Boating chit chat thread.

Stheno · 21-04-2014 10:49pm

miss no stars wrote: »

Out of interest, what do they sail like? They're only small like, and given that hunter made a nice transatlantic boat out of a squib I can imagine some of the same design thinking went into the Sonata.

I haven't raced against the northerners but everything I hear is that they're in a league of their own generally. I wonder what they're doing differently, then I remember that it costs feck all to moor your boat and your racing fee is included in that. I think I hear a figure around 200-300 GBP being bandied about. That's how. They get numbers. It's hard to build a fleet when it costs
more than a grand just to get in the water and signed up for racing :mad:

Which means that those who are left are those who really like their little boats and don't want to move to something else, and those who can splash the cash and go modern, so to speak. Need a new handicapping system!

I sailed very briefly with a J24 crew from the North last year, and whilst they weren't the best boat in the world, they took it incredibly seriously.

To be considered for crew, you had to agree to the training schedule which was done up six months in advance and included one weekend in four for training, along with racing, and training the other weekend day of a racing week etc.

Don't know if that's the norm though?

Actually just thinking about it, in multihulls a lot of the leading sailors in this island are also from the North, one of them represents Ireland

miss no stars · 21-04-2014 11:20pm

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

<given that hunter made a nice transatlantic boat out of a squib>

Do tell??!!

Sonatas are great little boats! Light as a feather, you'd turn them on a sixpence - and that's where the northerners completely ran rings around us - they were all either dinghy or FF sailors, and treated the Sonatas like dinghies - roll-tacking them, and throwing them around the place on the start line, which is exactly how they should be raced. Trouble is, when you're the smallest boat in a handicap fleet, it's very hard not to behave a bit like the bigger boats, so we tend to treat them more like heavy keelboats - when in fact there's no need to at all.

The cost thing might well be a big factor - maybe they can all afford to have/race dinghies/FFs as well as their Sonatas! But from what I saw that weekend, it was all in the mentality - the way they treated their boats.

If we had more Sonatas to compete against, I'm sure that behaviour would come more naturally to us.

Or maybe not!

But I really do agree with your overall point - I don't know how you'd go about handicapping for it - but I do know that C3 in events these days is a joke (DBSC has at least made an effort to split us up, although that ain't perfect either) - there's the sportsboats, and then there's the rest of us - I really wonder sometimes why we waste the entry fee, since we're NEVER going to compete against those boats. Even the other Sonata can't - and if they can't, what hope have us mere mortals???

Guy called David Blagden liked his squib so much he wanted to put a lid on it and race across the atlantic. Takes all sorts :eek:.

http://www.britishhunter.co.uk/page6.html

Actually, Stheno, I think I may have mentioned when I was crawling around under the deck trying to take the jib down that some mad yoke had gone across the atlantic with one :P I'm reminded of the madness of attempting it every single time I put the sails up on it hehe.

And as for the bit I bolded.... That's the kind of attitude that keeps nice older boats going

Stheno · 21-04-2014 11:24pm

miss no stars wrote: »

Guy called David Blagden liked his squib so much he wanted to put a lid on it and race across the atlantic. Takes all sorts :eek:.

http://www.britishhunter.co.uk/page6.html

Actually, Stheno, I think I may have mentioned when I was crawling around under the deck trying to take the jib down that some mad yoke had gone across the atlantic with one :P I'm reminded of the madness of attempting it every single time I put the sails up on it hehe.

And as for the bit I bolded.... That's the kind of attitude that keeps nice older boats going

You did :eek: everytime I was out on your boat I thought about it

cricalix · 22-04-2014 7:49am

Squib with a lid.. wasn't that the Hunter 19?

