It's no good, I just can't do it....

[nicho]

It\'s no good, I just can\'t do it....

...sailing that is. After many years of sporting skeletal abuse, I have come to the conclusion that my back is simply not up to the rigours of sailing. Literally every time we go out, I end up crippled with back pain. A couple of weeks ago, we returned from two weeks away, I had spent over one week laid out in the cabin.

Last year, after just one day of a six week cruise, I had to return, and spent several weeks in bed, MRI scans, Consultant Orthopods, and just avoided a back operation - we ended up with just 5 day sails in 2004. I thought that a good Winter break might sort me out, but no, it's just the same.

So, eventually, I'm throwing in the towel, and our beloved "Prophecy" is on the market. A very sad end to a relatively short sailing career.

I guess we have two options, pack boating in altogether, or go back to the "Dark Side", from whence we came, mobos being much kinder to me. We really don't want to pack up boating altogether, so I guess I'll have to join the campaign to save red diesel!!. We'll miss the peace and quiet, and cursing at mobo pilots for their wash, but promise I'll do my best to give you all a wide berth!!

 

[Talbot]

Re: It\'s no good, I just can\'t do it....

I know I will get yelled at again for saying this, but have you tried a cat, the sea motion is very different to that on a monohul, and is much more kindly to a bad back.

I would be happy to take you out for the day to try it!

 

[nicho]

Re: It\'s no good, I just can\'t do it....

Mark,

Many thanks for the offer, but my mind is made up. It's not just the heeling that gets to me (though that does not help), but the pulling of various lines, sheets etc, even though I try to be as careful as possible. I've even thought about electric winches, but they are bloomin' expensive - finding a crew to do the work is very difficult, and anyway, we prefer to be just the two of us. No, we are just not using our boat as it should be, ending up looking for excuses to motor everywhere, so we're definitely moving on. Thanks again, and fair winds to you.

Cheers

Mike N

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Re: It\'s no good, I just can\'t do it....

Mike,

Now you can get that P67 you are really yearning over... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I trust that you'll be getting a couple of top young chief mechanics to give the engine a magic makeover /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Stemar]

Re: It\'s no good, I just can\'t do it....

That's really tough - I so sorry to hear it.

SWMBO is also disabled with back pain, but she can helm while I do all the pulling on bits of string, so we can go out together.

Don't swallow the anchor completely - bring a ray of light to the dark side /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Would a displacement or semidisplacement hull be easier on your back than a planing hull. I sometimes see them planing in a chop and my back hurts just looking at them!

I'm sure if you want to come over to the side of the angels again for a day, any of us would be happy to take you out purely as a passenger. I know I would.

 

[Talbot]

Re: It\'s no good, I just can\'t do it....

commiserations. I guess it comes to us all eventually, and I know that I have to look after my back as well (pulled a muscle earlier this week!) You get a weakness somewhere in it, and thats were it always goes. Time I started to remember that I am not 20 years old (I wish)

 

[Deleted member 478]

Re: It\'s no good, I just can\'t do it....

[ QUOTE ]
pulled a muscle earlier this week!

[/ QUOTE ]
You're starting to sounding like Woody001. When he goes out on the pull, all he pulls is a muscle.

 

[BlueSkyNick]

Re: It\'s no good, I just can\'t do it....

Very sorry to read this post, Mike, but somewhat inevitiable I guess.

Prophecy is in such immaculate condition, I am sure she will sell quite quickly.

Hope we will see you around the marina, or on the water, one way or another.

 

[Talbot]

Re: It\'s no good, I just can\'t do it....

Woody has an excuse, - for me, I dont think my SWMBO would approve.

 

[mirabriani]

Re: It\'s no good, I just can\'t do it....

Nicho, sounds as if you have made up your mind.......
But I'll say it anyway....
Last year I met a lovely elderly couple who had sold the big boat and traded down to an immaculate Eagle 525
They had equipped it really well and told me they sailed the whole Thames Estuary (all sun tanned and healthy looking)
They explained how they enjoyed the ease with which they could handle the smaller boat and how it had opened up their cruising area.
I was impressed! Regards Briani

 

[Sybarite]

Re: It\'s no good, I just can\'t do it....

Sorry to hear that Mike. As a last argument have a look at the Amel boats. Everything is push button operated. You could look at a late model Sharki (40') or a Santorin (46'). Real built in quality.

Sails = electric winches, and furling. Anchor = electric windlass (and hose to clean chain as it comes up). Bow thruster.

Henri Amel used to go out single handed in his Maramu (53') well into his 80's.

