A Stinky goes Sailing - Thanks

[EME]

Some time ago, I asked you Scuttle butters for advice on whether it would be appropriate / fun for the wife and I to do a sailing DSkipper course together; even though our joint experience was ‘minimalist’. Your advice was basically go and enjoy it. So only fair that now we have got back that I should tell you how it went.

In summary I can say it was absolutely brilliant. It was as you said quite hard work for 40 -somethings but the school and instructor were understanding and ‘suffered us’ with more than good humour– a few details will follow. Missing part of the Rugby World Cup was an obvious bonus for a Welshman.

The Training School

We were looking for a school with warm waters and good sailing conditions. We chose Canary Sail (http://www.canarysail.com (although hurry up if you want instruction or bareboat with them , despite imminent arrival of second boat they are booking up well I understand), Am I reformed stinky? No, the SoF is just not sailing friendly but TB has advised we are doing a flotilla holiday next year!

Thanks everyone for the advice .. a truly unforgettable holiday/experience. Doing the course as a couple was a magnificent idea. I’ll post here when I find out the dates for Alex and Clive to be screened on ‘ No Going Back’.


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[tcm]

welsh windbag

Hm. So where are you goin on a flotilla?

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[sailbadthesinner]

Re: great post

glad to hear you had such a good time
knackered me out just reading it
bet you slept well when you got back

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=red>if guinness is good for you. i must be very very good</font color=red>

 

[EME]

Welsh windbag\'s World Wanderings

Not sure yet ...

I suggested Caribbean this winter but finding difficulty in finding a flotilla for 'learner couple' which doesn't involve a 60 foot boat...

in all probability will do Croatia ( her choice). However I am a little wary on that option as she may upset the locals and cause a diplomatic incident. Turkey is out for the same reason although could aleays get a sub from Dubya. Key seems to be to finding a flotilla which doesn't motor everywhere... defeats the object surely.

Any good ideas?

Need to buy MoBo first..

some wonderful new TB anecdotes but later...



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[tcm]

Re: Welsh windbag\'s World Wanderings

the BVI is recommended, line of sight sailing, fab beaches, easy pootling about from anchorages, reliable wind and plenty of bar-based opportunities.

I hear nice things about croatia, but also that the food is crap. posters hereabouts been, worth a search. Food also crap in bvi, but at least they are nice about it. I think we are having cheese sarnies and rum cocktails again for Xmas lunch.

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[longjohnsilver]

Re: Welsh windbag\'s World Wanderings

Wot's this, a 60' boat too small for you now, this saily thing's gone to your head. Not many companies will do a bareboat charter over 100', better hire a real skipper;-))

BTW England won the rugby, just in case you missed it!

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[EME]

great post

I'll do the out-takes later.

I can also confirm that i found the 'Black stuff ' in San Sebastien on draught ... not the greatest ever but a change from the local stuff.

Slept on both flights home ( we went back to Nice) and all of next day .. bruises just beginning to disappear !!

Really was a brilliant time and so unlike my limited experience of other 'training' establishments...

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[sailbadthesinner]

Re: Welsh windbag\'s World Wanderings

if you want wind in the med turkey is good wind wise but eating out is hardly a pleasure it all gets a bit samey and a bit crap PLUS swmbo may be a bit nervous about turkey securitywise.
greece can be okay but the ionian is generally windless unless you go later in season. it has to be said ionian is very beautiful but southern ionian is also VERY busy. i have been ionian three times over past 12 years and once had no wind all week not a breath, except the last day when it blew a hoolie. to be honest you have to take all the flotilla brochure forecasts with a pich of salt if they say wind is 2-4 in a certain area it means there is mostly none with occasional f4 once a week. except carribean where youi do get good winds .
not sure what croatia is like wind wise, metabarca is the man for info there. i think he said wind was generally stonger than ionian and got up in the afternoon.



<hr width=100% size=1><font color=red>if guinness is good for you. i must be very very good</font color=red>

 

[EME]

Weading and Whiteing

Now come on John...

