Why do we do it?

[snowleopard]

After the thread about the bad bits of boating i got to thinking about the best bits.

dawn at sea

landfall

a whale surfacing (not too) close by

bacon sarnies in quiet anchorage

surfing down a tradewind swell

a laser on a beam reach in a force 5

standing on the lord nelson's topsail yard

what are yours?

 

[claymore]

The Sun breaking through, entering the Sound of Mull after a dismal run down from Eigg

The Lights and the Colours of Tobermory

The Deer at Loch Na Druim Buidh

Leaving Harbour for a night passage

Wilma McKenzie in Tarbert (Oh now stop this!)


regards
Claymore

 

[Twister_Ken]

I've know a few miserable dawns at sea, but one thing I enjoy consistently between F1 and F5 is lying belly down on the foredeck, head under the bottom rail, looking at the bow slicing the sea apart.

Some of the first serious sailing I did was in a boat with a large stainless steel fitting joining tiller and transom-hung rudder. It was angled in such a way that in it you could see a reflection of the quarter wave curling away from the transom. With the sun in the right place to make the wake sparkle it was a magic sight to wile away a few idle minutes.

 

[Martin_Billings]

Waking up with the sounds of wind in the rigging and the movement of the boat (as opposed to the wind of the rest of the crew and the movement of last night's ill considered meal)

The feeling that every journey is an adventure when it would be quicker, simpler, cheaper etc to go by car, plane....

 

[polarity]

The sound the engine makes when you turn it off...

 

[EdEssery]

The moon low on the horizon ahead to starboard, the blink of a lighthouse dipping on the port bow indicating landfall and the prospect of bacon butties for brunch, clear skies all around, thousands of twinkling stars, a broad reach - screaming along at 8 or 9 knots in 20-25 knots of breeze and phosphoresence streaming astern. Alone on deck with everybody else sleeping down below.

Perfect...

 

[Sybarite]

... when the boat developed a port lust...

 

[tcm]

ooh a romantic thread. erm...


The relief at finding a plaster quite early on in a rummage through the first aid box.

Inspecting the damage and finding that it's hardly noticeable.

Going round the boat in midwinter and smugly discovering that all the wd40 worked, cos none of the internals have gone rusty, whereas that hinge that I missed proves that otheriwse, it definitely would have.

Not minding about another busted cup or glass, cos as long now there's an even number.

Finding another valid use for quite a few of the 1 zillion cable ties I appear to accumulated.

 

[kingfisher]

The contentement of having been able, for the first time, to make a new screw thread in the hole in the engine, after you ruined the original one.

The joy of a flushing toilet when you get home after two weeks sailing (open cock at inlet, op cock at outlet, set lever to flush, pump, set lever to dry, pump, close cock 1 & 2)

The first five minutes when you're ying in your bunk after a cold dark wet watch.

Marvelling at the wonders of physics how a small but essential component can always find the one hole in the floorboards to disapear in the bilge when you accidentaly drop it.

The instant you turn off the engines and you're sailing. Divine!

Lying warm and snug in bed at home when it's storming outside, counting your blessings that your not the poor guy who is sure to be caught out there.

Dolphins of the starboard bow.

Listening to the traffic report on the radio, and looking at the vast open clear body of water you are sailing in.

A good spinakker set and drop

The rush of mooring your boat in a side wind, with 30 cm to spare at each end.

Sea bass with a butter/coriander sauce at the Darthmouth yacht club after beating in an F5 all the way from Lullworth cove, living on nothing more than dry biscuits and apples.

Opening the hatch in the morning and being greeted by sunny clear blue skies and just the right breeze, and knowing that today will be a perfect day.

Varnishing a washboard and having it come out perfect: no runs, no stripes.

4 Kts of tide in the same direction as where you are going. Weeeeeee!

A great weekend: a westerly on Saturday, and easterly on Sunday.



Group of people on the pontoon: skipper is the one with the toolbox.
http://sirocco31.tripod.com

 

[Aeolus_IV]

The first time your new engine fires up and everything works, knowing that you can now go sailing after weeks and weeks trying to fix the old one and giving up.

Bacon sandwiches in the lock.

Sailing out of the harbour, leaving your cares behind you, imagining that your next stop will have sandy beaches and palm trees.

Pushing the boat along as fast as possible, feeling the boat alive in your hands driving through the waves.

On the flip side, returning to harbour. At least there is a warm bar waiting with friends to chat to about the days sailing.

Just some of my memories from last year sailing with my wife.

Jeff.

 

[MADFISH]

Downwind in the 25ft sportsboat I used to race.

F5-6 blowing, on a broad reach. Full main + Asimetric kite. Wind against tide surfy waves. Boatspeed 12 - 17 knots. Someone shouts gust. knot in stomach tightens. Life does not get any better (until you reach the bottom mark and have to go upwind again......)

 

[Aeolus_IV]

Used to sail Contender Dinghy: one sail, one trapeze, one sailor. Unbeatable fun reaching down wind in 5's and 6's, the upwind bit is where you have a rest and calm down.

Jeff

 

[yoda]

Leaving the rest of the morning watch asleep so you don't have to share the perfect dawn with any one else