Sailing, Sailing...

[pb4uski]

I've sailed both and they are not that different to me. In fact the Sunfish is far easier IMO. Was it the conditions?

[ggbutcher]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pb4uski I've sailed both and they are not that different to me. In fact the Sunfish is far easier IMO. Was it the conditions?

Yep, a stiff wind, but also unfamiliarity with the sunfish. Though, I got real good at keeping the Hobie in line in similar winds; catamarans in general are overpowered. Spent most of the time on the hiking line with the butt bucket. Spent quite a bit of time on the nylon righting line with the mast tip in the water, too....

[Midpack]

I learned to sail on a rental Dolphin Sr. (much like a Sunfish) on Canyon Lake TX when I was 19-20 yo. My Dad explained how (points of sail), rented a boat, shoved me off the dock, and said be back by 5p. I sailed out of sight (to his dismay), but I sailed back after 2-3 hours, so I guess his instructions made sense. That was 40 years ago, and my love of sailing has only grown since. Pic below is me and the Dolphin Sr, that Summer.

I race on a friends 36' mostly, another friends 33' and our 29' these days (second pic).

[dallas27]

Rented a 3-bed 6 bunk cat yacht (leopard 38) earlier this year and sailed the grenadines for 8 days. 1st time sailing, loved it. Could really see myself spending a could years on a boat like that. Wife wouldn't go for it.


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

[check6]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gumby When I attended the US Naval Academy back in the 1970's, After we learned the basics, we crewed on 44 foot Luders yawls farther out in Chesapeake Bay.

I sailed in the Kennedy Cup in the early seventies at the Naval Academy in your yawls. Our team was from the U of Hawaii to which I had a three year sailing scholarship if you can believe that.

Sixteen year old Maria Shriver passed out the trophies with her father.

[enginerd]

Not too many "adventures". I sail a 41' Columbia out of downtown Chicago. The bi-annual runs down the Chicago river are interesting and unique. In the attached picture I was "working" on the bridges that day so I had the opportunity to take pictures of our boat from shore. (I say "our" boat...I'm not the owner but there's 8 of us that share equal time and expenses)

[wsmurdoch]

There were three AMF Alcort boats; Sailfish, Sunfish, and Flying Fish.

We bought a used Flying Fish in 1975. That was followed by a new Tanzer 22 in 1981, and a used Pacific Seacraft 34 in 2004. We still own all three.

The Flying Fish is at home is a TVA lake. We've sailed it (pre-kids) in Tennessee lakes and in the ocean at Myrtle Beach.

The Tanzer 22 is on another TVA lake, Watauga Lake. When we are home we race the boat and socialize with a sail club on that lake.

The Pacific Seacraft was bought when we retired. It is berthed in New Bern, NC. We have sailed it on the Chesapeake Bay and have taken it to the Bahamas seven times. We are aboard right now in Wrightsville Beach, NC on our eighth trip south.

Irish Eyes to the Bahamas

[scrinch]

I learned to sail in college in the late 70's taking PE classes at the yacht harbor in the university's 12ft dinghies and 30ft full keeled sloops. A couple other guys and I were had our turn in one of the sloops one blustery winter afternoon. The dinghies made their way out of the slips and out toward the bay while we slowly got backed out of the slip and headed down the channel. By the time we got to the harbor mouth the wind was really howling and not one of the dinghies was upright except that of the instructor. We were observing the mayhem of upturned boats and panicked sailors when the relatively large surf slammed our keel down into the sand bar that had developed near the end of the breakwater. We tried to sail off the bar, but each successive swell drove us into shallower and shallower water. We were slamming down on the bar with each swell, heeling almost 45 degrees, and holding on for dear life when the instructor started screaming at us to get that boat out of there. We politely screamed back, how in the hell are we going to do that? He said to get out, get under the boat, and push each time a swell lifted the boat. So we loosed the sheets, dropped the sail, climbed out into the surf, and somehow managed to wrestle the boat back out to the channel without drowning or getting crushed between the bar and the keel. We then dragged our wet, sorry asses back aboard and snuck with our tails between our legs back to our slip. We didn't feel bad for long, though, because we got to watch all the even worse-for-wear dinghy sailors coming back one by one. Two of them had been dismasted and came back under paddle. As an understatement, the instructor admitted to us after all the boats and people were accounted for and secured, maybe he shouldn't have taken us out that day.

[imoldernu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wsmurdoch There were three AMF Alcort boats; Sailfish, Sunfish, and Flying Fish. We bought a used Flying Fish in 1975. That was followed by a new Tanzer 22 in 1981, and a used Pacific Seacraft 34 in 2004. We still own all three. The Flying Fish is at home is a TVA lake. We've sailed it (pre-kids) in Tennessee lakes and in the ocean at Myrtle Beach.

Good to hear you say "we"... the Flying Fish carried enough sail to push a 50 ft. yacht. Tacking in a moderate breeze.. needed 2 people.

[imoldernu]

Need you to support my college sailing team...

Quote:

Bowdoin Sailing Teams to compete in the National Championships The Polar Bear women’s and coed teams will head to Newport, RI to compete in the national championships May 25-28 and June 1-4 respectively. The first two days of each event are the semifinals, and if our teams advance, they will compete all four days. The competition will take place out of Ft. Adams State Park in Newport, RI – a great spot to watch the racing. Come out and support the Polar Bears! We hope to see you there.

Newport... my old stompin' grounds...

http://collegesailing.org/wp-content..._nationals.pdf

[wsmurdoch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wsmurdoch The Pacific Seacraft was bought when we retired. It is berthed in New Bern, NC. We have sailed it on the Chesapeake Bay and have taken it to the Bahamas seven times. We are aboard right now in Wrightsville Beach, NC on our eighth trip south.

We got down to the Bahamas again this year going as far south as the Jumentos Cays. We are slowly working our way back north anchored near Spanish Wells at Meeks Patch.

Adair has updated the blog a couple of times since Wrightsville Beach. It was cold there then; it's much warmer here now.

Irish Eyes to the Bahamas

[imoldernu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wsmurdoch We got down to the Bahamas again this year going as far south as the Jumentos Cays. We are slowly working our way back north anchored near Spanish Wells at Meeks Patch. Adair has updated the blog a couple of times since Wrightsville Beach. It was cold there then; it's much warmer here now. Irish Eyes to the Bahamas

Thank you!... My first time to the blog. Was going to binge watch Broadchurch tonite, but have decided to read more of your voyages instead.

The pictures are awesome, and the writing delightful. As a sea farin' person who never had a chance to live aboard, or to sail the tropics, sharing your adventures is a vicarious pleasure.

Imagine... conch in the wild, rather than on the Chez Pierre restaurant menu.

Thank you for sharing!