JamesM · 22-04-2014 10:06am

Stheno wrote: »

Actually just thinking about it, in multihulls a lot of the leading sailors in this island are also from the North, one of them represents Ireland

In the North almost all the Multihull sailors sailed as kids and were very competitive in other classes and had no hang ups about trying something new. Mono-hull sailors in the South are more conservative and rarely move over to cats. Very many of the Southern Multihull sailors started their sailing in cats at an older age and had no junior sail training. Annalise Murphy's parents did make the move to cats and were top multihull sailors for many years.
After some quiet years in the cat fleet, there is a good bit of hype at the moment because the Formula 18 Worlds are being hosted in Ballyholme in July this year.

miss no stars · 22-04-2014 10:07am

cricalix wrote: »

Squib with a lid.. wasn't that the Hunter 19?

Bingo.

Willing Griffin was the one that sailed the Atlantic. Just about to start reading a copy of "Very Willing Griffin" I found in the house that tells the story of its crossing.

There's a Hunter 19 in Howth actually, blue hull iirc.

cricalix · 22-04-2014 12:36pm

miss no stars wrote: »

Bingo.

Willing Griffin was the one that sailed the Atlantic. Just about to start reading a copy of "Very Willing Griffin" I found in the house that tells the story of its crossing.

There's a Hunter 19 in Howth actually, blue hull iirc.

Went to the Lake District once with the parents and grandparents. Took my sailing gear with me, because there was a promise of being able to go sailing on Windermere. Convinced the folks at the rental company that we knew what we were doing, and snagged their Hunter 19 for a few hours. Coming back up from the south end of the lake, we passed what looked like a 21.1, perhaps a bit bigger. They were going the same way, and seemed to be trying to go fast. They didn't realise I was racing them, but the 19, with crap sails and a good crew... well, they were somewhere behind us after 5 minutes

That experience nudged me to go boat hunting. While it's great for my sanity, it's a good thing I'm a bachelor and have no other expenditures

HeidiHeidi · 24-04-2014 4:23pm

And off we go again - Happy New (racing) Season everyone

Stay well clear of, and be extra nice to, little red boats out there

:D

neris · 24-04-2014 9:36pm

that training event in the irish this weekends been cancelled.

Fellow Sailors,

After several hours trying to find a weather forecast that would be suitable to hold the coaching regatta this weekend I’m sorry to say that we have come to the conclusion that it is in the best interest of the boats attending that we postpone.

As of 2030hrs the forecast for Dublin Bay is ESE 22 knots gusting 33Knots.
It is perfect conditions for a good race in Dublin bay to check out if your oilskins have survived the winter months stuffed into a bag covered in salt under the stairs!

Unfortunately, these same conditions pose concerns for me and the coaches including;
As a participant;
It will be near impossible for you to hear direction/advice from a coach in an adjacent coach boat.
Videoing of the day would not be possible in those sea conditions
You will be more concerned with safety onboard than coaching to gain anything from the day.
As an organiser;
I really don’t want my committee boat out there with volunteers in a SE 25-30 knots. It is not nice.
I don’t believe you will gain anything from it and I will feel guilty for charging you for it.

If it is flat calm with perfect conditions on Saturday I will buy you a pint .
Sorry again but we had to make a call tonight as we had visitors travelling that needed prior notice.

I also have a duty of care to the coaches and our team. It is my call.

We hope to re-schedule prior to ICRA, early may, but if re-fund is required please advise and I will arrange soonest.

Apologies again for late notice, I had hoped it the weather system may have passed through in time.

HeidiHeidi · 24-04-2014 11:23pm

Hah, good decision of ours to chicken out then

Would you be so good to post any notice of a re-run of it on here, in case I miss it? I usually see Prof's stuff on FB, but they obviously only notified those who had entered of the cancellation (which isn't unreasonable) - we were winging it to the last minute before deciding if we could/would do it.

Gawjus night out there tonight - we were a bit rusty and had a few feck-ups, but pleased with how it went overall. Anyone else get sent out into that eerie purple fog out at Asgard? 'Twas spoooooky :eek:

Steve · 25-04-2014 1:56am

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Anyone else get sent out into that eerie purple fog out at Asgard? 'Twas spoooooky :eek:

Horror movie stuff!
And the temperature really dropped when it hit.. I was expecting a barnacle encrusted pirate ship to appear at any moment!

