So why won't you hoist your sails????

Perfect example today. We saw two boats sailing round the point towards us. Both identical looking boats, both with just the main sail up.

As we drew nearer, and could see their course, they were both running dead down wind, with the main sheeted tight in and the motor on.

We concluded they were a pair of hire boats, and the sail was up just to try and make it look right.

Perfect conditions for sailing and when we turned around we had a lovely peaceful, quiet downwind sail following them.
 
ProDave said:
Perfect example today. We saw two boats sailing round the point towards us. Both identical looking boats, both with just the main sail up.

As we drew nearer, and could see their course, they were both running dead down wind, with the main sheeted tight in and the motor on.

We concluded they were a pair of hire boats, and the sail was up just to try and make it look right.

Perfect conditions for sailing and when we turned around we had a lovely peaceful, quiet downwind sail following them.
Click to expand...

Possibly motoring fast enough for the apparent wind to be from dead ahead?
 
Chrissie said:
I didn't hoist my sails crossing Christchurch and Poole Bay on Tues. The wind was on the nose and the waves large enough to knock my boat sideways, I wanted to take them on the nose too, the thought of being beam on to the wind and waves for a long protracted beat just didn't appeal. A much larger boat was beating across though, but had to be doing 9 knots against my 3.5. So for me fear is the main factor deciding if the sails go up or not.
Click to expand...

And that's the why we are all a bit fed up in July.

This sounds like a winter sailing day.

August/sept period has to be stunning.

G
 
Gypsyjoss said:
Just spent 6 weeks in the Cyclades - weather varying from F0 to F9 with a lot of Meltemi.

We were struck by the number (most that we saw) of yachts which were motoring with bare poles in any weather. This applied to all yachts, not just those chartered by inexperienced landlubbers for the first time.

Are you all scared? Does SWMBO refuse to allow you to tip?

I hate using my engine. It's difficult to express my joy at shutting the thing down and going with the wind.

Yachts aren't designed to motor comfortably - if that's what you want get a stinkpot! It's far more comfortable to sail..

If I've got the wind on the nose, I at least have the mainsail up, very close hauled, which steadies the boat and may provide an extra half knot. And what about tacking!!(a sailing term which describes a method of going against the wind without motor).
With a bit of wind, I sail faster than I can motor. Ok, so the pleasure may only last until lunchtime, but it's worth it.

If there's no wind at all, it may provide shade and it's there ready for those short periods that a breeze occurs.

I look forward to your answers!

Pete (currently in yard looking for any excuse not to start major scrape of hull)
Click to expand...

So your obviously a purist who who deems the rest of unworthy of moving around in a sailboat if we don't have the sails up all the time; go get a life and stop preaching!

If there isn't enough wind for me sail effectively (effectively meaning being able from A to B in a decent time without the Mrs & Kids being sick or frightened) then why should I? Why would I want to flog my main and get it sun damaged just to show it?

If was going to back in Med' again I'd buy a MOBO and get on with it - life would much easier for all on board and cheaper to as I wouldn't spend so much hanging around waiting for non existent wind/sheltering from too much in the wrong direction or having motor in a boat designed to sail.

Luckily I'm in the Carib' and we have perfect sailing wind 90% of the time - all I need now is a new Genoa as mine is stuffed after spending 3 years in the Med trying to sail in **** sailing conditions!

But do us a favour - get off your high horse about sailing. Different baot have different needs a modern plastic pig will sail well in 5kts my 30 year old plastic pig will get moving in 10kts and sail fantastically in 20+ - a modern boat would tied up/anchored in a safe anchorage then...............
 
Many people go chartering in the Med for a holiday first, and the actual act of sailing is very secondary to that. It is much more fun being on a boat than stuck on an overcrowded beach, and their are many more sailing boats to charter than mobos and so that is what people do. The actual act of sailing is an optional extra...
 
A mate of mine (a serious sailor in home waters) took his boat down to the Med for two years. His conclusion was that it was blowing F9 half the time and flat calm the other half, so the best rig for all conditions was trysail up and engine running.
 
Puggy said:
Many people go chartering in the Med for a holiday first, and the actual act of sailing is very secondary to that. It is much more fun being on a boat than stuck on an overcrowded beach, and their are many more sailing boats to charter than mobos and so that is what people do. The actual act of sailing is an optional extra...
Click to expand...

Most sensible answer so far.

I would not motor directly to windward with sail/s up, except as a temporary measure. They would only contribute to the noise and vibration.

To me motorsailing means going on a tack, closer than one could sail, with main sheeted flatter and tighter than when pure sailing. Mostly with no headsail set.
 
dulcibella said:
A mate of mine (a serious sailor in home waters) took his boat down to the Med for two years. His conclusion was that it was blowing F9 half the time and flat calm the other half, so the best rig for all conditions was trysail up and engine running.
Click to expand...

Yep. Pretty much spot on. The ratio of F9 to flat calm is a bit higher in winter and a little bit lower in summer (but not by much), but that is pretty much the way it is in this area. (Golf de Lion/Costa Brava).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top