New User

[Alcyone]

Hello, I'm new. Myself and my missis live in Bridgend and are in the process of learning to sail. We are in the process of joining the yacht club at Cardiff, and will be doing our day skipper courses in June. Just an intro, we have very little knowledge of sailing, having just been on one trip in the med, but being divers of some 20 years experience (West Wales) know a bit about the sea, tides etc.

This is just a note to say hello - I've read the forum for a little while and look forward to taking part, albeit mainly asking questions! We hope to buy our first boat later this year, perhaps when we have had a chance to do a bit of crewing.

 

[PCUK]

Last chance to order a Bristol Channel forum burgee for some time!

 

[Allan]

Welcome to the forum. Which yacht club are you joining, CYC or CBYC?
Allan

 

[Alcyone]

Pardon my ignorance, but a burgee is a type of flag, right? We are waiting for our introductory meeting with Cardiff Yacht Club - been down there a few times. We are doing our day skipper course in Oban - I love the West coast of Scotland. I know the waters around West Wales to a degree, but it's best to say I know little of the Bristol channel.

 

[Jinks]

Yes, a burgee is a type of pennant. There's been a lot of debate on this forum over recent months about a burgee to identify forum members to each other. See the post a few down from this for the design and scroll back through the pages to find the saga that led to the decision to go ahead with the idea.

If you see the burgee on a boat, and they only exist in the Bristol Channel (and Holland /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif), you should introduce yourself and claim your free beer or glass of wine /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Welcome to the forum and good luck with your day skipper and your search for a boat.

 

[Alcyone]

Many Thanks. I'll keep my eye out for my free drinks as well. Not having a boat yet (apart from a Rib which will be in West Wales for the summer), I may well have to swim out to claim the said beverage, of course.

 

[graham]

Welcome on the forum.This is the forum Burgee

If you want one PCUK is taking orders.

 

[Alcyone]

Aha. Better get me a boat first I think. I'm happy with the A flag, and the red ensign, but I've not seen one of those before.

 

[tangomoon]

Well he seems a nice chap doesn't he. Another good man here on the BCF. Hope somebody has warned him of the horrors that exist in the bun fights on other forums. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[graham]

Lets hope none of that nonsence occurs on here. With 30000 plus registered users theres bound to be a few with nothing better to think of than $£it stirring.

Fortunately there seems to be a friendly bunch of folk that have joined in with this forum.

 

[Alcyone]

I love a bit of fun, but generally steer clear of aggro. That's probably true of me on the water too!

 

[wotayottie]

[ QUOTE ]
We hope to buy our first boat later this year, perhaps when we have had a chance to do a bit of crewing.

[/ QUOTE ]

Dont do a bit of crewing - sit on your wallet and do a lot. Get to know lots of boats and if you do you will have a lot better idea of what suits you and will buy something totally different from what you are currently thinking of.

Boats are easier to buy than to sell.

 

[graham]

Very good advice .I have seen lots of newcomers to yacht cruising buy a boat that doesnt suit them then spend years trying to sell it again often they lose all enthusiasm by the time its gone.

Alcyone If you want to try a sail in a Coronado 25 send me a PM and we can go for a sail some time. Coronados are a bit rare but would give you an idea what older long keel boats are like in general.

 

[donm]

Just like their owners, a bit rare and older!
/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[graham]

hey Don I dont mind being rare ,not sure about the older bit though /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gifi believe your keel is fairly lengthy?? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[mrbloto]

hi graham they are a nice sail lovely motion you must not try to pinch the wind just off the wind no matter what the seas sails lovely , the only down fall marinas and going astern /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[graham]

Banjo isnt a true long keel with the rudder attatched to the back of the keel. She isnt really a fin either.Base of the keel is about 5 foot long then comes up at an angle so longer where it meets the hull. Its a spade rudder a few feet in from the transom which combined with an outboard hanging on the back astern of the rudder adds up to some fun slow speed manouvering. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Especially after the very precise handling of our last boat its taking a while to get used to.

 

[donm]

A bit lengthy and troublesome when going astern in a breeze - she steers any way as long as it's to starboard!

Picis look good and I see that you are already trying to wear "Banjo" out. I'm not even afloat yet! Two more weeks with any luck.

We Forumites talked of a meet up this year at Watchet - we could also show off our burgees and repay our man with beer /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif - any dates in mind?

 

[mrbloto]

what you got is no grip on the bow and the wind blows your bow off i will come out for a sail in the near future few loose ends to tie up first

 

[Alcyone]

Thanks for the advice, and for the warm welcome. We are trying to get as much experience as possible. We did a bit in the med (free!), done a bit of dinghy sailing, we chose Scotland for our day skipper course as the tides are smaller and there is a lot more shelter, and we chose Cardiff as our club as it is adds yet more variety.

I'd love to sail in as many boats as possible, and will take up the offers when I get a chance, They are very much appreciated. And we may well be able to reciprocate the next time you get a rope around your prop or the seizing wire needs changing on your ground chain!