Vexorg · 25-04-2014 10:15am

Yes was strange one, we expected rain and gusts as we entered it, but it seemed to clear very quickly, there was a similar ground hugging cloud over poolbeg, would have made a nice pic with the sun going down and the chimneys poking out.

neris · 25-04-2014 7:02pm

poxy bloody weather. no sailing this weekend :mad: RIYC cancelled and now my 2nd option of the coastal race has chickened out coz its to early in the season to get wet cold and pounded. Now im going to have to work on my own boat and hang around waiting for kid in the youth champs :mad: then if its raining theres no point working on my boat so poor me i,ll have just have to stay in the bar

Stheno · 25-04-2014 8:38pm

My first night as tactician in training.

Lads, it was a disaster.

Packed all my "normal" sailing gear the night before to take into work, but forgot the charts/polars, compass maps etc.

Then I decided after the start I didn't need to have the radio along with the sat nav and stop watch around my neck, so got it stowed in the cockpit bags.

All was fine, we'd a great start, and marks one and two were grand.

Fell apart at mark three when everyone went past the supposed mark.

Cue much discussion about the course, and following everyone else.

Turns out the course was changed and due to where the portable radio was, it got bashed by the "rest of the " crew and reset the channel so we missed it.

It was however a good learning experience, so much so that now I've a checklist of stuff to do before the start etc.

It was a beautiful night to go out sailing, even that purple fog was mesmerising

edit: I forgot to add on top of the rest of my sins, that I managed to catch the rear guardrail in my lifejacket and disconnect it

HeidiHeidi · 25-04-2014 9:13pm

Early days! We fecked up a bit as well, but considering we had one crew who's never been on the boat before, and the others (bar me) haven't been near a boat since last August, it wasn't so bad. Just as well it wasn't very windy though!

I'm impressed with your range of techie stuff! Polars? Compass maps??? What's them then

I thought we'd hit the bigtime when we got a handheld gps.......

Don't remember hearing course changes over the radio, but we're divils for forgetting to listen in once our gun has gone. And chatting on the spinnaker run - I'm going to get gags for everyone one of these days - including myself!

Tomorrow looking like a rude awakening :eek:

Stheno · 25-04-2014 9:24pm

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Early days! We fecked up a bit as well, but considering we had one crew who's never been on the boat before, and the others (bar me) haven't been near a boat since last August, it wasn't so bad. Just as well it wasn't very windy though!

I'm impressed with your range of techie stuff! Polars? Compass maps??? What's them then

I thought we'd hit the bigtime when we got a handheld gps.......

Don't remember hearing course changes over the radio, but we're divils for forgetting to listen in once our gun has gone. And chatting on the spinnaker run - I'm going to get gags for everyone one of these days - including myself!

Tomorrow looking like a rude awakening :eek:

Polars are what we term as the charts that tell us what speed we should be doing at a certain wind direction (I'm still learning by the way, not full of knowledge)

Compass charts, we use a chart with a 360 compass to understand where we are, and where we are going to to gauge direction.

I've a 270 page manual to read about our plotter so I can automate all this stuff, apart from the polars, and two North U books that I am slowly ploughing through.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow, looks like normal Howth conditions from last Autumn

I've not had any rough days out in DL at all compared to Howth last year.

edit: Our skipper is iirc a qualified commerical Yachtmaster so into all the techie/maths stuff, hence all the maps/polar stuff

It is useful for reference so that you understand what speed you should be at given wind speed and direction, but a pain in the ass as you are constantly looking stuff up. Thankfully I've a good memory, which I have decided to use memorising mark positions, polars etc. I'm looking forward in a few weeks to reciting the stuff from memory and freaking him out (Vexorg, you didn't read this post!)

