Rate your voyage

Will Gilmore · Mar 31, 2018

I think the upper end might need a little tweaking, because one can have a successful sail by those standards and still be miserable with some or all of the passengers vowing to never get on a sailboat again. Especially with the near or in excess of hull speed. Think, gale!

- Will (Dragonfly)

SG · Mar 31, 2018

You mean something like a 150 nautical mile rhumb line, a 10-12 knot true breeze at a 120° true , flat seas, clear skies, mild temps, and a full moon? The boat is about 3-5° heel, you're going about 8 + knots; you hand steer for the joy of it until you need to take a break; then the autopilot takes over for a spell, and, then you steer some more because it's just fun. You can read a book, chat with your mate(s), everyone is smiling, relaxed, and full of joie de vivre.

It doesn't take much more to make an "A". It just doesn't happen that often; but, when something like that happens, even for only a few hours.... ;^))))))

........................._/)............................

Stu Jackson · Mar 31, 2018

I had six weeks (less one week harbor-bound) in my "sail" from SF to BC in 2016. Except for the very first day [sailing BACK to SF with anchor line wrapped around the prop!] and the very last day [glorious sail with the full main up for the first time in a really long time], I prayed for NO wind coming up the coast. For me, that was a month and a half of As and I was truly grateful for NOT being able to, or needing to sail.

I had almost 40 years of A day sailing in SF.

My "new life" here in BC offers new challenges, new sailing grounds and new friends.

They're all A days to me when I'm on the boat. I just finished a rebuild of my raw water pump. Another A day.

Rating things like this seems, to me, meaningless. I've "suffered" through my first two "real" winters, and my boat saw snow last winter for her very first time. I always "intellectually" understood what those of you who have to pull your boats out of the water have to live through. I always disparaged the idiots who'd post pictures or stories of them sailing in January and taunt those who had their boats on the hard. Stupid and callous.

Although my boat is still in the water all year, not being able to go anywhere for many months was disconcerting at first. Now I've learned to use it for preventative maintenance...as long as it's reasonably warm enough both outside and in.

Any day on the boat... It's so true.

TomY · Mar 31, 2018

"Perhaps an A through F where A = everyone who went out comes back, no damage to boat or people, and boat was kept moving at or near theoretical hull speed. F being someone was lost or boat sank/went up on the rocks."

I like your idea, except, your A would be about my C-.

My goal for an A is, everybody doesn't want to come back. Hull speed is great, if you're racing but I don't rate it as high as a more moderate rate of speed and motion (but that's just personal).

You're right on the F. Losing somebody would be the worst that could happen.

Sinking, you might be able to recover from. Hitting rocks, depending on how that goes, that could turn into an A.

Tom J · Mar 31, 2018

Our cruises to Cape Cod and the Islands are usually B+. Not enough wind sometimes, or too much. The harbormaster at Cotuit who keeps reminding us that we have 8 days, then 7 days, then 6 days, etc., to anchor in Barnstable waters is a downer. But Dale, the assistant harbormaster in Cuttyhunk Harbor, goes out of his way to be pleasant and helpful.
An A+ sail was out of Wood's Hole, around Poppenessett to Osterville Cut, and down the Seapuit River to Sampson's Island in Cotuit Harbor, all under sail.

Will Gilmore · Mar 31, 2018

For me, sailing, period, is a 'B'. Sailing under my own terms, whether it is an afternoon to take my wife out, a full day with a friend, overnight or a long weekend to somewhere like Vinelhaven or Dry Tortugas, is potentially an 'A', unless of turns into an 'F' for some reason. I just can't imagine a 'C' or a 'D' in sailing.
UNLESS... I left the :beer:

in the car.

- Will (Dragonfly)

jssailem · Mar 31, 2018

Short. Sweet. New prop worked very well. Different in a good way. Crash stop. 3/4ths a boat length or less. Able to turn tight circles both ways when going in reverse.

HAPPY SAILOR. A CLASS CRUISE DAY.

Will Gilmore · Apr 1, 2018

25yearslater, you helped me define my 'C' rated day. Spending it with the boat, but not going sailing. Acceptable but not preferred.
Thus, a 'D' rated day would be spending it with the boat, not going sailing AND forgetting the :beer:

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- Will (Dragonfly)

TomY · Apr 1, 2018

I incurred a 'D' voyage rating for a short sail, last season.

Typical: Bound for home into well forecast, high headwinds. 'We decided', our boat and another (our sons), to head home rather than spend a lovely day in a protected anchorage.

Things to do at home, friends to see, gotta go,...you know how it works. What's a little weather?

Nothing earth shattering, everyone and the boat(s) are up to the task.

Stressful none the less, uncomfortable - and above all - regret for not choosing to stay put. You kick yourself: Hindsight. You take the blame which is correct: 'You' should know better.

The important thing is, this is how you learn and earn your A+ voyages; suffering the D voyages, and remembering them.

Rate your voyage

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SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John

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