Is the freedom (and fun) of sailing in the UK a thing of the past

[iangrant]

Just thinking about some of the aspects of the Solent waters and some of the moans and groans expressed on here.

When I did my first trip to Cowes from Chichester, things were a lot simpler, even the blasted Stewart Turner (not that I'd go back to that asmatic beast).

Radio checks and VHF use; there seems that people feel a need to have the security of contact should something go wrong, not sure what can go that wrong inshore, but?
Endless chatter about "where are you, etc... how is the dog? Turn down the squelch and tune out maybe,,,

Power boat wash, So what, a quick bit of roll is hardly the end of the world, no need for fist shaking and swearing at the fellas from the dark side..

Passage plans, "hello Solent, we are leaving Hamble for Cowes, 4 persons on board etc....
endless paperwork for a quick jaunt of 10 miles.

Safety equipment, Some of the coastal boats are festooned in kit, I'm sure if you launched a danbouy in the Solent it'd get run over and dragged away by the time you get the guy out of the water.

The right coloured "Ocean" sailing gear worn in the Anchor pub in cowes with Dubarry boots tucked in, hmmmmmm not really what it used to be, makes me smile when I think of my first "Oilskins"

Electronics for everything, chart plotters, GPS the works, again for nipping about.

Blue ensigns, again so what - if the owner is daft enough to pay the price for his trophy flag, then who care, more fool him..

The weather, forecast forecast and more forecast. (normally wrong) It is what it is, sail boats are tougher than the people on them so even a blow won't be the end of the world...

Just wondered what the panel thought, bored,



Ian

 

[tringa]

Of course not

Unless you think sailing in the UK is synonymous with sailing in the Solent?

 

[ChrisE]

Is the freedom (and fun) of web postings in the UK a thing of the past

I reckon the sailing fun is still there, it is just that the topics of posts on this web board tend towards the grumpy. Why this is I've no idea, simply an observation. If I was to guess my inclination is that the posts reflect the real pressures on resources in some areas of the UK.

 

[fireball]

Yee gods - you are depressed!

I think that what has happened is that boating is now more accessible - so more can use their disposable income to purchase a waterbased caravan. As they are relative newcommers to the water they pickup and inwardly digest the vast majority of water related media.
With the rest of the UK becoming more and more litegous and safety consious there is more and more advertising for orange gear and these newcommers like to feel they are safe so purchase loads of it - not that they will know how to use it all in an emergency, but hey - it looks good (to them!).

Right coloured sailing gear? Bother that - I want warm & dry - not hot/cold & sweaty!!

I like the gadgets & gizmos - even for popping about, not that we used it all whilst onboard for 2 weeks - getting used to them so it becomes second nature for longer trips - no excuse for not practising the more traditional methods though.

Blue Ensign - only if I put it through the wash!! - I suppose for some there is a certain amount of elitism from having a different ensign to the majority - its about not conforming and standing out....

I've given up with the solent forecasts, they are so often wrong that I tend to look at the synoptic charts and make up my own mind - 2 weeks in the solent (ok - down to poole as well) and I've come back brown - through sun not rain!- can't be bad! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

You need to get yourself back on a boat - quick!!

 

[ValleyForge]

Re: Is the freedom (and fun) of web postings in the UK a thing of the past

I never realised that yellow oilies (complete with tear in backside) & rolled down black wellies were not 'in' !

 

[Mirelle]

A Curmudgeon Writes...

A first class rant, which I entirely agree with.

Alas, it has spread beyond the Solent. The river Orwell used to be one of the nation's loveliest estuaries.

Today, with marinas at Shotley, Levington, Woolverstone and two in Ipswich, plus moorings almost everywhere except the dredged ship channel, it is a crowded, miserable, dump, full of people not having much fun, as they day sail their remarkably expensive large yots, festooned with safety this that and the other, most of which they have never tried, could not use, and would not work anyway, make radio checks to Thames CG and motor their mobos-in yots-clothing at speed from one marina to the next.

I'm not familiar with pubs in Cowes, but the Butt and Oyster, when I first entered it, stepping ashore from a plywood pram towed astern of my 18ft dayboat (tent over boom, no engine, no radio, one chart, no flares, no lifejacket) was owned by Pat of the handlebar moustache, a friend of Giles the cartoonist, and the public bar was dominated by retired barge skippers who barely tolerated yotties provided they kept their voices down.

Today...well, you would find "Ocean" oilies tucked into Dubarry's, all right.

But here's an odd thing - go a few miles offshore - I mean a very few - and you have the place to yourself...

...or sail in the winter.

