Sailing anyone...?

[Smeggers]

I couldn't remember what the boat was, but done some digging around and I think it must be a Jenneau SunFast (37), with spinnaker - though I don't think this is used too much.

Nice boat. French, but still nice

 

[andyoxon]

Does anyone know if Teva sandals have non-marking soles..? I think they'll be OK. I don't have any wellies (don't like the things), but I'm hoping to borrow some sea boots tomorrow. Potentially just how wet does one get out in the solent, assuming it's not raining..?

 

[Smeggers]

Does anyone know if Teva sandals have non-marking soles..? I think they'll be OK. I don't have any wellies (don't like the things), but I'm hoping to borrow some sea boots tomorrow. Potentially just how wet does one get out in the solent, assuming it's not raining..?

Ive not got the proper gear either. If its only day sails your doing, at this time of year I work on the assumption your going to get wet. So shorts, trainers and a fleece does just fine. Your Tevas should be fine - I wear me Merrells quite often.

 

[andyoxon]

Well it was a great couple of days on the Solent with three others, though I did throw-up when we got into choppy waters on the Saturday watching the round the Island race, from off South East Isle of Wight. The worst bit was when I had to go below into the cabin to do a pee, and it was like being in a washing machine – pretty grim really. But the weather was great, and after relaxing a bit later on Sat, having a good meal, I was fine. On Sun I had no probs for the whole six hours on the boat. I ate crystallised ginger (no hardship there) and this together with more Stugeron may have helped. Yesterday I had about 90mins at the helm, & practising tacking...”ready about?”, with turns on winches etc. It’s good to know that even the wind is pushing the boat at 45 degrees it won’t tip over mainly owing to the heavy keel & more or less always ‘fails safe’ unless of course you hit a sand bank, or another boat – that’s down to good skippering as far as I can see.

 

[Smeggers]

Excellent - spoken like a true sea dog!!

It still takes me (after all these years) about 3 days to get me "sea legs", and often I can feel worse regaining my "land legs" after a few days on the boat.

How's yours? Is your screen moving up and down?!

 

[andyoxon]

Excellent - spoken like a true sea dog!!

It still takes me (after all these years) about 3 days to get me "sea legs", and often I can feel worse regaining my "land legs" after a few days on the boat.

How's yours? Is your screen moving up and down?!

oo aar, and I knows all about reefin' the mainsail when tis blowin' a force 6...

When I got home I could feel myself slightly 'floating' up & down a bit, not too bad really.

 

[asterix]

Note to self, don't go sailing with feckless.

Seconded..

Great story tho'

A friend used to crew on a Sigma. Returning from France they lost the mast halfway across the Channel. With no weight aloft to balance the keel the motion was viciously quick. One of the worst times of his life, he says..

 

[andyoxon]

edit.. apparently Ellen MacArthur didn't finish this year...

Race leader...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25983110@N05/2624380807/in/set-72157605903124091/
there are some more pics here...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25983110@N05/sets/72157605903124091/with/2625205248/

 

[Fab Foodie]

Sounds like a great w/end.
Have sailed a Sigma 38? out of Southampton as Number 2 with a bunch of complete novices a couple of times (I'm little better... but I've a strong enough constitution to be able to make bacon butties down below as the boat's hard-over from one side top another... so I usually get the gig!).
Sailing a boat like that in a good wind is a wonderful experience, Day 1 for us is usually a bit tricky as everybody is learning the ropes, but after a curry and a few beers in Cowes, day 2 usually goes really well! Bloody hard work though. Probably had my most comatose sleep ever in a '38's galley bunk, snug, full of beer and jal-frazi I slept like a dead-man. Fab!

Sailing is truly marvelous. After a w/end like yours I reckon your probably thinking about going again... aren't you?

If I had to choose a w/end sailing or cycling... sailing wins, hands down.

 

[snorri]

So shorts, trainers and a fleece does just fine.

Fairweather sailors.

 

[Smeggers]

Fairweather sailors.

Better than looking a complete knob in full oilys on a day sail!!!!

 

[andyoxon]

Sounds like a great w/end.
Have sailed a Sigma 38? out of Southampton as Number 2 with a bunch of complete novices a couple of times (I'm little better... but I've a strong enough constitution to be able to make bacon butties down below as the boat's hard-over from one side top another... so I usually get the gig!).
Sailing a boat like that in a good wind is a wonderful experience, Day 1 for us is usually a bit tricky as everybody is learning the ropes, but after a curry and a few beers in Cowes, day 2 usually goes really well! Bloody hard work though. Probably had my most comatose sleep ever in a '38's galley bunk, snug, full of beer and jal-frazi I slept like a dead-man. Fab!

Sailing is truly marvelous. After a w/end like yours I reckon your probably thinking about going again... aren't you?

If I had to choose a w/end sailing or cycling... sailing wins, hands down.

Hey FF – yes I’m due to go again with older mini ao in early September.

I may have made the mistake of having a flapjack and cup of coffee at the wrong time... but out on the Saturday once I was in an advanced state of greenness, I couldn’t even look at any food, well at one point all I could do was crouch on the cockpit seat and feel like death warmed up – anyway I look on it as an initiation... I also missed out on a couple of pints, sitting in the sun on the Mary Mouse 2 marina (lightship) restaurant sipping my bottle of mineral water... On the first night in the boat in Haslar marina, I didn’t get to sleep for about three hours because of the sound of lapping water against the stern of the boat – the foam earplugs were useless.

On day two - different story. Taking the helm was great... doing a port tack in F5 SW wind, westwards down the Solent passed Cowes, into some decent waves. On occasions for some reason I just didn’t see the ‘steering’ as like a car and corrected movement the wrong way – all good fun... Actually I was kept at the helm during the rougher bits on purpose – part of the skipper’s strategy for a puke free ride... When we turned around, the mainsail went down and with just the foresail up, and the wind behind we had a leisurely sail back in the bright sunshine... and I was eating rolls, crisps and apple on board - no problem. Had a beer on return to the marina this time... Then got swabbing the decks with brush and hose.

I’m fair skinned and I tell you what – I’m glad I smothered myself with factor 50, because the odd bit I missed went very red. You feel nice and cool out on the boat, but with a clear sky you’re definitely being cooked by the sun.

 

[Smeggers]

hehe - nice one. reading that makes me remember why I enjoy it so much B)

We always mark the end of every voyage no matter how short, or what time of day with a G&T - its a great 'settler'. (well the first 3 are anyway .

I remember doing Brixham to Brittany (27 hours) having nothing but sips of water the entire time. I've never known hunger like it since!!!!

Best ever trip was bare boat flotilla in Turkey though - completely redefines what sailings about.

 

[asterix]

Four of us did an early season trip from Marmaris, just one boat. Everywhere we fetched up, we were the first and only visitors. All the staff were dead keen and did we get the red carpet treatment! We managed to bust the engine tho' - motor-sailing on a rough day, exhaust with no swan neck, diesel engine suddenly found it was trying to compress water. Next day they sent us a new boat.. Sunsail IIRC.

Whilst in a Marmaris bar we got buttonholed by a Kurdish Revolutionary. He started get aerated about UK newspaper coverage and we had to leave rather suddenly..

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

I used to sail Firefly and 470 dinghies. I also took a Mirage 28 around the Greek islands on a Flotilla jobby.