Conference unifix::sailing

    I think the Regatta Point Community Sailing program (RPCS) may be
    covered somewhere else, but here are my 2-cents worth in any case.

    RPCS is part of Quinsigamond State Park and opens up around the
    middle or end of April.  They do not rent boats.  Basically, they
    have 4-week, 9-week, and full-season memberships.  Instruction and
    use of the boats is free to members, although a lot of us members
    have become volunteer instructors because of funding cutbacks.

    Their instruction is very methodical and safety oriented and you
    can be out solo on the water in a 17-foot O'day daysailer in about
    four or five 1-hour lessons.  I can't give you any 1994 specifics but
    I can mail you the 1993 brochure if you send me your mailstop or DTN
    at BLUFSH::REED or LEZAH::REED

    This summer will be my fifth year sailing there, and there are any
    numbers of options for owning your own sailboat.  The Sunfish is
    nice but a friend of mine has a Snark that he really likes.  It's
    bigger and heavier but is car-top carriable and is good for taking
    out guests or kids.

    There is a lot more to sailing than meets the eye, so what I would
    suggest is to maybe take a few lessons and learn all you can before
    buying a boat.  One of their rules is that children under 18 must
    wear a lifejacket.  This is also a standard rule for friends of mine
    who are power boaters.  If the lake gets a little rough, the adults
    put theirs on too.
    
    Regards,
    Ed

    If you are interested in buying a boat, definitely consider a used one. 
    Sailboats don't need to be junk because they have a few years on them.
    If you are careful about what you buy, you should be able to sell it
    for almost as much at a later time if you decide to either give up
    sailing or move up to a bigger boat. There are plenty of us who can 
    give you advice and answer qustions. I for one would be happy to when
    I am not quite so busy. Send mail if you want to chat some lunch hour.
    
    Bill
    

What I have to say compliments the first two notes.

From my limited experience the Daysailer is a good boat.  My cousin sails his 
on a regular basis out of Woods Hole, (in conditions beyond my skill).  It gives
good performance and has yet to dunk me in the drink.

I considered the sail club at Quinsigamund.  My reasons for declining have 
nothing to do with the program.  Except for the fact that I have just purchased
my new pride and joy, I would seriously consider them if only due to the easy
access.  They used to have reciproprosity with the Lowell club and the Charles
River club.  

My birthday present to Amy was a sailing course of her choice from WOMANSHIP.
WOMANSHIP is geared towards bigger boats and coastal cruising.

Vis a vie the Daysailer and a Sailfish.  The Daysailer needs a light trailer.
The Sailfish could be put on a car top.  Both are light enough to be moved by
any car.  The Sailfish is a slightly wetter ride than a Sunfish.  There were 
a couple of differnt models of the Daysailer made, and by at least two differnt
companies (Daysailer?, O'Day). 

A house in Boxborough had a Daysailer for sale last year or the year before.
When I walked by the other day, it was still in his yard.  I do not think it has
been in the water for a couple of years.  If you are interested, I'll go knock
on the door some time and find out who they are etc.  However, especailly since
it is the same boat as used at Quinsigamund, I would join the club for a while
first.

Doug Claflin
dtn 244-7042
hm 508 635-0460

    Thanks for all the input both off line and in here. So far it sounds
    like I really need to do some sailing before I think about buying
    something.
    
    Re: .-1 Does a boat being out of the water for a couple years make it
    more likely to have problems with leaking, etc? We have a dock so the
    boat would stay tied to that for the season once I get one, so at least
    initially I won't worry about moving it around much (except to get it
    to the lake when I buy it).
    
    Can anyone recommend a good magazine on sailing that I can use to get a
    feeling for sizes, capacities, etc? I really have no clue about
    reasonable lengths or sail sizes or anything.
    
    Thanks
    Debbie
    

    
    	If you can, "drysail" the boat; pull it out Sunday evening. The
    boat will stay cleaner and last longer. If pulling it is a pain, don't
    sweat it, the boat can take it!
    
    	Magazines: most will try to infect you with "4-foot-its" which is
    the condition that, no matter how large your boat is, life will be
    unbearable until you get the next larger size!
    
    	My 2�: get a known entity, in case you have to sell the thing
    later. Sunfishes, Lasers, Daysailors, Force 5's, there are really
    zillions. Otherwise, there might be a noname that's SO cheap, the
    'risk' is nil. Anyway, starting small makes lots of sense; you get the
    feeling without a big monthly payment. I got started in a borrowed
    boat 10' long, and liked it so much I bought a daysailor the next year.
    
    	Clubs and classes are REAL smart too. 
    
    	And BTW, I've picked up a Sunfish myself. It's a blast to gunkhole
    from my 33 footer- like having a dirtbike on the back of the Winnebago!
    Lots of fun.
    
    	Scott

    Another plug for the program at RPCS; the people there are both
    friendly and extremely knowledgeable. The experience level and
    expertise available is quite high--well beyond what is actually needed
    to get a sailboat to move through the water.
    
    My experience was that I bought a Laser before I joined RPCS, and after
    a year of thrashing around I joined to take some sailing lessons. Their
    racing program caught my interest and frankly, knowing what I know now,
    I probably shouldn't have bought the Laser in the first place. After a
    summer of sailing down there you will be much better able to judge what
    you want in a boat...
    
    Doug.

    A boat will deteriorate out of the water if it is made of wood.
    Fibreglass will deteriorate a lot less, and the only big factor is not
    that it is left out of the water but that it is left out in the
    sunshine. UV rays deteriorate almost everything. Some things faster
    than others. Sails especially should not be left in the sun more than
    necessary.
    
    Bill