The boatless years - how did you feel - coping mechanisms

dylanwinter

dylanwinter

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www.keepturningleft.co.uk
Although I have been a boat owner since I was about eight (an 11+ dinghy) I went through about four barren years after my son was born when Jill persuaded me to put fatherhood first.

I found it an extremely stressful period and bought a horse - well two actually. But I still missed sailing and would get crewing jobs on dinghies and became a voracious reader of sailing books while planning the Atlantic crossing that never happened. I bought charts and pilot books.

It soon passed and I bought a Mirror for my son and I was back into sailing

I am thinking about a bit of a blog about coping during the empty years

any thoughts chaps

D
 
Since I first owned a boat in 1984 I have only had barren months in between boats the longest period being from June to October 1998, ie most of that sailing season. My coping mechanism was being miserable until I got the next boat.
 
Learned to sail age 7

Crew in family mirror

Then topper racing at 12

Then laser at 15 until I left home aged 18.

Moved to Portsmouth for work, borght a mirror but never had chance to sail it down here.

Then nothing but very occasional day trips (4) in 25 years but I did get married, 5 kids and a business.

Then aged 45 my wife borght me a 50 yr MAB and I've spent 3 winters doing her up.

Got to say that aged 12 I wanted to sail round the world. Today I'm looking forward to sailing round the isle or wight.
 
Golly .
I had about 7 years off and didn't miss it enough to buy a horse. Stabling in London is always a challenge though. I blame that motor car popularity .
I was busy and married too.

Btw sorry to hear you had a Atlantic crossing planned. If its any consolation it is quite hot and rolly and bloody expensive now because so many oeople are doing it and wanting serviced marinas and facilities and demand begets commercial oppportunism and 'rules'...but your current KTL vessel would be a delight in the Carib and up the inshore waters of the gulf or islands or east coast USA..
 
Blueboatman said:
Golly .
I had about 7 years off and didn't miss it enough to buy a horse. Stabling in London is always a challenge though. I blame that motor car popularity .
I was busy and married too.

Btw sorry to hear you had a Atlantic crossing planned. If its any consolation it is quite hot and rolly and bloody expensive now because so many oeople are doing it and wanting serviced marinas and facilities and demand begets commercial oppportunism and 'rules'...but your current KTL vessel would be a delight in the Carib and up the inshore waters of the gulf or islands or east coast USA..
Click to expand...

the atlantic crossing will never happen now

but the USA has some great creeks to explore

I must say that I really missed the sailing

the horse offered freedom.... but nothing like a boat offers
 
I bought a canoe when I had to sell my first loony dinghy catamaran, then I added a couple of plastic inflatables which I used on lakes, beaches & once for fresh water mussel pearl fishing on the River Laxford in Sutherland.

Then I got a Heron which would carry 2 adults, a dog & 2 small kids with care. 1981 I got my first cruiser & only had 2 years "cruiser less" since when it was in a yard for osmosis treatment & re-engining. But always had dinghies as well & gone caravanning & touring B&B & now motor caravanning - mostly on islands or around our lovely coastline.

I often find myself on a beach wishing I was on a boat sailing by, but seldom been on a boat wishing I was on a beach - unless I have really cocked up the timings on the overfalls!
 
Why will the Atlantic crossing never happen Dylan? Just curious....

I had horses throughout my youth, my sister had a dinghy. Later everyone else got a big boat, I gave up the horses. Wanted to sail but family would only let me make the tea! Aged 44 got my own big boat-now sailed further than any of them! Haven't been off the boat, almost literally, since we bought her.Hate being ashore. Love being free to move on, change the view, the country, even the continent.Can't envisage coming ashore again-ever...
 
Gerry said:
Why will the Atlantic crossing never happen Dylan? Just curious....

I had horses throughout my youth, my sister had a dinghy. Later everyone else got a big boat, I gave up the horses. Wanted to sail but family would only let me make the tea! Aged 44 got my own big boat-now sailed further than any of them! Haven't been off the boat, almost literally, since we bought her.Hate being ashore. Love being free to move on, change the view, the country, even the continent.Can't envisage coming ashore again-ever...
Click to expand...

very happy with what I am doing at the moment - and plan to eke out our own coastline and maybe Ireland as well to see me to the end of my sailing

I l have a few more years shovelling for University stuff yet..... so by the time I quit that I will be 62

- I would do it solo because I would love to know what happens to your head on a long ocean passage

- but it would have to be a very well found vessel and a big investment in time
 
Hmmm do parents boat count?

They always had a boat...
My first boat when I was 6 (joint with sister). Had dinghy's till I was off to uni, where I had free use of there's (I was bosun took them home to work on in the holidays, which got hard to explain when one was a brand new lark!)

During this time I started taking parents boat out, kept this up till I was married. At this point I sailed on X farther inlaws boat... Could still use parents but it was 5 hours away. Finally after 2 years and much harassment I got a river mooring and have been moving up there boat sizes since...

So I do not think I have had any boat less years...
 
dylanwinter said:
the atlantic crossing will never happen now

but the USA has some great creeks to explore

I must say that I really missed the sailing

the horse offered freedom.... but nothing like a boat offers
Click to expand...

The USA has some great creeks, but they generally are not very quiet, especially during the warmer months.

waterskiers.jpg
 
Always had boats of some kind around when young.
Learned to sail with OYC. Sailed quite regularly with OYC. I had been a Mobo type before.
Had opportunities to sail other people’s boats but not one of my own.
Moved to Canada’s West Coast. Chartered regularly locally
Became an instructor this provided lots of opportunities to sail OPs boats.
Kids, mortgage, car payment and boats became a distant dream.
Moved to live on an Island, had small mobo for fishing.
No Charters, No Instructing, No sailing. No magazines. No Books on sailing. Occasional dreams of RTW sailing.
At least 10 years no sailing.
Almost cured.
Started to dream again.
Bought a small sail boat 7 years ago, No dreams of distant voyages sailed mostly in sight of home.
Hooked again, I think it’s an addiction.
6 years later sold my small boat. Less than a year went by before I bought a bigger one. Bigger dreams.
Started reading boat magazines and the internet again.
Fatal error. Full relapse on the way.
Perhaps I should have joined a support group instead of trying to quite cold turkey.
 
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Uricanejack said:
Always had boats of some kind around when young.
Learned to sail with OYC. Sailed quite regularly with OYC. I had been a Mobo type before.
Had opportunities to sail other people’s boats but not one of my own.
Moved to Canada’s West Coast. Chartered regularly locally
Became an instructor this provided lots of opportunities to sail OPs boats.
Kids, mortgage, car payment and boats became a distant dream.
Moved to live on an Island, had small mobo for fishing.
No Charters, No Instructing, No sailing. No magazines. No Books on sailing. Occasional dreams of RTW sailing.
At least 10 years no sailing.
Almost cured.
Started to dream again.
Bought a small sail boat 7 years ago, No dreams of distant voyages sailed mostly in sight of home.
Hooked again, I think it’s an addiction.
6 years later sold my small boat. Less than a year went by before I bought a bigger one. Bigger dreams.
Started reading boat magazines and the internet again.
Fatal error. Full relapse on the way.
Perhaps I should have joined a support group instead of trying to quite cold turkey.
Click to expand...

I fear that it is a disease that can get hold of you even after you think you are cured

but I now know that I need accesss to MY boat at any time - even if it is my duck punt in the garage

sailing on other people's bboats is not the same thing at all

Dylan
 
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