The best of sailing

[Wulfe]

Escaping worries and cares...

and enjoying family in a way that eliminates the distractions of the rest of he world. Hearing the wind in the rigging and sails, with no sounds of traffic or phones ringing or pagers buzzing. Listening to the water gurgle past the boat, knowing I have her trimmed just right and that we are on a great long reach - long enough to relax and talk to whomever is aboard (or talk to the boat when I'm alone, even if she doesn't always talk back!). These are all reasons I love to sail, and I am finding more every day!Happy New Year to all, and fair winds!Wulfes/v Jenny-AnneCedar Mills, Lake Texoma

 

[Chris Smart]

Sharing the Open Sea

I enjoy the time away from the land life, the open ocean, the sharing of this with my wife and friends and even the occassional friendly competitions.The time out there, however short, seems like a vacation 99 percent of the time.

 

[Mike]

Valium for the Soul

If it's running close hauled on a beam reach or ghosting through a light evening mist, sailing brings me closer to the sea, to nature, and brings me a better perspective of what is really important and what is not. There is a mystic call that brings me to the waters edge and it is there I find the course to inner peace and joy of life. It is the valium of my soul and brings a quiet mantle of comfort that lets me know all is right with my world.Happy Sailing,Mike

 

[Erin]

Sailing and sleeping

We love to cap off a long day of sailing (and right now, its usually a long, beating, cold, wet day-into-evening of sailing up here in the PNW) with a long, comfy sleep up in the "nest" (our v-berth with a special NASA foam topper and warm flannel sheets). We never sleep better than out on Cirkus. Tied to a dock, swinging on the hook... doesn't matter. Its ALL good!

 

[Mark Wieber]

Can't Buy Happiness

Ben Dahlin (F-24 Waterbug) ripped this off from the Corsair Marine Homepage "Something about sailing a boat brings so many senses and sensations  into play that it's very difficult to pinpoint what it is, specifically,  that makes me like it so much: the sight of sails and sheets overhanging  the water; the foam and spray flying as the bow(s) cut the water; the  motion of the boat; the physical and mental ballet necessary to handle  the boat correctly. A sailboat might just be the most beautiful,  sensuous, and intelligent blend of man/machine/elements  that exists in the world today. The relationship between the three  is the most harmonious I have experienced so far. Besides, you can  have a beer while you do it. "

 

[ellen]

they can't get to us here

We are mostly weekend sailors, and the things we enjoy most about sailing are:1. They, meaning assorted co-workers, family and acquaintances, can't get to us on the water unless we initiate contact.2. relief from heat and the element of voluntary simplicity, our boat is light on the amenities, and that's fine for a change.

 

[Jay Saxton]

It's like, jazz... or skiing.. or...

These are the most succint ways that I can think of to describe sailing. To quote from one of the previous e-mails; "the physical and mental ballet" of dancing with a rather large, albeit floating(!), piece of equipment as you harmoniously maneuver... I'm preaching to the choir, now! As in skiing, or surfing, you use your own mind and body together with finely crafted pieces of equipment to work with one of nature's own forces as your propulsion. And that beer he was talking about, too. Fair winds and following seas to all.

 

[Roland]

"Alone With the Wind and Sea"

The best part is when I am sailing in the early evening just as the sun begins to hide behind where the ocean meets the sky. With a 15-20 knot wind and doing 7+ knots in my beautiful Nordica on a heading for anywehere that has a name like "Dry Tortugas". With a full main and geny, she is heeled over about 30 degrees and beating against the wind and waves without missing a beat. The stress on the mast and rigging is tremendous but, there is not a creaking sound to be heard, she is as solid as they come. As the seas smash against the quarter bow the spray flies back to the cockpit and lands on my face with a chilling but welcomed feeling. I look around and there is nothing but ocean in all directions. Suddenly, a pod of dolphins decends upon my craft as if it were a long, lost family member. They begin to play off the bow wave. As I look down from my bow pulpit, I see three or so dolphins as if they were horses pulling a chariot. They are so sleek and fast and they move through the water so effortlessly. Then suddenly, they take turns with three other dolphins and so on. After a while, as quickly as they came, they are gone without a trace. Once again, I am alone with the wind and sea and the thoughts and dreams in my mind as darkness falls upon me and my beautiful Nordica. She is for sale by the way......!

