how do you sail your boat?

[dancrane]

Nothing I love more than hand steering and playing the waves and gusts. Why have a sailboat and treat it like a mobo?

That sums up my approach too, hitherto; although I would say that, I've no option, sailing a dinghy.

But if I were to hand over the steering of a yacht to an autopilot, I'd want to busy myself with another task involving the boat. Anywhere else, I'm thoroughly lazy and can happily kill time doing nothing; but aboard a boat, I think of sail trimming and steering as enduringly pleasurable and fulfilling. If I ever remotely imagined setting sails and autohelm, then sitting back feeling at a loose end, waiting to reach the other side, I would never have bought a sailing boat, nor would I keenly covet a bigger one.

What is adventure? I certainly don't see cruising local UK waters as an adventure...something new and risky

I'm not sure whether to envy your range and experience as a yachtsman, or pity you for the mundanity of your sailing. If there's a big advantage to small boats, it's the disproportionate sense of challenge that even a short passage can provide. I'm not dismissing others' enjoyment of the safe, long-legged, leisurely modern way they use their yachts, it's their choice entirely. But I never want to follow the 'programme-and-doze' approach to sailing.

There is nothing more boring than a 3 hour stint behind the wheel. Well, maybe a 4 hour one!

Why in the world do you have a sailing boat? Not being nasty - I just don't understand. Surely, whatever the boat cost could have bought hundreds of tickets to (and years of accommodation at) the places you sail to, without taking long enough to bore you en route?

 

[MountainGoat]

Why in the world do you have a sailing boat? Not being nasty - I just don't understand. Surely, whatever the boat cost could have bought hundreds of tickets to (and years of accommodation at) the places you sail to, without taking long enough to bore you en route?

For me, it's the scenery, the anchorages, the clean air, being away from everything, the freedom, tinkering, the pontoon bashing, the exploration, being somewhere fun and interesting and having my own space to go back to at the end of the day and just crashing out, and yes, I do enjoy the mechanics of sailing, but it's not the be-all and end all and on a long passage I'm perfectly happy to put in the route, set the autopilot to "track", trim the sails and just chill.

 

[Foolish Muse]

The compass is good for figuring out not where I'm going right now, but where I will be going after a turn. So, for example, if I want to figure out where I will be aiming after a tack or a gybe, I look at the compass and compare the new direction to the island or buoy I'm hoping to pass. My compass is at the rear of the cockpit, underneath the tiller. So it's very easy for me to sight-line up the new direction.

 

[dancrane]

...it's the scenery, the anchorages, the clean air, the freedom, tinkering, the pontoon bashing, the exploration...and having my own space to go back to at the end of the day and just crashing out...I do enjoy the mechanics of sailing, but...on a long passage I'm perfectly happy to put in the route, set the autopilot to "track", trim the sails and just chill.

You make a good point, I do see. P'raps I need to look at racier designs than those I've been eyeing...I really want something that'll reward my close attention, every mile.

 

[Foolish Muse]

Why in the world do you have a sailing boat?

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Not being nasty - I just don't understand. Surely, whatever the boat cost could have bought hundreds of tickets to (and years of accommodation at) the places you sail to, without taking long enough to bore you en route?

You miss the entire point of sailing. The moment I leave the dock and raise the sails, I'm at exactly the destination I want to be. There is no other destination.

 

[iLens]

I sail with friends in Brittany every year on their 20 year-old 40' Jenneau. We're under sail most of the time (unless we drop below 3 kts), and lie at anchor two nights out of three, but they use the autopilot pretty much all the time and navigate solely with the cockpit chart plotter. They've also got a bow thruster that they use a the slightest opportunity.
I like planning with paper charts and tide tables, and "driving" the boat hands-on at the wheel - and don't get me started about springing off! But we get on well, have a great time in some beautiful anchorages, and I'm very grateful for their generosity in sharing their boat with me. But...

