Sailing

[LoudMusic]

Sailing can be a simple past time hobby, unless you're racing. Then it becomes a fierce sport.

I've been racing with a friend of mine for about 13 years up on a lake in northern Arkansas. This is the closest thing to a picture of myself racing on his boat as I've ever seen. And I'm not possitive it's me (: I think I'm the guy in the red shirt on the front of the boat.

 

[the_cobbinator]

Sweet! In Madison we have a sailing convention every year and people come out to fly kites as well. It's pretty cool.

 

[Cobraboy]

I've been sailing before on my friends trailer-sailer up north at our bach. We never did get very fast (4 knots y0!) but we were healing over hardcore on the way back, quite nervous.

 

[LoudMusic]

Originally posted by Cobraboy
I've been sailing before on my friends trailer-sailer up north at our bach. We never did get very fast (4 knots y0!) but we were healing over hardcore on the way back, quite nervous.

Yeah, we get upwards of 9 knots which is pretty much smokin` on a sailboat. The boat I sail on is Blue Nose - it's a 34' race/cruise yacht. Tons of fun. We're actually demasting it Sunday for winter cleanup. Interesting stuff.

 

[Cobraboy]

Originally posted by LoudMusic
Yeah, we get upwards of 9 knots which is pretty much smokin` on a sailboat. The boat I sail on is Blue Nose - it's a 34' race/cruise yacht. Tons of fun. We're actually demasting it Sunday for winter cleanup. Interesting stuff.

Cool, I think my mates yacht is about 20 foot? might be a little less then that, it isn't very big but like I said it's a trailer boat so it's still pretty small.

The thing I enjoy the most about it is after we launch it, we putt out of our little bay round the corner to where the winds are, up the sails cut the motor and cruise off in style. I think the peace and tranquility are one pro that definetly outweighs the downside of speed.

 

[LoudMusic]

I have a 15 foot trailer boat that hasn't seen water in years, unfortunately.

Yes, the sound of the engine cutting off and the wind driving the boat is really nice. Getting away from technology and back to nature is always sureal to me.

 

[milefile]

Originally posted by LoudMusic
Getting away from technology and back to nature is always sureal to me.

That is one of the most curious things I've ever heard.

 

[LoudMusic]

Originally posted by milefile
That is one of the most curious things I've ever heard.

"heard"? Are you using one of those new fangled text to speach gadgets?

Care to elaborate?

I guess a more indepth description of my statement would be to say that we are so constantly sorounded by civilization that to take a moment to remove yourself from it and return to 'simple' things has become the unusual. I was born in a big city full people, noise, activity ... that now when I am away from that it's almost as if it is not real.

 

[milefile]

Okay. Read. I was trying to maintain a conversational atmosphere.

What's curious is the comparison of nature, or natural, to surreal, which is niether. But when you explain it, I see your point. Then it becomes curious in a different way, a sadder way; that quiet and natural things seem so unreal, and not only to you. I know what exactly you're talking about.

Despite it's surrealism, is it still elevating or positive?

 

[LoudMusic]

Originally posted by milefile
Okay. Read. I was trying to maintain a conversational atmosphere.

What's curious is the comparison of nature, or natural, to surreal, which is niether. But when you explain it, I see your point. Then it becomes curious in a different way, a sadder way; that quiet and natural things seem so unreal, and not only to you. I know what exactly you're talking about.

Despite it's surrealism, is it still elevating or positive?

You seem to put a negative connotation on my use of surreal - I find sailing / nature experience VERY positive and elevating. It's surreal in the sense that I often catch myself saying "Is this really happening, or am I dreaming again?"

The last time I was up on the boat the wind wasn't blowing much and the sun was shining hard. It was a very lazy day and most of the boaters were just floating around in the middle of the lake in almost total silence. I actually took a nap in the middle of the race and the captain (usually VERY competetive) had nothing to say. I was laying on the foredeck face up with the Sun shining on me. I would occationally drift into consiousness and not be fully aware of where I was. Dead silence, bright sun, and unobscured view for miles in every direction (aside from the droopy sails).

You know in Final Fantasy: Spirits Within when she's standing on the desert planet before all the creatures are charging at her? It feels like that.

 

[milefile]

Sounds like a dream I have.

I have never been on a sailboat before, but I have sought out experiences like you describe in other natural places.

 

[LoudMusic]

It's surprising to me how many people actually haven't been sailing. It's so "every day" to me that I guess sometimes I don't realize how lucky I am to get to enjoy it so frequently.

 

[LoudMusic]

So are there any other sailors out there in GTP land?