 

[Mark Wieber]

Huckleberry Finn

They say "money can’t buy you happiness, but it can buy you a big yacht so you can pull right up along side it". This goes right along with the theory that it is better to have a small boat and a suitcase full of money to go sailing with, than a 50 ft Yacht that is tied to the bank. My dock side neighbor in Long Beach told the story of sailing to Catalina long ago with a boyhood friend. They crossed from Long Beach in a 20ft open sail boat and arriving in the evening covered themselves up with the sails and went to sleep. In the morning they awoke to the chuckle of an older gentleman on the bow of a 45ft ketch pulling up to the next mooring. Smiling down on them as they crawled out from under the sails he said "you boys have no idea how much I envy you " my friend says it took him many years to understand what the heck the owner of this fabulous yacht had been talking about. I got it right away He had pulled his big yacht right up next to happiness.

 

[MG]

Oh what a feeling!

There is nothing like the feeling of motoring down the channel to the open bay, turning the engine off, setting the sails and FEELING the boat come under power from the wind. The silence, the gentle rocking motion, the water, warmth on the face; it's like a visit to natures womb where we are reborn with the utter joy of life and the care-free time of worry-less being.

 

[Stephen & Kay Fraser]

New 356 (329) Maiden Voyage of "Miss Olivia"

19th Dec Departed Sydney Harbour in our New 356 Miss Olivia for the 300km sail south to her new home Batemans Bay. No wind for 1st day but great night in small bay, next day forcast N15/20 started out Spinaker and flying along actual in afternoon N30/50knots swell >5mts a little scary at times. We averaged 7> knots that day and glad to hide in Jervis Bay that night. Top speed 10.8knots and 356 handled it extremly well. Now safe in her Marina berth and we are very happy with the 356 and our first adventure. Looking forward to many more with a little less wind maybe.

 

[SailboatOwners.com]

Final results

Final results for the Quick quiz ending January 5, 2003:For me, the strongest appeal of sailing is:63% The sheer joy of being in the wind and waves 29% A getaway from land-based pressures06% A feeling competence02% A feeling of control1009 owners responding

 

[David Burchette]

No place to go

When we push off the dock we have no place to go and no time to get there. When we invite some friends along we inform them that if you are in a hurry you wont enjoy yourself. If the wind blows thats a good day and if it doesn't then it's still a good day. My wife and I just enjoy going out on the boat.

 

[joe phibbs]

"...to boldly go..." is not grammatically right

Yeah, I know the Star Trek intro is grammatically incorrect, but it sends the message that we all want to venture out from the ordinary, to go to the edge. Sailing does that for me. We live near the Chesapeake Bay and nothing gives me greater pleasure than knowing that when my daughter (now 24) drives across the Chesapeake Bay Brige Tunnel forty years from now and announces to her grandchildren: my daddy and I sailed across this in 1992! We can touch the future for ourselves and our posterity.

 

[Jesse Mulanax]

Love of sailing!

My boat's name "X*TA*SEA" says it all for me!!

 

[Howard Zwicker]

The sailing fraternity

One aspect of sailing that I really enjoy is the fellowship that can be found practically everywhere you go. Sailors have a lot in common, lots of interesting experiences to share. It's kind of like an extended family, except for the snobs you occasionally meet, but, hey, nothing's perfect.

 

[JIm Girgenti]

My One Particular Harbor

Sailing has too many good things to list. To see the wind fill your sails, to feel the power of the wind pushing against the rigging , to move in concert with the elements, to hear the sound of the wind on the wings of a flock of geese. Too many good things!

 

[Dave Amspacher]

Relationship renewed

We are new to sailing, this season being only our 3rd. I don't think there is anything that I don't like about sailing. We have not run agroung yet. That's something I may not enjoy. Working on our, new to us, 84 Hunter 34, marina life, making new friends, sailing, anchoring overnight, visiting new places, week long sailing vacations, I enjoy it all. The part I love best is doing all of this with my best friend, my bestmate, my wife of 23 years Debbie. Sailing has given us something that we both enjoy doing together. It has added renewed life to our relationship, a spark that was missing for a while. It's almost like when we first meet. You all remember that don't you? I can't explain it, in fact it really doesn't matter. I am just very thankful for the magic of sailing!Fair Winds to all,Dave Amspacher