OT: Official Sailing Thread
- Thread starter RU4Real
- Start date
"...now that I only have one foil, so I find it much harder on this tack, on full tack I am a little slow..." Sailing around the world solo and that's what makes life harder. Gotta love it.
It's probably a little bit more legitimate of a complaint than is immediately obvious. Without his starboard foil he's always going to be over-canvassed on port tack. So that means that every time he tacks the boat, he has to make a sail change as well. That's extra labor, extra hazard, extra time, etc. Major pain in the ***.
Foils are a very questionable thing, in my mind. On the one hand, the four boats with foils that finished this year's race finished in the top 4. On the other hand, of the 11 boats that did NOT finish the race, half of them had to retire due to foil problems. So it really seems like feast or famine with these things.
What's also very interesting - and a little frightening - is that of the 11 boats that were forced to retire (out of 29 that started), 7 of those retired after suffering damage from collisions with semi-submerged objects. If you count Alex Thomson, who suffered the same fate but finished the race with one foil, that means that more than a quarter of the boats in the race managed to hit something in the middle of the ocean.
Wonder if any of those objects were fish, though it's more likely to have been garbage and other items that found their way into the water, either purposely or perhaps a container ship losing a few containers. A buddy of mine sheered both of his props in the East River (or possibly lower Hudson) when a container that had fallen off a ship in the ocean, made its way through the Sound (probably when the tide was going out) and down the East River. Thing was two feet under the surface. Whatever was inside the container was buoyant enough to keep the whole ting floating for as long as it was in the water. That always scared me when in those waters because trying to drop anchor in 60' of water while it's moving at 4 knots is a scary proposition.
The general consensus among offshore racers as well as cruising sailors is that "Unidentified Underwater Objects" are either a) shipping containers, b) whales, c) telephone poles. Unless you can actually see what it was that you hit, it's pretty much impossible to tell, after the fact.
Best estimates suggest that as many as 10,000 shipping containers are lost every year.
interested to see the groups thoughts on this...
was looking into sailing lessons (North Jersey/NYC area) and found the schools, but when I spoke to someone from the Hoboken sailing club they mentioned it could be a good idea to get a membership and have unlimited use of the boats---where I could tag on to peoples trips and learn as i go type of thing (they made it seem like it is a somewhat regular occurance where people need an added hand, etc and look for people even if they will have to show the new guy what to do).
Do you think that idea is more them just trying to get business? or do you think it is a better way to learn (as a beginner)? My main hesitancy is that I would hate to feel like a burden where the experienced sailor wouldnt want to take time to show me how to do the tasks as much as just want me to be able to do them on my own? As the experienced ones, how would you feel about when going out if you need to recruit bodies to help on the boat taking on those that don't really know what they're doing?
was looking into sailing lessons (North Jersey/NYC area) and found the schools, but when I spoke to someone from the Hoboken sailing club they mentioned it could be a good idea to get a membership and have unlimited use of the boats---where I could tag on to peoples trips and learn as i go type of thing (they made it seem like it is a somewhat regular occurance where people need an added hand, etc and look for people even if they will have to show the new guy what to do).
Do you think that idea is more them just trying to get business? or do you think it is a better way to learn (as a beginner)? My main hesitancy is that I would hate to feel like a burden where the experienced sailor wouldnt want to take time to show me how to do the tasks as much as just want me to be able to do them on my own? As the experienced ones, how would you feel about when going out if you need to recruit bodies to help on the boat taking on those that don't really know what they're doing?
And it's free! (well, okay, so the boats cost about a million bucks, but...)
This was an obvious sales pitch. For one thing, membership in the club doesn't get you "unlimited use of the boats", you still have to rent them by the hour.
I know Liberty Landing has a Steve & Doris Colgate Offshore Sailing School franchise. I'd start with them. Then, if you really enjoy it, you can look into joining one of the local sailing clubs.
Also, my worst experience with Sailing (if you can count it as that):
My old roommate had a sailboat that he kept on a mooring in Atlantic Highlands. We went down to take it out and right after we unhooked from the mooring, he realized that his motor crapped out. We were stuck floating within the marina area and started heading right into other sailboats. We had to keep running up and down the length of the boat pushing away from other boats so they didnt get scratched up, cracked, etc. It felt like were a jellyfish moving along with the current. At one point we came upon a small yacht/motor boat in docked in the slip (sorry if not right term) and as we were trying to push away from the boat, their people were screaming and also trying to make sure my roommates boat didnt make a hole in theirs. One of those guys trips backwards and knocks down two of their fishing poles (which according to them were pricey) and snapped them.
Thankfully in the end...not sure how long it really lasted but definitely a while - a couple people were able to somehow connect with us and pull us to a random mooring ball where we were able to get tied up. WHEW!