 

[Holdenhsvgtsr]

to bring back a dead thread
went sailing again yesterday in a laser(small single handed dinghy) after 2 years and im acheing all over

did finish 7th out of 16 though so not to bad after 2 years

used to sail twice a week competively and was an under 18 champion

 

[TwinTurboJay]

I used to sail in my friends laser all spring and summer, man, it was on a really lasrge inland lake too, and we'd start sailing in April, when the ice had just cleared, god that was FREEZING ( we tipped a few times ) but in those spring storms, you REALLY get moving...the wife and I are planning on taking sailing a little more seriously when she is finished with her education ( 2 years and counting )

 

[Holdenhsvgtsr]

lasers are pretty decent,prefer albacores myself(boat i learned to sail in and raced all the time),get one of those on a plane and they flew!!!
and then theres cats which are on a totally different level,sailed a dart 16 in the largs channel last summer and was told we were doing 15 knots chase boat had a 75 four stroke and was struggling to keep up

 

[LoudMusic]

It's been almost since made that last post that I was last on a sailboat. Wow ...

I have a thirty year old 15' Craftsman which hasn't seen water in maybe 5 years. I'd like to clean it up and see if it still floats. Hopefully it will, but only briefly, and my wife will want to upgrade (:

 

[Holdenhsvgtsr]

well we were out racing on wednesday again and 2 of the boats had a collision
this was the damage to one of the boats,just scratched

and this was the boat he hit

 

[Duke]

and then theres cats which are on a totally different level,sailed a dart 16 in the largs channel last summer and was told we were doing 15 knots chase boat had a 75 four stroke and was struggling to keep up

I used to have a Hobie 16 - tan hulls, orange trampoline, orange, gold, and yellow sails. It was an absolute hoot to sail, particularly single handedly. Definitely the sailing equivalent of a Caterham Super 7 or Aerial Atom. Very simple, very elemental, and very fast.

On a nice, uncrowded lake or river, this is second only to sex for fun quotient. When sailing by myself, I've gone fast enough that I was literally not strong enough to steer; I ended up just sitting on the tiller stick and steering with the sheets. It's got an ungodly amount of sail area and a very tall mast for its weight, and the two hulls mean it slices the water like a scalpel. I've flown the windward hull 4 or 5 feet out of the water - nearly a 45 degree heel.

The only tricky thing is tacking; it's so light that it has almost no momentum. But once you get the hang of turning in hard, loosening the main sheet, and letting the jib force you around, it's not too bad. But if you dilly dally around trying to tack, it'll balk and go into irons.

I used to sail a LOT (grew up on the Chesapeake) but I really haven't had a chance in the last 10 or 15 years.

 

[LoudMusic]

I used to have a Hobie 16 - tan hulls, orange trampoline, orange, gold, and yellow sails. It was an absolute hoot to sail, particularly single handedly. Definitely the sailing equivalent of a Caterham Super 7 or Aerial Atom. Very simple, very elemental, and very fast.

On a nice, uncrowded lake or river, this is second only to sex for fun quotient. When sailing by myself, I've gone fast enough that I was literally not strong enough to steer; I ended up just sitting on the tiller stick and steering with the sheets. It's got an ungodly amount of sail area and a very tall mast for its weight, and the two hulls mean it slices the water like a scalpel. I've flown the windward hull 4 or 5 feet out of the water - nearly a 45 degree heel.

The only tricky thing is tacking; it's so light that it has almost no momentum. But once you get the hang of turning in hard, loosening the main sheet, and letting the jib force you around, it's not too bad. But if you dilly dally around trying to tack, it'll balk and go into irons.

I used to sail a LOT (grew up on the Chesapeake) but I really haven't had a chance in the last 10 or 15 years.

DUKE!

I hear what you're saying about tacking the lightweight boat. My father has always said the smaller the boat is the harder it is to sail. Big boat move so gracefully and almost sail themselves, but small boats have to be beat into submission or they'll have their way with you.

 

[Holdenhsvgtsr]

i meant quickly with a cat,NEVER TACK always gybe lol.i feel that the hobies hulls are too thin,always prefered the darts.

have fond memoryies of sailing in a regatta with a 10mins head start of the cats,3 mile course and about 1.5 miles we were going down a reach and i was looking for boats under the sail and i said to the helm that we were clear and were doing well in 3rd place,as soon as i said that 2 dart 18's came flying past like we were towing a ship

 

[Duke]

Meh, I hate jibing - so ungraceful. With the Hobie the tacking drill is this:

• Come up to close hauled to gain a little speed
• Helm up hard
• Loosen mainsheet a little but leave jib in tight
• Duck boom and helm down a bit; scramble to other side
• After it pays off, then let the jib across the mast and tighten main

I like the narrow hulls - you just need to stay aft when you're flying a hull, to stop the downside one from submarining. And the rudders literally howl from the vibration at speed. It's the coolest sound ever.

 

[Holdenhsvgtsr]

well admittedly ive never raced a cat competively,just a "drag races" with another drag 16 up and down the largs channel,was hard to keep the bow up so it didnt nose dive.

have you ever planed in a monohul?
has to be the best thing ever and a hard balancing act,death rolled many a time.

 

[Holdenhsvgtsr]

well i chickened out racing tonight so took the position of assitant race controller
unsteady force 3 gusting to a 4-5
7 boats started only 4 finished,even the oldest member of the club (83) went for a swim but he was fine and was joking about it afterwards.couple of pics

 

[Holdenhsvgtsr]

came across this footage from about 5 years ago

i think i really would chicken out on sailing in that