Begginner with Peapod

[Coal Miner]

I need help- my cousin(god bless him) bought a set of plans for Hylands Beach Pea several years ago but was "too busy" to start the project and gave them to me. After 2 winters it is done except for final painting- he insisted on Kirbys, a sprit sail. homemade ash oars with leathers- no rope on the oars, all SB fittings etc. The sail arrived today from Dabbler so its time for me to get my act together.

The problem is I know nothing about sailing. I have found several articles about sprit sails in WB but I need a basic book/resource on how to sail a small boat. Something with a glossary, definitions of terms etc. - I don't know a clew from a reef.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Thorne]

What a great boat -- you will have a wonderful time on the water.

Like driving a car, it is much easier to learn with/from someone else, rather than just throwing the average 16-year-old behind the wheel and letting them figure it out themselves...

;0 )

Go out with another sailor ON THEIR BOAT! Don't know your location, but many places have local TSCA groups that have active schedules for both rowing and sailing events. Otherwise, head to the local marina or lake and find/bribe someone to take you out sailing.

Learning the hard way is no way to learn sailing == trust me on this. Was just reading a post on the doryboat Yahoo group, where a guy wanted photos of his new sailing dory. So he tossed the anchor out, put the sails up, and told his friend on the bank to start taking photos.

Needless to say the wind gusted, the boat broached, he had kids aboard who were scared but nobody was hurt. Now he wants to rebuild the boat completely, when it was fine as long as the anchor is up when the sails are also up.

Books can make you more familiar with the terms, but many are focused on racing or cruising -- very few on sail and oar boats such as yours.

I'm sure you'll get a lot of good book recommendations anyway...enjoy!

[Yeadon]

Start with this book "Start Sailing Right! (http://www.amazon.com/Start-Sailing-Right-Instruction-Certification/dp/1882502485)"

It's a very beginner oriented sailing book. And find a friend who can sail. If you don't know anybody, I guarantee you won't have a hard time making friends with someone who is experienced and is willing to climb into your peapod with you and go sailing.

"What? Go sailing with you in a sprit rigged peapod? No way."

No one would ever say that. If they do, turn and run. You don't want to know them.

[switters]

years ago I traded a color television with remote for a snark, a very cheap and much derided small sailboat. And I bought a few books, which were useless because you cant stop the boat and look up page 31. "winds are gusting like hell, what to do". So I took some hard knocks and at least learned how to right the sailboat in a jiffy. This summer I am going to a local lake where they race and offer myself as inexperienced rail meat and hope to learn some things.

good luck, don't give up. Some people that I know racing are excited for me to finish my boat so they can go out with me. The asking around advice is right on.

[Yeadon]

oh, and buy a comfortable life jacket. wear it. with any luck you'll end up in the drink before the summer is over, cause sailing is fun.

[johngsandusky]

I taught myself to sail, with mistakes and dunkings on the way. You can too. Most books will deal with marconi sails. Any good beginner sailing guide should be ok if you are careful. Light winds, protected waters, warm water. To learn to use your spritsail, check Crawford's Melonseed website, I think there are good tips and instructions there.

[Cuyahoga Chuck]

I built an 8' pram with a sprit sail set up, read a couple of paperbacks, got a video tape from the library and adjourned to a local lake to see if I could figure it out. The books, "Sail in a Day" by George O'Day and "The Small-boat Sailor's Bible" by Hervey Garrett Smith suggested it was nothing to jump ino a sloop rigged boat with 200 squares of sail and have at it. It may seem so if you have been sailing since you were five years old.
I got thru' the first few attempts with minor hassles like having the sprit pole come down on my head but I did learn to make the boat move about. Most hassles where due to not having my head in gear when I was assembling the rigging. The sail will wrinkle if you don't lash it properly to the mast. The sail will wrinkle if you don't put enough tension on the snotter. If you are careless about how you assemble the sail setup you may get out on the water unfurl your sail and find it is fouled way up there near the end of the sprit pole where it's hard to get at. Since my sail is lashed to the mast it has to be bundled and securely tied to the mast when rowing away from shore. If the wind shakes it loose the sheet may lash you about the head and neck. it do smart.
When you are sailing downwind it is rather easy to have the sail do a "goosewing jibe" i.e. go from one side to the other in an instant. If you have a boom on your sail it could give you a lump on the head. I don't have a boom but I did lose a nice booney hat to a jibe.
You must disabuse yourself of any ideas you picked up motorboating. A sailboat only does what you want if you have your head in gear. For instance, you can only manuever when you are moving. When you are tacking you must have sufficient speed to cause the bow to pass across the oncoming wind and point towards the opposite tack.
Other little points:
Take a watch with you. It's easy to get out there,forget about how long it took to get where you are and come back two hours late for supper.
Always go upwind on your first leg so that you are going downwind if you have to row back.
Make sure you have oars in case the wind dies.
Make sure you have a bailing bucket. It's a godsend if you get becalmed out there and have to pee.
This is me;
http://209.190.4.227/gallery/displayimage.php?album=780&pos=4

[BBSebens]

Sounds like me!! My Father in Law has a Mattinicus Double-ender Peapod with a sprit rig. Not actually the right set up for the boat, but it works ok.

A couple of things i figured out... oh, and if someone else says different, listen to them, they probably know better.

Eat first!! things are bound to go badly at some point and if you are hungry, it doesnt help you feel any better.

A watch is definetly a good idea, but figure in extra time if you can. sometimes its just not long enough....

and definetly, definetly, find some sailing buddies.

most of all, Have Fun!

this is me in the Matty
http://flickr.com/photos/bbsebens/sets/72157604141598908/

[Yeadon]

hey, I have a matinicus peapod with a sprit rig! I've never seen another one, either.

where is matty?

[JimD]

I taught myself to sail with this book, available from our host http://www.woodenboatstore.com/prodinfo.asp?number=300%2D307 :

http://www.woodenboatstore.com/images/300307S.JPG