Contemporary commentary on postmodern sailing philosophy

[lustyslogger]

Ok, in thinking about my last post you might say it was a memorable sail because it was the exact opposite of what would be a memorable sail for you. That in itself would give clues as to what you were attracted to in sailing.

[Dirk Visser 166]

You kind of nailed my hidden agenda question right there, Slogger !

Maybe some of us are secretly or unconsciously actually wishing for that tidal current that sweeps us out so we can have the chance to actually battle the elements, test ourselves in a domesticated world where these man-against-nature contests are few and far between?

And return as heroes with a real "sea story", triumphant survivors...

That scenario would be perhaps more memorable than the mellow sunset cruise,...did it happen that way for any of you?


Oh, Michel, your description of the big boat captain's face and his wistful stories of his "small boat fun" cuts right to the point, and was wicked funny to me..
I had the 60 foot Jay Benford schooner "Evergreen" for 8 years, in Bellingham and Port Townsend, slowly learning the hard way, who owned who...

[Art Haberland]

One of the things I noticed in meeting with big boats sailors is that they seems less happy than we do! They do look very proud of their nice and spacious craft but they don't smile the same as we do!
They also often talk about how they had fun when they had a small boat!

Don't get me wrong.. I want a bigger boat than my little Sea Sprite 23.. but I am not going any bigger than 30 feet. What I really want is a Liberty 28.. a relatively unknown Double Ended Cutter..

And if you are like me and can do without every electronic doodad, electric winches, and possibly even running hot water.. a bigger boat does not have to be a boat that "owns you".

It's just a simple fact, boats live in the most corrosive environment on earth short of a pit of acid or lava.. and unlike those two things, it is subject to tides, wind, storms, and that pesky bottom that keeps rising up to meet it's surface. With this in mind, the more complicated you make a vessel, the more fragile it becomes and the more likely it is to break.

As the Pardey's said. "Go Small, Go Simple, Go now"

[Michel]

Hey Art!

What you are talking about represents something very big to me! But there are no absolutes.
What really counts for me is that I can rig, launch, derig, delaunch, (Is that a word?... ) reef, anchor, dock, everything by myself and by hands. I also like to have my boat on her trailer by my house during the winter.

I guess we all have our personnal criterias.

I know that Yves Gelinas, who sailed around the world on his 30' Alberg " Jean du Sud" can do all I talked about by himself. He is very ingenious.

https://youtu.be/5UBkQ3GZV94

[lustyslogger]

"unlaunch". I think that's a Canadian word!! I think the word you are looking for is "dislaunch"

SCA's motto is "Small Boats - Big Adventures". I find its more like

Small Boats - More likely to sail and have an adventure"

A small boat sailor can go to the dock and be on the water in 30 minutes or less. There are some 30 plus footers that never leave the dock because they take a crew of five to get underway.

[Art Haberland]

if you need 5 people to get a 30 footer underway.. you need to re-evaluate your skills as a sailor... possibly your skills at life itself.

Generally 30 foot is the magic number for a blue water boat. Big enough to weather storms, carry the stores you need for a long voyage, and small enough to single hand and be cheap(ish) to enter foreign countries. Beyond that size it starts to get really expensive fast.

[Michel]

I agree about a 30 footer or so for long voyages in good confort. They are also not that hard to manoeuver single handed. I know because I have sailed a few.

Some of my friends have "upgraded" to 26' and 28' boats for that kind of reasons: "I can sail the world with that boat" But the reality is that they don't and they only have a lot more $$$ to pay for the marina, the winter storage, the launching, delaunching etc etc.... And they can't or don't dare to sail in the little channels they used to on their previous small sailboat!

It is a hard fact also that they get to sail less than before. The boat turns out to be a floating cottage.

Ir is a hight price to pay (IMHO) for the luxury of standing head room or a fridge and marine head to repair!

[Art Haberland]

trust me, I adore small boats.. but my plans do include an attempt at a circumnavigation.. not something you can do in a 23 foot Sea Sprite.. even if one did cross the Atlantic

[Michel]

trust me, I adore small boats.. but my plans do include an attempt at a circumnavigation.. not something you can do in a 23 foot Sea Sprite.. even if one did cross the Atlantic

Doing that is quite a project, in any boat! I trust you BTW!

[Dirk Visser 166]

Guys!
Did you ever hear the old rule of thumb about how big your boat should be? It's real simple and goes like this:

"A man's boat should be one foot long for every year old he is.."

Before you laugh this off think about it for a minute..The implications run pretty deep and provide some good match ups to a serious sailing career, or lifetime on the water.

The kid coming up gets an appropriate graduated introduction and apprenticeship, including athletic elements.
The journeyman sailor gets a world-ocean capable single or double handed-plus craft, for the salad days of his career.
The master mariner earns his active retirement in comfort, with the added bonus of bringing everything full circle with a deck-loadable sailing tender for local outings and daysails..

The crew assistance needed on that final boat will free the skipper of physical demands so he can devote his time to doing the numbers, paperwork, culinary exhibitions, drinking and philosophy sessions, and planning the cruise itinerary...

A pretty picture, n'est pas ?