My old roommate had a sailboat that he kept on a mooring in Atlantic Highlands. We went down to take it out and right after we unhooked from the mooring, he realized that his motor crapped out. We were stuck floating within the marina area and started heading right into other sailboats. We had to keep running up and down the length of the boat pushing away from other boats so they didnt get scratched up, cracked, etc. It felt like were a jellyfish moving along with the current. At one point we came upon a small yacht/motor boat in docked in the slip (sorry if not right term) and as we were trying to push away from the boat, their people were screaming and also trying to make sure my roommates boat didnt make a hole in theirs. One of those guys trips backwards and knocks down two of their fishing poles (which according to them were pricey) and snapped them.
Thankfully in the end...not sure how long it really lasted but definitely a while - a couple people were able to somehow connect with us and pull us to a random mooring ball where we were able to get tied up. WHEW!
Atlantic Highlands actually has a rule that you're not allowed to sail in the mooring field. It's always Job #1 to start your engine prior to letting go of the mooring line, for precisely the reason you experienced.
Some of those boats are REALLY expensive.
Got it, thanks! I'll check out liberty landing one you mentioned. Yeah I think i misspoke---unlimited 'access' is what they had mentioned. For what it's worth, this is what they offered as their deal:
Good lesson to know, haha! I wish my roommate would have known it!Atlantic Highlands actually has a rule that you're not allowed to sail in the mooring field. It's always Job #1 to start your engine prior to letting go of the mooring line, for precisely the reason you experienced.
Some of those boats are REALLY expensive.
Got it, thanks! I'll check out liberty landing one you mentioned. Yeah I think i misspoke---unlimited 'access' is what they had mentioned. For what it's worth, this is what they offered as their deal:
I just checked and the Offshore Sailing School franchise in J.C. seems to have closed. That's unfortunate.
Lemme see what I can dig up in your area as far as instruction goes. Others may have ideas, as well.
Manhattan Sailing School has a Jersey City location and offers the usual 2 day ASA Basic Sailing certification course. They train on J/24s, which is a great boat to learn on because it can be easily handled by 2 people (or one person who knows what they're doing).
When I took my ASA cert course, a billion years ago, we did our 2 days on a Pearson 36, which was nice but probably way too much boat for basic sailing instruction.
When I took my ASA cert course, a billion years ago, we did our 2 days on a Pearson 36, which was nice but probably way too much boat for basic sailing instruction.
RU4Real and Mildone - did I miss reading what you guys sail/own?
My dad had sailboats. Started with a borrowed Minnow, then a Sunfish, then an O'Day Daysailer, then a 27' Buccaneer and finally a 30' Buccaneer. Belonged to Minisceongo Yacht Club (Stony Point, NY) and sailed on the Hudson for many years. Took the bigger boats down to Barnagat a few times. Although I enjoyed sailing, I prefer golf.
My dad had sailboats. Started with a borrowed Minnow, then a Sunfish, then an O'Day Daysailer, then a 27' Buccaneer and finally a 30' Buccaneer. Belonged to Minisceongo Yacht Club (Stony Point, NY) and sailed on the Hudson for many years. Took the bigger boats down to Barnagat a few times. Although I enjoyed sailing, I prefer golf.
We're both "in the market", as it were. I'm waiting for my youngest to finish school (she graduates from Dickinson College this spring and is planning on law school) and @mildone is trying to decide between boat or beach house, or something like that.
I have a secret plan to convince him to co-own with me so that we can do the Bermuda 1-2.
On the aforementioned Bermuda race, we almost hit a couple of whales that surfaced more or less right in front of our boat. We weren't going very fast, but neither were they. It was a near thing, and these were very large whales. Considering we were the only boat on the horizon, it wouldn't have been good.
This was always my biggest source of anxiety in my few years of boating. Boating is enjoyable and stressful in unequal measures, depending upon whether it's your boat or you're a ride-along. There is so much to know about boating safety, but the unforeseen things are scary (for example, I almost ran my boat aground at 25 knots when a shoal in the L.I. Sound, just past the Throggs Neck Bridge, changed the depth of the water from 100' to just under 3. It was on the nav chart, but it didn't even dawn on me to check the chart in that area because the water was deep--but not all of it). But being near those other boats in the marina (Liberty Landing in Jersey City; Manasquan River Club in Brick) and trying to dock a floating pig--a 28' foot single screw with no side thrusters--is nerve-racking as ****. I was always thrilled after an uneventful, one-try docking.
The boat I mentioned in the Newport-Bermuda race was a Cal 40 out of Raritan Yacht Club. That boat (not mine), built for doing match-racing between San-Francisco and Hawaii, has done the N-B race many times and has done well over the years, with class wins (adjusted time) and an outright win one year, IIRC. Also did well in the Annapolis-Newport race and several Around Long Island races.
I've also raced on several other boats (a Kiwi 35, I believe, was an unusual one that I recall).
I own nothing at the moment. My current plan is to obtain a used large, comfy, stable cruising yacht at some point in the not too distant future to live on for awhile. Haven't started looking in earnest yet as I have a couple kids still in college and want to ensure they are set up well, post-college, before I split for what is likely to be the Florida keys to live for a while. Had thoughts about BVI instead, but after looking into it a bit, seemed like someplace near Key West would be a better choice logistically.
