Sailing downhill?

[Laundryman]

I moved my boat from Gosport to Port Solent on Saturday in filthy weather. This was the first time I have ever sailed to Port Solent but I was convinced that I was sailing downhill. With Porchester Castle to port, my senses told me I was going downhill. Anyone had similar experience or am I just nuts. I'm joining the scuttlebutt cruise to Poole next week. Is it uphill to Poole or down? Thanks. Alan

 

[Yacht Yogi]

My sailing has been going downhill for some time now!

Poole is definitely uphill until you are past the Shingles Bank, flat across Christchurch Bay and downhill again once you are through the Poole Entrance.

 

[VicS]

Sailing to the Channel Islands always seems to be uphill. You even have to sail a zigzag course to get up the gradient.

 

[dylanwinter]

if you are sailing up a river with the tide underneath you then you are sailing downhill although your boat is rising

got it.

D

 

[Gerry]

Sighs with relief-it's not just me then!! I experience the same sensation, particularly at night on longer passages there must be some scientific explanation.....I equate fast night time sailing with the same sensations as a downhill mogul run, scarily out of control but totally exhilarating.

 

[sailor211]

Regularly out of sight of land I get that very feeling of up hill or down hill. I think it is overal mood dependent, not necessarily to do with the fun or miserableness of the sailing at the time.

 

[KINGFISHER 9]

I live at Port Solent ... you're just nuts! - Actually it is a bit of a maze getting there!

 

[Humblebee]

Went through Cuan Sound with 7kts of tide under me. Definitely going downhill!

 

[aslabend]

I get that going into Dartmouth. I think they brain locks onto the horizon and sets that as horizontal. If you get something (like land) disturbing that line the brain corrects it to flat and so the sea seems to dip and be downhill.