Why so fast?

[matt1]

I've been sailing for about 30 yrs (mainly based from the same mooring on the river Hamble) and this year I suddenly noticed how fast everyone seems to motor everywhere these days! Now, years ago when yachts had auxilliary engines they used to plod down the river, it was just the power boats that went fast. Not so now, witness the Moody 40+ hurtling down the river in some great hurry and all the countless other ones following behind kicking up wash (many of these big raggies are worse than the powerboats!)

I guess many of us suffer from being in corporate life and it seems to be spilling over into sailing! Fresh from leaving work, we rush to leave the mooring and get out sailing. The copious pilot books and magazine articles tempt us to extend our cruising such that we find ourselves having to put the motor on to make the tidal gate, or get there whilst there is still room at the anchorage.

What a shame, do we all need to take chill pills? Wouldn't it be great to start a cruise from the outset saying "no engine!" -I wonder how far I would get on a busy and windless solent weekend? How would my kids take the news that we weren't going to get to the sweet shop on the island before it shuts!

 

[Kilter]

[ QUOTE ]
Wouldn't it be great to start a cruise from the outset saying "no engine!" -

[/ QUOTE ]
I often do this! Sail on and off the mooring and anchor and weigh under sail, quieter and more satisfying somehow!

 

[Sans Bateau]

[ QUOTE ]
The copious pilot books and magazine articles tempt us to extend our cruising such that we find ourselves having to put the motor on to make the tidal gate, or get there whilst there is still room at the anchorage.

[/ QUOTE ]

....or a pontoon at Cowes Yacht Haven?

 

[andy_wilson]

Me too.

Then I start the engine to charge the batteries!

 

[Kilter]

Re: Me too.

Yes! Note to self...really do need to get a wind charger!

 

[matt1]

I envy you! At low water I have 1 or two boat lengths of clearance between my pile mooring and the lw mark so sailing on off isnt an option particularaly down the M27 of the Hamble. I can tack down the river mid week though with my self tacking jib!!

I guess my point is that people are at risk of getting caught in an alternative rat-race rather than enjoying the cruising lifestyle. I know it takes me about 2-3 days to undwind from being at work when we go on our two week summer cruise but I do find the summer weekends on the boat a tonic!

 

[Kilter]

I find that even over a weekend being on the boat chills me out. Drive over Friday evening all tense shoulders and neck, snarling at the traffic. Get on the boat, open the hatches, stow food, etc and then pull a sail drop the line and as it goes over the side so do most of the niggles. Couple of nights anchored off enjoying the womblike experience of water chuckling past and gentle rocking and by the time I return I'm a nicer and better person! Simple stuff but it works for me.

 

[Oldhand]

Interesting you note a Moody 40 as a culprit. If you sit on a mooring in Beaulieu River, its always the Moodys which seem to motor near flat out and kick up a wake. Appologies to any Moodys which motor at half throttle or less 'cause I haven't seen you.

 

[Athene V30]

But what do they do when there is no power to start the engine?

This year my water pump impellor failed (and it was changed over the winter) so I had no choice then to sail upto a mooring singlehanded before rowing ashore to get the spare that I thought I had onboard!

It was then I realised I hadn't done it for several years!

Note to self - PRACTICE

 

[steve_cronin]

Somebody\'s told the daft guggers ....

...that they'll damage their engines by running them slowly.

king Oiks you get on yachts these days

Steve Cronin

 

[Twister_Ken]

As another Humble mooring holder I can only agree, but what really gets my goat are small displacement angling boats that come up at there at full speed which is less than the advertised 6 knots, but they still create a very steep wash.

I suspect people know about the 6 kts limit, but not that wash is also to be kept to a minimum.

""The Master of a vessel in the River shall navigate the vessel with care and caution and in such a manner and at such a speed as shall not cause nuisance, annoyance, excessive wash, damage or injury nor danger of damage or injury to any other vessel, person, property in the River nor to the banks of the River or any person or property thereon.""

 

[benjenbav]

A few weeks ago in Chichester harbour I was gently pottering outwards past Itchenor when I realised I was about to be overtaken by some 40' rag n stick job going hell for leather. Much against my will /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I had to push the levers forward a notch. (2 x 200hp turbodiesels)

 

[Sgeir]

[ QUOTE ]
Drive over Friday evening all tense shoulders and neck, snarling at the traffic.

[/ QUOTE ]That's cos you've spent too much time during the week hunched over a computer writing about kilts, and pipes and things.......

 

[Kilter]

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif you may well be right!