neris · 25-04-2014 9:42pm

hate that mister millionaire. total bummer. Can feel your pain and my mast is still up for now,

https://www.facebook.com/quentin.derosny/posts/10152348413133984

HeidiHeidi · 25-04-2014 9:48pm

neris wrote: »

hate that mister millionaire. total bummer. Can feel your pain and my mast is still up for now,

https://www.facebook.com/quentin.derosny/posts/10152348413133984

Been there, done that (ours didn't have quite so far to fall, mind you

)

Love the 4th pic, lots of finger-pointing going on!

neris · 25-04-2014 9:53pm

Stheno I think your owner/skipper needs to take a serious chill pill if hes going on plotters and polars for white sails or even just bay sailing. Getting into that kind of racing is serious and more akin to what some guys in class 0 were up to in the naughtys when they were spending serious money campaigning in the uk, ireland and commodores cup or forking out hundreds of Ks on a new corby or kerr.

HeidiHeidi · 25-04-2014 10:00pm

neris wrote: »

Stheno I think your owner/skipper needs to take a serious chill pill if hes going on plotters and polars for white sails or even just bay sailing. Getting into that kind of racing is serious and more akin to what some guys in class 0 were up to in the naughtys when they were spending serious money campaigning in the uk, ireland and commodores cup or forking out hundreds of Ks on a new corby or kerr.

Would tend to agree with this. Keeping an eye on the figures of course is sensible, as is knowing your boat's capabilities, but I wouldn't get too bogged down in them for short course, club-based round the cans stuff.

Don't forget the fun and the actual sailing bit!

Stheno · 25-04-2014 10:01pm

neris wrote: »

Stheno I think your owner/skipper needs to take a serious chill pill if hes going on plotters and polars for white sails or even just bay sailing. Getting into that kind of racing is serious and more akin to what some guys in class 0 were up to in the naughtys when they were spending serious money campaigning in the uk, ireland and commodores cup or forking out hundreds of Ks on a new corby or kerr.

I think his long term plan is such racing

We're looking to go into class one and then ISORAs

He is a very driven person, and personally I find it very educational, and to be honest I like the maths side of it, and am learning loads, regardless

Yes he is overqualified for bay sailing, and yes he is demanding, and overqualified for it, but I consider it a pleasure to learn from someone like that.

It's down to my background, I work as a trainer in my field and as someone said to me this week, "better to learn from someone with experience than someone with knowledge"

My skipper/helm has the experience, so I'm not going to question that, and tbh, I really enjoy learning from him, while still taking lessons in sailing.

Long term I'd love to be considered someone most people would want as crew, and what I'm learning now I reckon will stand to me.

neris · 25-04-2014 10:04pm

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Been there, done that (ours didn't have quite so far to fall, mind you )

Love the 4th pic, lots of finger-pointing going on!

Ive broken 2 (not mine yet) My 1st was memorable. 1/2 ton cup in 2007 just of howth we hit a wave and down came the needle that had been built for an Italian lake in 1987.

Me: helm, your pinching,
Person next to me on rail: eh look behind you.
Me: oh, eh yeah mmm,
main trimmer/co-owner: some one get the cutters,
jib trimmer: but thats a brand new main
main trimmer/co-owner: cut the f***ing thing away

we were just off Howth at the back of Irelands eye after been sent on a mini offshore from Dun Laoghaire for 1/2 ton cup. We had 1 crew who we had gotten from Dun Laoghaire for the event who was stranded when we decided we,d just head back to our berth and the bar in Howth. 3 hours a few pints and alot of phone calls later a lift and kit bag arrived.

2nd was funny, I was trimming the main the D1 popped and could just see the mast bending to leeward b4 shouting masts coming down as the boat slammed to a stop. was the 2nd mast in a year that boat had lost

neris · 25-04-2014 10:08pm

Stheno wrote: »

I think his long term plan is such racing

We're looking to go into class one and then ISORAs

He is a very driven person, and personally I find it very educational, and to be honest I like the maths side of it, and am learning loads, regardless

Yes he is overqualified for bay sailing, and yes he is demanding, and overqualified for it, but I consider it a pleasure to learn from someone like that.

