I started skiing in my late 20's, started sailing in my early 30's and didn't buy my boat until my late 30's.
I tell non-sailors that for me sailing is a lot like skiing: the environment is what makes you go, but it's also the environment that poses the challenge; I'm nowhere close to mastering either skiing or sailing, so I'm constantly working to improve my technique - whether turning on skis or trimming sails. Another thing I tell people: don't confuse sailing with boat ownership. They're two different things, and can be had separately. There are two sailing clubs in Boston. They offer boats from 20 ft to 40 ft. At least one of them keeps boats in Marblehead, Newport, Westport, Provincetown, and Cataumet. This gives you access to Cape Cod Bay, Buzzards Bay, Narragansett Bay and beyond. Annual membership with access to Pearson 26 sized boats is about $2500; annual membership which includes use of the 40 footer is $5k or $6k I think. Sounds like a lot of money but cheaper than boat ownership and you get to re-up every year. I work with at least a half dozen twenty-somethings who sail, but I work in Newport, RI: that might have something to do with it. They race on other people's boats, some beer can racing, some more competitive stuff. They all started when they first moved to the area, were looking for something to do, and were invited out. Some were non-boaters, some were wind-surfers, some guys, some girls. One of the other two C&C 25's in my harbor is owned by a college kid. His neighbor gave him the boat, which had been on stands in the backyard for at least a decade. He fixed it up and got it back in the water. I'm pretty sure he gets a reduced rate on his mooring by working for the boatyard as a launch driver. It can be done! Mark C&C 25 Williwaw
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