Should yachting take you out of your comfort zone?

[ylop]

No it was not. They just wanted some ideas on what toexpect. Not knowing something does not mean that it is "out of the comfort zone".

Eh, its pretty much bang on the definition! They didn't feel confident about what to expect, so much so that someone went to "reccy" the situation to establish what was involved and provide some reassurance and thus in greater control when they came to it themselves.

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/comfort-zone"

a situation or position in which a person feels secure, comfortable, or in control

comfort zone"a situation in which you feel comfortable and in which your ability and determination are not being tested

OR​

a situation in which you feel comfortable and you do not have to do anything new or difficult.

Definition of COMFORT ZONE

Definition of COMFORT ZONE[/URL]] the level at which one functions with ease and familiarity

 

[Daydream believer]

Eh, its pretty much bang on the definition! They didn't feel confident about what to expect, so much so that someone went to "reccy" the situation to establish what was involved and provide some reassurance and thus in greater control when they came to it themselves.

You got that wrong again. I went & did the trial (as a single hander)Then said . "Hey this is what I did,( they could have read that in a book) what about a trip?"
They said "OK, good idea.". No body was lacking in confidence. They were more concerned in best places to go & finding the best boozers & eateries.Comfort zones never came in to it

 

[Supertramp]

Comfort zone is much more than a single ascending line of physical hardship or bravado. It can be planning a passage with tricky timing, trying a new inshore route to avoid tide, trying a little used anchorage or even finding a new one. Or simply managing a successful trip with crew. Or pulling off a complex repair/maintenance task.

Once you get past an age pushing your physical comfort zone no longer cuts it.

 

[ylop]

Comfort zones never came in to it

well that’s great - a whole club of really confident sailors who have absolute ease and familiarity with new systems and approaches for mooring. Must be pretty boring sailing with that lot though when there’s nothing new and challenging for them ;-)

 

[Daydream believer]

well that’s great - a whole club of really confident sailors who have absolute ease and familiarity with new systems and approaches for mooring. Must be pretty boring sailing with that lot though when there’s nothing new and challenging for them ;-)

I am sure that lots of people just leave their berth & go around the Solent for a pleasant sail. No particular destination, then go back home. That does not necessarily challenge them. They do it for the fun of sailing. Are you saying that they must be boring people?
.

 

[Stemar]

if one starts with the attitude - yes I reckon I can do that- then one might ask if comfort zone comes in to it

At what point does that morph into a "hold my beer" scenario?

 

[Supertramp]

But to be honest. What is new about coastal sailing,. Passage along a coast is navigation, Actual sailing of the boat is the same for any coast. . Entering/leaving port is just dependent on port procedures.

I have to disagree! Many seemingly innocent parts of the coastline can be transformed by the weather - try the lee of Scottish mountains in a fierce wind with williwaws like a Chilean fjord. Or some seemingly innocent headland were a bit of wind over tide creates lasting memories. Or raising the anchor in the dark to extract oneself from a dodgy spot. Can't comment on marinas as they are all uncomfortable with my keel. I do agree that with a large competent crew my comfort zone expands.

Picture is the peace after dropping the jib in a 35knt sustained wind off the land. 2 miles of fetch was enough to send spray down the boat. Well outside my comfort zone.

 

[ylop]

I am sure that lots of people just leave their berth & go around the Solent for a pleasant sail. No particular destination, then go back home. That does not necessarily challenge them. They do it for the fun of sailing.

Well I think the title of the thread is asking if the “fun of sailing” comes from being pushed (at least sometimes) out of your comfort zone. (Although having re-read wansy’s rambling first post he seems to associate out of comfort zone with physical suffering… so who knows).

Are you saying that they must be boring people?

Don’t conflate boring sailing and boring people. There’s lots of boring people doing exciting sailing and I’m sure interesting people doing dull sailing!

The point you seemed to be arguing though was it was near impossible for any person of substance to be outside their comfort zone on a short passage close to home - I was simply pointing out that this was tosh. You may not see it if you only hang around with seasons yachtmasters doing routine trips, but all around you there are sailors learning from being pushed outside their comfort zone. Some of those yachtmasters might not even have had your seemingly inate ability that meant getting to your level of ease with all things wind and waves never pushes your boundaries or confidence or tested your skills.

You’ll be a better sailor and skipper if you realise that what is trivial for you may be terrifying for others and what you picked up easily by intuition may be a real learning challenge for many. That doesn’t make them wimps or stupid. Suggesting it does is arrogant macho bravado.

