Boating chit chat thread.

Steve

Cool.��

Stheno

Fun after the lambay in howth today, low tide had multiple boats go aground in the sound

neris

Stheno wrote: »

Fun after the lambay in howth today, low tide had multiple boats go aground in the sound

Its disgraceful that the dept of the marine have let it silt up so badly and it wont be dredged for another year at the earliest. Good race though yesterday. Anyone who didnt go to portrane on the way up got shafted

Steve

Could have been worse, spent 6 hrs looking at the Isle of Man after 24hr drift up the Irish Sea before retiring... Frustrating is an understatement.

HeidiHeidi

Steve wrote: »

Could have been worse, spent 6 hrs looking at the Isle of Man after 24hr drift up the Irish Sea before retiring... Frustrating is an understatement.

Aha, was wondering were you on board. I think I dodged a bullet there!!! (and last week!)

I had a lovely day sending the DL cruisers around a brief and gentle course on Saturday - talk about champagne conditions. I was just jealous I wasn't out there.

Stheno

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

I had a lovely day sending the DL cruisers around a brief and gentle course on Saturday - talk about champagne conditions. I was just jealous I wasn't out there.

Lucky you, having opted not to go via portrane we spent a good hour at the back of lambay

Steve

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

I was just jealous I wasn't out there.

I feel like a spit roasted pig.. despite 3 layers of factor 30, I got burned to a crisp!
You were better off under cover!

neris

few from lambay on saturday







Stuck in the mud

bilbot79

I was just thinking the other day how cool it would be to have a viable underwater version of the popular airborne drones. Like a remote controlled submarine with good lighting and a good camera to explore underwater but I'd say to do that right would cost a small fortune.

Sh1tbag OToole

bilbot79 wrote: »

I was just thinking the other day how cool it would be to have a viable underwater version of the popular airborne drones. Like a remote controlled submarine with good lighting and a good camera to explore underwater but I'd say to do that right would cost a small fortune.

Wasn't Fergal making one of those?

fergal.b

bilbot79

fergal.b wrote: »

I need this. I need it.

Stheno

I have been blessed through persistence, despite not being available to crew today I'm now crewing tomorrow on a J109 in the ICRAs

Excited doesn't begin to describe it

I'm like OMG!!!

I'd love to get involved in the ISORAs so am gonna see if I can chat to the guys in Howth who do them too

HeidiHeidi

Stheno wrote: »

I have been blessed through persistence, despite not being available to crew today I'm now crewing tomorrow on a J109 in the ICRAs

Excited doesn't begin to describe it

I'm like OMG!!!

I'd love to get involved in the ISORAs so am gonna see if I can chat to the guys in Howth who do them too

Oooh, which boat??? One of the Howth ones? I'd know a few of those who have travelled over from DL for the weekend..... that's a seriously competitive class - enjoy!

If you've no joy with the Howth boats for ISORAs, email chair@isora.org and Peter will match you up with a boat - there's usually someone in need of crew. They're a different animal to the round the cans races - but brilliant (/maddening/torture) in their own way. Give it a go!

Stheno

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Oooh, which boat??? One of the Howth ones? I'd know a few of those who have travelled over from DL for the weekend..... that's a seriously competitive class - enjoy!

If you've no joy with the Howth boats for ISORAs, email chair@isora.org and Peter will match you up with a boat - there's usually someone in need of crew. They're a different animal to the round the cans races - but brilliant (/maddening/torture) in their own way. Give it a go!

Galway boat called joie de vie

Brilliant advice ref the ISORAs thanks! i'd like to do the round Ireland in 2018!

HeidiHeidi

Stheno wrote: »

Galway boat called joie de vie

Brilliant advice ref the ISORAs thanks! i'd like to do the round Ireland in 2018!

Hah, I was on a J109 in a ding-dong battle with them a couple of weeks ago in Scotland (we won ). You'll have a great time, couldn't be better conditions for it. Enjoy!

ISORA racing is definitely a good way to see if you've the stomach and patience for offshore racing.... go for it! There's a public FB group that you should keep an eye on as well, there's blogs and posts and other stuff (including the sometimes frankly alarming results showing the times taken to reach the finish line - or not!), it's very entertaining. Also look at isora.org.

Stheno

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Hah, I was on a J109 in a ding-dong battle with them a couple of weeks ago in Scotland (we won ). You'll have a great time, couldn't be better conditions for it. Enjoy!

ISORA racing is definitely a good way to see if you've the stomach and patience for offshore racing.... go for it! There's a public FB group that you should keep an eye on as well, there's blogs and posts and other stuff (including the sometimes frankly alarming results showing the times taken to reach the finish line - or not!), it's very entertaining. Also look at isora.org.

