Sailing in Switzerland??

[GrowingLad]

Firstly, hello to anyone who may remember the username.

I've been a tad busy for the last couple of years, trying to avoid the financial collapse of Greece, moving family to a new country and finding work, but things have worked out after a bit of graff and I'm now based in Zurich, Switzerland, which apart from the mountains is pretty much the complete opposite of Greece.

I still have my little motor boat, but she's sat on the trailer for the last two years and is looking a bit sorry for herself. Unfortunately being out of the country for the whole year apart from 3 weeks doesn't leave me time for the much needed maintenance and I decided although I loved working on her, I'm not willing to keep ploughing more money into the pit. I don't hold out much hope of selling her, I noticed during our holidays that yards are full of old boats past their prime, but you never know, someone may be looking for a project.

Anyway, I still have the little sailing dinghy and now the kids are a bit older (one 5 Year old and two nearly 5 year olds) they showed interest and enjoyed being out on the water, although they also enjoyed a nap from time to time

I did at one point have a mad idea to buy a trailer sailer, but I realised I'd rather wait until the kids are a bit older and can get more involved with the crewing. But I did decide that I should treat us to a new sailing dinghy as the old one was a hand me down and dates from '76. I'd like to get something that we can use on the lakes here and then trailer to Greece for our holidays. Get the kids used to sailing that way and in a few years look at something larger.

Many many ideas floating around, but the first thing is to see what options there are here. I've jointed a meetup group for sailing, but also thought it might not be a bad idea to put the word out here to see if there are any people who can offer some words of wisdom regarding sailing in Switzerland, especially in the Zurich area.

As always, thanks in advance,

Simon.

 

[BrianH]

I cannot advise anything concerning the Zurich area but I sailed for many years on Thunersee in Canton Bern. First with various dinghies, which I raced, then a Kestrel on Murtensee that had more stability but was heavy to haul out. All with their Trockenplatz, as you will have already found out, moorings are hard to find and even harder to pay for - after you have spent the requisite number of years on the waiting list. As I didn't have a Swiss Segelschein I was limited to 15m² sail area. I did occasionally rent a Soling from Neuhaus, near Interlaken, which is much more than that (23m²) but I became good friends with the sailing-school manager from the racing there.

A friend in Canton Zurich did find a mooring on Bodensee, near Romanshorn, by buying a boat - a HR26 - and somehow getting the mooring to go with it, but I think some strings were pulled to achieve that.

I ended up buying a Trapper 500 and sailing in the Adriatic, an 8 hour drive but it satisfied my yearning to get back to sea again. The Italian west coast would have been closer but moorings there are at least double those on the east coast.

 

[rwoofer]

Firstly, hello to anyone who may remember the username.

I've been a tad busy for the last couple of years, trying to avoid the financial collapse of Greece, moving family to a new country and finding work, but things have worked out after a bit of graff and I'm now based in Zurich, Switzerland, which apart from the mountains is pretty much the complete opposite of Greece.

I still have my little motor boat, but she's sat on the trailer for the last two years and is looking a bit sorry for herself. Unfortunately being out of the country for the whole year apart from 3 weeks doesn't leave me time for the much needed maintenance and I decided although I loved working on her, I'm not willing to keep ploughing more money into the pit. I don't hold out much hope of selling her, I noticed during our holidays that yards are full of old boats past their prime, but you never know, someone may be looking for a project.

Anyway, I still have the little sailing dinghy and now the kids are a bit older (one 5 Year old and two nearly 5 year olds) they showed interest and enjoyed being out on the water, although they also enjoyed a nap from time to time

I did at one point have a mad idea to buy a trailer sailer, but I realised I'd rather wait until the kids are a bit older and can get more involved with the crewing. But I did decide that I should treat us to a new sailing dinghy as the old one was a hand me down and dates from '76. I'd like to get something that we can use on the lakes here and then trailer to Greece for our holidays. Get the kids used to sailing that way and in a few years look at something larger.

Many many ideas floating around, but the first thing is to see what options there are here. I've jointed a meetup group for sailing, but also thought it might not be a bad idea to put the word out here to see if there are any people who can offer some words of wisdom regarding sailing in Switzerland, especially in the Zurich area.

As always, thanks in advance,

Simon.

Well done for getting your 3 in a dinghy already. I've only managed to get my 3*5 year olds in my larger Sun 2000 so far. Incidentally that was originally based in Switzerland, but I don't know where.

Go to Zurich on business a lot - seems a very expensive city to live in.

 

[GrowingLad]

Thanks for the info Banac1e, I remember now we had a few email chats before we moved here. Nice to hear from you again. Well, as you can see, we made it and after some interesting times of finding houses, jobs, schools for the kids we are slowly settling in and finding a rythm. My Schweizerdeutsch is still rubbish, but hey, I picked up a fair bit of Greek, so I'm sure I'll get there in the end. Although it doesn't help I'm learning Hoch Deutsche, chalk and cheese.

As I said, now things are settled I've decided it would be nice to get back out on the water, having grown up with the Sea and spending a good few years in Greece I do struggle a bit in a land locked country.

I'm just trying to investigate what options there are, how to go about things and hopefully connect with a few people in the know. Would like to stick with sailing dinghies at the moment, something that doesn't need any Swiss qualifications, easy to maintain/store and once I've got a bit more experience and the kids are a bit older that they can help I'll look into something a bit bigger.

As for getting the kids on the boat, I think it helps when it's sunny and on the Aegean, think it may be a bit different when the wind is cold and they can't jump in or dangle their feet over the side. Plus I'm not too stressed if they go in, or the boat goes over, I tow my inflatable tender behind, slows us up a bit, but I prefer having the option I can chuck them in their if something was to happen and row into shore.

