Just flippin typical!!!

[Steve101]

Picture this: I can only sail Saturday and Sunday at my club (Greensforge SC), I've just bought my boat (GP14) and I've been shown the ropes on the previous Sunday. I work all day Saturday and I'm looking forward to taking her out (just my wife and I) that evening whilst the lake is empty to learn the hard way. Guess what !!?? It starts to rain and the only thing that's dried up is the wind. I even drove over to a bigger nearby sailing club to see if it was me being a wimp, but nobody out there either. So Sunday morning comes and we've been invited for the bank holiday on my mates Bav32 to culminate in an evening sail on the Monday night with a firework display over Lyme bay (Torquay). Our son (Over zealous and with no fear (Only fell in three times whilst we where at anchor in Babbacombe)) just as the fireworks start decides to develope sea sickness (Exorcist like and not over the side!). Thankfully shivering and covered in too many Cadbury's chocolate rolls he says "I still want our own boat Dad" before he passes out on the back seat of our car at the start of our FOUR hour journey back to Staffordshire. Why four hours I hear you cry!!?? Well because it was after midnight and I was feeling a bit drowsy I decide to stop off at Michael Wood services for a large coffee, whilst I'm doing this someone (less sensible shall we say.) decides to fall asleep at the wheel of his Rover towing the biggest caravan you have ever seen and write off two other cars and closing the whole of the M5 for an hour whilst we wait patiently. (Thankfully no one was seriously hurt!). Now baring all this in mind having spent the weekend on "Jay Jay" I'm finding it hard to keep my hands out of my pockets and with the SBS coming up and all that I'm feeling an impatient urge.... Please do not post back welcome to sailing.

 

[Guest]

have you thought babout a power boat )

 

[Guest]

have you thought about a power boat )

 

[Steve101]

Thanks Pete. I did and I won't besides there would probably be an oil crisis of some kind if I was to buy one.

 

[chas]

You could always give up work and move to the West Indies.

 

[pkb]

Are you really sure you want to buy a boat and go off sailing. Do you think there is a divine piece of advice in all of this.

Peter

 

[sailbadthesinner]

Donot be disheartened for things can get far worse.


ps whereabouts in staffs are you ? i am just south of lichfield
if you want to meet up and swap hard luck stories would be happy to. pm me.

...It was like that when i found it!

 

[Jeremy_W]

If you have that much urge to splash out your dosh

..you should head for the second-hand boat shows. If you put down a deposit now you won't see a finished yacht till next year anyway. That's life! Beware any builer who can offer you "instant delivery" - just ask why they have so few customers!

Buy 2nd-hand and you can have "your" yacht in a marina of your choice within weeks. You're plainly hooked and you're plainly a Shaper personality which, inter alia, means you find crewing for others and waiting for anything (you wanted it yesterday) difficult.

 

[jimi]

Its a divine test. Are you determined enough to become ne of the elect!!!


Never mind, things will get better!

Jim

 

[Steve101]

Although I believe in the Lord almighty. I also believe that he was just messing with me for a laugh.....it was Bank Holiday after all!

 

[Col]

Steve, just let me know when you're out, I'm always on the lookout for reliable weather warnings!!! /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/colspics> Cols Picture Album</A>

 

[SloopJohnB]

Hate to be a wet blanket or dampen your enthusiasm etc, but weather wasnt up to much for you - so what? Thats sailing mate. You say you are preparing by starting to sail a dinghy. Let me warn you when you get your Moody 36 or whatever you get, you will find that the wind will be on the nose when you go, and will shift and be on the nose when you go back. You will swear that you will sell your boat when you get back and never set foot on her again. If you move off your lake and get a boat and go to sea you will test yourself and, frankly, if you do it enough there will be times when you will sh*t yourself. You will find yourself on the helm for hour upon hour while its p*ssing down with rain and you will wonder why you are doing it. Sorry to disappoint you but unless you are sailing so far that it doesnt matter, you cant just put it on autohelm and disappear below. You have to steer her yourself. When at last you get back and park her up, you will get in your car and sit in traffic jams galore. You will go home/go to sleep and then when you wake up you will be itching to get back on board again. If you want to read what its all about, read PKB thread Magic Moment - pure poetry.

 

[jax]

You think you have problems - I, I'm sorry to say, own four boats - now that's real trouble!

 

[Steve101]

Thank-you for taking the time to reply. However I must point out two things. 1. It hasn't dampened my enthusiasm one little bit, the point of my post wasn't to complain or otherwise. Such is my enthusiasm I merely wanted to share the experience with everyone. 2.Having read your advice may I empart you with some of my own; Having decided to buy a boat I have done so with one thing in mind : to chill out. I aint in no hurry to get anywhere or learn anything (Although I do see the importance of doing so before I get my Moody 38 (Yes, Peter, I've made my decision!) You however (IMHO) seem very uptight and by default missing the point. My cup runneth over with enthusiasm (The arc, med runs, channel isles, you name it) I'm gonna make mistakes and I consider myself somewhat mad for seeing the idea of myself helming the boat for hours if need be in pouring rain, the boat heeling at 25 degrees 9 days from knowhere as somewhat romantic and guess what so does my wife. Your only here once, I've done the rat race, now is the time to face my destiny and answer to the sea and the weather. I'm afraid your pessimistic view falls on deaf ears and although I heed your words of warning it does nothing but to strengthen my resolve and stick two fingers up to your negative attitude. Today is a good day to die......well as good a day as any.......but I'd rather it be tomorrow. SloopJohnB My mum always said a very wise thing. If ya can't say something nice don't say anything at all.

 

[Steve101]

eeny, meeny, miney, moe.....sounds good to me!

 

[Gunfleet]

<<The arc, med runs, channel isles>>
You sound like that Norwegian football commentator... Lord Nelson, Lord Beaverbrook, Sir Winston Churchill, Sir Anthony Eden, Clement Atlee, Henry Cooper, Lady Diana. Maggie Thatcher. Can you hear me Maggie Thatcher? Your boys took one hell of a beating. Your boys took one hell of a beating.

 

[SloopJohnB]

Sorry, didnt realise you only wanted to hear nice things about sailing. Thought the tone of my posting was clear however, ie despite everything you still wake up and want to do it again. Is this not positive enough for you?

 

[Ohdrat]

Sailing IS great despite (or is inspite) of the trials and tribulations.. the best thing about it is that one tends to make the most of what the conditions are and the name of the game is not to see problems but view possibilities

 

[1114C]

Do not want to get off the point but was he not Danish? (Alan SImonsen penalty to make it 1 - 0 to the Danes, against the English in the early 80s)

On the yachting side, I found this a most amusing post - people disagreeing when they seem to be agreeing - can have bad moments and always will but at the end of the day there is no finer moment that a good time on a boat

 

[Gunfleet]

I thought it was Norway but you're very likely right Tom.