 

[RupertW]

I sail with friends in Brittany every year on their 20 year-old 40' Jenneau. We're under sail most of the time (unless we drop below 3 kts), and lie at anchor two nights out of three, but they use the autopilot pretty much all the time and navigate solely with the cockpit chart plotter. They've also got a bow thruster that they use a the slightest opportunity.
I like planning with paper charts and tide tables, and "driving" the boat hands-on at the wheel - and don't get me started about springing off! But we get on well, have a great time in some beautiful anchorages, and I'm very grateful for their generosity in sharing their boat with me. But...

Interesting - we have a similar boat and probably sail in a similar way and as we often have guests aboard your viewpoint of it being duller than it should be is intriguing to hear.

For me the autopilot is what allows me to tweak sailing performance the whole time as I can concentrate on getting the sail controls to continuously match the course of which tends to be fixed for a few minutes or a few hours. When I'm hand steering I'm usually worse than the autohelm except in odd waves and I'd rather be playing traveller, jib sheets or reef line etc.

If I had more crew then we could all take positions and it would be very different of course.

 

[maby]

.....

Why in the world do you have a sailing boat? Not being nasty - I just don't understand. Surely, whatever the boat cost could have bought hundreds of tickets to (and years of accommodation at) the places you sail to, without taking long enough to bore you en route?

For us, it's the ultimate sea side cottage - you can't get much more "sea side", can you?

 

[dancrane]

You miss the entire point of sailing.

Easy there, Mr Muse. Possibly I don't share your point in having a boat. Sure, it's good to sail relaxedly. But unless the boat is a very unwilling sailing machine, far more reward is available from planning a passage and stretching her legs, than by carefree lolling.

Mountain Goat pointed out, there's plenty to enjoy in just being on board; I've always known that, I didn't imply dissatisfaction with yacht ambience generally; my point was that I don't understand any owner/skipper feeling so bored with the primary business of driving and navigating the boat en route, that he'd rather automate those processes than immerse himself in them.

For us, it's the ultimate sea side cottage - you can't get much more "sea side", can you?

Ha ha... Very nice to be beside the sea, but a bit sad to use a great boat merely as accommodation with a sea view!

 

[maby]

...

Ha ha... Very nice to be beside the sea, but a bit sad to use a great boat merely as accommodation with a sea view!

Don't forget that we are at opposite ends of the age spectrum - you are young and energetic and I am old and tired!

 

[dancrane]

"...opposite ends of the age spectrum..." Good heavens, I'm not young! :biggrin-new:

But what the hell...everyone should sail exactly as they please, that's all that matters. If anyone sails in a way that doesn't please them, they're doing it wrong. I'm not sure there's anything more to say, is there?

 

[Foolish Muse]

Easy there, Mr Muse. Possibly I don't share your point in having a boat. Sure, it's good to sail relaxedly. But unless the boat is a very unwilling sailing machine, far more reward is available from planning a passage and stretching her legs, than by carefree lolling.

Nope, I have to disagree. First off, I don't do carefree lolling. And I also don't do passage making. I just go sailing. And like I said above, the moment that I've pulled away from the dock and have the sails raised, I'm exactly where I want to be.

There is a brand new book called Maritime Psychology. In the final chapter he does a direct quote from my own book on singlehanded sailing:
If I was the richest man in the world I'd have a bigger boat and newer sails. But on a Saturday afternoon with nothing but God and the wind, I wouldn't be any happier than I am right now.

Once you reach that stage you will understand where I am every time I leave the dock.

 

[DJE]

You make a good point, I do see. P'raps I need to look at racier designs than those I've been eyeing...I really want something that'll reward my close attention, every mile.

Up to you but when you're short-handed and coming to the end of your second night watch you might appreciate a boat that can look after herself a bit.

 

[RupertW]

Up to you but when you're short-handed and coming to the end of your second night watch you might appreciate a boat that can look after herself a bit.