John

 

[tcm]

Re: It\'s no good, I just can\'t do it....

V sorry to hear this. Not having had back pain to any serious ongoing degree i can't say that mobo's wd be distinctly less injurious that sail, but obv you have more experience in this regard. Hope that life back on the dark side is kinder to you.

 

[jammy]

Re: It\'s no good, I just can\'t do it....

How bad can it be? Take inspiration from the 70 year old couple who I bought my yacht from. They celebrated their 65th's by sailing her to New Zealand. Or my parents. They have just revamped their Curlew after my father had a pacemaker fitted, and have just got back from a fortnight gunkholing the Solent..!

 

[Twister_Ken]

Mike, even if you give up sailing, you not out of the wood

Mike,

Bad backs don't just go away, and if you do nothing about it can pop anytime, even on a mobo. Mine went when I turned to look over my shoulder, walking down the street. I had the operation in the early 1990's and haven't looked back (b-boom) since.

Essentially the op puts thing back more or less in order, you do bags of physio and remedial exercises to re-educate your back and you end up almost as good as new. Well, it worked for me!

In my case it was lower back, a prolapsed disc which was repaired, and I went from being a sciatica-ridden semi invalid to fat, fit and healthy – currently rowing half-marathons on a ergo in the gym, which puts big strains in the whole back structure.

My two cents worth, as a friend.

 

[StugeronSteve]

Re: It\'s no good, I just can\'t do it....

Mike, really sorry to hear this, I do hope you can get yourself sorted quickly.

Are you sure that "Prophecy" is the culprit, I fear the going solo may have a little do do with your back problem. Maybe you should ration yourself to a few less outside loops and high "G" manoeuvres!

I trust that you're not seeing this as a way out of the East Mids Scuttlebutt Assoc, coz resignations are NOT accepted.

Steve.

 

[Eightball]

Re: It\'s no good, I just can\'t do it....

sorry to hear your going to pack it in . i realy know how you feel ive had a bust up back for 7 years now . they told me i would be in a wheelchair within a year well im still going and sail most days by my self. how did i get this far? well first i sold my 60 footer cause that realy stuffed me up . i then got a 40 foot long keel steel one with all working parts leading back to cockpit its a peice of cake to run boat on my own i have a autopilot i set sails and then put on auto and sit down i set main so boat never heels and just keep a good watch so0 not much can go wrong to quickly i also take2 pain killersyou know like panadol forty. and get wife to rub deepheat cream into my back . its still nigley but i can still get out on water and i can manage the pain ok. so dont get down and out quite yet give it a go . i fined a weedropee helps on occasion s to. keep chin up and think of those wonderfull days still to be had . ho aye im not ayoungan im nerly 70 so you see all is not lost. hope this helps

 

[beancounter]

Re: It\'s no good, I just can\'t do it....

Mike,

that's really sad news. But I guess it's better to take this decision now than have it forced upon you by crocking yourself permanently.

You can now revert to taking flak for being a mobo owner, instead of for being a Bavaria owner... /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

As Steve said, don't desert the East Midlands crew.

John

 

[DeeGee]

Re: It\'s no good, I just can\'t do it....

Like one or two others here, I had severely bad back - prolapsed disc - and had to learn how to live with it. In my case the docs were v pessimistic, as I had lousy docs. Anyway, with sheets of info on how to handle and care for it, I now have virtually no trouble. After a long passage, I do have a bit of a pain, but being careful for the next couple of days, and certain exercises, and I am usually ok. Mind you, I am fairly young compared with some of the old duffers here (67), so maybe I am not a good indicator.

Have you discussed your probs with a specialist ? Maybe you just CAN do it ?

Good luck to you, whichever way you go... /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[nicho]

Re: It\'s no good, I just can\'t do it....

Thanks everyone, for all your comments, suggestions and sympathies. This is not a new problem, it is one I have suffered from for many years, thanks to a long career in motorsport (too many crashes!). I've had the scans, seen a really good Consultant etc, the latter warning me that if I continued to do "silly" things, the next time I saw him he would have a very sharp knife in his hand, and I REALLY don't want that. It seems that sailing comes under the "silly" things category.

We've loved our relatively short sailing career, but having owned six motorcruisers in the past, we are happy to revert back (though we have got used to no noise, and no major fuel expense). I just hope that Mr Prescott can be pursuaded to spare us the extra fuel duty, though strangely, I didn't give a toss about that until a few days ago - how shallow! As for the East Midlands mob, just try and keep me away!!

I'll let you know what happens,

Thanks again all,

Mike N