Does anybody sail? (sailboats)

Curious if anyone on this site likes to sail, has a boat, etc.  For some reason I never recall hearing anyone talk about sail boats (haven't looked either, but).  I do have an AI and do want to sail it more when ready.  But have been getting interested in the idea of learning about sailing recently while watching YouTube videos of people that live on board boats and do things all over the world.  Was curious about peoples experience levels and how they started out.  No, still not talking about catamarans, but sail boats rather.  Anyone live aboard one full or part time in a harbor?  Do any long distance sailing?  Sail in the lakes?  Sailing in the Bay?  Love to hear what your thoughts are!

Sailboats are one of the ‘Three Things’: horses, sailboats, and swimming pools. These are the Three Things you do NOT want to own, ever. You want to live next to neighbors that owns them.

You said "non-ai" but I have had as much fun spending an afternoon sailing a Hobie catamaran as I have on any of my boats. I envy the folks with their AIs.

Oh I love my AI and will enjoy sailing it.  Just curious if people here are into sailing sail boats.  Actually, a HobieCat 16 looks like a lot of fun to sail too.

This is a great thread and I'll be interested to hear what people have to say. I've been trying to convince my wife that we should live on a boat when we retire, but so far, she's not buying into it...

This is a great thread and I'll be interested to hear what people have to say. I've been trying to convince my wife that we should live on a boat when we retire, but so far, she's not buying into it...

Wait until you tell her about a luxurious 50 foot yacht with a hot tub at a fraction of owning a home at Silicon Valley and a lot less property tax!

Cal Sailing Club in Berkeley offer free sailing n windsurfing lessons. Just have to do volunteer time at their facility.

So many times I've passed on them. Cheap ready to sail and on a trailer too. keep saying, one of these days, gonna drag one home... Mine might get a motor though

I have been sailing SF Bay and the West Coast for about 50 years.  Skills learned allowed me to become an expedition sea kayak guide in the mid 80’s to 90’s.  Started fishing even earlier and still use both sailboats and kayaks for fishing platforms.  Currently recreational sailing on the Bay, mainly day trips with occasional overnight adventures.  Boat is 26 foot and stores on a trailer at a yacht club. 

Ownership expense is a big deal for someone new to sailing.  There are lots of opportunities to crew for others and new sailors get “rides” all the time as a way to get out there without a big financial commitment.  Some specifics to try: 1) Ask around and you’re likely to find friends that sail. 2) check out “Latitude 38” in print free at West Marine or online at “Lectronic Latitude”.  They host annual crew events to help connect sailboat skippers and prospective crew. A lot these rides are on Bay race boats, but cruising crew are needed too.  Mexico?  3) If you can spend some money there are clubs/schools around the Bay to get formal training and certification for rentals.  Cal Sailing is on the cheapest end, and they range in price.  4). Check out a yacht club.  They are all about promoting their sport. Corinthian, Alameda, and  Richmond Yacht Club are good bets.  Attend events and let people know you’re interested and you will get rides.

Hope this is helpful as a start.

Sailboats are one of the ‘Three Things’: horses, sailboats, and swimming pools. These are the Three Things you do NOT want to own, ever. You want to live next to neighbors that owns them.

I think you left one out

I was fortunate enough to be introduced to sailing before I can even remember, and some of my first memories are sailing a small cat boat my Dad built.

I've sailed the Great Lakes, small lakes in Illinois, many of NorCals lakes competitively in  the Santana 20 club, and the Pacific off SoCal.  Some of the best trips were sailing from San Diego to Catalina Island and spending the week onboard.

While I was in college a girl I worked with lived on a sailboat in the harbor, didn't sail it, just lived on it - I figured at some point I'd do the same, but have not, yet. Marriage (the other thing you don't want to own, lol, joking) and kids got in the way.

A few years ago, I started looking at auction boats in San Diego, thinking, that might not be a bad way to setup a vacation home, but then covid happened, and we ended up getting a travel trailer.

Wife doesn't mind sailing, but not a huge fan - so the thought of retiring to a sailboat doesn't fly with her.

I couldn't tell if you have a hobie Cat or a AI Tri.  Both are fun, the old school Hobie Cats are a blast on the water.  A friend had a prindle, and we'd sail it out of Mission Bay, under the bridge (had to fill the sail with wind and counter balance the boat to get the mast out without hitting the bridge), then we'd sail down around Point Loma and have the Navy helicopters chase us around.  Good times.

I still have a Zuma (small 14' boat) in the backyard, unfortunately, Sacto is terrible for sailing, in the summer the lakes will with motor boats and no wind.  We get about 2 hours a day, in the late afternoon/evening when the Delta Breezes come in, not a strong wind, but enough to sail on.

good luck with the Hobie.

Hey Al!

One of my closest friends lives aboard in the Berkeley Marina. Happy to put you in touch.

The friends I know who sail all started by joining clubs.  It used to be surprisingly affordable, not sure if it still is down there, but here in Port Angeles it’s $250 a year to join and have access to club boats, lessons, etc.   Like Tofino said, that’s the way to go.

I was quoted 2 years minimum wait for a slip, fyi…

I started out on sailboats as a teenager, and we moved up to owning a Ranger 23 here on the bay, classic locally designed race boat. Had that boat for 10 years before we moved to a 21' fishing boat. Love sailing & overnighting on the boat, and entertaining friends over the course of a sail and a meal on the boat. Like any vessel, the cost of purchase is the cheap part, maintenance/berthing is what gets ya.  It it flies, floats or fucks, rent it.

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   I'd been on sailboats for a total of 2 hours max when I decided to build one.  This was in the early 70's when that was a pretty common way to get into the sport.  I thought I was building something like a rowboat with a sail, it turned out to be a go-fast racing boat.  Sailed that all over the Delta and the Bay for about 5 years and then got a 25 ft cruising sailboat and cruised the San Joaquin Delta, weeklong trips to the Bay, Angel Island, SF Marina clubs.   When the kids got to be teenagers, they'd had enough of that, and I got one of the first Windsurfers and sold the sailboat.   Windsurfed mostly at Sherman Island, Chrissy, other Bay spots, getting new gear every few years, faster and faster.  Meanwhile, sailed in long races on friends' boats  (South Tower Race from Stockton to SF and return - 150 miles of pure joy, or at least some good stories).  Along the way, I got the kids an El Toro (8 ft pram).   I finally gave the 15 ft racing boat away because I couldn't get anyone to buy it for $150. even though it was in good condition and the trailer was worth that much.  It would still be a good way to get into sailing: buy a small boat for almost nothing.  Best to get someone with some experience to help you decide which boat. You'll learn more and more quickly on a small boat and you'll be a better big boat sailor if you decide to head in that direction. 

We have a sailboat in Berkeley Marina and sail quite often as family in the Bay and cruised Delta and coast down to Monterey. Good advice from others here on costs associated with owning a boat. If you are not going to realistically use it often and if you are not going to do the most or some of the Maintanence work yourself then it can add up. But we love it and it’s a great and special way for us to spend time as a family with kids . I recommend to taking classes from sailing schools to start or as someone said Join a place like Cal Sailing to start with and learn the basics in proper way.

   I agree completely with getting organized lessons - as I mentioned, I'd sailed for decades on all kinds of boats and was still surprised by all the useful stuff I learned (and fun) when I signed up with my grandkids at the UCLA MAC (Marine Aquatic Center) at Marina Del Rey for classes so that they would have an adult who could rent the boats that they could skipper when I visited them.