I met a bloke..

[Peppermint]

.. I raced with years ago, this weekend gone. He was telling me how for the last ten years he'd been lucky enough to own two boats. This is a guy who lived to sail. Give him a forty foot racer with no engine and strange IOR habits and he'd win a race and dock it in the trickiest marina berth without turning a hair.

His two boats are a 32 ft sailing cruiser of impecable pedigree and a semi displacement cabin motor launch of 23ft.

He's selling one and I was shocked that it's to be the sailing boat.

He tells me that there is no logical reason to keep the sailing boat. Having run both boats he finds that he rarely gets the sailing boat out because by the time he clears harbour in in it he can be "halfway to somewhere" in the MoBo.

So another one bites the dust.

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[cameronke]

I have my E-Boat, my Laser and a Broom speed boat that I got about three years ago. The speedboat hasn't been out my garden in the past two years whereas the E-Boat is out every possible weekend during the summer and the laser is out as many evenings during the summer and as many weekends during the winter as possible. I find power craft lose thier novelty after skiting about for ten minutes whereas the challenges and intricacies of sailing still have the same fascination today as they did fifteen years ago

Suggest you present your friend with a nice cardigan, some comfy slippers, a pipe and a gold medalion!

Regards
Cameron

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[Chris_Robb]

15 years ago - I was tempted to buy a speed boat - 21 foot with 250 HP - great fun - till the novelty wore off. Within weeks I was not only bored with it, but always had concerns about its bottom and seaworthiness. My concerns proved correct as the bottom collapsed - and lost the Gel coat plus a few layers of badly laid up glass. Happy ending though, whilst sitting on its trailer awaiting repair - it got stollen - and insurance paid out.

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[Romeo]

lol

every cloud has a silver lining

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[Chris_Robb]

to true - best thing that ever happened! however now SWMBO wants a Grand Banks 40 - so who's going to pay for the deisel????

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[cameronke]

250HP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Your fuel bills must have been impressive.

Further thoughts on Peepermints comment on "halfway to somewhere", I suppose my style of sailing is seldom to try and get anywhere (unless it is Rothesay for a fish supper or Kames for a meal and a pint). I tend to just go out, tweak the sails a bit, chill out, photograph the clouds, dolphins, gannets and play dodgy weather; head for where the sun is shining and try to avoid the rain clouds.

I live on a point and it amazes me the racket that some of these Gin Palaces make aqs they pass, even from about half a mile away. How loud is it on board? How can that level of din be enjoyable? Are these the marine equivalent of ferraris? (phalic extensions) and therefor the noise possibly be an attempt to mark territory and virility rather than peeing against a tree? I did once venture round to Kames on a friends Gin Palace and if I recall right the fuel bill was over £100 (for a 15 mile return trip!)

Anyone want to buy a broom?

Regards to all boaters, raggies, stinkers and dreamers

Sail on dudes!

Cameron



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[Gunfleet]

Stollen, Chris? German Christmas cake?

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[Sybarite]

There's a nice GB40 (or similar) for sale on the river not far from me. The asking price (according to a neighbour liveaboard) is about €200k.

This is a development that I might consider in the future; something like that with a good sailing dinghy on the top. I love just pottering under sail.

If the lottery comes in this might be an alternative:

http://www.fridayharboryachts.com/50atl/a50.html

John



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[cameronke]

Hello Sybarite
Afraid im not with you on the styling of that one! Looks like a dumpy tug boat and with that mast rake you will have severe weather helm (except that the sail could never be big enough) and the chimney on top will get the main all sooty!

Regards
Cameron

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[Chris_Robb]

Christmas Cakes

OK - so it was a bit of a relief having it stolen - so Froydian slip.

On the water yet??

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[Guest]

Sad but true ....

I have 3 sail boats ..... MS in UK, 1/4 tyon cup in Estonia and a small w/ender in Latvia.

I am seriously considering options to exchange the w/ender for a small motor jobbie for use on the river my house is on ..... why ? Evenings pottering around with fishing rod and line ..... I love sailing and have had many hours enjoyment on the river with it .... but logic says small outboard is better in this case .....

My real love - the cup boat and UK Motor Sailer will remain in my hands as long as I can ........


