Hi folks of Daysailer.
I found this site as I was searching for information on my new to me 1974 O'day Javelin. Google pointed me here, and I did the small amount of requisite research to find out that a Javelin is considered (by at least some of you) a day sailer. Please excuse me if I am wrong about this, but I figured I would give it a shot, and if I am not in the right place, maybe some of the more active members can point me to a forum where I can discuss and get info on the Javelin and sailing in general.
To get introductions out of the way, I grew up boating on power boats and jet skis. I have been on one sail boat when I was a child, and it was great fun, but this boat was a big boat and I didn't get to do any of the work to sail it, I just sat around and ate crackers and cheese and swam. That was probably more than 20 years ago. So here I am today, living on the KY/TN boarder about 40 minutes from the land between the lakes. I came to this area through the Army, and I decided to stay because I had been pecking away at my college education for the entire time I was in service, and I had finally settled enough to make some headway into my education. I completed my BS (computer science for anyone following along) and started a master's program right away so I would not loose wind. So here I am today, 3 weeks away from finishing up school for at least a year or two (and avoiding work on my final project because I found a boat my wife allowed me to buy. I was looking for a cheep canoe that the family and I could use to paddle around at the land between the lakes, since we live around an hour away and after being coped up doing homework for so long I am ready to go camping every weekend it is nice outside. I had no idea that old sailboats could be had for around the same price as a used canoe, but I think I am going to be much happier with a sail boat than a canoe.
So here I am, first time sailor, trying to figure out how to set the boat up, trying to learn the language (I had to google the answer to the question they ask at registration and trying to figure out the ins and outs of boat care and sailing in general. I understand that I am going to have to take a sailing class, and I have found a club on Lake KY that may be able to help me learn to sail, and if they do not offer classes I am going to have to find someone who knows how to sail, and make friends with them.
Any suggestions, comments, words of support, or other constructive comments are appreciated.
Bryan