What am I going to do now?

[Alcyone]

The missis and I boat our first yacht in the summer of 2008. 20 years around boats, but never sailed. We did our day skipper last year and currently keep Ishtar, our 28ft Cobra 850, in Cardiff Bay.

We can both operate her under power, sail a bit, upwind, downwind and so on. We've done some overnight stops, and one longer trip, to milford and back this year.

Personally, I now feel I've come to a bit of a halt.

How do I keep improving? Do I start taking her out in heavier weather this winter? Just keep on sailing, putting the hours in? Are there good books for 'improvers' that I should read?

Any advice gratefully received.

 

[gardenshed]

1. club racing
makes you think hard about boat handling and sail trim and gets you involved with more people at a club. Doesn't have to be super competitive (start off in a white sails/restricted sail class) and may encourage you to go out and race on days when you would want to go out for a cruise.

2. Re position the boat
a) some coastal cruises to get to the new destination
b) choose somewhere with more day-trip, cruising destinations close at hand than you have in Cardiff Bay

 

[Alcyone]

Actually, I should have said. When we went to Milford, we kepth the boat there for a couple of months. You ar eright - the change of location built confidence hugely, and we learned loads.

Racing. Hmm. I've never really been interested. We tried dinghy sailing to begin with, and going round and round the same pond was not it for me, really. Others have said that it is a good way to hone your skills though, maybe I should have another look at it.

 

[Refueler]

The missis and I boat our first yacht in the summer of 2008. 20 years around boats, but never sailed. We did our day skipper last year and currently keep Ishtar, our 28ft Cobra 850, in Cardiff Bay.

We can both operate her under power, sail a bit, upwind, downwind and so on. We've done some overnight stops, and one longer trip, to milford and back this year.

Personally, I now feel I've come to a bit of a halt.

How do I keep improving? Do I start taking her out in heavier weather this winter? Just keep on sailing, putting the hours in? Are there good books for 'improvers' that I should read?

Any advice gratefully received.

You have a size and type of boat that can venture reasonablt distance and time. So why not get a large area chart .. a set of pencil compasses and draw a circle of average distnace you could cover in a reasonable number of hours. See what that gives. You may be amazed at what places fall into the circle. No need to even have full marina / harbour facilities .. a cove or inlet is fine to anchor, moor up in ...
You may even decide to draw another circle from that one !!

Cardiff ? Thought about a trip across to Ireland ?

 

[pragmatist]

The missis and I boat our first yacht in the summer of 2008. 20 years around boats, but never sailed. We did our day skipper last year and currently keep Ishtar, our 28ft Cobra 850, in Cardiff Bay.

We can both operate her under power, sail a bit, upwind, downwind and so on. We've done some overnight stops, and one longer trip, to milford and back this year.

Personally, I now feel I've come to a bit of a halt.

How do I keep improving? Do I start taking her out in heavier weather this winter? Just keep on sailing, putting the hours in? Are there good books for 'improvers' that I should read?

Any advice gratefully received.

Hi Alycone

You don't mention whether you've got the fin or twin-keel version. If the latter then there are some nice places to visit on our side of the water - I'd love to go to Watermouth but we're fin keel. I have told HWMBO that I want to visit Minehead and lie alongside the wall and he gibbers with fright every time I mention it. Porlock Weir is also another great place if you're brave - I gather the harbourmaster will offer to pilot you in.

Is it sailing or cruising that you want to do more of /practice ? I agree that if you are able to find a temporary cruising area for a while you learn a lot - we went from the East Coast to the Solent and found you can sail with the echo sounder turned off ! But things like anchoring, berthing in strange marinas are all useful things to practice - we have been unable to sail for the last couple of years so I am looking forward (well ?!) re-learning these things !

Good luck and hope you continue to enjoy the sailing.
Penny

 

[Alcyone]

Hi, we have the fin keel Cobra.

We've been to Porlock and stayed anchored off a few times. The last time, we dragged, and had a flustered 2am reset, whislt technically ashore, luckily it was high tide.

And in reply to other posts, yes, we'd love to go to Ireland, and the Scillies. And it is most certainly cruising we want to do.

It was perhaps the anchor drag that has set me thinking. Basically, my plan to learn to sail so far, has been to just pile the hours in, and it has worked to an extent. Before we do make plans to venture further, however, I wanted to really put some time in and learn more - up my skills. I don't want to be on the way to Ireland and realise we are way outside our comfort zones, as it were.

