Keel boat

raher1

Are they big or small and good to start to learn?

Tabnabs

That's a very open ended question, you could answer yes to all three questions!

Can you provide any more detail?

raher1

I was thinking in learning to sail and hear a keel boat is a good start.

Tabnabs

It won't capsize (normally) the way a dinghy will, but lacks the response and excitement of dinghy sailing. They range in size from 15ft to 150ft+ so you see why it's such an open question. You'll hear some keelboats described as having dinghy like handling, but I;ve never heard the opposite, make of that what you will.

murphym7

I would always recommend starting to learn how to sail in a dingy, you get a better feel and learn faster than on bigger boats.

Having said that, I recently sold a Hunter 490 which would be suitable if you had your heart set on a keelboat. There are not many around, but there are plenty of similar size keel boats around at good prices. Have a look at Apollo duck under trailer sailers for an idea of what is around.

As I said - learn in a dingy, you will get more out of it.

ISAW

As tabnabs says I would not recommend you get anything over 64 foot to begin with
Joking aside it depends on a few things.
Motivation/ use/ budget.
Motivation
There is sailing and cruising.
If you just want to learn to sail and get the feel of it a dingy is yer man but you might want to actually go cruising somewhere in a boat or go fishing or go to an islandor across a nearby river for picnics.

If you only want to learn the basics then I would advise you not to buy any boat!
Use someone elses! I would say the same of a car or a telescope.

Either join a club that has then free to members or that provides training and the boat is them free or find a friend with a boat. Once you have some experience and areavailable to crew there is ample opportunity to sail as people are always lookiing for crew.

Think also then about part ownership because if you own a share your partner will be egging you on to sail and vice versa.

Take a look at the two main sailing paths

For keel baots you have
the competent crew ->day skipper _> yachtmaster
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yachtmaster



For dingy you have various levels.
here is a level 1 for €179
http://www.insc.ie/Dinghy_Sailing_Beginner_Courses/Default.118.html

The sailing is similar. I would say dingy sailors have abetter "feel" and can easily sail keelboats but not vice versa.
Keelboat sailors have to think more about non directly sailing stuff like provisioning and passage planning, marinas and engines, radios, first aid, night navigation and the like.

The above "dingy" is a Pico butyou can do the same level in an 8m 1720

Take a look at the difference between the two level one courses

raher1

Galway I live.

ISAW

kopite4 wrote: »

Galway I live.

City or county?
It is the second biggest county
Near lake sea or river?
nearest large town?

ValerieR

The Galway Bay Sailing Club in Oranmore? more details @ www.gbsc.ie

Valerie

raher1

South of the county but have time travell

ISAW

kopite4 wrote: »

South of the county but have time travell

www.bowwaves.com/
http://www.sailing.ie/Clubs/FindaClub.aspx
http://sport.galway-ireland.ie/sailing.htm

orion50

If you have any boaty friends try out their boat with their assistance. Wrong time of the year to be getting into it - most sailing activity has ceased for the winter.

If you have no baoty friends go along to a nearby club and somebody will bring you out.

raher1

Boat friend sounds like a argument.

Slig

Try the dingy sailing first
1. Getting wet everything you make a mistake is good motivation to learn.
2. They are easy to handle if you get in bother and light enough to handle in shallow water. They also take a little bit more punishment
3. A smaller boom is much friendlier to the novice sailor, until you get used to it.

raher1

Bowwaves felt a keel boat,will ask about dingy.