John: Not a "Cat" literally a cat as in feline. This thread is for people who want to take chances. Great, you are living on your boat. You are a poor lowly cruiser. (your words). But come on....once in a while..Don't you long to see what that little boat of yours will do. Don't try to mask your fear of excitement with pity.
Go check out the other threads....like "why should I pay for water in Florida"
This thread is for men or women who live life...
If you think only by living on the edge, you can be alive, you're wrong. Been there, done that, didn't bother with the t-shirt. Labels and boundries are boring, and all you're doing, is trying to make people fit in a box you built. Living life is about doing what YOU find most enjoyable, not what someone else thinks should be. Not to mention.....strutting is for peacocks.
__________________
John
Ontario 32 - Aria
Free, is the heart, that lives not, in fear.
Full, is the spirit, that thinks not, of falling.
True, is the soul, that hesitates not, to give.
Alive, is the one, that believes, in love. JCP
Well John, there are lot's of other threads on this site where you can discuss things like reefing in 5 knots of wind or recipes. This thread is for people who like to sail. You are an RV Captain.
Moving on....
I wonder if any of you are local to the Chesapeake Bay? This past weekend was one of the best for sailing of the year. Saturday was a solid 25 knots with a large swell and Sunday was 15 knots. I was fortunate enough to get out both days. It was wet and wild. And yes John, on Saturday we put in a single reef. Saturday was the kind of day that inspires memories. Sunny, blowing hard, the boat heeling and kicking up spray as it bounces through the Bay chop. We sailed out of Annapolis and for the most part we had the Bay to ourselves. Save for a few other true sailors out for a thrill.
When you live near the Bay you have to drop whatever you are doing and hit the water when the wind picks up. My brother lives in Napa, CA and sails the San Francisco Bay. When he comes home he is always amused by the urgency that we Bay sailers feel to get out when the wind goes above 10 knots. In SF you need only wait for 11:30 to catch real breezes.
Sadly, Maryland lost one its most prominent sailors on Saturday. Philip Merrill, 71, did what he had been doing for 20 years when the wind picked up. He went out on his 41 foot sailboat to dip a rail. Sadly, was lost overboard and has not been found. Here is a link to a Washington Post story that ran this morning. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...061100053.html
I love you guys.....
Here is your first assignment:
Go out on an 18 knot plus day:
Put on your autopilot and climb up on the high rail and look down into the deck and down the forward lines and aft...Feel the power...Surf the wind.
That would have been easy on the Chesapeake Bay this weekend with wind gusts of 30 knots...
Moving on....
I wonder if any of you are local to the Chesapeake Bay? This past weekend was one of the best for sailing of the year. Saturday was a solid 25 knots with a large swell and Sunday was 15 knots. I was fortunate enough to get out both days. It was wet and wild. And yes John, on Saturday we put in a single reef. Saturday was the kind of day that inspires memories. Sunny, blowing hard, the boat heeling and kicking up spray as it bounces through the Bay chop. We sailed out of Annapolis and for the most part we had the Bay to ourselves. Save for a few other true sailors out for a thrill.
When you live near the Bay you have to drop whatever you are doing and hit the water when the wind picks up. My brother lives in Napa, CA and sails the San Francisco Bay. When he comes home he is always amused by the urgency that we Bay sailers feel to get out when the wind goes above 10 knots. In SF you need only wait for 11:30 to catch real breezes.
Sadly, Maryland lost one its most prominent sailors on Saturday. Philip Merrill, 71, did what he had been doing for 20 years when the wind picked up. He went out on his 41 foot sailboat to dip a rail. Sadly, was lost overboard and has not been found. Here is a link to a Washington Post story that ran this morning. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...061100053.html
I am on the northern end of the bay. Sadly the wind dropped water level by 3 to 4 feet this weekend because it blew a lot of the water out of the Northern end of the bay - it was a RUM weekend
You can say whatever you want. (Within the Rules of this Site)...But you don't have to apologize for your comments. If you disagree with me or anyone who responds. Write it.
This could have been an interesting thread.....if you weren't just looking for people to tell you how cool you are. Going out overcanvassed is simple and doesn't make maximum use of your boat to achieve it's best point of SAIL.
As sad as it is that someone lost their life out there. Think how they'd feel if they'd had crew and it was one of them they lost. I hope you never find yourself in that situation while you're out there trying to cop a thrill.
So you can put me down all you want with your snide little comments, because I don't have to prove a thing to you. I'll just keep on enjoying my life, which is kind of hard to do when you're dead, or have the weight of someone else's death on your conscience.
There's nothing wrong with pushing your skills, but pushing your luck is a whole different thing. Someday, you'll learn the difference.
Regards,
__________________
John
Ontario 32 - Aria
Free, is the heart, that lives not, in fear.
Full, is the spirit, that thinks not, of falling.
True, is the soul, that hesitates not, to give.
Alive, is the one, that believes, in love. JCP
John: I don't need anyone to tell me how cool I am. You are completely missing the point of this thread. Its just about fun and exchanging stories with people who like to sail. As I recall, you voluntarily came to this thread and said, "I feel sorry for you." Why would you do that?
Johnny, I have been sailing for over 40 years. I have singlehanded my boat across the Atlantic and to Bermuda. Have you? I have sailed in the Annapolis to Newport and the Annapolis to Bermuda races several times. I cruised for a year with my wife and daughter. I understand the difference probably more than you will ever know. But you are clearly a dork dude. What gives you the right to lecture people? Here is how you can fix that. Go out this weekend and push yourself a bit. Take that set of stones you seem to have lost and snap them back in place. Nothing dangerous just try to remember what sailing is all about. It's about having fun and exploring your human limits. In your case, I suggest 7-knots would be about right.
As for the poor chap who lost his life this weekend. He was an experienced sailor who died in a very unfortunate circumstance. We don't know what happened yet because they have not recovered his body. Be careful about criticizing him. He was a well known and popular figure in these parts.
Adminstrator: Yes, that was quite a blow-out. My parents live up the Tred Avon and could not get their sailboat out either. He spent the afternoon by the pool with my Mom drinking Rum and Tonics.
John: I don't need anyone to tell me how cool I am. You are completely missing the point of this thread. Its just about fun and exchanging stories with people who like to sail. As I recall, you voluntarily came to this thread and said, "I feel sorry for you." Why would you do that?
Johnny, I have been sailing for over 40 years. I have singlehanded my boat across the Atlantic and to Bermuda. Have you? I have sailed in the Annapolis to Newport and the Annapolis to Bermuda races several times. I cruised for a year with my wife and daughter. I understand the difference probably more than you will ever know. But you are clearly a dork dude. What gives you the right to lecture people? Here is how you can fix that. Go out this weekend and push yourself a bit. Take that set of stones you seem to have lost and snap them back in place. Nothing dangerous just try to remember what sailing is all about. It's about having fun and exploring your human limits. In your case, I suggest 7-knots would be about right.
As for the poor chap who lost his life this weekend. He was an experienced sailor who died in a very unfortunate circumstance. We don't know what happened yet because they have not recovered his body. Be careful about criticizing him. He was a well known and popular figure in these parts.
Adminstrator: Yes, that was quite a blow-out. My parents live up the Tred Avon and could not get their sailboat out either. He spent the afternoon by the pool with my Mom drinking Rum and Tonics.