I'm thinking of maybe making a list, motoring, anchoring, passage planning, sailing light winds, sailing heavy weather etc, trying to identify strengths and weaknesses, and then plan trips to address those?

 

[Refueler]

It sounds as though you have a good attitude to it all and not overconfidence - which sadly some do show.

For me - I believe the prudent boater should always be cautious and realise the risks and reality of the venture undertaken. I know I'm not that good a boater by any means and I undertake some serious trips of distance and time in a 25ft Motor Sailer ... I am always concerned / cautious of what can happen ... checking forecasts, checking gear ... you name it.

I hazard a guess that you should stretch yourself more .. adding up miles or hours is not the answer IMHO if it's repeats. It's the adventure and new horizons that drive home the experience and increase knowledge. Sensibly done - it's worlds best learning curve !

 

[jonjo]

I think you need a change of sailing scene because the Seven Estuary is an awkward place to gradually extend your sailing horizon.

If time allows how about keeping an eye on crew wanted classified ads or unpaid delivery crew work?

Alternatively schedule a long summer cruise for 2010 to get you to the Solent by late summer. Then take advantage of the cheap marina winter deals. That opens up a winter of Solent sailing at the cost of a 2.5 hour drive to the boat.

Long weekend trips to France would be possible in October and November.

 

[Alcyone]

Refueler, thanks. we've been diving for 20 years, and in that time the see has given us a slap many times when we've done stupid things......

Having a mate who is an RNLI coxswain helps, too.

Jonjo, you may be on to something about the Bristol channel. I certainly found that in Milford it was easier to go and have a sail if the weather was bad, it was more forgiving, if you will. I have told myself though, that if we do make it here, we should be ok in most other places.

I'm definitely keen to push myself, but there is no way I want to be a casualty through my own stupidity.

 

[Ubergeekian]

How do I keep improving? Do I start taking her out in heavier weather this winter? Just keep on sailing, putting the hours in? Are there good books for 'improvers' that I should read?

You make it sound like a chore. I presume that, like most of us, you sail for fun. If so then ... well, sail for fun. If you enjoy heavy weather sailing, go and do some heavy weather sailing. If you enjoy long passages, do some and crank up the hours. But don't feel obliged to do anything for the sake of it.

 

[Alcyone]

No chore, far from it. I just feel that I might have reached a bit of a plateau, and I'm looking for ways to improve my skills.

 

[Allan]

Two boats away from where I am sitting is a really good boat to get some experience on. Why not pop down and we can go out? Happy to give you a race if you wish! 15-30 lock?
Allan

 

[Allan]

I would take issue with some of the comments about the Bristol channel. Everywhere you sail has resrictions, there are few places I can sail at over 10kts SOG which I did for over an hour last night. Having two sides means the places to visit are doubled like the Solent but with the same number of boats as they had in the 1950's. The tides are great plus over the Solent. Each to their own.
Allan

 

[Alcyone]

Two boats away from where I am sitting is a really good boat to get some experience on. Why not pop down and we can go out? Happy to give you a race if you wish! 15-30 lock?
Allan

Up to my arris in it at the moment, sorting mooring gear, actually......

Hoping to get down for a sail tomorrow though.

M.

 

[jonjo]

Having two sides means the places to visit are doubled like the Solent

Except the Solent does not have the equivalent of the Alderney Race stretching from Portsmouth to Hurst castle and the Brambles Bank is not the size of a small county.

 

[Tranona]

For us on the South Coast, cross channel is the "biggie" Arriving safely in a foreign country is a great thrill, particularly somewhere as dramatic as Cherbourg. Did it first about 25 years ago with just a compass and echo sounder and head full of recent Yachtmaster Offshore theory! I did have a fully paid up Master Mariner for crew, but have since done it with light crews and even single handed.

A similar St Georges Channel passage would seem to be the next challenge for you - perhaps with an experienced person alongside.

Enjoy

 

[Allan]

Except the Solent does not have the equivalent of the Alderney Race stretching from Portsmouth to Hurst castle and the Brambles Bank is not the size of a small county.

I'm glad you agree. On Sunday I did 24 miles and two locks mooring to mooring in under 4 hours. From Cardiff I have done Clovelly in less than 10 hours and, in the other direction, Lydney is possible on one tide. The key to trips like this is planning and as Alcyone wants to improve his sailing skills the "challenge" of the channel is a great way to improve. When I was looking for my boat I sailed around the Solent with my brother. Looking at his tidal charts, the only place you really need to plan is passed Hurst castle, not really too much of a challenge.
Allan