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Moxie, our 1976 Windrose 18 that we sailed exclusively on inland waters for over 1,000 miles. Spending up to a week out on the hook in remote anchorages was a great warmup for ocean cruising.
Aw, the cruising life at its finest!
“What’s your secret sauce?” is a question I get asked frequently, and not just about the scrumptious creations I whip up in our galley, even in the lumpiest, bumpiest of seas. Usually, curious cruisers are wondering how our transition from being landlubbers to full-time sailors appears to be as smooth as the surface of the sea on your first morning in the doldrums. How did we buy the right boat? How did we take off across the Pacific a mere five months after buying said boat, with very few ripples in our plans, relationship, and lives? And my personal favorite, how the heck did my husband talk me into doing all this crazy cruising nonsense?
“What’s your secret sauce?” is a question I get asked frequently, and not just about the scrumptious creations I whip up in our galley, even in the lumpiest, bumpiest of seas. Usually, curious cruisers are wondering how our transition from being landlubbers to full-time sailors appears to be as smooth as the surface of the sea on your first morning in the doldrums. How did we buy the right boat? How did we take off across the Pacific a mere five months after buying said boat, with very few ripples in our plans, relationship, and lives? And my personal favorite, how the heck did my husband talk me into doing all this crazy cruising nonsense?
That last question is surprisingly the most straightforward to answer, so I’ll start there: my husband didn’t have to talk me into any of this crazy cruising nonsense. We reached the decision together and work hard to remain a team of co-captains rather than competitors trapped on a small sailing vessel with no escape from each other. To cruise successfully and harmoniously as a couple, you too must find balance between work and play, his and her passions, and safely navigate the different learning styles we all have. Which brings me to one of the most important secrets to successful cruising: men and women learn differently. And if you want to set sail for distant horizons, there is a lot of learning to do.
That last question is surprisingly the most straightforward to answer, so I’ll start there: my husband didn’t have to talk me into any of this crazy cruising nonsense. We reached the decision together and work hard to remain a team of co-captains rather than competitors trapped on a small sailing vessel with no escape from each other. To cruise successfully and harmoniously as a couple, you too must find balance between work and play, his and her passions, and safely navigate the different learning styles we all have. Which brings me to one of the most important secrets to successful cruising: men and women learn differently. And if you want to set sail for distant horizons, there is a lot of learning to do.
A good place to start is learning to sail, which shouldn’t be a secret but often seems like it is. To this day we credit our exceptional ASA 101 instructor for his relentless patience as we slowly learned the language of sailing, trying not to let the oppressive heat of the Arizona desert melt our brains or enthusiasm. Who knew there was a whole separate language, let alone code of conduct on the water to learn before we were competent enough to skipper a boat of our own? Once you’ve learned the lingo and the basics of sailing, a great next step is purchasing a sailboat of your own. And I don’t mean the dream boat that you intend to sail away on, or even a racing dinghy. A little trailer sailor you can take out on the weekends or burn all your vacation time using will serve you much better in terms of preparing to voyage to far-flung places around the globe.
A good place to start is learning to sail, which shouldn’t be a secret but often seems like it is. To this day we credit our exceptional ASA 101 instructor for his relentless patience as we slowly learned the language of sailing, trying not to let the oppressive heat of the Arizona desert melt our brains or enthusiasm. Who knew there was a whole separate language, let alone code of conduct on the water to learn before we were competent enough to skipper a boat of our own? Once you’ve learned the lingo and the basics of sailing, a great next step is purchasing a sailboat of your own. And I don’t mean the dream boat that you intend to sail away on, or even a racing dinghy. A little trailer sailor you can take out on the weekends or burn all your vacation time using will serve you much better in terms of preparing to voyage to far-flung places around the globe.
Your goal should be to learn this boat inside and out. We spent nearly two years sailing our 1976 Windrose 18, Moxie, nearly every weekend after we decided to go cruising but before we left our jobs. The quick responsiveness of a small, light boat helped us both hone our understanding of boat handling and sail trim without risking safety or sanity on a bigger boat where far greater forces are at play. Being able to take Moxie out whenever we pleased kept us engaged, motivated, and excited, even when our departure date felt forever away. Plus, you’ll earn boat ownership brownie points which could help you qualify for insurance on your next boat. Ladies, as soon as you are comfortable (or perhaps even a little before that), invite your best gal pals out for a spouse-less sail. There is no better way to build your confidence as a skipper which is essential to your success if you’ll be sailing shorthanded.