Oh, ensigns.. I've said this before, but my late father, whose sailing career spanned the years 1919 to 1985, once remarked that prior to WW2 no yachtsman who valued his self respect would be seen dead flying an ensign of any description in "home waters" - they considered it "tripperish" (a truly damning adjective!) and modelled themselves on the fishermen and coastal traders.

Finally, I would like to pass on this exchange, which was passed on to me by one who was there - the late Simon Richardson:

Scene, Lymington river off Jack in the Basket. Time - roughly breakfast time. Low water. A GRP cruiser sees an orange painted old gaffer anchored off waiting for the tide to turn, anchors nearby and the crews exchange pleasantries, as one does.

"Lovely morning. Where are you from?"

"Beaulieu. Where are you from?"

"Greenland".

 

[duncan]

no

it's changed, most places, but the freedom and fun are still there (or dare I say people would stop doing it very quickly).

it's not just a Solent thing, and it's not just a sailing/boating thing - from work and the associated H&S rules to driving and dare I say even walking, there are more people involved and everyone has beome more aware of the risks. This has lead them to feel that they need more equipement and planning to undertake any pastime.

blissfull ignorance may well give the illusion of freedom and fun but as they need to be balanced with responsibility for most people in real life it is only an illusion.

 

[RupertW]

Once you're out of the Solent, or sailing on a weekday I don't find it very different to when I started - apart from knowing where I am a bit better.

Just as much fun, I think, but then I'm going through a non-gadget phase and never switch on the VHF and have virtually no electrics to worry about (nav and cabin lights and the autohelm).

I'm not as scared or excited as I used to be but that's experience, I think.

 

[tome]

It's changed a hell of a lot over the years - largely agree with your observations. The 2 most irritating things for me are the abuse of VHF and the corporate take over.

VHF was useful for link calls via Niton, and you could have a good old chat with Solent CG when they were quiet. Now it's wall-to-wall radio checks and bleedin' boats calling each other repeatedly plus the inevitable blocked carrier on ch 16. DSC alerts have made it even worse, and I'm getting close to the point where I cannot be bothered maintaining a radio watch at all.

The corporate bit with S**sail taking every free berth on behalf of a wunch of bankers without giving them a basic briefing in boat manners or etiquette makes for some occasionally unpleasant encounters

But I still love it, the wake from the dark side rarely bothers me and I look forward to some quiet winter days ahead.

Surprised you didn't mention ferries, you grumpy old git!

 

[Lakesailor]

Perhaps it's the media and yachting mags fault. All we do is see shiny gizmos to buy, being tested and recommended. "How to be safe in the Arctic Circle" articles become required reading for East Coast mudflat sailors.
The Blue Water mentality is encroaching on our estuaries, rivers and creeks.

I started sailing with a friend and his father on the Humber in a Humber One Design (an 18ft carvel centreboard dinghy). Just two sails, and a couple of paddles. Then a gaff rigged keel day-boat with the luxury of an engine.

My friend is in Lymington now and has a Folkboat. He's just dragged himself into the 20th century as it's grp and he's stopped using his bamboo cane for taking soundings.


It's still pretty simple on the lakes. Thankfully.

 

[beancounter]

Jeez!...

...there we were, getting all excited about moving our newly-acquired (almost) boat to the Orwell, and you've painted such a wonderful picture /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[Sniper]

Re: Jeez!...

Ah, the Orwell isn't perhaps quite as bad as Mirelle suggests, although his points are fair. If you can avoid Sunday afternoon you can have a decent sail and there is a certain satisfaction to be had in tacking through the moorings at Woolverstone.

On the plus side, there isn't often a queue to land on the hard at Pin Mill these days and even if the Butt no longer benefits from Pat's eccentric charm at least your pint is full when it arrives at the bar!

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Re: A Curmudgeon Writes...

[ QUOTE ]
But here's an odd thing - go a few miles offshore - I mean a very few - and you have the place to yourself...

[/ QUOTE ]

I sailed 98 miles across the Irish Sea the other day. Clear visibility, but saw not one other yacht, ship, fishing boat, ferry, nothing, until 3 miles from the end of the trip.

The Solent Rant affliction doesn't seem to have afflicted us out in the wet part of the country yet.

 

[WayneS]

It's really not as bad as some will have us believe.

The advantages of the Solent area far outweigh the disadvantages, and it will continue to be so for a long long time.

W

 

[Guest]

You know me well enough Ian ....

Me .... I think that too much emphasis is on 'technical stuff' now and not enough on 'understanding' the element you are playing in ...

