Hello my name is Leon; I live in the Houston Tx area, closer to NASA than downtown Houston. Needless to say I?m 10 minutes from the water at most. With no experience sailing and no one that I know that sails cats I?m kind of at a loss on what to do... should I buy a book and a boat and give it hell...What would yall suggest for person with no experience...Also I most likely well be sailing by myself most of the time, are there certain things I should do because of this?

welcome Leon. you can buy a book or 2 to learn some terms and get some info on what its about. i recommend rick whites sailing books and also there is racing in the 90's that is very good.

i would suggest you find some local clubs and talk with members. ask for rides, offer to help people rig their boats, offer to crew for races etc...

I'm not sure if this group is close but the experience is what MN3 is suggesting. Go visit, hang out, sail with others.

Sailing ANY boat will help you get to sailing a catamaran.

Leon,

All the cat sailers always went to the Texas city dike until Ike came through and wiped it out. All the cat folks went to Surfside beach south of Galveston island a few miles. I understand that the dike is opened up again, That is where you want to go on the weekend and you'll meet up with all the catamaraners. Also check out the Texas City Dike Yacht Club. Type that into your search bar and you'll be under way. Also you may want to contact Josh at KO Sailing in La Porte, tell him I sent you, they are very helpful and can find you a boat if they don't have one for sale.

Wayne with the Nac5.7

Leon go met some cat sailors on the beach. We (they) love to help.If there is one think that cat sailors have in common is talking about their boats.

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Nacra 5.2
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Hi Leon,

you want to go to

http://www.tcdyc.com

Chris Green and the gang will hook you up, no prob. Or just show up at the Texas City Dike on any given weekend. Nearer to you is the Seabrook Sailing Center, right by the Kemah bridge on the seabrook side.

If you want to experience the leaners (monohulls) the Wednesday Night racing series is always a good time. That's right by you too at the Classic Cafe on NASA parkway
http://www.clearlakeracing.org/





edited by: tami, Oct 09, 2010 - 09:22 AM

WoW thanks! The info really helped. I have read on the fourms it would be best to sail with some one as you learn to sail. But if/when the experince comes would a nacra 5.0 be a good cat to sail solo?

YES, it sounds like you have a line on one. I sailed large monos before, but the big brother of the 5.0.(I bought a 5.7) was my first Cat, & I'm over 50. I bought a 5.7 & sail it quite often solo.
Are you in good shape? Can you do push ups, a few chin ups?
If so you will really enjoy the boat. It is an athletic sport, more so when the winds get past 10 mph, you will dump it, & when that happens being able to do a pull up is the difference between a no problemo & a really painful experience.



edited by: Edchris177, Oct 09, 2010 - 11:35 PM

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Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
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Well ..... im about 50 pounds from where I should be..
I keep telling my self to work it off you know how it goes..
Maybee with somthing to really work towards... real actual goals I might break the norm.. Is it really hard to sail over weight ?



edited by: lhhjeo, Oct 09, 2010 - 11:57 PM

I don't think actual weight is as important as what kind of shape you are in. I'm a lightweight at 170 lbs. & that handicaps me when I sail my 2 man boat solo. I'm not making any judgments as to peoples weight, if you can hold yourself horizontal, feet on an edge & line in your hand, you have solved most of the problems of righting a Cat.
I think there are a great percentage of people like yourself, a few lbs more than they would like to be who are very successful (and happy Cat sailors)so I say go for it. If you have never sailed, try to hook up with a Hobie fleet, or whatever Cats are in your area. I think you will find it is pretty snob proof, & people will help you out more than you would imagine. You guys have more Cats on one beach than we have in all of Canada, that is a blessing for new guys.
As others posted, go down to the local club & ask if you can help out, plenty of people will get you on the water. A couple of sails will teach you more than any books will, at least about getting started( I would still buy a few books) Welcome to Beachcats, Damon runs a really good site here, no flames, a noob can ask whatever you need to know, & generally get good answers. Most of what i learned came from other experienced members here.

--
Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
--

Congrats on your decision to go sailing, especially on a beach cat! I'd recommend taking some lessons or at least talking to the tcdyc folks or any other cat sailors before wrecking your boat.

I sail a Nacra 5,2 and I'm over weight too, I weigh 200 pounds and I'm 1.8 meters tall (what's that, 5'9"?).
I can right the boat solo, which is the single most important handling criterion. That 5.0 sounds almost ideal for a beginner. No dagger boards to forget with very decent and forgiving sailing characteristics. But still, see if you can't get at least a couple of lessons or at the very least take an experienced sailor out on your boat a couple of times before going it alone. Oh yeah, pick up a book on the rules too! Not just the racing rules of sailing but general boating rules too, "the life you save could be your own" applies to sailing too.

Dennis