Hmmm?

[BrendanS]

Anyone notice how all the posts are about the technicalities of boating, what the boat show is like, how to get there

Does anyone else just enjoy just being out on the water?

The way you go home with a big smile on your face that lasts for days, after having been through some really rough stuff, and not just survived, but enjoyed it. The way it takes away all the stress and tribulations of the rat race we live in.

Anyone think about what boating was like 50 years ago without all the gizmos and technology, just being out on the water. You and nature, or possibly you against nature.

Are we missing something?

<hr width=100% size=1>There is no such thing as "fun for the whole family."

 

[victor_meldrew]

<font color=red>.....after having been through some really rough stuff, and not just survived, but enjoyed it....</font color=red>

There are similar sentiments in other posts of yours and I worry for you. You seem to go out looking for trouble. My boating is about managing out as much of the risk as I can for my boat and for everyone on-board. And knowing what to do if the unexpected does crop up. Mind you this attitude has been acquired as a result of nearly 50 years of taking smallish boats to sea. Takes all sorts. Stay lucky

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[kimhollamby]

True grit

The sheer joy thing tends not to get written about, for several reasons I suspect, partly because it is harder to express those kinds of words and partly because the modern expectation seems to be for drama and grit.

It happens on the mags too -- we were forever getting requests when I was ed on MBM for more stories on things that 'went wrong', although in my subsequent work here on the forums I have occasionally read, with a wry smile, comments from a different sector of readership saying that the 'I survived the Force 10 gale only to hit a container on the approaches to Blahport' stories just plain scare them, or members of the family, and can they be toned down a bit?

You could, in parallel, ask where all the stories are in the nationals about the sheer joy of just being alive. Occasionally you happen across something of that ilk and I do agree it seems like an oasis in an otherwise barren desert.

Mind you, could MBC ultimately cope with a sudden outbreak of peace, love, bells? Fascinating question. I would probably suspect a deeply sinister underlying plot!



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[Renegade_Master]

I did do a lengthy report on my 4 day trip from Menorca to Costa when I bought the F36, that included some tales of daring do.

Also reported on the performance of the boat and various equipment. Thing is dont get to do many trips like that just for fun.

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[Dave_Snelson]

Brendan, I have frequently posted on here re my exploits and travels in North Wales, including pictures!

I look forward to doing so again next season.

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[PGD]

Re: True grit

This thread is very philosophical, Brandon must have been on his boat at the time of posting /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

Anyway this started me thinking after reading your post, if people can’t express themselves too well, why not do it for them. I would love to get my boat down the Thames to St Kats, then out to sea and eventually across the Channel. So why not stick a reporter on board and write a fly on the wall piece. I’m sure there are lots of people that have an idea of a challenge in mind, not rolling about In a force 10 but something that they’ve not done before but are up for giving it a go.

Alternatively take some novices on some of the MBM cruises and write about there experiences……. This would be real boating but covered in a professional way.

Peter


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[andyball]

Does anyone else just enjoy just being out on the water?


Sure do....as often as life allows.

Often just for a quick hour or so round chichester harbour - see a seal or two if we're lucky - & all at a few knots ....Lovely.

I like being out in the harbour very early morning, just as it's light- a very different atmosphere & fish jumping for England.


As for "really rough stuff" - haven't ever had any. Once caught in F6 (in the harbour mind!) in our first rigid boat - 12' w/cuddy , & going wind against tide back from Chichester to Langstone, my wife really thought we'd be swimming home. It didn't help that she couldn't see a thing, having to sit well forward to lower the bow so I could actually see where we were going. I still had to sit on a big fender to see over the cuddy -we were being pushed upwards so much by the waves.

The waves must (with hindsight) have been 2' at most, probably less....but it seemed very rough indeed given our very limited experience - I did enjoy it though.




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[tcm]

Re: Boating in 1953

I spect it was bloody awful Brendan. First of all it would have been in black and white, and secondly everyone spoke in an unintelligible squeaky uopperclass accent in full sentences with no swearing whatsoever. On top of that, the boats were total shite, no turbo chargers and even things like a Fablon Huntsman was 15 years off into the future, there were no onboard icemakers or fridges or lager or wine in the shops, and you needed waders to get ashore as there were no marinas. Also the beaches were probably still covered in barbed wire.

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[itsonlymoney]

Hi Brendan in short the answer is "Yes"
But surely that is the fundamental point for everyone. All the technicalities as you say are just another aspect of the overall involvement of owning a boat and a topic for conversation of course. To get back to your question sometimes we dont even leave the marina or if we do we can spend a full day at anchor, just being on or around the boat is sufficient to de-stress.
Interesting thread by the way.

regards

Ian

<hr width=100% size=1>Play the best game you can with the cards you've been dealt ! ! !