OK - so I run GPS group etc. and also am involved in the Marine Inspection biz etc. - but it still doesn't change my view of trying to enjoy what has been a pleasure for century's to man and his partner ...

The problem is the influx of seemingly important 'wants' that really are off-shore / blue-water based ... It also depends on where you sail ... if Solent based - get lost, ok steer north and you hit mainland within a short time ... but some places you could be lost and never found ... Solent is a relatively enclosed area ...

My father's last boat had a RDF rcvr ... based on a normal broadcast recvr ... had a swivel bar antenna on top .... made him a gadget freak in the club !!
My first own boat I bought a Decca .... spent more time checking it against known positions than actually using it properly ...

A lot of the old fun has disappeared from boating, too many take it too seriously and forget that it's about enjoying oneself.

You met Svet ... when she was just starting on boats .... she now - subject to weather of course - loves it ... she doesn't worry about are we wearing the best / latest gear, she doesn't care about whether its latest plotter etc. She enjoys it and looks forward to pubs and places to see ... Don't get me worng ... she takes an interest in whether boat is safe ... and asks me about various bits and bobs ... What I'm saying is she is like we were a few years ago ... unspoilt by the adverts and bull spread around ....

When you read posts about "Skippers responsibility" and also liability etc. - blimey what happened to good old fashioned people messing about on boats ...

Arguments about ensigns, Union xxxx's etc. - who really cares except those that 'score' points on posts !! Me I don't really care - just let me enjoy my boat and my time on water ... shout at me - I shout back .... now what about a return to a quaint old custom that seems to be dieing out .... Wave at the other boat as they pass ... makes you feel good inside ... they wave back ...

When rafted ... SPEAK to the people next to you, crack a bottle of plonk - offer a glass ... makes you feel good ....

Trick is to bring back the friendly spirit ............ an old friend of mine sadly gone had the right idea ... Brian ..... calmly sailed his boat, invited all on for cards and a sniff of whisky ... Speckled Hen Beer if you asked nicely !! .... he was always ready to help, always ready to take that line .... Brian you are sadly very very missed ......

Evolution ... that's what it is ... some of us are slow to follow ... and I'm not ashamed to admit that I lag behind on various points .....

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

OK, a dark side comment mayhap but the upper tidal Thames (Richmond - Barnes) at about dawn in the summer is quiet, empty and pleasantly relaxing. A bit further on you can catch the sun rising over London and get a sense of what Longfellow saw.

 

[moodycruiser]

... thinking 35 years ago when if there were 5 of you in Osborne bay it was crowded, and I'm pretty sure that I didn't spend half my time rolling around from all the wash that's bouncing between the island and the mainland., ... and you waved at other boats because there were fewer of them.
.... to be fair though, the old red funnel ferries kicked up a worse wash ........

 

[AuntyRinum]

Quote: "Blue ensigns, again so what - if the owner is daft enough to pay the price for his trophy flag, then who care, more fool him.."

No, please, not again! It's a club membership flag and doesn't cost any more than a red.

 

[graham]

Absolutely not.

Perhaps your comments are correct for the UK hotspots such as the Solent .But to be honest even the few times I have sailed in the Solent was enjoyable if not quite as relaxing as I am used too!

In a country where you can slip your mooring and sail off wherever you like with no interference from bureacracy how can you complain about loss of freedom?

Like you I miss the ways of the past and think that the average cruising yacht has become far too complicated with electronics ,BUT thats the owners choice it hasnt been forced on them.

Most of the things in your post are suffered from choice.Ie if the radio pees you off ,switch it off.If you prefer an ex army greatcoat to Mustos fine ,The fashion police may tut tut but cant lock you up for it /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

for all its faults the UK is still a comparitively free country.

I have posted moans on here before along a similar line (usually when tired and pi$$ed off.)But then my depression allways lifts after enjoying the freedom of slipping my moorings and going for a sail down channel with the tide(even GBrown hasnt thought of a way to tax the tides yet /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif)

Get away in the boat for a few days midweek away from the crowds and Im sure youll feel differently.

 

[fireball]

[ QUOTE ]
if the radio pees you off ,switch it off.

[/ QUOTE ]
Thats part of the issue with DSC - it is still preferable to keep a listening watch - there could easily be a "distress" in which you can offer assistance or information (last seen heading east at 20 knots!). And can get early information of things like shipping movements and weather updates - all useful things - what is still not handy is receiving an alert for an area that you couldn't get to quickly (french alerts when in the solent/poole harbour, or panpan/mayday alerts for Brighton when your off Portsmouth ...)