I've been here a while now, so used to the prices, eating out is silly as it's very expensive and I wouldn't say I've had many meals to write home about, but, local salaries are high, so you can have a good standard of living. I'm a keen cyclist so for me it's heaven. Then there is the skiing in the winter, all in all, it's not a bad place to live......although I do miss my Greek cuisine!

 

[pipemma]

Sounds like this is one for me to respond to... I've been in CH for 14.5 years and if the meetup group is the one I'm thinking of, I was the founder and we may already have met. In any case, welcome to CH and glad to hear you're settling in

FYI I'm running one of only 2 full-time RYA centres in the country, and I'm the sole importer of Hartley Boats dinghies. Got a few other things going on sailing-wise too so feel free to give me a buzz or drop me a PM, I'm just down the bottom end of the lake and happy to chat any time

Emma

 

[BrianH]

Then there is the skiing in the winter, all in all, it's not a bad place to live......although I do miss my Greek cuisine!

And you with a Greek wife!

I'm glad things are going well for you Simon and I can sympathise with your fretting about the landlocked condition; I did too. When I was first offered a contract in Switzerland sailing was such a part of my life that I stipulated a limit of two years only - that was 39 years ago and I am still here. I achieved so much more work satisfaction, experience, responsibilities and commensurate recognition than I ever had with UK companies that I just couldn't leave. But lake sailing and eventual Adriatic moorings kept the fix coming and since my retirement when I upgraded to achieve some on-board comforts, I live aboard and cruise most of the summer months. It beats my early North Sea jaunting - I soon went soft.

Over the years I've cruised all the Adriatic and Ionian and spent time delivering a friend's yacht in the Caribbean and cruising the entire West Indies, so you see, no need to despair, there is a sailing life after arriving in Switzerland.

Your plan to dinghy sail is easily achievable in Switzerland and needn't be too expensive - the only problem from my experience is too many days of too little wind. Good luck and happy sailing.

 

[pipemma]

And you with a Greek wife!

I'm glad things are going well for you Simon and I can sympathise with your fretting about the landlocked condition; I did too. When I was first offered a contract in Switzerland sailing was such a part of my life that I stipulated a limit of two years only - that was 39 years ago and I am still here. I achieved so much more work satisfaction, experience, responsibilities and commensurate recognition than I ever had with UK companies that I just couldn't leave. But lake sailing and eventual Adriatic moorings kept the fix coming and since my retirement when I upgraded to achieve some on-board comforts, I live aboard and cruise most of the summer months. It beats my early North Sea jaunting - I soon went soft.

Over the years I've cruised all the Adriatic and Ionian and spent time delivering a friend's yacht in the Caribbean and cruising the entire West Indies, so you see, no need to despair, there is a sailing life after arriving in Switzerland.

Your plan to dinghy sail is easily achievable in Switzerland and needn't be too expensive - the only problem from my experience is too many days of too little wind. Good luck and happy sailing.

I can only second all that. Especially about the quality of life here.

 

[bbg]

I'd be interested in the sailing meet up group. I've been in Zurich for 12 years and did a bit of sailing in the first couple of years (even the overnight race from Zurich to Rapperswil and back) but then I went for several years without doing any local sailing.

Circumstances have changed and I may have a chance again, so I'd be interested in hearing more.

 

[pipemma]

If you can make it at short notice, there's a meetup tonight at Stall 6. I can't go, and nor can Panos who's taken over the organisation, but keep an eye on the Meetup site anyway:

http://www.meetup.com/Sailing-enthusiasts-in-Zurich/events/201603062/

 

[GrowingLad]

Sorry for not replying sooner, crazy few days in work

And you with a Greek wife!

That was the deal clincher when I met her

But that's the problem, we eat very well at home, but it's a bit hit and miss eating out apart from the bill!!

I do miss a Taverna where you can eat good honest fresh food and still have change for the bus fare home.

pipemma, yep, that is the meetup group now you mention Panos. Unfortunately I couldn't make the meetup this time.

plan to dinghy sail is easily achievable in Switzerland and needn't be too expensive - the only problem from my experience is too many days of too little wind

Yep, I can sail on my own without hassle and not too much money invested if it turns out the family don't really get into it....but you are right about the wind. My wife rows on the Lake and only once has there been too much wind to row. Quite different to Greece that's for sure.

 

[Davy_S]

Hi Growing lad! I did wonder what had happened to you. I cant help with sailing in your location. I am glad that you seem to have got back on your feet. I would simply like to wish you well for the future, in fact, I shall raise a glass of much cheapo to you in my local Taverna tonight.
ps, it aint arf hot here

 

[GrowingLad]

Hi Growing lad! I did wonder what had happened to you. I cant help with sailing in your location. I am glad that you seem to have got back on your feet. I would simply like to wish you well for the future, in fact, I shall raise a glass of much cheapo to you in my local Taverna tonight.
ps, it aint arf hot here

Thanks Davy_S. Yep, was back for 3 weeks not so long ago, do miss the good things of Greece.

I always say Greece has the best things of the World and the worst things of the Universe!

I'll be back, but after I've got this work lark done and dusted, or we've managed to get the Herberts to a point they can walk out into the big Wide World without needing too much from Mum and Dad. We still have our apartment in Athens, so one day I can see us selling that (fingers crossed) and moving next to the sea. Weather here isn't too bad in the Summer, but this year has been a bit of a shocker!