 

[MedDreamer]

Re: Boating in 1953

Don't forget the chirpy cockney chappie on the fuel pump, doffing his cap as he fills you up saying "cor blimey govner" whilst puffing on a woodbine

Ah Happy Days

<hr width=100% size=1>Do you think a Fleming 55 would look out of place on Windermere?

 

[paulineb]

Re: Boating in 1953

Speaking of Fablon Huntsman, where's baby Ben ?

<hr width=100% size=1>Pxx

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[sailbadthesinner]

Re: Boating in 1977

i remember it as kid as being wet and a bit smelly if there was a shower on the boat it was never used
there were no showers ashore ( well there probaby were but you had to pay so i wash just pushed of the jetty on Ghia)
the rations i remember well
my old man used to load the car up with wine and then a catering box of ritz biscuits. the cheese would be bought on soime obscure island, its main aim seeming to be mask the reek of damp oilies and sleeping bags

one year we put the ritz biscuits on the roof rack and the box disintegrated outside oban scattering half the packets before we noticed
we had lots of fresh fish (free)
and in ireland there seemed to be lots of guinness stowed (ahh doctor i am beginning to see the light)
it was bloody good fun but all wives refused to come (or not invited) and i normally had trench foot if the trip lasted longer than two weeks



<hr width=100% size=1>I thought it was the London International Guinness Show with a Boat tent

 

[BrendanS]

Re: True grit

Exactly the opposite, Haven't been able to get down to the boat for about 2 weeks, and was sitting here wistfully thinking about being on the boat and happy memories

<hr width=100% size=1>There is no such thing as "fun for the whole family."

 

[tcm]

Re: True wimp

well, i think you should get down there asap, what with there being lots of interesting weather an'all. When you go out, turn off everything except the depth gauge, and wear only woolly gloves and a tweed jacket. At anchor, you should make some tea in a proper teapot and eat some Garibaldi biscuits. Return early and rebuild the gearbox. Then catch the bus home. Ah, fifty years ago, happy memories eh?

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[BrendanS]

Re: True wimp

Sounds ideal. Will stick to car rather than bus though, as public transport not as good as it used to be.

<hr width=100% size=1>There is no such thing as "fun for the whole family."

 

[Althorne]

I see you're getting 'em all at it again Brendan! You are a card. (doff cap and smile)

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[BrendanS]

Living up to your name a bit?

I can't remember a time when I was ever in danger when boating. For all my tongue in cheek comments on the forum, I've never go looking for trouble. I do enjoy rougher conditions to calm. Whizzing out of Weymouth last year when the sea looked like it had been french polished was a bit boring to be honest.

Rough does not = dangerous. I know what my boat can do, I know what I can do. I plan meticulously when going to places I don't know, and I don't take risks.

Sorry if it comes across otherwise on the forums, but I don't believe I've been lucky at all, just make sure I know what I'm doing, and years of dangerous sports when younger means that some of the risk avoidance techniques such as planning, having safe havens planned, knowing how to navigate without electronic aids, always having a huge fuel reserve, and only going out in rough weather in very familiar territory mean I have a very enjoyable safe time.

That's not to say that you have to take all the danger out of it.

If no one pushed the boundaries, we wouldn't take any risks at all, and to my mind that would not be enjoyable. No one would have discovered the rest of the world (Columbus, Scott, Vikings, even my namesake), no one would have gone to the poles, no one would have gone into space.... if no one took any risks.

<hr width=100% size=1>There is no such thing as "fun for the whole family."

 

[victor_meldrew]

Fine. If you're happy with what you're doing and the way you are doing it, carry on.
But when it comes to 'pushing the boundaries' remember that you are not exploring the unknown world or conquering space, you are a relatively inexperienced leisure boater in a smallish ordinary boat. (all this gleaned from your Profile before the editing that now hides these facts). What you do is up to you but just don't try and convince me its clever. And words like 'survive' in this context make me shudder. I wish you luck.

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[BrendanS]

Re: True grit

I've just read, and re-read this response, and have decided I know why you are a journalist. You are gifted with words.

You've just summed up the entire industry in a few sentences, and harpooned the popular press at the same time.

I'll pm everyone, and organise a date for the plot..now wouldn't that be fun!

<hr width=100% size=1>There is no such thing as "fun for the whole family."

 

[BrendanS]

So lay out to me in clear terms, when I've been in danger, or what I'm doing that's 'clever'

I've been through a huge learning curve, and I'm in awe of the experience of some of the people on these forums. I'm still going through that learning curve, and will all the time I'm out boating. It's only by expanding the limits of what you know, and have experienced, that you can learn more?

The 'survive' comment, was a bit of tongue in cheek. I've never had to survive anything, just an expression of what it is like having pushed another personal limit, and to drive home with a big smile, and a increased zest for life.

Do you really never ever go home with a huge grin, thinking, I've gone a bit further (whether distance, conditions, experience) than before, and it was fun? If not, then I really, really feel sad for you

<hr width=100% size=1>There is no such thing as "fun for the whole family."