OT: Any sailors on board?

[bluesea]

I spent this past Sunday on one of these (http://www.melges.com/24melges.html). My body is still aching. :)

[fiamme red]

Didn't there used to be a "Precision Sailor" in the phorum?

[Kevan]

Cool rigs.

[telenick]

...bring it to a close reach and hang.

I used to sail out of Annapolis, MD. At one time I was ISAF certified and ranked with a team.

Now I ski and cycle.

[97CSI]

That's a real hot-rod. No wonder you are tired and sore. Lots of work to make one of those go fast. Owner of the marina we are in tried one for a couple of years, but went back to his Star. Too high-tech and too much work for an old guy, he said. I'll stick with our C&C 29'. Probably about as fast (unless you're surfing) and much easier to sail, can cook dinner, has a head and sleeps six with ease.

[Ken Robb]

where were you sailng this beast?

[97CSI]

Sail in the Chesapeake out of Havre de Grace, MD. Thankfully, we are moving back to the suburbs west of Philadelphia in July so my commute to the boat is cut in half. Can even ride my bike down!

[Smiley]

That is a Day sailor on the roid's :)

Acually no more or less work then a 19-21 ft beach cat.

Currently sail a Precision 21 out of While Rocks Marina off the Patapsco River across from Sparrows Point , join us sometime my friend :)

[bluesea]

The regatta was held on the winward side of Oahu in Kaneohe bay. The Melges 24 is faster around the course than most 35 footers. It planes downwind in a moderate breeze, and the spinnaker is a bear to handle as there are no winches, only a ratchet block between the sail and one's two hands.

I've also raced Hobie Miracle 20s (double trapeze) and a myriad of big boats. Its actually a little easier to get off the trap, tack the jib, and get back on the trap on the other board, than with the Melges where you are hiking out with your legs hanging over the side. Been out of competitive sailing for ages, but when my buddy told me "Don't worry, its just like riding a bicycle", thats when I really became nervous. :eek:

[spincycle]

there are some sailors in the spincycle household. maybe not quite like some of the prior posts

no.1 son on USCGC Eagle reefing the t'gallant (topgallant). he's currently at Officer Candidate School up at USCGA

the dark navy color ship is my "hobby" out in san diego, new navy ship Lewis and Clark.

the big white one is the Mercy, a navy hospital ship. mrs. spincycle is a Navy nurse and rides around on her on occasion

[Too Tall]

That's a BA boat. I had a laser for many yrs....reallllly fun in a storm ;)

[97CSI]

And five folks in a 24' boat is quite a crowd. But, in a blow and bigger chop you are happy they are all there. :D

[bluesea]

I love square riggers. I grew up dreaming and fantasizing those boats since I was knee high.

TT,
Yeah! The Laser is a true sailor's boat, worthy of its olympic class status.

[Louis]

Just the other day the NYT had an interesting article (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/06/sports/othersports/06sailing.html?_r=1&oref=slogin) about the new Volvo 70 class. The point of the story was that racing these beasts is often an endurance sport and incredibly difficult.

Louis

[Ken Robb]

we had a company regatta in SD Bay 4/18 racing 15 22ft sloops past the Mercy just before she sailed.
I spent 6 lovely months in OCS at Aberdeen Proving Grounds. When they let us out (rarely) Hde Grace was one of the closest places to get a drink. No sailing for us Army guys though.

[bluesea]

Just the other day the NYT had an interesting article (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/06/sports/othersports/06sailing.html?_r=1&oref=slogin) about the new Volvo 70 class. The point of the story was that racing these beasts is often an endurance sport and incredibly difficult.

Louis


One of my goals was to sail around Cape Horn on a fast boat. I was working as a sailmaker and as an assistant rigger and the sea legs (physical agility), and stamina were there, but somehow or another life and other complications got in the way. [sigh]

[DRZRM]

I had an old 16 ft Hobie Cat which I loved, but it was caught in a storm on the beach last fall (I should have pulled it in by then but I was hoping for one more nice weekend, I was not alone picking up boat parts in Sag Harbor that weekend) and the mast cracked when it blew over a fence. The sail bag blew away as well (I'm afraid it probably sank). Anyway, I'll try to dig up parts on ebay this summer.

:crap:

[alancw3]

done quite a bit of sailing thoughout my life and yes you do get exercise. always have to laugh at the ads you see of people in the cockpit of a sailboat leisurely sipping a cocktail as they sail along. i always have a rule for myself when sailing, i never touch a drop of liquor when i am the captain until the hook goes down for the day. currently exploring a live aboard boat.

[rnhood]

That's an interesting article. I guess like most all sports these days, commercialism gradually erodes the original spirit of the activity. And that spirit is beer and relaxation after the race - not a bunch of recovery exercises, blood tests and special meals.

I sailed a J-24 for many years and it was the most enjoyable time of my life. It gradually got more and more expensive - especially buying racing sails every two years. The article mentions John Kostecki and he also was very active in the J-24 class when he started.

Sailing is an expensive sport today for the owner. Many of the boats, like the Hinckleys, are truly magnificient.

[Too Tall]

Hey I've got an idea....hmmmm. Bareboat charter eastern shore....40' Morgan (Pig Boat) and toodle around...hmmmm

[flydhest]

I learned to sail from the Doctor. I'm the captain on the tandem, she's in charge on the boat (unless we're on Smiley's boat, in which case we humor him). She was an instructor and racer in Stockholm. If you can teach Vikings to sail, you're hard core. She used to have an old-school Swedish square meter . . . talk about cool.

http://www.sitecenter.dk/hbh/theboatgilii/

[davep]

I've been in the sailing industry for 20 years: charter captain (guests drink any time and all the time), delivery skipper (four trans-atlantics as well as numerous trips to and from the Caribbean, Bahamas, etc), boat mechanic, owned a charter company, partner in a boat dealership, and now own a sailing school. At one time my dream was to sail around the world, and take my time doing it. But with a four year old, wife (who likes to sail, but I don't know about really long distances), business and mortgage that's going to wait a few more years. And because I run the business I don't get to go sailing much anymore :(. Took up biking to get out of the office, and now I like long distance biking like I like long distance sailing.

[Len J]

Lightenings......for years from about 1970 thru the mid 80's.

Most recently, I'm an alternate crew on a 29' Cal rigged for racing out of St Michael's. I get my "fix" about once a month.

Most fun ever was a one day crew on a Maxi back in the 90's out of Bermuda.......friend of mine does Sydney Hobart, Newport to Bermuda etc, and hooked me up when I was there for vacation and they were there also. What a rush.

Len

[Argos]

My father and I used to crew together on a J-Class during the summers in an evening race series out of Huntington, NY. One of the coolest father son things I can imagine.

From the title of the post, I got the idea it was going to be a village people type question. :D

[bluesea]

I put in about 6 seasons on J-24s. Great boat but the cockpit and general boat layout is brutal compared to the Melges. After one Kenwood Cup we sailed the J up to Lahaina for the Lahaina-Oahu race. Talk about a wild ride, the course is about 90% downwind--with WAVES.

[Smiley]

J 24 is the wettest boat I have ever sailed on :)