What IS it with (some) yotties?

[ThereAndBack]

Earlier this year we bought our first yacht. Having done a couple of flotillas we decided to face the learning curve and the challenges.

In common with many, SWMBO had reservations and some nervousness but, after much discussion and soul searching, she decided to give it a go.

So here is the point...
Why is it that so many experienced yotties are so keen to tell stories of 'near misses, equipment failures, huge waves, mistakes (always someone else)', etc.

A couple of days ago a Commercial Yachtmaster sat in our cockpit for two hours relating various themes on the above including 'a near miss by a cruise liner at 80 metres, a failed throttle cable in a force 6 with a lee shore and having to run for 48 hours on bare poles. In two hours there wasn't one bit of good news.

I did a couple of years as an RNLI crew member but this guy seems to have encountered more hazards than I ever saw from a lifeboat.

By the time he left (with a bit of prompting) SWMBO had begun having serious second thoughts on the whole matter of sailing. In just two hours his 'tall tales' had positively unnerved her.

I have first-hand experience of motor racing, scuba diving and even parachuting - and the people I met doing these things certainly didn't have a repertoire of horror stories.

Is this just a sailing thing? Please, someone, tell me we have been unlucky and we are now due a spell of 'fun and enjoyment' stories.

OK - rant over, thanks for listening.

Alan

 

[Magic_Sailor]

Couldn\'t agree more

The exact same thing happened to us - quite scared SWMBO and she's never really got over it. I must admit it dodn't do much for my confidence either.

They piss me off no end.

PS - you won't get anywhere.

Magic

 

[Moonshining]

Yep. SWMBO and I did our dazed kipper theory together and the instructor scared the bejayzus out of her with his tales of doom and disaster.

 

[Aja]

Balanced

Well. If you have a few hours spare, you are both more than welcome to come aboard, for a chat and both Sheena and I will take delight in telling you of the hours and hours of great times we've had aboard.

I admit that it has pi$$ed down, been a bitty blowy and quite cold at times, but mainly we've had great sails, met wonderful, humerous, kind people and thouroghly enjoyed ourselves rotten.

Sorry if this flies in the face of peceived wisdom, but there you go.

Donald

 

[mrjuicy]

every time i talk to a yachtie i fall asleep. Tales of the "golden age of sailing" , "real boating" and the constant need to lecture you like you are a novice really infuriate me.

I get yachtie hangover

 

[DJE]

Don't let her see your signature then!

 

[cardinal_mark]

The trouble is the 'enjoyment stories' are rarely that compelling...

"Well, there I was, sun shining, perfect Force 4 on the beam, not a care in the world, ending the day with glass of vino while the sun set over the mud falts...' This just says, 'I've got a boat and I'm pretty average really, you know nothing too way out, just enjoying some wind assisted relaxation with the family'.

Whereas...

'I was that close to death; blowing a Force 12, zero visibility, rain falling like machine gun fire, getting thrown around at the top of the mast,... in nothing but my pants... total equipment failure... all 12 crew washed overboard...drone, drone, drone... but I still made it to Cowes in time for lunch' Now this says, 'look at me I'm the real thing, a true seadog, the stuff of legend'!

Presumably its a machismo thing - the more harrowing the tale, the smaller the dick?? /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Mark

 

[Csail]

It is true but you can learn from the tales. Did i tell you about when we sprung a plank and started sinkin........................... /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Sailfree]

Its just small dick syndrome.

I have survived all these horrors so mine must be bigger than yours etc.

Personally I can't see whats wrong with having a small one and thoroughly enjoy 10secs sex!! but then I enjoy sailing in sunny weather and light breezes.

 

[tom52]

Perhaps the instructor and other more experienced sailors you have encountered are trying to convey the most important lesson for us all to remember ...........that the sea is to be feared and that it can never be mastered and when enjoying the sea we must never forget to treat it with respect.
Or alternatively, and less charitably, maybe they really were just tossers.

