Why do you like sailing?

[Danny Jo]

I was drinking ginger and fizzy water at last night's party - it was my turn to drive. So it was with great confidence that I said, in answer to the question "Why do you like sailing?" - "That's easy. I can think of at least five good reasons," thinking, in this environment, someone will have changed the subject before I've got past the second. And after doing my bit about the thrill of needing to keep your wits about you to stay alive, someone else did indeed change the subject and I thought, phew, off the hook.

Five minutes later: "So what are the other four?" What? Oh, my reasons for sailing. I was cornered. I managed three:

- I like doing things, making things, and fixing things - and goodness knows there's enough of that in boating;

- I like arriving in exotic places, and there is no better way of arriving in such a place than by boat - after all, the port is usually the centre of the oldest bit of every coastal community;

- the freedom, self-sufficiency and sense of independance;

- erm, I'm sure there was a fifth, maybe I've lost it in the first four?

Number five, you will have observed, neatly undermines the first four and reveals the speaker as a right prat.

To prepare me for the next party, would any kind souls volunteer some decent justifications for the spending of a sizeable chunk of the family income on an object that is not so much a vessel, more a bottomless pit?

 

[BrendanS]

There is just nothing better than being out on the water, just enjoying the experience. Flat calm boring, quite rough is fun, very rough, lots of fun.
Getting there is OK, and having drinks and meals is OK, but would rather be out there again, doing more rough stuff (within reason)

A bit like walking in wild lonely places, quite rare these days, or just walking along a beach when gale driven waves are pounding in after a New Years party, and driving the cobwebs away.

Even in marinas, I find the clinking of multitudes of string bits on mast things, just lulls me to sleep, as I know I'm away from the multitude of worldly problems.

You can't get any better than that unless anchored off, but that brings in other problems which mean you don't sleep as well.

 

[BlueSkyNick]

Simple ..... relaxing - oh, and socialising ! Sitting around doing nothing but eating, drinking and yacking with others is a definite attraction.

The freedom is number one for me, as it is a complete getaway from the obligations and routines of home and work.

 

[MoodySabre]

I like being cold, wet and poor - how do you get your bit of S & M /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[photodog]

Its the distraction..... When Im out on the boat I am totally focused on the sailing, so Im not thinking about work....

/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[FAITIRA]

It,s my home, the boat, haven,t an alternative.
I do enjoy it as a way of getting away from boring/difficult neighbors.
Meet heaps of really nice people.
Get to do things I would never otherwise do, buy a ruin in Portugal, (for €20k) and spend an unexpected 3yrs rebuilding, would not have missed that, wonderful to "get" into another culture, then ,reluctantly, selling to buy another boat!
Thats it, time to move on, the essence of a life on a boat, for me.
I like a race, but for me, KIS.
When you have a regular income of €150 a week you have to improvise.
Thats why I love sailing, it,s my only option, don,t want any another!

 

[Heigaro]

It beats the crap out of answering stupid questions totally sober!

/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[FAITIRA]

Whats more stupid/boring than posting a TICK wandering aimlessly about? Perhaps I have misunderstood?

 

[Guest]

Post deleted by danfoley

 

[BrendanS]

I'd agrh ee with everything so far, except, I can count at leasched 12 legs, mayhbe, 18,err 19, no 24 ishch

 

[Chrissie]

Brendan, you have summed up beautifully what I feel about sailing, your words are so poetic, thank you for reminding me,
Chrissie

 

[capnsensible]

If it wasn't for sailing I would have to get a proper job.
You know, one that involves offices, traffic, attitudes, voting, taxes, queing, umbrella's, IMHO's, SWIMBO's, TLA's in abundance, lifejackets, mooring fee rises, supermarket trolleys, parking, using the wrong anchor, fog, etc.

 

[BrendanS]

Awkwardly, you've just stopped me editing that as a bad bit of English, that was never meant to be poetic, and repeats words badly. If it means something to you, I'll leave it as it was, awkward as it is. There I go repeating words again. Grr! My English teacher would have taken my hide off me for use of her language in this way

 

[Rum_Pirate]

The feeling I get as I drop the mooring line.

All troubles and concerns seem to stay ashore.

 

[Alfie168]

When I dinghy sailed I used to say I did it to get away from the ruddy telephone..then someone invented mobile phones.

I really enjoy using the wind to get around. Its demanding and rewarding, you get a sense of speed at quite low velocities...and there are moments of pure magic, like doing the watch on a crystal clear night on a three masted bark, and just looking at the stars and the rigging and saying "Wow..am I really doing this" I was 43 at the time and felt all the inner excitement of a youngster at Christmas. (OK..i'l say it first...I should have been looking where we were going......but the sea looked pretty empty and we were doing all of 2.5 knots)

Tim

 

[Lakesailor]

I love the chuckle of the water on the hull and the thrum from the rudder and actually being able to feel the elements, particularly the wind.

 

[Habebty]

Because........

Sometimes it's beautiful
Sometimes it's challenging
Sometimes it's relaxing
Sometimes it's crap your pants scary
All the time it makes me feel alive and disconnected from the humdrum that is life ashore

Whether thats because of the beautiful sunset, the violent squall with it's menacing black clouds, or the sound of the curlew over the marsh.

But possibly it's the F5 close reach on a summers day with nothing but the wind powering you from one place to another

For me, its that magical moment when the sails are up and you turn off the engine, (moboers, you don't know what you're missing) and the loudest noise is the ripple of water on the hull and the gentle creak of the rig as the boat speed picks up. And you just forget everything about work.

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[mickshep]

That feeling when with the sails hoisted I let the head of the boat fall away, the sails fill and for a moment she just heels before starting to gather way, no effort, no drama, just pure power. What a rush.

Punching a short sea on a sunny, breezy day watching rainbows forming in the spray, Pure Magic.

Sitting in the pub after a rough trip realising I wouldn't swap the last few hours of cold discomfort, hard work and even fear for all the tea in China.

A moonlit night sail, A mug of hot chocolate in hand and Samantha by my side, our kids asleep below. Pure Bliss.

I'm sure there are some out there could put it more poetically, but the above sums it up for me.
Merry Christmas All,
From Mike, Sam, Shannon and little James,

 

[Haven't-a-Clue]

You know, I rather think that says it more eloquently than I ever could and I'm not a sailer (yet!). Thanks for that and a Merry Christmas to you and yours. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[alistairedw]

[ QUOTE ]
When I dinghy sailed I used to say I did it to get away from the ruddy telephone..then someone invented mobile phones.

[/ QUOTE ]
That is easily sorted!. I never take my mobile when I go out sailing in my dinghy. There is no way I am having a nice sail spoiled by someone ringing me.