I'm so looking forward to tomorrow, and hope I don't let them down!

i'll be taking your advice, many thanks

neris

Stheno wrote: »

I have been blessed through persistence, despite not being available to crew today I'm now crewing tomorrow on a J109 in the ICRAs

Excited doesn't begin to describe it

I'm like OMG!!!

I'd love to get involved in the ISORAs so am gonna see if I can chat to the guys in Howth who do them too

No howth boats doing isora this year the only one who may do a few races will probably be bam

Stheno

Class 0 and 1 abandoned today in the icras after three hours of waiting for wind. Think all the other classes got one race in

neris

Looking at the results yesterday for class 1 and the new rockabill seemed to be well down the results even though she was 1 of the favourites and afloat were touting it as the boat to beat

Stheno

Yeah think they were twelvth in IRC and four boats were blackcarded in race five yesterday so wouldn't have been a great result for them.

For me as someone who primarily does whitesails, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, it was hard work, but I was surprised at how I adapted to a class 1 boat.

Got invited back today and for the future, so I don't think I disgraced myself

Steve

neris wrote: »

Looking at the results yesterday for class 1 and the new rockabill seemed to be well down the results even though she was 1 of the favourites and afloat were touting it as the boat to beat

Seems to have a small sail plan so light wind event just won't work. Lovely looking boat tho.

Stheno

Would people who've done ISORAs mind me asking a few stoopid questions?

HeidiHeidi

Nope.

No guarantee I'll be able to answer them, but go ahead!

Stheno

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Nope.

No guarantee I'll be able to answer them, but go ahead!

Grand stuff thanks

They are fairly basic.

How long would a 60-80 mile race take? 6-8 hours?

If there is a race to e.g. The Isle of Man or Pwllheli do people get ferries/flights back?

Is there a risk that you could end up stuck in no wind, and take days to get back?

Would my regular gear with extra layers if needed be ok?

And the last one, what are the good, the bad and the ugly elements?

HeidiHeidi

Stheno wrote: »

Grand stuff thanks

They are fairly basic.

How long would a 60-80 mile race take? 6-8 hours?

How long is a piece of string! Depends on the wind strength and direction, and the size of boat you're on.

I did DL to Holyhead a few weeks ago in 9ish hours (55 miles) - straight fetch in good wind apart from the last hour, and we didn't get too badly stung - some boats missed the tide and wound up retiring three or four hours later.

The same boat took 20 hours to get from DL to Douglas recently, and that was with a 7-mile head start out at the Kish (a race I'm sure Steve will want to forget ) I wasn't on board for that, but I'd say it was PAINFUL.

A boat I used to sail on spent 8 hours going nowhere/backwards at Bardsey Sound because they missed the tide - they won that race though (I think) as they were almost the only ones to stick it out!

If there is a race to e.g. The Isle of Man or Pwllheli do people get ferries/flights back?

Again, it depends. Sometimes the races are set up so that the boat can stay there until the next race (eg there was a DL/Holyhead race recently, followed by a Holyhead/DL race two weeks later)

If that's the case, some boats stay, some boats return.

You don't need a full crew for delivering so sometimes half will ferry home while the rest sail/motor back.

Is there a risk that you could end up stuck in no wind, and take days to get back?

Oh yes!!! Well, not days - usually people have work commitments and if it's looking hopeless then boats retire. But as far as I know there's no time limits on ISORAs..... :eek:

Would my regular gear with extra layers if needed be ok?

Absolutely. But there's a lot to be said for a great big lump of an offshore jacket with a huge fleecy collar and a decent hood! Legs - meh, I have yet to find ones that don't leave you with a damp (at best) arse. Having said that, I have a brand new pair of MPX legs for the Round Ireland, which I'm VERY excited about (the legs, not the race!) - if my arse gets wet in those there will be trouble!!

And the last one, what are the good, the bad and the ugly elements?

The weather! The most miserable offshore race I have ever done, by quite some distance, was back from the IOM a few years ago - 17.5 hours with no loo (afraid to go below as the stink made us sick), therefore no food or water, cold, wet, sick and utterly, utterly miserable. And even if we did decide to pack it in before we all died, we still had to pound into the sea on our close-hauled fetch so motoring would have made things no better. I swore never, ever again after that one!

The company. I've had some crewmates that I'd really rather not have spent hours/days with in a confined space - and I'm sure there are a few out there who would say the same about me!

However the company is also a good bit - I've had some absolutely fascinating conversations on the rail with people I may never have met, never mind conversed with had we not pitched up on the same boat - you meet all sorts, and it's always interesting.