 

[cardinal_mark]

"maybe they really were just tossers".

Using felt tipped tweasers presumably??

Mark

 

[Rustyknight]

[ QUOTE ]
"maybe they really were just tossers".

Using felt tipped tweasers presumably??

Mark

[/ QUOTE ]

Of course, you never see stories like that on here........ /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Lakesailor]

[ QUOTE ]
I have first-hand experience of motor racing, and the people I met doing these things certainly didn't have a repertoire of horror stories.


[/ QUOTE ] Come come.
Surely you've been at the bar at the Motor Club with everyone whirling their elbows and describing their "flat in 5th, not-as-map, downhill-on-the-loose" moments. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[davtt]

Hi Alan.

I have been sailing cruisers for about 5 years, and thought I would wade in with some encouragement.

I can honestly say that most people involved in the sailing world are friendly well meaning and helpful. Maybe I have just been very lucky, but that has been my experience.

I have had many great times sailing, and have found that the time spent aboard various boats have been some of the happiest, most especially when with my Son, who is a great sailor, and my own SWMBO.

When I am with my friends, and/or my Son, we like to go for more 'extreme' types of sailing, and are always looking for F4 + to get the andrenaline flowing. Most recently, the 2007 RTI was exciting, with 35 knots of wind and boatspeed exceeding 8.5 knots. Very exilerating.

When with my other half, we use the boat as more of a mobile sun terrace. We look for lots of sunshine, and anything above a F3 would seem to be a little to exciting.

So there you are - horses for courses, and both types of sailing can give immense enjoyment. I could recount some very interesting passages, 30 ft waves, surfing at 14+ knots and 45knots of wind 'up the chuff', but although true, they are the exceptions, and lots of people don't do 'exciting'. Personally, I relish the challenge and as long as the safety aspects are considered to minimise the risks, I am sure that your SWMBO should be reassured.

Happy sailing.

Regards, DaveT

 

[Noddy]

[ QUOTE ]
Personally I can't see whats wrong with having a small one and thoroughly enjoy 10secs sex!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Of course I have got it down to 3 seconds!

Mind you - I practice a lot on my own!

 

[steve_cronin]

Did I tell you about the time that.....

..the butter went off because nobody reminded me to switch the fridge back on after defrosting?

Or, The time I got my new socks wet because the dinghy had filled with water during the night.

Or...

the time we had to eat near to raw sausages because we had run out of gas and also had nothing with which to light the barbecue.

Then there was...

the time that we had to use the same sheets twice because I left the clean ones in the car 110miles away.

I'll NEVER forget ...

That night in Lakka, Paxos when the woman from gaios came over to charge us for a night on the quay. What a shock it was to see her.

Ohh, yes, the trip back from Levkas when we got real sea spray all over the foredeck.

Yes, sailing can be full of incidents, can't it?

Steve Cronin

 

[bilbobaggins]

I think there's a 'theme' for a new post here - but maybe more suited to The Forum..../forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Make a change from the interminable 'Where is it'.....

The forums' equivalent of 'There I was, upside down with nothinhg on the clock but the maker's name....'

[ QUOTE ]
"Well, there I was.... blowing a Force 12, zero visibility, rain falling like machine gun fire, getting thrown around at the top of the mast... in nothing but my girlfriends' pants...

[/ QUOTE ]

Rule 1: Each new contributor has to add ONE sentence/phrase and conjunction ONLY.

Here's a starter:

"There I was, reefing the main with one hand, while....."


/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Lakesailor]

thinking, I wonder who decided "reefing the main" would be a good alternative to "bashing the Bishop"........

 

[LymingtonPugwash]

I suppose that my plan to post my own horror yachtie stories and request others is out of the question then? /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
How many would you let me tell if I admitted to 2.5 inches then? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[bilbobaggins]

[ QUOTE ]
'Do what you wish is the whole of the law.'

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd rather listen to MY sea stories....


/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif