Feather bedded sailormen?

[rogerroger]

Lots of reasons...

Generally, I totally agree with you.

For example - the other day - sailing back from Portsmouth to Chi (thru forts) - a light F3 blowing but from the South - right on the beam. Absolutely beautiful - the auto helm could steer, all the laundry up so the boat still made 4 - 5 knots, the sea was as flat as a pancake, we were barely heeled so "she" was perfectly happy.

Behind us were sail boats with their sail covers on ! I don't think they were in a hurry as they only just over took us.

We then jibbed round the entrance to Chi harbour and "drifted" in at less than 2 knots but still enjoying the peace and quiet. Sailed all the way to Itchenor Reach where we sadly had to start the iron tops'l.

Nobody seems to have mentioned skills - a couple of years ago I never would have dreamed of sailing into Chi harbour without the engine at least on. Now I'm more experienced and have done my YM I'm far more confident. There are a lot of people not confident enough to sail into harbour and personally, I'd rather they did have their engines on.

Time - my boat used to be on a mooring I could only get on / off less than half the time - often I'd be seen motoring back to Chi to make sure I could get off in time and not have to row ashore at 3AM in April!

Overcrowding - if you're heading to Yarmouth on a hot Saturday afternoon you really (sadly) need to be in by 4pm - my crew would rather motor the direct route against the tide rather than spend 5 hours tacking and getting there late.

It all beats sitting in this darn office though...

Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[Guest]

Cat pricing?

Hi,

I think you'll find that the expectations were very high last year and prices have dropped substantially.

Regards



Fred

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you.

 

[sailbadthesinner]

It would be lovely to have the time to indulge such luxury
Not owning a viable cruisng craft I have to charter or crew with others.
As a consequence it is a collection of individuals all of different ages abilities and priorities. The only thing we all have is limited time on the water. As such when necessary the engine is put on at times when I would ideally like to sail in. I have to compromise.
I would love to be able to indulge myself at times, at others I just want to get there to a timescale and if the wind will not oblige, so be it. I am not going to criticise others cos they sail differently to me or motor when i sail.
Quite frankly we just want to get and do our own thing with our freinds.

If it Cooks Flys or Floats, Rent it.

 

[Guest]

Re: Lots of reasons...

Hi,

My original post was about more than just motoring. I agree with every word you say about all the constraints, the lack of skill or experience. All of it can be addressed.

OK, so I can have a lot of fun sailing around Chi harbour. I enjoy practicing picking up a mooring under sail as well as dropping the pick and hoisting it without using the motor. I wouldn't dream of entering the Solent Marinas under sail - but I'll get as close as I can before succumbing to the imperatives of an engine.

What really gets me is that you have some boats with several sails in their lockers, not one of which is a storm sail. There is usually enough string to work the sails and tie up alongside a pontoon but not enough to drag behind you in a real blow. We seem to have forgotten about a boat being seaworthy first and everything else second.

Regards


Fred

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you.

 

[bedouin]

Re: Lots of reasons...

But if all you are doing is day sailing in the Solent, or short hops, then the chance of being caught out in the sort of blow that requires storm canvass and a trailled drogue (let's say >F8) is vanishingly small.

Anyway - how do you know what yachts have got buried in their cockpit lockers!

 

[Guest]

Re: Lots of reasons...

Hi,

> But if all you are doing is day sailing in the Solent, or short hops, then the chance of being caught out in the sort of blow that requires storm canvass and a trailled drogue (let's say >F8) is vanishingly small.

Sure, but the same sailors "hop across" the channel. When they get a force 7 or 8 on the nose on the way back and the engine fails? They don't have the experience to beat or know what strategies to use. It can take a lot longer than anticipated and the weather can and often does get worse. Last summer the only thing the Met Office got right about the forecast in the areas I was sailing was the date.

> Anyway - how do you know what yachts have got buried in their cockpit lockers!

Looking through inventories of boats I considered buying and asking around. Oh, and do you want to buy a boathook from my collection of 273 I somehow acquired over the past few saturday nights?

Regards



Ssshhh - you know who!

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you.

 

[Guest]

Well, I'm the partner, and I grumble when there are too long gaps between the sails ... on the other hand, we have never had an engine!

On the subject - why is it every article I find on picking up moorings start with "switch the engine on" - why not detail what him at the back should theoretically be doing whilst I am up pointy end trying to lasso a passing mooring bouy (mostly under control, but on certain occassions, with a lot more speed than necessary) under sail?

dragon lady

 

[NigelW]

Re: Tolerating sailing -sprung mattress please

Hand pump heads -yes; fridge is bigger than at home; carpets in cabins - yes; microwave - yes; freezer - yes; double sink - yes; hifi - yes; comfortable? yes but could do with sprung matresses, I'll give you, but I'm a hard bed man myself.
What is it?
Hunter Legend 43!

