Entry level boat

[tractor]

....

First try standing in a cold shower for several hours tearing up £20 notes. If you don't enjoy that, a yacht isn't for you

There is certainly this to bear in mind if you are considering actually buying one. I charter them which is relatively cheap considering there are no costs when you aren't sailing. Of course when you own one, it is entirely different. Also, when you charter, you can go to the nicest places without having to sail across the atlantic or the long way round to the Med.

[d000hg]

Don't agree with that. 27/28 ish is fine to learn on. In fact, in a year, you'll want a bigger one.

Don't know about that. Loads of people never get beyond 25' and love it, we spent many family holidays on a 29' Westerly Konsort.

Do you fancy doing any racing? Makes quite a difference to the kind of boat you'd go for.

I would recommend reading: Must I Go Down to the Sea Again?: Amazon.co.uk: Lesley Black: Books

Also, sailing is not that hard but offers plenty of opportunities to make a prize idiot of yourself, normally in front of other sailors, and to do costly damage to your own and others' boats. It is also a pretty sociable activity so I'd strongly suggest you find a local sailing club and offer yourself out as willing crew wanting to learn. You should meet new drinking buddies and learn a hell of a lot.

[scooby]

Don't know about that. Loads of people never get beyond 25' and love it, we spent many family holidays on a 29' Westerly Konsort.

Do you fancy doing any racing? Makes quite a difference to the kind of boat you'd go for.

I would recommend reading: Must I Go Down to the Sea Again?: Amazon.co.uk: Lesley Black: Books

Also, sailing is not that hard but offers plenty of opportunities to make a prize idiot of yourself, normally in front of other sailors, and to do costly damage to your own and others' boats. It is also a pretty sociable activity so I'd strongly suggest you find a local sailing club and offer yourself out as willing crew wanting to learn. You should meet new drinking buddies and learn a hell of a lot.

I'd be looking at mooring it in Liverpool, which i think is one of the closest places. they have a club. I've also found a course that does the whole sailing quals for about £750 (but over 6mths min) http://www.nmcs.org.uk/index.php?main_page=page&id=73&chapter=0

[BigTime]

I can recommend this guy for tuition if anyone is interested in the Southampton area - RYA recognised | sail to learn | sail for experience | sail for fun | sail with friends. He used to work in IT so conversation should be easy.

[d000hg]

I'd be looking at mooring it in Liverpool, which i think is one of the closest places. they have a club. I've also found a course that does the whole sailing quals for about £750 (but over 6mths min) http://www.nmcs.org.uk/index.php?main_page=page&id=73&chapter=0

I'd visit the club first, you might even find other people in the same boat ( ) as you looking to do the course(s).

[Bacchus]

So, following recent ops and injuries, and in an effort to move to a less dangerous hobby (currently climbing and kayaking), I'm thinking of buying a yacht.

Would this make a good first boat? Seal 28 for Sale - £14,000, Located River Dart

Not saying i want to go yachting round the French coast, but it could easily be a future plan. Overnight stays while wandering the Welsh shoreline is also part of the current plan. Suggestions?

Seal make good solid boats and there is nothing wrong with 28' as a starter boat as others have said and a lifting keel may get you out of one or two awkward moments and into one or two desirable moorings (c:

It's a buyers' market so you should be able to find a very well priced boat, your first boat is unlikely to be your last, have a good look around and find a good cheap boat that you and yours like then go out and make some mistakes and learn what you don't like about that boat that you can find in your next - that seems to be the way it works!

It does sort of become a way of life though...

[d000hg]

Lifting keels are a bit of a divisive subject, they take up a bunch of space and are one more thing to go wrong in my book We always had bilge keeled boats since the emphasis was on cruising rather than racing.

[russell]

If a ship like the Titanic can sink and kill thousands with all the experienced staff running it, what makes you think you will last 5 mins in the water?

[minestrone]

So, following recent ops and injuries, and in an effort to move to a less dangerous hobby (currently climbing and kayaking), I'm thinking of buying a yacht.

The only time in my life I thought I was going to die was being on a cabin cruiser in a force 8 going from Dublin to Largs, total nightmare.

[amcdonald]

Ok whilst I messed up my shoulder for life surfing in slalom kayak, if your sensible out it's a reasonably safe sport

In fact the river dart is perfect for it, especially dodgy out of seasons runs when it's in flood

Why not do both ?