jwilson
Well-Known Member
In days before radar/AIS - fog
Still - lightning storms
Still - lightning storms
What scares you most when sailing?
- Thread starter thecommander
- Start date
MJWF
Active Member
high speed ferries. You cant get out of their way. You have to believe they have seen you.
D
Deleted member 36384
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What most concerns me, not really scares me, is a major accident or illness with myself or my crew.. The response times at sea being longer is the worry.
After sailing as a young man intensely in a professional capacity for many years, and being fairly confident, then having a long break before I came back, I found I had developed a fear manoeuvring in marinas, especially if there was any significant wind, it became quite debilitating and took a lot of effort to overcome. Today I still have this fear but it's not debilitating anymore, just a tension that I can manage now.
After sailing as a young man intensely in a professional capacity for many years, and being fairly confident, then having a long break before I came back, I found I had developed a fear manoeuvring in marinas, especially if there was any significant wind, it became quite debilitating and took a lot of effort to overcome. Today I still have this fear but it's not debilitating anymore, just a tension that I can manage now.
Poignard
Well-Known Member
Q. What scares you most when sailing?
A. Being "named and shamed" on the YBW forum? :ambivalence:
A. Being "named and shamed" on the YBW forum? :ambivalence:
Poignard
Well-Known Member
D
Deleted member 36384
Guest
You have a Twister?
Similar issues, a Rival 41C, high bow, deep forefoot, long encapsulated fin, small rudder, big kick to port in astern, stern will track to port in reverse and will not reverse straight, any wind on the bow immediately has a big effect once steerage is off. The thing is, I used to throw a Rival 41C in / out of all sorts of berths as well as a multitude of modern spade rudder yachts, now I get the collywobbles. It's probably an age thing.
flaming
Well-Known Member
I think that if sailing genuinely scared me I probably wouldn't sail.
There are things that I am cautious about, situations I haven't enjoyed, but I don't think "scared" has ever really covered anything I've experienced to date.
There are things that I am cautious about, situations I haven't enjoyed, but I don't think "scared" has ever really covered anything I've experienced to date.
lw395
Well-Known Member
I think 'being responsible for other people' might be what worries me most.
It's certainly a big part of what I don't like about racing bigger boats.
It's certainly a big part of what I don't like about racing bigger boats.
[70521]
Well-Known Member
The kite surfers zipping across the channel at 20 knots as I enter the Exe at five knots.
wotayottie
Well-Known Member
Honest answer is the decision to set off. It drives me potty. Over 30 years I have come across nothing that has worried me once at sea but I can spend days ( even a week) wittering " shall I go or shall I wait". Sleepless nights 
To the point where my verbalising of the decision has destroyed SWMBOs confidence - she used to be bulletproof.
When eventually the decision is taken, its usually out of fury at my indecision. As soon as I am outside the port, I am happy and relaxed again.
You work it out. I cant.
And the other irrational fear - singlehanding. Yet the reality is that all the time I have been sailing with SWMBO, thats what I have been doing. But if she isnt there, I dont go. ****ing edaft
To the point where my verbalising of the decision has destroyed SWMBOs confidence - she used to be bulletproof.When eventually the decision is taken, its usually out of fury at my indecision. As soon as I am outside the port, I am happy and relaxed again.
You work it out. I cant.
And the other irrational fear - singlehanding. Yet the reality is that all the time I have been sailing with SWMBO, thats what I have been doing. But if she isnt there, I dont go. ****ing edaft
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BigJoe
Well-Known Member
What scares you most when sailing ?
Running out of beer................................
Running out of beer................................
capnsensible
Well-Known Member
Breaking waves.
BurnitBlue
Well-Known Member
Lightning squalls
AntarcticPilot
Well-Known Member
A man who is not afraid of the sea will soon be drownded, he said, for he will be going out on a day when he shouldn't. But we do be afraid of the sea, and we do only be drownded now and again.
John Millington Synge
On the basis of the above, yes, I'm afraid of the sea! Personally I regard it as unseamanlike to leave harbour in inclement conditions. Being caught out in them is one matter - I'll cope. But going out in them voluntarily seems to me at best foolish, and at worst deadly.
What's the opposite of vertigo? I'm suffering from it a bit on the East coast, where the depth sounder rarely reaches double figures; I used to regard anything less than 10 metres as too shallow!
John Millington Synge
On the basis of the above, yes, I'm afraid of the sea! Personally I regard it as unseamanlike to leave harbour in inclement conditions. Being caught out in them is one matter - I'll cope. But going out in them voluntarily seems to me at best foolish, and at worst deadly.
What's the opposite of vertigo? I'm suffering from it a bit on the East coast, where the depth sounder rarely reaches double figures; I used to regard anything less than 10 metres as too shallow!
Stemar
Well-Known Member
What scares me most is the thing I don't know that I've forgotten/left out of my calculations, so haven't allowed for.
The most scared I've been at sea was crossing the channel. The fog came down <200 yds visibility and we could hear a ship's engines getting closer but couldn't see it. It finally crossed ahead, just in view, which is a LOT closer than I'd have allowed it in decent vis.
The most scared I've been at sea was crossing the channel. The fog came down <200 yds visibility and we could hear a ship's engines getting closer but couldn't see it. It finally crossed ahead, just in view, which is a LOT closer than I'd have allowed it in decent vis.
Rivers & creeks
Well-Known Member
Fire and MOB, the only emergencies we practice for as a family.
jimi
Well-Known Member
There's two types of fear:
1) Sudden emergency where adrenalin kicks in and you tend to manage without getting terribly scared until post the event.
2)When caught out in cr@p weather miles away from port where the long insidious tendrils of fear try to encapsulate your being.
1&2 combined is quite an event! I recall Stingo breaking his forestay singlehanded mid atlantic with the closest place the Cape Verde Islands 3 days away . That must have put years on him!
Personally I hate shallow water and breaking waves.
1) Sudden emergency where adrenalin kicks in and you tend to manage without getting terribly scared until post the event.
2)When caught out in cr@p weather miles away from port where the long insidious tendrils of fear try to encapsulate your being.
1&2 combined is quite an event! I recall Stingo breaking his forestay singlehanded mid atlantic with the closest place the Cape Verde Islands 3 days away . That must have put years on him!
Personally I hate shallow water and breaking waves.
pmagowan
Well-Known Member
Running out of Rum! It nearly happened once but an emergency bottle of VOD was discovered under a quarter berth
Poey50
Well-Known Member
Some general increase in anxiety setting off on a longish passage in a new-to-me boat - too many unknowns. Same having serviced the engine myself for the first time.
And generally setting off on a long trip from a safe mooring - an old separation anxiety that soon passes when underway.
Really getting to know a boat - over a couple of years - makes everything more comfortable.
Oddly, facing any kind of actual problem, any lingering anxiety lifts and I feel completely calm.
And generally setting off on a long trip from a safe mooring - an old separation anxiety that soon passes when underway.
Really getting to know a boat - over a couple of years - makes everything more comfortable.
Oddly, facing any kind of actual problem, any lingering anxiety lifts and I feel completely calm.
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Terra-Loon
Well-Known Member
I went single-handed for the first time this month. I probably stood over the pulpit with one end of the mooring strop in my hand for about a minute or so before I finally let go of it.
I was a bit anxious coming back onto the mooring having sailed the boat alone for the first time.
I was a bit anxious coming back onto the mooring having sailed the boat alone for the first time.
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