the little things?

[jbarros]

What little things realy make sailing pleasurable? What makes it a pain? There are alot of big things which are readily visible when you''re boat shopping, but I know, like cars, alot of the things you dont notice untill you''ve had the boat for a few months, and something is just incredibly simple, convient, and well thought out, increasing your joy in owning the vessle, or possibly incredibly poorly thought out, poorly located, and makes it a hassle to do simple things.

Let me know what little things have affected you. I''m looking for inspiration to apply to my own rebuild, and I apreciate the feedback. Thanks.

-- James

[Irwin32]

I just replaced the original traveler on my ''73 with a new Garhauer. What a difference it makes when udjusting trim under load. It is great!

[jbanta]

In the late eveing just before returning to my slip the sun showers the water with thousands of diamonds all sparkling. They give way to sunsets of red blue rose orange that leave me breathless. Whats are the little things well that is a start.. There are some many sailing become one huge beauty.

[jbarros]

well, I ment gear wise, but yhea, that is cool.

I''ve actualy gone very simple on my boat. the traveler was all messed up when I bough it, so I''m just locking it in the center position. I suppose I could get a little more speed, or a little more pointing if I replaced it, and I will eventualy, but it''s working amazingly well, and 1 less thing to do.

-- James

[pirateofcapeann]

Sailing is an exercise in compromise. Everything about it is a give and take situation. The beauty of being the skipper is that YOU decide which will be the lesser of the evils aboard your boat.

For instance, I wear a Tilley T2 when I''m sailing on sunny days. But there are those who don''t like hats, saying that they block their view of the sails. I accept that loss to prevent my face from getting sunburned. Others suggest sunblocks but I don''t like the greasy feeling on my face...

A little background music goes a long way. Unlike in other situations, it doesn’t set the mood, only enhances it. When I’m driving the boat hard, rail down and closing in on a friend up ahead, I like heavy metal to boost the adrenaline level a bit. It’s not played so loud that it’s overpowering or creates an unsafe situation. Other times I may play Buffett or Taylor or even classical, depending on the mood. I think it’s important though, to play music that all of the crew can enjoy. Personally, I despise “Alternative Rock” and being forced to listen to it really sets me off. I’ve found that once one person’s moral is down, even if it’s the lowliest cabin boy, the rest of the crew’s moral is sure to follow. This means that there are times when it’s best to just shut the stereo off and enjoy the music of nature.

Some other “little” things to keep aboard are warm jackets, sweaters and sweatshirts stowed away in a plastic bag where they won’t get damp. It may be warm ashore but oftentimes it’ll be cooler on the water, especially after everyone has had a dousing during the crash to windward. Keep enough and in ample sizes to outfit a full ship’s compliment. The same goes for sunglasses and hats.

Keep plenty of bottled spring water and drinking cups aboard. Don’t use disposable cups here as they will get tossed overboard. Sodas, juices and even alcoholic beverages may have been what everyone else was thinking but water will cure the thirst and leave less aftermath. If you’re alone, just leave a gallon jug right in the cockpit.

Well, there’s a starter. Have fun!

[msl]

Ahoy Pirate of Cape Ann ... a sunblock you may consider trying, found at Wal Mart stores, is "NO-AD". Not greasy, no burn and works very well.