I bought a Hobie 18 a few months ago. Sailed a little in college, 25 years ago, so I have a "newbie" perspective.
First, while the posts and threads on this site are wonderful and educating, experienced sailors practically speak in code. Sailing is not complicated, the LANGUAGE is complicated.
Second, because my children have no experience sailing, I replaced all the lines on my boat with new "color-coded" ones. Green is starboard jib sheet, red is port. White is main sheet. Black is traveller line. Now I tell them "Pull on the red one." They're starting to get it.
Unless one knows someone personally, how does one learn? I'm taking out as many of my teenage children's friends as I can, but honestly, I'm not qualified to teach them. Where does the overweight 46-year old go to learn?
How about a regatta where everyone agrees that in the first set of races, over say, a six-week period, the experienced skipper will let the newbie crew. Get rid of the pressure and just have some fun. In the second set of races, all the newbies get to skipper and the experienced guys/gals crew.
There is no way I'm entering a regatta, ever. It's not a matter of being concerned that I'll lose. It's a matter of being concerned that I'll do something so stupid that I'll be dangerous to other boats.
This may be politically incorrect, but I think that trying to get youth whose parents don't sail involved is a waste of time. They don't have the money, they don't have the means. Try to get the 40-year-olds, who have money, who don't want to play video games, who are still physically fit enough to do, into the sport.
My two cents' worth.....
All very valid points - but there is hope. When I first got involved in racing, my situation was similar to yours. Had sailed since childhood, had been sailing a Hobie-14 and then a Hobie-18 for a couple of years before getting involved with what is now the West River Catamaran Racing Association. Entering a regatta seemed out of the question for the basics of not even knowing where to start. Then there were the usual fears of getting in the way and being labeled as things you wouldn't mention in polite conversation...
But... When I got involved in the WRCRA I found at least two things that got me going and that I am committed to continuing - One is the ability to sail your boat on a weekly basis in a competitive setting. The other is the fact that the people involved in that competitive setting have a deep-seated commitment to helping others get a foothold in the catsailing faith. Amazingly helpful bunch, and most who have benefitted from this continue the practice by helping other newbies.
As a club the number of people willing to help is outstanding. And we try to communicate this willingness to help to alleviate concerns people might have. And we have success stories to show for it - there are quite a few that started out as newbies and have now moved up to A-Cats, N6.0s, I-20s, etc. As for money, used catamarans are the best bang for the buck to be had in performance sailing period. $500 used Hobies can get you out on the water and get you hooked, and are sufficient to race in our club setting.
This is turning out to be a shameless plug for a club, but honestly these are the things that get people going. Find a club, and get going. If there aren't any clubs that fill the need, consider starting one - even if your experience is low, find others and learn together.
After sailing with the club for a bit I finally made it into my first entry regatta, and even though there was still some pucker factor involved, I had a bunch more confidence and experience. Plus, there were other guys from my club there and they once again helped in the effort.
Getting involved in racing is like getting experience in all other aspects of sailing - experience breeds confidence, and the only way to get experience is stick your big toe in. Remember the first time you sailed in heavy air? Probably were scared, but afterward you felt more knowledgable and comfortable in addressing similar conditions. Find or found a club to help you and others stick your big toe in.
By the way - more shameless plug - due to people moving up to newer and bigger boats in our Fleet, we now have the opportunity to offer some boats for sale to people who want to get started in the whole game. Typically people selling the boats will offer a break to keep it in the Fleet, AND the help from the rest of us is FREE. If you want to get into the game and are in the area (some of us are as far away as Virginia), check out
The West River Catamaran Racing Association There's also an A-Cat Fleet around the corner from us that delights in spreading the A-Cat scratch fever, so come on out!
