just bought this 1981 Catalina 22 from a friend of a friend. I’ve been reading up on these boats for several years, and I feel like I did pretty good on it.

My uncle bought his second or third 22 just before he died from cancer, and he never got to sail it. The boat he bought was in rough shape and would have needed a lot of work.

We grew up having various boats, and he used to have at least two 22s that I can remember. In the notes that he left behind, he asked my cousins, my sister, and I to go sail the boat before we got rid of it. Unfortunately none of us were in the position to get it seaworthy, so we had to sell it without ever using it.

When I told my cousins and sister about my new 22,they all freaked out and we will be planning a trip as soon as I finish the few minor repairs I want to do. Other than proactively replacing the winch cable and snorkel, the boat/sails/rigging/interior/systems are in really great shape. Even if I don’t keep the boat forever, I’m looking forward to checking this off my bucket list.

Doug, wherever you are, I hope they have sailboats there.

So ill preface this by saying that while ive been on a few boats ive never been in command of one or responsible for actually sailing anything, I think ive got a solid grasp of how it works in basic principles though.

So, my question, ive seen a good number of posts about single hand sailing and a lot of them have something to the effect of "its irresponsible not to keep a regular watch while sleeping because the boat is going to sail xyz distance in xyz amount of time, you need to wake up on this schedule and check to make sure you aren't about to run into anything" as well as conversations about how some boats move too fast to be safe because of the distance they cover while someone is sleeping, ect ect.

Why don't you just...not move?

Obviously a boat wont remain perfectly still at sea, but you can lower and furl the sails and you'll be adrift for an hour or two at much lower then sailing speed. I understand in previous days this might hinder navigating greatly, but with sat nav and such other modern equipment?

If the water is shallow enough you could drop anchor, yes?

Or if you must keep moving couldn't you throw a sea anchor astern to slow your pace while you sleep?

Someone please fill me in on why you'd stay under sail instead of simply staying put to sleep a few hours and go on in the morning

In Auckland, New Zealand - we were lucky enough to see her arrive five days ago and today she was doing sail changes in the inner harbour. Docked to offload their massive Genoa, at a pier that allowed us to get up close 😁

Is Saddam Hussail to soon? I like that name.

Would anyone here sail a J45 through the South Pacific? It seems like a lot of the boats are tanks or catamarans that cruise the South Pacific.

Curious to know if anyone has been on a J45 in nasty weather or thinks it would be a good choice for cruising with a family.

Hello, this stopped working and I would like to put in a new triducer. The problem is, the housing I have thru the hull and the device shown are secured with a pin vs the threaded cap we see in new transducers.

Anyone know if this style is still available and from what brands?

I’m trying to see if I can replace it without having to haul out and swap out the thru hull housing.

TIA.

My wife and I recently passed our ASA 101 & 103. We plan to get more all the way up to at least 106. We are renting a 34ft Hunter to practice about once a week for the next 9 months and then buy our own sail boat. We plan to practice on that until september 2028. Then we want that boat to able to get my wife and I from the Monterey CA area all the way to Florida in about 8 months of travel.

My question... What boat can we buy for 75k with another 25k in repairs/just incase money that can handle that trip comfortably. We would also like to be comfortable in it.

We currently do full time RVing in a 37ft travel trailer so we are used to small living.

Preferably we would like to sail it another year around Florida and then sell it to upgrade to a catameran in 2030/2031. Im hoping to get close to what I paid for it back out...less the 25k in repairs.

EDIT: (Moved to the top)

TL;DR

Waxing poetic aside, the question is this: am I too old to go on a sailing adventure? Am I too old to just sail around the Potomac in East/Central Virginia? Maybe up to Baltimore or something? And if I'm not, how do I get started? Do I buy a cheap, beat up sailboat and just go out there? Do I shell out for the expensive classes?

~

So I turned 30 recently, went through layoffs, moved out of my own place and in with family, and liquidated what retirement I'd built up in order to stay afloat and give a buffer while I figure out what's next. I've felt pulled to make a big change in my life; I've been at office-worker type jobs for over a decade, and I never once took a vacation longer than a three-day weekend in that entire time.

Now, in the quiet and the stillness, I've found that bubbling up inside of me has been a wanderlust and a hunger for adventure that I forgot existed in me after it was beaten down upon graduating college and joining the workforce.

When I was a teenage girl, my family had a boat for all of a year, maybe, before my step-mother made my father sell it. Every time we went out, the water and the ropes and the wind sang to my soul. I recently went out on a simple pontoon a few months ago and even going at a snails pace on a still, tiny man-made residential lake (pond, really) made me feel at peace. I've been addicted to watching SailingSongbird on TikTok since the pandemic, and I know it's cliche` and you only see a sliver of reality, but it led me to scrolling on facebook marketplace lately and looking at cheap sailboats.

I have an old back injury, nothing super serious, no surgeries, and it does act up sometimes, but I feel like doing the full-body workout of sailing a boat frequently would do good for my core, and eventually I'd get used to it?

Thank you for reading this, and for all advice. <3

EDIT 2: I am so sorry for vastly underestimating my youth, I promise I was not looking for attention or anything in that regard! >.< But also, thank you so much everyone for all of the resources and encouragement. I did not expect a fraction of a percent of a sliver of this much support from a Reddit post. It would seem I also underestimated the passion of sailors and sailing ^^;; I am gonna look at some of the Chesapeake/DC groups, marinas close to me, trying to get on crew and probably take that ASA 101 that’s been recommended a few times. I am sorry for coming into y’all’s house and asking silly questions, please forgive me!

So my new-to-me yacht got a refurbished MD5A diesel installed by the previous owner. Not a new unit, but better than an untouched 70s original.

It starts every time but what I have noticed is that it does not charge the battery. Running the multimeter across the battery terminals at low, medium or high revs still shows an unchanging 12.something volts.

So, to anyone who’s had a similar experience, especially a Volvo Penta, and double-especially an MD5A, what would you suggest I check.

And please feel free to explain like I’m 5:

I rank somewhere in the seven billions on the world auto electronics skills league table.

What do they actaually determine and are they something you should pay significant attention too?

For context my Uncle has found a boat here in the SF Bay that he likes. He was considering buying a trailer and trucking it down to San Diego. I have a Catalina 30 and I know this boat is a bit sportier and more spartan but I feel like it would crush miles fast even if it’s a little uncomfortable. Has anyone here cruised on an Alerion? I think it probably take 4-5 days to make it down. I’m I being too optimistic on this boats capabilities?

Any folks in the Erie area sailed a Hobie Cat in the bay? I’m new to sailing and am a bit intimidated by the swells on Erie. Advice on best places to sail within a couple hours of Erie appreciated!

It feels like there should be a couple more wraps…

Would this be a secure way to leave long term mooring lines?