Your goal should be to learn this boat inside and out. We spent nearly two years sailing our 1976 Windrose 18, Moxie, nearly every weekend after we decided to go cruising but before we left our jobs. The quick responsiveness of a small, light boat helped us both hone our understanding of boat handling and sail trim without risking safety or sanity on a bigger boat where far greater forces are at play. Being able to take Moxie out whenever we pleased kept us engaged, motivated, and excited, even when our departure date felt forever away. Plus, you’ll earn boat ownership brownie points which could help you qualify for insurance on your next boat. Ladies, as soon as you are comfortable (or perhaps even a little before that), invite your best gal pals out for a spouse-less sail. There is no better way to build your confidence as a skipper which is essential to your success if you’ll be sailing shorthanded.
Be sure to leave room on your calendar and in your budget to complete a liveaboard ocean sail training course that’s at least one week long. Choose an expedition-style course that teaches both traditional and electronic navigation and includes watch standing, sailing at night, and shorthanded man overboard retrieval. Many of our students wish they had prioritized this earlier in the process of preparing to go cruising, so schedule this well before you cast off the docklines for your grand adventure, and ideally before you purchase your cruising boat. It will give you a taste of what ocean voyaging is really like, help you build good boatkeeping habits, and you’ll start to learn what attributes you truly need versus want in your cruising boat. Are you sensing a theme here? There is no better way to set yourself up for success than by spending time on boats fiddling with sail trim, enacting repairs, and learning how to cook your favorite meals in a galley that rarely stays still. You’ve got to get out there and just do it, but in an environment that allows room for growth and development. Make it your mission to return home with a solid foundation in ocean sailing and seamanship plus more salty souls to add to your cruising network.
Be sure to leave room on your calendar and in your budget to complete a liveaboard ocean sail training course that’s at least one week long. Choose an expedition-style course that teaches both traditional and electronic navigation and includes watch standing, sailing at night, and shorthanded man overboard retrieval. Many of our students wish they had prioritized this earlier in the process of preparing to go cruising, so schedule this well before you cast off the docklines for your grand adventure, and ideally before you purchase your cruising boat. It will give you a taste of what ocean voyaging is really like, help you build good boatkeeping habits, and you’ll start to learn what attributes you truly need versus want in your cruising boat. Are you sensing a theme here? There is no better way to set yourself up for success than by spending time on boats fiddling with sail trim, enacting repairs, and learning how to cook your favorite meals in a galley that rarely stays still. You’ve got to get out there and just do it, but in an environment that allows room for growth and development. Make it your mission to return home with a solid foundation in ocean sailing and seamanship plus more salty souls to add to your cruising network.
Wondering why your cruising dreams feel so far away? Not sure where to start? Grab our FREE 25-page SMART Cruising Goals Workbook. We'll walk you through how to set meaningful, achievable goals so you can get out there and enjoy the cruising life.
A liveaboard ocean sailing training expedition is a great way to stretch your offshore sea legs and practice teamwork.
Want Help Achieving Your Cruising Dreams?
Want Help Achieving Your Cruising Dreams?
We can help! There are many more ingredients to create your personal recipe for successful cruising, such as identifying your individual cruising goals, selecting the right boat to match your agreed upon goals, and keeping the promise you made to yourself to actually GO. A great place to start is a training expedition, which will help develop your offshore seamanship skills while getting a taste of what the cruising lifestyle is REALLY like. Applications are open for the upcoming season and we look forward to welcoming you aboard.
We can help! There are many more ingredients to create your personal recipe for successful cruising, such as identifying your individual cruising goals, selecting the right boat to match your agreed upon goals, and keeping the promise you made to yourself to actually GO. A great place to start is a training expedition, which will help develop your offshore seamanship skills while getting a taste of what the cruising lifestyle is REALLY like. Applications are open for the upcoming season and we look forward to welcoming you aboard.
BONUS RESOURCE
BONUS RESOURCE
If you're working on building your cruising reference library, we applaud you! We've compiled a recommended books and learning list to focus your efforts, and it's available for FREE. It's broken down by loose category and includes everything from learning to sail, boat maintenance, and cruising guides to some of our favorite classic voyage reads. Download your copy HERE.
If you're working on building your cruising reference library, we applaud you! We've compiled a recommended books and learning list to focus your efforts, and it's available for FREE. It's broken down by loose category and includes everything from learning to sail, boat maintenance, and cruising guides to some of our favorite classic voyage reads. Download your copy HERE.
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