Funny things said while sailing

DArcy

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Feb 11, 2017
1,691
Islander Freeport 36 Ottawa
I worked on a 130 foot square rigged ship that took people out for a few hour long cruises around Sydney Harbour. There were a some funny things that came up. One guest (probably been to Disney recently ;)) asked if the ship ran on rails underwater. Another, after being on the boat for 2 hours, sailing on the calm harbour waters, was standing on the dock said "I must have gotten my sea legs, it feels like the dock is moving!" I looked down, as the wash of a passing ship died away, and said "it's a floating dock." Most disappointing that I didn't have a good comeback for either of these.
 
Oct 30, 2017
183
Catalina c 27 Lake Pueblo
We were back on the dock one day after being out for a nice sail. Having a drink with the dock family. Earlier while we were out sailing we were paralleling with a slight angle towards one of our dock neighbors in their wakeboarding boat. (They were going slow due to chop and we were flying due to solid wind)

I tried yelling (they have no working radio) that they were good and we would be tacking in a little bit so they could stay on course and it wouldn’t affect us at all.

Anyway back on the dock the neighbor and her husband said that they have had boats on this lake for 15 years and don’t know the right of way rules... all they know is that they have to yeild to sailboats.

Another dock nieghbor piped in “hell, most of us don’t know the rules, but everyone one of them sailing guys sure do”
 
Dec 28, 2015
1,837
Laser, Hunter H30 Cherubini Tacoma
Walking up the approach ramp at my marina on Puget Sound, we were looking at the long, mud shoreline and my 17 yo son said "where did all the water go" he got halfway through water and realized it was the bay and the tide was the culprit. We got a good laugh and I knew he was off a little due to spending a ton of time on/at our lake cabin where a change in the height of the lake is a big deal.
 
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Likes: Will Gilmore
Oct 19, 2017
7,733
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
We took a family out for a sail one afternoon and watched the sunset over the Gulf.
On a clear evening with just enough moisture in the air to give good color, the setting sun will reflect off the water so that it looks like an oval that compresses as it goes down.
The woman commented on how it looked like the sun was squishing against the horizon, as though it was being pushed down from above. My father, ever the helpful gentleman, offered her the chance to come out for a sail at dawn and see the sunrise. Because, it stretched way out as it was pulled up from below the horizon before it POPped free and wobbled like a rubber ball before settling in on its daily trek across the sky.

-Will (Dragonfly)
 

Kermit

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Jul 31, 2010
5,657
AquaCat 12.5 17342 Wateree Lake, SC
We took a family out for a sail one afternoon and watched the sunset over the Gulf.
On a clear evening with just enough moisture in the air to give good color, the setting sun will reflect off the water so that it looks like an oval that compresses as it goes down.
The woman commented on how it looked like the sun was squishing against the horizon, as though it was being pushed down from above. My father, ever the helpful gentleman, offered her the chance to come out for a sail at dawn and see the sunrise. Because, it stretched way out as it was pulled up from below the horizon before it POPped free and wobbled like a rubber ball before settling in on its daily trek across the sky.

-Will (Dragonfly)
I think I woulda liked your dad.
 
Sep 20, 2014
1,320
Rob Legg RL24 Chain O'Lakes
As a teen learning to sail, I was asked to describe reaching. I described it as where the wind comes straight at you at a 90 degree angle. It took many years to live that down.
 
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Likes: Will Gilmore
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
As a teen learning to sail, I was asked to describe reaching. I described it as where the wind comes straight at you at a 90 degree angle. It took many years to live that down.
@Daveinet .... if you are sitting on the leeward cockpit bench facing windward, that is a correct statement. I would have tried to B.S. my way out of that one...;)