Going to windward obsession!

[Wansworth]

The barge type yacht with leeboards or not has a lot going for it.Going to windward not so much but off the wind or stationary at anchour or on the beach or mud it has distinct advantages.Whywestern man became obsessed with going to windward is not clear as most if not all the great exploration and discovery by water was made in barge like craft.The Thames barge and it derivatives showthatlargevessels can be handled with a small crew.I will admit a beat to windward in a keel boat is a joy but maybe for the weekend sailor the barge yacht is worth a look at.

 

[justanothersailboat]

Not being able to go to windward is for two kinds of people:
- people who don't mind motoring half the time, and
- people who have the time to do long voyages (and just wait for favourable conditions / go the long way for following winds) rather than time-limited coastal cruising
And that's a fair number of folk. But if you like to sail and have limited time, upwind is a must... not necessarily a pure upwind racing machine, just a basic level of capability.

That boat is also huge and might not scale down well.

Now go and buy an ordinary boat that goes upwind ordinarily well :-D

 

[Wansworth]

Not being able to go to windward is for two kinds of people:
- people who don't mind motoring half the time, and
- people who have the time to do long voyages (and just wait for favourable conditions / go the long way for following winds) rather than time-limited coastal cruising
And that's a fair number of folk. But if you like to sail and have limited time, upwind is a must... not necessarily a pure upwind racing machine, just a basic level of capability.

That boat is also huge and might not scale down well.

Now go and buy an ordinary boat that goes upwind ordinarily well :-D

It was just a thought

 

[Fr J Hackett]

It was just a thought

But barely a coherent one.

 

[Wansworth]

But barely a coherent one.

You know me…

 

[Fr J Hackett]

You know me…

All to well

 

[Wansworth]

All to well

I must admit a flat bottomed craft doesn’t attract penis envey…..

 

[RivalRedwing]

Tradewinds posted this link on the Classic and Wooden Boat forum

what's not to like

 

[justanothersailboat]

Beautiful things, old sailing barges. But of old, I'm told they used to wait around anchored up until the right wind came along. Many modern ones that do commercial trips have great big motors.

 

[Wansworth]

Beautiful things, old sailing barges. But of old, I'm told they used to wait around anchored up until the right wind came along. Many modern ones that do commercial trips have great big motors.

Exactly…..modern man’s obsession with speed……

 

[justanothersailboat]

...mean some modern men even complete boat purchases. Speedy!

It's not an obsession with speed, it's realising that waiting has a high opportunity cost for most of us.

 

[Wansworth]

...mean some modern men even complete boat purchases. Speedy!

It's not an obsession with speed, it's realising that waiting has a high opportunity cost for most of us.

I was mate with an ex barge skipper who lamented the coming of motor ships as there was no escaping the need to carry on at the behest of the office whereas a sailing barge was out of the hands of man ,just waiting the right wind

 

[Supertramp]

You're right that waiting for the right wind is important. Also understanding the tides and local eddies. And some very good judgement about where not to go because you might never get out again under sail.

That said, there is a real pleasure in carving to windward in the right boat and weather. When cruising I avoid tacking to windward (as opposed to sailing close hauled which is ok). My boat is towards the barge end of the spectrum!

 

[Baggywrinkle]

Going against the prevailing wind is miserable, and the smaller the boat the worse it is. Having to constantly tack to get to your destination gets tedious very quickly, and the stronger the wind, the worse it is.

We have engines for a reason, and I am a great fan of motor-sailing when the weather turns nasty and a close reach is necessary. Let just enough sail out to steady the boat without too much heel and let the engine and autopilot do the majority of the work, while I hide under the sprayhood with a cup of tea - or sometimes something stronger.

Fortunately it doesn't happen very often as the Adriatic has islands and anchorages in every direction.

 

[Poignard]

Beautiful things, old sailing barges. But of old, I'm told they used to wait around anchored up until the right wind came along. Many modern ones that do commercial trips have great big motors.

Tide was the most important factor.

When the tide turned against them they would generally anchor, or sit on a sandbank, and wait until it was favourable again.

 

[MisterBaxter]

The old West Country trading ketch skippers apparently referred to this way of getting around as 'sailing by anchor, tide and teapot'. Increasingly necessary the further up the Bristol channel you go...

 

[Daydream believer]

It was just a thought

You are not paid to think. Just do as you are told.

 

[Wansworth]

You are not paid to think. Just do as you are told.

Might give that a try……what ought I do

 

[Daydream believer]

Beautiful things, old sailing barges. But of old, I'm told they used to wait around anchored up until the right wind came along. Many modern ones that do commercial trips have great big motors.

I have oft spent ages sitting on a sandbank. But I never thought of the excuse that I was waiting for the right sort of wind to blow my way

 

[KevinV]

I must be some kind of perverted weirdo - going to windward is the entire point of sailing as far as I'm concerned - a few carefully selected bits of cloth, string and stick enabling you to go wherever you want to go - it always feels like a kind of magic