No chance at beach house. Love the water and yacht clubs. Not a big fan of the beach (too boring).We're both "in the market", as it were. I'm waiting for my youngest to finish school (she graduates from Dickinson College this spring and is planning on law school) and @mildone is trying to decide between boat or beach house, or something like that.
I have a secret plan to convince him to co-own with me so that we can do the Bermuda 1-2.
Was debating about moving out West instead, as you know. But I've discarded that idea for now and the boat thing is currently the plan I'm moving towards. I would say that the only thing that will outright prevent the boat-in-Florida plan at this point would be something with my parent's health.
I can be slow to move on my plans sometimes, so good chance it'll be 5 years before I go. I'm in no particular hurry and life is awfully good for me around here these days.
In the meantime, would you consider something like this? It's short on electronics but the engine is very low hours and if the hull, deck and joint are solid it's a pretty inexpensive way to grab a classic offshore IOR boat.
Nope. Despite some heavy pressure from a couple friends who love sailing and have been twisting my arm to buy the boat now instead of waiting until I'm ready to move to FL, I am waiting. My guess is the decision will happen very quickly when it's time.
Mmhmm.
I'm thinking the opposite - just getting something to build up some salt until I'm ready to move on to the big cruiser. The only problem I have with this concept is that I keep raising my lower limit every time I jump onto Yachtworld to run a search.
I've also discovered that I have a weird predisposition toward designers, rather than specific boats / builders. I look for names like Shaw, Tripp, Hood, Alberg, etc. If I could find a restored Cape Dory or Bristol over 30' for a good price, I'd probably jump on it.
Sailboats always fascinated me but I'm yet to learn much about them. For several years an uncle owned a Hobie 18' catamaran. It was a ton of fun zipping around the Barnegat bay on that. Outside of tightening a few ropes, ducking when tacking\jibing and shifting my position for balance I wasn't ever really able to do much except enjoy the ride. Although, I guess that is somewhat true on most sailboats with an abundance of crew. Hanging over the edge in the harness was a blast though. My father would disagree since I was about 8 or 9 at the time but I do have fond memories of the time my uncle nearly flipped the catamaran. The tip of the mast was just clipping the water before we came back down the right way.
My wife and I have talked about picking up something very small to play with on Round Valley and Spruce Run since we live so close to them. With three kids under 12 that has mostly been on hold.
This is a neat video of a crazy & stupid Australian:
http://bvibound.com/ever-worried-you-were-going-to-flip-your-catamaran/
My wife and I have talked about picking up something very small to play with on Round Valley and Spruce Run since we live so close to them. With three kids under 12 that has mostly been on hold.
This is a neat video of a crazy & stupid Australian:
http://bvibound.com/ever-worried-you-were-going-to-flip-your-catamaran/
That guy was never in any danger of capsize.
Small, unballasted sailboats (like a Sunfish or a Hobie Cat) can be capsized by the wind. Ballasted sailboats are designed to be, worst case, knocked down by the wind (mast in the water) but once the wind spills from the sails the ballast, generally in the keel, will cause the boat to right itself.
We can be proud that it was New Jersey's own Stevens Institute of Technology that did the groundbreaking discovery of why ballasted sailboats capsize in heavy seas. They concluded, from performing thousands of hours of tests in their wave tanks, that a ballasted sailboat will capsize if it is struck beam on (broadside) by a breaking wave between 30% and 60% of the boat's hull length. Non-breaking waves of any size are not sufficient to capsize a sailboat.
Did you draw straws for performing this "service" or did you just volunteer straight up?
Laura Dekker was (is) a very, very unusual person. There have been several underage circumnavigators and for a while it was almost a competition, as each successive sailor to attempt the journey was younger than the last. All of the media attention - much of it negative - that Laura received ultimately served to discourage further attempts at the "youngest solo circumnavigator" record.
It should also be noted - and not to take anything away from Laura's accomplishment - that her record comes with the dreaded asterisk. Because she wisely opted to avoid the Southern Ocean and instead transited the Panama Canal, she technically did not complete her circumnavigation, solo. Panama Canal regulations require that there be at least two people on board any sailing vessel.
Not a sailor but have been on several day sails out of BVI - Tortola - Drake's Passage (and many other places in the Carribbean). Awesome way to spend a day. I'm a fisherman so power boats are my thing ... I boat out of LBI. At the end of the day being on the water regardless of sail, power, kayak, etc. It's all good.
Love Drake's Passage, we chartered from Cruz Bay, St John to Virgin Gorda twice. Amazing journey. Can't wait to go back!
Maybe we can all pitch in for one of these....have RU BUILD a new stadium in Atlantic highlands and do a pregame tailgate/sail.
In case anyone saw the story about the two women "sailors" rescued after 5 "lost" at sea and though to wonder about the veracity of said story... It's total ********. Some enterprising young journalist should spend a couple of days picking it apart.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nat...talk-shark-attacks-survival-article-1.3595214
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/27/us/navy-rescue-women.html
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nat...talk-shark-attacks-survival-article-1.3595214
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/27/us/navy-rescue-women.html