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ... and of course Yahoo groups :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gps-navigator/

 

[Col]

Cameron, just out of interest, have you ever been on a mobo?
I ask this purely out of curiosity.

The 2 are as different as chalk and cheese, a small, fast speed boat is quite exhilerating- a bit like riding a fast motorcycle or driving a sports car.

There are many reasons why mobos are chosen over sailies, one you have stated already- You enjoy the journey!

I, however enjoy the final destination as much, if not more so than the journey.
Having a mobo opens up a whole range of harbours and anchorages that are "do-able" in a weekend, where as you would need a bank hol or similar to get to same places.

Lastly, if weather turns a bit sour, you can be back in home port without spending hours in the rain etc:

At the end of the day choice is down to the individual.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/colspics> Cols Picture Album</A>

 

[cameronke]

Hello Col
Yes I have been on many mobos. My first power craft was a 4 metre Avon SeaRider fitted with a 60hp mariner (yes I do know that 60hp exceeds the rating of the boat) and that was great fun on a choppy sea and a real hooligan machine. I also had a Fletcher Arrow with the 60hp (after I knackered the hull of said Searider, possibly due to so much wave jumping). I now have the wee broom just not that interested in it.

As far as adrenaline kicks go I also have a Westfield sportscar (Lotus 7 copy) and an old BMW R80RT motorbike (OK not an adrenaline machine). At 42 I may be having a mid life crisis ;-) I have flown all over the world and consequently hate flying. I would far prefer to take the Pullman down to Southampton and catch a liner to go to the States.

But, hopefully convincing you that I have experienced the thrills that a mobo can offer, none come even close to hiking out in my Laser, the rig thrumming as it crashes through (over) the waves on the verge of a spectacular capsize (got goosepimples just thinking of it!)

I do accept what you say that if want to get somewhere quickly and reasonably reliably then a mobo would be the way to go but as I said I like to get out there, chill out and get close to nature. With a sailing boat I can get the tranquility but I can also get the adrenaline charge and the intelectual challenge of mastering my craft.

Regards
Cameron

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[Guest]

Adrenaline ....

Opening a throttle ... adjust trim tabs etc. etc. watch the wave crests ...... pound pound ....... yes adrenaline is surely there and have enjoyed cat / tunnel and multi-hull power craft ....

But my biggest adrenaline rush must be my 1/4 ton cup boat pushed to its limits under full trimmed sails ........ the sheer rush and excitement of making that 'bird' fly is something that just brings a tingle to the toes ......
Pushing to that limit where she is 'on the edge' - something else ....

I must admit that ALL boats interest me - but a sail-boat stretched out and full sails set ..... is a sight to behold .....

Obviously I cannot help but be biased on this one !!


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ... and of course Yahoo groups :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gps-navigator/

 

[cameronke]

Re: Adrenaline ....

Hear Hear!

I must admit that I also get a rush just watching some of the stout fellows that pass my point on days that I wouldn't even cross my doorstep. Thier sails heavily reefed, heeled way over, crashing through pretty sever seas, broaching occasionally

I applaud you all!!!

Remember watching that ketch two or three weeks ago with all storm sails set. I measured gusts in excess of 50 kts at Toward sailing club. Those guys were definately having REAL fun

Gosh, getting quite emmotional here.

regards
Cameron

<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by cameronke on 28/04/2004 11:10 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Twister_Ken]

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again

 

[brianhumber]

Re: Is he worried about new Light Taxes,etc then?

Your friend seems to be ahead of the rest of us in preparing for all of GB and BLiars new taxes.

Lots of people will be looking at other EU member states for flagging out small craft registrations and ideally leave Blair land to rot and fester apon retirement completely.

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[cameronke]

Hello Ken
Totally agree. At first I thought it had been photographed using a fisheye lens

Regards
Cameron

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[Guest]

Converted Tugboat ????

Boy there are some ugly boats about - but that takes the biscuit !!!!

<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ... and of course Yahoo groups :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gps-navigator/

 

[Peppermint]

Re: In truth I doubt it

He seems to have bought the motorboat for a project he was working on. It just sneaked up on him, the idea that he was on the turn.

To be honest I think most of us need more than one boat to fill all of the gaps.

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