Is sailing for old gits, really?

  • Thread starter Thread starter tcm
  • Start date Start date
Do you have an address, I can't get these new fangled link things to work and feel a postal request would be taken more seriously.

Yours
A.N. Old Git
 
R U ready for this?
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Communication and Innovation
Bay 2/30, Spring Place
105 Commercial Road
Southampton
SO15 1EG

That was 5 years ago, but I guess they are still there
 
Well, as a founder member of GOGSA, I hope sailing is for old gits as I fully intend to enjoy myself.
In company with a gorgeous dusky maiden thinly disguised as SWMBO.
There is a point about kit though ... for Pete's sake (who's Pete?) why do we have to worry about all this stuff when most of us don't go outside the Solent? pages and pages on How To Spend Money and Worry Yourself into a Frazzle, when I've spent many happy days - weeks - months - sailing dinghies where we were well equipped if we actually had flares, or on yachts where one of the committee members was in charge of worrying about kit and changing the oil ... if I worried about half the stuff I read about in magazines I'd be in such as state that I wouldn't be able to leave the pontoon. And broke.
 
We might be old gits NOW, but I started sailing in the late 50's, before I was a teenager. Got my own boat (a prototype dinghy catamaran - effectively a Hobie Cat predecesor) in the early 60's. Moved on to white water competitive canoeing at age 30 then bought a cruising boat in '81. Still sail a looney Laser from time to time to keep my sense of balance(!)

Cruising is much slower, but more of a challenge in other ways. Sailing with my family is probably a little more safe than driving a car - I always assume that there is no-one else available to solve my problems.

We live in an increasingly "H&S" safety concious environment I have always felt that sailing allowed me to escape that. I have no official training or bits of paper that tell me I can sail. I have been in (and got out of) most of the usual scrapes. I can claim to be a graduate of the university of life as far as sailing goes. 30 years on it still suits me and you can stuff your skis (with all their pretentious acoutrements) where the sun don't shine (ie, under the stairs?)
 
[ QUOTE ]
9.) Small vessels and pleasure craft

Regulation 34 applies to all vessels but the degree of voyage planning may sensibly be less for small vessels and pleasure craft. There is still a need for prior planning but the plan need not be written down. The following should particularly be taken into account when planning a boating trip:

* weather: before you go boating, check the weather forecast and get regular updates if you are planning to be out for any length of time.
* tides: check the tidal predictions for your trip and ensure that they fit with what you are planning to do.
* limitations of the vessel: consider whether your boat is up to the proposed trip and that you have sufficient safety equipment and stores with you.
* navigational dangers: make sure that you are familiar with any navigational dangers you may encounter during your boating trip. This generally means checking an up to date chart and a current pilot book or almanac.
* contingency plan: always have a contingency plan should anything go wrong. Before you go, consider bolt holes and places where you can take refuge should conditions deteriorate or if you suffer an accident or injury. Bear in mind that your GPS set is vulnerable and could fail at any time. It is sensible and good practice to make sure that you are not over-reliant on your GPS set and that you can navigate yourself to safety without it should it fail you.
* information ashore: make sure that someone ashore knows your plans and knows what to do should they become concerned for your well being. The Coastguard Voluntary Safety Identification Scheme (commonly known as CG66) is also free and easy to join.


[/ QUOTE ]

seems like advisory points, not a list of regulations to adhere to.
 
Re: average

"At what age does one become an 'old git'"

when you cannot put the sock on your left foot while standing on the right. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Re: average

No, the sock test is about age, not gitosity.

In my not so humble, you become a old git when you first start rooting for the older of the two players in any one-on-one sporting event; when you'd prefer to see age and experience thrash the cheeky young whippersnapper.
 
Quite possibly most of the young gits are struggling with financing their North London lifestyle to keep a boat /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Well, me then.
Old Git Theory parts I & II
Old Git Practical Part I only.

I love having all the orange coloured kit on my AWB. It makes it look like a Xmas Tree imported from LIBS land.
My first boat got a replacement bulb in the nav lights after about 6 months, and I had the old lifejackets found in the bilge when I bought it. Cant remember any other kit on it at all. Tsk. Only 29 then.

I thrive on taking pride in doing things diametrically opposed to the way Youth (and in particular the two male Lions in our Pride) would do it, and take absolute delight in sodding them around slowly to the point of boredom. heh heh.

I find myself admiring leather patches on the elbows of zip up cardigans as being eminently practical, and will have none of this fashion malarkey. No Sir.

However, I do still secretly enjoy the foredeck in a blow, and still practice wheelies on bikes (pedal or motor) while tut tutting anyone else who does it under the age of 35.

Skiing is a closed book to me because of several broken ankles and a bit of gittish (and conveniant) arthritis in the knee, but I see the point of being contrary to all and sundry in the Apres Ski, p'raps to take the sting out of my pathetic performances on the slopes after being upended by a 3 year old doing 90 on one ski coming past me.

Jim is 49.
 
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