 

[flaming]

You’ll be a better sailor and skipper if you realise that what is trivial for you may be terrifying for others and what you picked up easily by intuition may be a real learning challenge for many. That doesn’t make them wimps or stupid. Suggesting it does is arrogant macho bravado.

To be outside your comfort zone doesn't require you to be terrified. Just that it's something new that you need to think about and concentrate on, rather than it being routine.

 

[Daydream believer]

That doesn’t make them wimps or stupid. Suggesting it does is arrogant macho bravado.

I suggest that you withdraw that. I for one never suggested that anyone was a wimp

 

[DreadShips]

Personally I think you're all dancing around the wrong end of Wansworth's question. Regardless of what somebody considers their comfort zone (and some of us are comfortable being uncomfortable!), the interesting question is should it push you out of that zone?

We all know it will occasionally, but I can't see any moral imperative that says it should. Gentlemen famously don't sail to windward, after all.

 

[johnalison]

Personally I think you're all dancing around the wrong end of Wansworth's question. Regardless of what somebody considers their comfort zone (and some of us are comfortable being uncomfortable!), the interesting question is should it push you out of that zone?

We all know it will occasionally, but I can't see any moral imperative that says it should. Gentlemen famously don't sail to windward, after all.

It is definitely a person's own choice. However, there is a subtext along the lines of "do we benefit from pushing ourselves?", to which I believe that the answer is yes, even though, outside conscription, we can't force this on people.

 

[Wansworth]

I have to disagree! Many seemingly innocent parts of the coastline can be transformed by the weather - try the lee of Scottish mountains in a fierce wind with williwaws like a Chilean fjord. Or some seemingly innocent headland were a bit of wind over tide creates lasting memories. Or raising the anchor in the dark to extract oneself from a dodgy spot. Can't comment on marinas as they are all uncomfortable with my keel. I do agree that with a large competent crew my comfort zone expands.

Picture is the peace after dropping the jib in a 35knt sustained wind off the land. 2 miles of fetch was enough to send spray down the boat. Well outside my comfort zone.

View attachment 193106

Interesting picture as usual…..those tufnol blocks came out the Ark

 

[DreadShips]

Interesting picture as usual…..those tufnol blocks came out the Ark

How old are the ones on your boat, Wansy?

 

[Wansworth]

How old are the ones on your boat, Wansy?

Funny you mention that there are a few knocking about ……but I made all the locks for our gaffschooner …..seems a life time away now

 

[Daydream believer]

Interesting picture as usual…..those tufnol blocks came out the Ark

Don't listen to Wansy. He is just trying to create friction
.
.
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(& those blocks can do enough of that on their own.)

 

[GHA]

Interesting question & imho, the wrong way round
You should do things you don't want to do. Make it as important as learning more sail trim or whatever.
Example from last year coming up to Madeira solo after a week hard on the wind every inch from Gomera & 20 odd miles out from Funchal wind died after sunset the little inner voice is going "Twinkly lights!! Want want want!!!", no big deal at all going in with radar & charts but already on the passage list was do stuff you don't want to, so ignore that inner voice & heave too, clean up the boat a bit, have a shave, nice meal & some sleep then feel great next morning at dawn back under way making breakfast. Now little inner voice knows good things come from staying out for a night so next time where it might actually be a good idea to stay out it will be a lot easier.

It's called neuroplasticity, you can rewire your brain.

Leaving the anchorage at 3am in 10 minutes notice also on that list, really might need to do that one day but not quite got round to getting round to that out of the comfort zone just yet

Just as important as knowing irpcs or how to reef imho, do stuff you really don't want to a few times then it's all a bit easier.

 

[DreadShips]

Don't listen to Wansy. He is just trying to create friction
.
.
.
(& those blocks can do enough of that on their own.)

I figured he was just trying to make excuses for not offering to buy it. Force of habit by now...

(I love you really, Wansworth!)

 

[ylop]

I for one never suggested that anyone was a wimp

Probably should go and read post 111 on this thread then. Dementia? Letting someone else use your account? Or just argued yourself in circles?

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Personally I think you're all dancing around the wrong end of Wansworth's question. Regardless of what somebody considers their comfort zone (and some of us are comfortable being uncomfortable!), the interesting question is should it push you out of that zone?

We all know it will occasionally, but I can't see any moral imperative that says it should. Gentlemen famously don't sail to windward, after all.

There are no gentlemen around here then. The wind always blows either up or down the Solent, so just pick whether your windward sailing is at the beginning or end of your trip.