Read that one again..

the requirements is for a smaller boat with as many ' idiot friendly' features as possible such as In mast furling etc..... if you look at the US sites doing the BVIs and similar most of the boats are bigger ( well they would be for them , wouldn't they!!)... and we would like to do something as the 2 of us as unfair to burden our limited experience on some other poor sods at this stage... so a 4 cabin 50 footer or larger is just impractical..

I heard about the RWC ...

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[ChrisE]

Flotillas/chartering in the Caribbean

Personally, with exception of the BVIs, I'd give the Caribbean a miss for a first charter.

One, during the winter there's more wind than most charters companies own up to, F5 for a fair amount of the time which is great if you are experienced but may be a bit on the strong side for a first trip.

Two, the hordes of boatboys that will pester the livin' daylights out of you.

Three, with the exception of area around The Grenadines the sailing distances between islands are quite large, great if you want to spend a large amount of your time sailing but not so great if 'er indoors is looking for some quiet shorebased sunbathing.

The BVIs are as the post above says just the ticket with Solent type distances between stops, excellent shorebased amenities and winds generally in the F3-4 category

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[jimi]

Re: Welsh windbag\'s World Wanderings

Learner, do'nt dismiss Turkey ..its splendid sailing, the food is fantastic,people friendly and the scenery quite outstanding .. Oh and Bodrum is really quite cosmopolitan too. Get a haircut there as well , they blow fire into your ears and nose .. you could scare the living shit out of them .. you welsh dragon;-)

<hr width=100% size=1>O wad some Power the giftie gie us
To see oursels as ithers see us!

 

[sailbadthesinner]

Re: Welsh windbag\'s World Wanderings

bodrum is full of gawdy shops and people in track suits buying fake gucci watches and other assorted tat. mrs s loves it. the castle is worth a visit.

the bareboat sailing is good but i have done a couple of flots in turkey where the route was frankly crap agree the people are fab and friendly, if a bit hustly I but i can handle that
and the shaves are brill
oh and you can buy cheap rugs ( to walk on not wear that is)



<hr width=100% size=1><font color=red>if guinness is good for you. i must be very very good</font color=red>

 

[jimi]

Re: Welsh windbag\'s World Wanderings

Some of the restaurants just outside the marina in Bodrum are world class IMHO and the prices are ridiculously cheap .. or they were the last time I was there (2 years ago)

<hr width=100% size=1>O wad some Power the giftie gie us
To see oursels as ithers see us!

 

[sailbadthesinner]

Re: Welsh windbag\'s World Wanderings

the food was my one gripe
i really got bored of it
granted its cheap but even i can get bored of getting pissed every night for bobbins and sailing every day in the crystal clear waters of the aege.... hang on

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=red>if guinness is good for you. i must be very very good</font color=red>

 

[tcm]

Re: Flotillas/chartering in the Caribbean

totally agree with this.

[ah em!] don't get a wonderful press, but they (now) do have easily ther most professional setup in the BVI, almsot 100% dedicated sunsail marina with pool, loads of boats, spare boats, spare tenders if anythuing is amiss. Peace of mind in comparison with otherts where you rent a specific boat instead of specific class of boat. But by no means the cheapest, tho not quite the most spensive.

For the winter (xmas), getting a flight to carib is the tricky bit.

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[tcm]

Re: ooh, autocensoring?

is Sunsail not allowed? It seems that sunsail is permitted. scunthorpe? i didn't edit the post above, so mebbe someone else did it - but missed the second occurrence of the word....

 

[longjohnsilver]

In mast furling?

Is this another of your Welsh perversions?

Better stick to stinkies!!

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[EME]

Turkey

trouble is .. I don't know if you are on the windup !!

BVI looks best bet at the moment .. especially if guarenteed to to keep SWMBO amused.. Just need wind... not too much though..

Do you really need 3 reefs in a force 4? Big L plates on show for us...

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[EME]

Celts..

LJ

You know that 'In' is an important adverb for us celts as in .. In bed. In Bred, In the know... innocuous, In Your Face... etc.. But not yet inept .. or incest, or ..??

in.....coming...

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[longjohnsilver]

Re: Celts..

Incompetent, incontinent, inadequate, inferior, infantile, infirm, intelligent??? in the sh#t...................................;-))

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