My thoughts too - we swapped away from a First 30E in 2000 after a Biscay crossing where the speed and twitchiness was more tiring than rewarding for the two of us. We still have a Gk24 for the sailing but prefer far more time on our more sedate boat which looks after us in the 50 knot gusts and the passages lasting longer than a couple of days.

 

[dancrane]

Good points, both. Not for the first time, I can reflect that it's just as well I can't afford any of the boats I'd like...because there's no way I'd be happy with just one of them.

 

[steve yates]

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Quote Originally Posted by dancrane
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...but to plan a coastal trip on a tablet, then steer for waypoints with half an eye on a computer screen? That's not what I call adventuring. Might as well be tamely approaching a roundabout waiting for a disembodied voice to tell you which exit.
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Oh I dunno, that's how I sailed my 18ft boat last year, 1200 miles to the top of Scotland and back. It wasn't exactly derring do but it was a thoroughly pleasant little escapade, mostly.
And the iPhone helped make it possible, and simpler. I was never glued to the screen, just read the course and follow it on the compass or visually.

 

[Kurrawong_Kid]

you can do that and get there but if you don't allow for the tide and currents beforehand you can add hours to a typical cross channel jaunt in the Uk or days to an ocean passage.

+1

 

[Genoa]

?... me because they've sailed big curves.

Let's be clear, if the reference is the land, they have sailed straight, and you have done the snake. If the reference is the water it is reversed. Your hourly plots should show the S not l meaning you have been more efficient through the water, which is our medium.
Those using purely tech nav may loose sight of this important difference.....

 

[wotayottie]

Nothing I love more than hand steering and playing the waves and gusts. Why have a sailboat and treat it like a mobo?

I guess we have different boredom thresholds. Even thrashing my sports car down a B road, I get a bit bored after a while and end up driving like Mother Theresa, and certainly 3 or 4 hours of helming, concentrating on tell tales and rip[ples on the sea is boring unless there is another boat to compete with.

That sums up my approach too, hitherto; although I would say that, I've no option, sailing a dinghy.

But if I were to hand over the steering of a yacht to an autopilot, I'd want to busy myself with another task involving the boat. Anywhere else, I'm thoroughly lazy and can happily kill time doing nothing; but aboard a boat, I think of sail trimming and steering as enduringly pleasurable and fulfilling. If I ever remotely imagined setting sails and autohelm, then sitting back feeling at a loose end, waiting to reach the other side, I would never have bought a sailing boat, nor would I keenly covet a bigger one.

Why in the world do you have a sailing boat? Not being nasty - I just don't understand. Surely, whatever the boat cost could have bought hundreds of tickets to (and years of accommodation at) the places you sail to, without taking long enough to bore you en route?

Though SWMBO is on board and perfectly capable of sailing the boat she prefers sudoku etc. So effectively I am single handing. So I am going from A to B and the course is set in the gps and the autopilot is on. That leaves me to adjust sails to get the best speed, keep watch, keep the log, make food, do odd jobs. Maybe a bit of fishing depending on boat speed. Bit of chart table nav to keep in practise. And if I am lucky , a bit of reading.

Perhaps surprisingly for a life long petrolhead, I have never understood the attraction of Mobos. And all that noise! Yuk.

 

[dancrane]

Perhaps surprisingly for a life long petrolhead, I have never understood the attraction of Mobos. And all that noise! Yuk.

I've decided to give up criticising and commenting on other people's choices and preferences. At least until I buy a yacht and develop habits in the way I sail her, I can't claim that what I think I'd prefer is actually better or more appropriate...

...and even when I have my own cruiser and way of using her, that way will probably only suit me, and possibly not on every occasion, nor necessarily for very good reasons...so asserting idealistic preferences in advance is just daft.

A part of me would even quite enjoy a motorboat...an '80s Sunseeker, the sleek ones, not the modern monstrosities. Fun for idly blasting off to anchorages 30 miles distant on sunny July Sundays, and getting back in good time for the week ahead.

I need lots of boats, to sail in lots of different ways.