It's down to my background, I work as a trainer in my field and as someone said to me this week, "better to learn from someone with experience than someone with knowledge"

My skipper/helm has the experience, so I'm not going to question that, and tbh, I really enjoy learning from him, while still taking lessons in sailing.

Long term I'd love to be considered someone most people would want as crew, and what I'm learning now I reckon will stand to me.

If you want to do class 1 just get a kite up. Most boat owners wouldnt even know what the polars are for their boats and polars are never 100% right either. If you want to go ISORA racing just get a decent navigator or some one who can read a chart and compass.

HeidiHeidi · 25-04-2014 10:12pm

neris wrote: »

Ive broken 2 (not mine yet) My 1st was memorable. 1/2 ton cup in 2007 just of howth we hit a wave and down came the needle that had been built for an Italian lake in 1987.

Me: helm, your pinching,
Person next to me on rail: eh look behind you.
Me: oh, eh yeah mmm,
main trimmer/co-owner: some one get the cutters,
jib trimmer: but thats a brand new main
main trimmer/co-owner: cut the f***ing thing away

2nd was funny, I was trimming the main the D1 popped and could just see the mast bending to leeward b4 shouting masts coming down as the boat slammed to a stop. was the 2nd mast in a year that boat had lost

When ours came down, we had just tacked, and the main kept going

I didn't even realise what had happened - I was going under the boom and was facing backwards, and it was completely silent - you'd imagine a mast would crash down, but there was no sound. Well, there probably was, but it was windy as **** and I heard nothing over that!

We had a girl new to the boat going around the front of the mast who managed to hang on, and when the training kicked in and the call went up for the cutters, she dived under all the sails and managed to find it. When it came up, we grabbed it - and then thought "feck, what do we cut???" Turned out we didn't need to cut anything away - the mast had come down in once piece from the foot, and was hanging nicely alongside.

Not an experience that I'd care to repeat

neris · 25-04-2014 10:32pm

this was pre americas cup with russell coutts in 2012, Interesting interview. Love the clip at 18:20

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRGlSGRPj5k

neris · 26-04-2014 11:24pm

further to talk of masts breaking came across this purpose mast break

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-jqwkNXMIY

HeidiHeidi · 27-04-2014 12:35am

neris wrote: »

this was pre americas cup with russell coutts in 2012, Interesting interview. Love the clip at 18:20

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRGlSGRPj5k

Just watched that through.... he'd hardly knock you over with charisma, would he?

Seems like a nice guy - although a bit media/product obsessed. I was disappointed to hear him say that basically monohulls will NEVER feature in AC again because the media don't like them. What about the sailors/sailor viewers?

(The multihulls do provide for fairly spectacular capsizes though, I will have to admit that

)

miss no stars · 27-04-2014 9:50am

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

(The multihulls do provide for fairly spectacular capsizes though, I will have to admit that )

And deaths

HeidiHeidi · 27-04-2014 11:32am

miss no stars wrote: »

And deaths

True. But people have died off monohulls as well.

It's just that the slavish bowing to media interests and technology over the integrity of the sport makes me a bit sad. I may be turning into a dinosaur, though, and would appear to be in a minority (possibly of one!) on that.

HeidiHeidi · 27-04-2014 12:33pm

Saw this on the coastgaurd report of incidents yesterday.

<Dublin CG heli and Dun Laoghaire lifeboat tasked to yacht in difficulty with 10 pob. RTB when yacht made its way in escorted by another yacht.>

I wonder was that one of the ISORA boats? Or a C1 doing DBSC? (Four went out, two finished according to the results)

Hope all OK whatever/whoever it was - not an easy day to be out on the water yesterday!

Boating chit chat thread.

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