 

[rogerroger]

Re: Lots of reasons...

Yup, all good points, and no doubt most people who do find themselves in situations without the necessary equipment subsequently go out and buy it.

I only bought a radar reflector after getting caught in fog ! (although as it transpired there was one of the bobbly one at the top of the mast I'd not noticed!)

But - open the boot of any car - how many have...

fire extinguisher
first aid kit
warning triangle
spare bulbs
blanket
shovel
water
spare fuel
tool kit
etc etc etc

Many motorists don't even carry a road atlas and operatoinal spare wheel. Point is, rightly or wrongly, people don't / can't prepare for every single eventuality... (but, I'll also be the first to criticise any putting to sea unprepared)


Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[Guest]

Boathook

Yes I do! Mine was half-inched on satarday!

 

[Guest]

Re: Lots of reasons...

Roger writes

> Many motorists don't even carry a road atlas and operatoinal spare wheel.

Sure, but if they get a flat tyre then the likeliehood is that they will call out the AA or a garage and get it fixed. If the worst comes to the worst then they can knock on someones door or catch a bus.

At sea when something goes badly wrong it usually finishes up with some poor sod risking his life to save yours. Every time the lifeboat goes out or the helicopters are launched it costs a fortune and those selfless individuals might not make it back. In my view that is far too high a price to pay for lack of seamanship and poor preperation.


Regards



Fred

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you.

 

[tcm]

Re: Nigel mixup

ooh, i thort you were another Nigel.

But anyway, alright Legend 43 aside, other sailboats under 70feet don't even come close to creature comforts. Did you take the optional mast? Ouch!

 

[bedouin]

Re: Lots of reasons...

But that simply does not happen.

How many examples have you heard of where yachts have had to call out the lifeboat due to lack of storm sails or an effective drogue?

ORC Special regs don't require Storm Sails until Category 2 races (e.g. Fastnet, Bayonna) and never requires a drogue.

 

[rogerroger]

Re: Lots of reasons...

I agree entirely. The stakes are different but I think my point is valid. (plus people do die in their cars when stuck in snow etc)

I'm not saying there's an excuse for not being prepared - why that guy who navigates with an AA road map hasn't been locked up is quite beyond me!

But it doesn't always result in a rescue - what about that 65' Swan that rolled near the Azores and had to be rescued a few weeks ago ? I'm sure that boat had all the kit in the world.

Most of the time putting to sea unprepared results in discomfort or inconvenience.

The bearings on my roller headsail decided to seize once mid channel - I couldn't unfurl the gib and it took 18 hours to get from Cherbourg to Chichester. This didn't harm anyone but certainly prompted me to get it fixed rather than put up with it being a bit stiff every now and then.

Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[Guest]

Re: Boathook

Jim writes

> Yes I do! Mine was half-inched on satarday!

Now this nice extendable one fell of the back of a Starlight. Hardly used. One careful Lady owner who only used it to chase seagulls off her sailcovers.

5 quid to you guvernor.

Regards


Sshhhhh... you know who.

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you.

 

[rogerroger]

Re: Lots of reasons...

exactly - well furled roller head sail will get you home or help you ride out a storm - just not (nearly) as effectively as a proper storm jib...

Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[halcyon]

Interesting what makes a off-shore yacht.

The previous owners of our yacht did two trans-atlantics with it, fitted with a 5 gallon fuel tank, and water stored in around 18x1 gallon plastic containers, and 27 foot AHL.

Brian

 

[rogerroger]

Ah, now that's not "offshore" ya see - that's "Ocean" - completely different ball game ;-)



Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[Guest]

Re: Lots of reasons...

Bedouin writes.

> But that simply does not happen.

Have a look at http://www.rnli.org.uk/recalled.asp#gale

and from the RNLI's own stats at

http://www.rnli.org.uk/downloads/2001_stats.xls

we find that of the 962 launches to auxillary yachts in 2001

59 were for adverse weather
75 were for a fouled propellor
261 were for machinery failure
17 were for no fuel
16 were unsure of position.

Oh, and 252 were stranded. Read the stats and then tell me again that it "simply doesn't happen." It does happen. Far too often. Of those 59 launches in adverse weather the crewmen of the lifeboats were risking their lives. About 30% of the shouts on sailing yachts were due to engine/fuel/propellor problems.

One third of the callouts for sailing yachts were due to engine problems? Makes you think, doesn't it?

Regards


Fred

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you.

 

[Sinbad1]

Re: Tolerating sailing -sprung mattress please

hmmm...well you certainly have all the right gear, all you need now is a proper boat to put it in.