Happy and gay

[davidej]

I know what my worst point is.

Having to back into a tight berth in an overcrowded marina against the stern kick with a strong cross wind!

 

[Poignard]

I know what my worst point is.

Having to back into a tight berth in an overcrowded marina against the stern kick with a strong cross wind!

I have managed to do that with my long-keeled Twister.

I was ever so pleased; and would have been more so had it been the berth I intended to enter.
?

 

[DanTribe]

I have managed to do that with my long-keeled Twister.

I was ever so pleased; and would have been more so had it been the berth I intended to enter.
?

The trick with reversing a long keel boat is to see where it wants to go and pretend that is what you wanted.

 

[James_Calvert]

In answer to the original question:

There's a moment fairly soon after departure when the sails are set, with tiller in hand the boat settles to its course, at that instant you think you've done everything you needed to do in preparation for the voyage, everyone's on board that should be, and all that's left is to make the passage.

That moment fills me with a great contentment. The more so at the beginning of the season: all the tribulations of winter maintenance are behind and a new season's sailing lies ahead.

The depth of this feeling can take me totally by surprise. Grinning like a Cheshire cat I am.

No great adventures needed for this either. Just coastal cruising.

 

[zoidberg]

I especially enjoy that period when a landfall - doesn't need to be trans-ocean; coast-hopping does just as well - starts to take shape with detail, and I can make out houses, people, daymarks, what-am-I-going-to-find.....

 

[Kukri]

I don’t often get these moments of great joy and peace whilst sailing.

I can remember one perfect spell of a couple of hours coming into the Colne before dawn and anchoring in Pyefleet just as dawn broke.

But I do get lots of little moments of pleasure every time I take a boat out. I can enjoy rowing and sailing the tender, crewing for my son in his Squib, and sailing the big boat, but as series of moments of pleasure followed by the next thing to think about.

 

[grumpy_o_g]

We hired a boat called Gay Lady from Potter Heigham.

Feeling the boat settle into its course as the sails fill for the first time.
Leaving sight of land.
Watching a ship's lights pass by.
Seeing a fulmar coming to say hello.
Revisiting a familiar harbour.
Visiting an unfamiliar harbour.

Was it the rarely sighted 3 cabin Fulmar or the much more common 2 cabin Fulmar?

 

[SlowlyButSurely]

Dolphins. We find the company of dolphins extremely satisfying.

 

[dansaskip]

.myself having doubts,do I really want or need a new (to me) boat

Some years ago I was suffering the same doubts, the vagaries of UK weather, the long distance to drive to my boat, the sameness of a mooring in the same spot for years, the being scared at times, wet and miserable on a difficult day, all contributing to an underlying let us say dissatisfaction. So I sold my boat, wondering if I should give up on sailing. I very quickly discovered a great sense of loss and bought another boat within a year. Turned out well because it was a better boat in most respects and enable me to set off on a big trip.
So perhaps I could recommend a period of non boat ownership might crystallise your thoughts?

 

[johnalison]

Was it the rarely sighted 3 cabin Fulmar or the much more common 2 cabin Fulmar?

Fulmars without a capital f are more to my taste than those with, however admirable they may, even if they are slow in comparison to an Anderson 22. The bird fulmars intrigue me. They sort of look like gulls but their flight is quite different, with stiff wings, often gliding low over the water. They are inquisitive and will come to inspect you to see if there is anything doing. I having a fond memory of sitting in the cockpit somewhere in the middle of the North Sea in the pitch dark and seeing a ghostly apparition loom up from astern into my lights for half a minute before he went on his way. Beautiful but un-photographable.

 

[zoidberg]

Which bits of sailing.....

There's another moment that's special.

That's below in my sleeping bag, whether at anchor/on a mooring, or even on passage..... waking from sleep.... and keeping my eyes closed, just listening to the sounds and motion of the boat.... confirming all is well and that I'm warm, dry and secure.... and nodding off again.

 

[Poignard]

There's another moment that's special.

That's below in my sleeping bag, whether at anchor/on a mooring, or even on passage..... waking from sleep.... and keeping my eyes closed, just listening to the sounds and motion of the boat.... confirming all is well and that I'm warm, dry and secure.... and nodding off again.

........ and realising you don't have to get up just yet.

?

 

[capnsensible]

There's another moment that's special.

That's below in my sleeping bag, whether at anchor/on a mooring, or even on passage..... waking from sleep.... and keeping my eyes closed, just listening to the sounds and motion of the boat.... confirming all is well and that I'm warm, dry and secure.... and nodding off again.

For five seconds before you decide to get up for the pee you should have had an hour ago.

 

[Concerto]

Perhaps this short video I made of a magical sail on glassy water and only the chirp of the autopilot with the odd distant noise of human activity will suffice. In 8 miles coming up the Medway I did not see another boat. It was a truly magical sail.

 

[WoodyP]

I find that having crew is more stressful than single handed, apart from when it gets a bit gnarley and you definitely need help.

 

[LittleSister]

The boat heels to a gentle breeze, all the tell-tales are streaming, the sun floods the cockpit and I relax and survey the horizon while the Autohelm steers.

Yes, I've seen the glossy ads, too. But I thought we were discussing real-life boat ownership.

 

[neil_s]

Yes, I've seen the glossy ads, too. But I thought we were discussing real-life boat ownership.

It's true! It's true! It did happen once!

 

[LONG_KEELER]

In answer to the original question:

There's a moment fairly soon after departure when the sails are set, with tiller in hand the boat settles to its course, at that instant you think you've done everything you needed to do in preparation for the voyage, everyone's on board that should be, and all that's left is to make the passage.

That moment fills me with a great contentment. The more so at the beginning of the season: all the tribulations of winter maintenance are behind and a new season's sailing lies ahead.

The depth of this feeling can take me totally by surprise. Grinning like a Cheshire cat I am.

No great adventures needed for this either. Just coastal cruising.

? ? ? ? ? ?

 

[Kukri]

I do like peacefully ghosting home against the ebb. This pleasure may be enjoyed roughly twice a fortnight in summer.

 

[Capt Popeye]

The boat heels to a gentle breeze, all the tell-tales are streaming, the sun floods the cockpit and I relax and survey the horizon while the Autohelm steers.

Humm , sounds like you prefer to be the 'crew' then ?