Best bit - when the sun shines, the wind is blowing and favourable, the dolphins are alongside keeping you company, you can see yourself inching ahead of or a bit higher than your rivals over hours and hours, and then you see the finishing line after so many hours..... there is nowhere better in the world to be!

Steve

Stheno wrote: »

Grand stuff thanks

They are fairly basic.

How long would a 60-80 mile race take? 6-8 hours?

Most of the ISORAs include a night sail so budget 12-16 hrs.
e.g DL to holyhead is 60 miles (10 hrs at 6 kts approx) direct so depending on the wind they'll give a few marks to round to increase it.

If there is a race to e.g. The Isle of Man or Pwllheli do people get ferries/flights back?

Depends on the boat, normally you would do the delivery to or from the race as part of the deal.

Is there a risk that you could end up stuck in no wind, and take days to get back?

Oh yea!!!

Would my regular gear with extra layers if needed be ok?

Yes but you may need a cat 2 lifejacket on top.

And the last one, what are the good, the bad and the ugly elements?

Good: a life experience you will never forget. Just wait till you see the first pod of dolphins come say hello to the boat..!

Bad: Sailing t night can be a challenge but can easily be overcome and once you've done it you'll want more.!

Ugly: Learning to sleep at night or day (off watch) on a moving boat can be hard and lead to motion sickness.. I can give you pointers in that tho.

Stheno

I sleep like the living dead, so hopefully that would help. I was once staying on the 17th floor in a hotel in Canada and the fire alarm was set off by assholes twice between 2 and 3 in the morning, causing two evacuations. I slept through it all:eek: woke up to a letter from the management apologising about it, and went wtf?

What's a cat 2 lifejacket?

HeidiHeidi

Stheno wrote: »

I sleep like the living dead, so hopefully that would help. I was once staying on the 17th floor in a hotel in Canada and the fire alarm was set off by assholes twice between 2 and 3 in the morning, causing two evacuations. I slept through it all:eek: woke up to a letter from the management apologising about it, and went wtf?

What's a cat 2 lifejacket?

One with a light, whistle, sprayhood, D-ring. And a certain level of flotation...minimum 150 something... used to be called Newtons but not any more, can't remember the phrase now.

Steve

Cat 2 requirements:

SECTION 5 - PERSONAL EQUIPMENT
** Each crew member shall have:
** 5.01 Lifejacket
** 5.01.1 A lifejacket which shall:
** a)
** i) if manufactured before 2012 comply with ISO 12402 - 3 (Level 150) or
equivalent, including EN 396 or UL 1180 and:
** . if inflatable have a gas inflation system
** . have crotch/thigh straps (ride up prevention system (RUPS))
MoMu0,1,2 . have an integral safety harness in compliance with OSR 5.02
** ii if manufactured after 2011 comply with ISO 12402-3 (Level 150) and be fitted
with a whistle, lifting loop, reflective material automatic/manual gas inflation
system
** crotch/thigh straps (ride up prevention system (RUPS))
MoMu0,1,2 an integral safety harness in compliance with OSR 5.02
MoMu0,1,2,3 b) have an emergency position indicating light in accordance with either ISO 12402-
8 or SOLAS LSA code 2.2.3
** c) be clearly marked with the boat’s or wearer’s name
MoMu0,1,2,3 d) have a sprayhood in accordance with ISO 12402-8
MoMu0,1,2 5.01.2 A boat shall carry at least one gas inflatable lifejacket spare cylinder and, if
appropriate, a spare activation head.
MoMu0,1,2 5.01.3 A boat shall carry a spare at least one spare lifejacket as required in OSR 5.01.1
** 5.01.4 The person in charge shall personally check each lifejacket at least once annually.
MoMu0,1,2,3 5.02 Safety Harness and Tethers
MoMu0,1,2,3 5.02.1 A harness that complies with ISO 12401 or equivalent and a tether that:
MoMu0,1,2,3 a) is not more than 2 m (6’-6”) in length
MoMu0,1,2,3 b) complies with ISO 12401 (or EN 1095 if manufactured prior to 2010)
MoMu0,1,2,3 c) have overload indicator flag embedded in the stitching
MoMu0,1,2,3 d) be manufactured after 2000
MoMu0,1,2,3 5.02.2 30% of the crew shall have either:
MoMu0,1,2,3 a) a tether not more than 1 m (3’-3”) long, or
MoMu0,1,2,3 b) a mid-point snaphook on a 2 m (6’-6”) tether
MoMu0,1,2,3 5.02.3 A tether which has been overloaded shall be replaced
5.07 Survival Equipment