How slow do you sail
- Thread starter sailaboutvic
- Start date
cherod
N/A
I am not worthyI just wish I was so succinct
Jonathan
johnalison
Well-known member
I have long been intrigued by the paradox: if I am enjoying myself sailing, why am I always so keen to get to my destination?Before we set off to anywhere, I have to give my Wife an estimate of how long it will take ....... but I have to keep the estimate as low as possible otherwise she would demand to go somewhere closer.
Ergo, I have to start the engine as soon as our average drops as she will small a rat and start to fret.
In short, if "Er" says "go", we go.
Richard
sailaboutvic
Well-known member
Well fair to give an update on our slow sail .
At one point we was going backwards and bein in 160 mts deep there no way we could stop ourself from slowly returning where we started ,
You know we watch the boat speed and ever point we get excited , well with us it was the wind speed .
2.2/2.3/2.3/2.5 , but that's now all behind us four hours of getting hardly any where and then the wind set in we been sailing over 7 kts since ,
20 miles out of 65 to go , look like we won't be sailing all night after all .
At one point we was going backwards and bein in 160 mts deep there no way we could stop ourself from slowly returning where we started ,
You know we watch the boat speed and ever point we get excited , well with us it was the wind speed .
2.2/2.3/2.3/2.5 , but that's now all behind us four hours of getting hardly any where and then the wind set in we been sailing over 7 kts since ,
20 miles out of 65 to go , look like we won't be sailing all night after all .
dulls
N/A
I sail like that much to my family's annoyance.Started this thread to take my mind off gearbox problem .
We having to sail 65 miles to haul out wind is very light and bang on the nose , it took an hour just to sail off the anchor and move half mile .
Our top Speed this morning as been 1.4 kts slowest 0.5 ,
This 13.5 ton boat don't go very well in light winds ,
We hoping the wind will pick up later but still very much south which is where we off to .
Would you give in and wait for another day or just plod on ?
I will say It's painfull to see an hour pass and you not moved much ..
Oh oh one min we just touching 1.8 , thinks are looking up .
sailaboutvic
Well-known member
Agree with ever thing you said and normally our engine don't go on unless we drop below 1.9 kts unless we going on a short sail , but to day we have an appointment with a travel lift and a saildrive that's got more water in it then oil which can't be used other then dire straits so very light winds on the nose not good , luck for us the weather man got it wrong . AGAIN .
Kelpie
Well-known member
Why does it feel more frustrating to be becalmed than to sit at anchor waiting for better weather? Maybe that's just me.
I have been known to tow using the dinghy and oars... it's slow but it's better than being stopped...
I have been known to tow using the dinghy and oars... it's slow but it's better than being stopped...
johnalison
Well-known member
Why is it that when you are becalmed in a race the wind comes in from the rear and all the other boats have passed before you even get steerage way?
LittleSister
Well-known member
Long ago, in a land not far away, I used to race a dinghy on a short, very narrow stretch of inland river in a bowl of hills. When the wind did blow strongly it was all over the place, but it was most often very light, fluky winds to none at all, especially on summer evenings.
It was not at all unusual to be going backwards, unable to outpace the gentle river current. We would more often creep along the edge of the river, taking advantage of the very slight lateral air movement drawn by the convection off the sun-warmed bank. We were going so slowly against the current it might take 5 minutes or more to pass one of the numerous anglers on the bank, much to their annoyance.
We used to joke among ourselves (and I liked to think of this as an informal club motto) 'Any fool can sail with wind . . .'
The two possible endings to that were left unsaid.
It was not at all unusual to be going backwards, unable to outpace the gentle river current. We would more often creep along the edge of the river, taking advantage of the very slight lateral air movement drawn by the convection off the sun-warmed bank. We were going so slowly against the current it might take 5 minutes or more to pass one of the numerous anglers on the bank, much to their annoyance.
We used to joke among ourselves (and I liked to think of this as an informal club motto) 'Any fool can sail with wind . . .'
The two possible endings to that were left unsaid.
capnsensible
Well-known member
My wife is an experienced sailor. First time we sailed from the Cape Verdes to The Windies, it took us 16 days. The second time took us 27. It didn't trouble either of us......?Before we set off to anywhere, I have to give my Wife an estimate of how long it will take ....... but I have to keep the estimate as low as possible otherwise she would demand to go somewhere closer.
Ergo, I have to start the engine as soon as our average drops as she will small a rat and start to fret.
In short, if "Er" says "go", we go.
Richard
RichardS
N/A
capnsensible
Well-known member
Errrrrr.... And.... What's the title of the thread? ?Errrrrr ..... and?
Richard
RichardS
N/A
RupertW
Well-known member
I’m afraid its mostly 5 knots with us, sometimes 4. We like getting to places and fine if we’ve planned overnight sailing but if it’s a planned day sail and the wind is light (and in the wrong direction for using the asymm) then on goes the motor. I like the destination as much as the journey, so happy to be sail assisted and certainly in the Med we could have been stuck within 5 miles of home port for a week instead of multiple islands and a 200 mile plus round trip.
I was very different as a student when I took 48 hours from Rye to Newhaven and hope I will be equally patient again when I retire.
I was very different as a student when I took 48 hours from Rye to Newhaven and hope I will be equally patient again when I retire.
anoccasionalyachtsman
Well-known member
Are you nearly there yet Vic?
Clancy Moped
Well-known member
Is Vic there.....
anoccasionalyachtsman
Well-known member
Kicking myself for that one.
cherod
N/A
TBH , if it falls below 6 knts on goes the engines which will give 6.5 on 2/3 throttle at less than 1 ltr per hour . I hate floundering around , got to be on the move .
MarkCX
Active member
If I’m just out for a daysail i just take whatever speed i can get, even just drifting with the tide. Engine only goes on when I need to get back into my muddy little ditch at the end of the day. Usually has to be 1 hourish either side of high water. I only have a limited amount of fuel on board which limits my engine range somewhat and she’s quite thirsty.
sailaboutvic
Well-known member
Yep , we finished how we started by almost going backwards , ended up given In 2 miles from where we wanted to go and anchored in a bay , this morning much better light winds in our favour and enough to get us in the yard .