OK so we're all sailing enthusiasts. But what kind of sailing really rings your chimes? Is it the intense competition of a race, pitting your sailing skills and boat against other sailors in your club? Do you live for the adventure of overnight or longer cruises to far off anchorages? Are you happiest on a Sunday afternoon day sail with your free hand wrapped around a can of beer? Or, if truth be told, do you most enjoy the quiet of working on your boat in the slip? Share your enjoyment stories here, then vote in the Quick Quiz at the bottom of the home page. (Quiz contributed by Gary Wyngarden)
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A Lazy Sailor
I enjoy being aboard the boat, sometimes in the slip, but even more on a relaxed sail. It can be a day sail of an hour or two, or a couple of days. This fall I am planning to try the intra-coastal to Florida. I enjoy relaxing in the cockpit, or at the wheel, while sailing along in the peace and quiet of the bay.
I enjoy being aboard the boat, sometimes in the slip, but even more on a relaxed sail. It can be a day sail of an hour or two, or a couple of days. This fall I am planning to try the intra-coastal to Florida. I enjoy relaxing in the cockpit, or at the wheel, while sailing along in the peace and quiet of the bay.
In my heart
I love to cruise. But there is something about the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat while racing. I guess I vote for both! Ken Palmer, S/V Liberty
I love to cruise. But there is something about the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat while racing. I guess I vote for both! Ken Palmer, S/V Liberty
Cruisin' is best for me
Cruisin' the BVI is the ULTIMATE in sailing pleasures. The good winds and fair seas combined with the fun of 'island hopping' is really hard to beat.
Cruisin' the BVI is the ULTIMATE in sailing pleasures. The good winds and fair seas combined with the fun of 'island hopping' is really hard to beat.
Therapy
I love to just get away for a couple of days; my wife too. We both work, she works too hard. I am retired fromt he military, and work as a firefighter and teach the USCG Captain's course and the best way to go relax is to take a cruise somewhere. Anywhere. We have several disinations around here, and frequent them as often as possible. Worst comes to worse, we just go stay on the boat for the weekend. Love that central system! Have portable heat for on the hook in the winter. But ya gotta go to just recharge the batteries of the soul and act human and humane.
I love to just get away for a couple of days; my wife too. We both work, she works too hard. I am retired fromt he military, and work as a firefighter and teach the USCG Captain's course and the best way to go relax is to take a cruise somewhere. Anywhere. We have several disinations around here, and frequent them as often as possible. Worst comes to worse, we just go stay on the boat for the weekend. Love that central system! Have portable heat for on the hook in the winter. But ya gotta go to just recharge the batteries of the soul and act human and humane.
Please pass the Grey Poupon....
Chalice is her name and cruisin's the game...Whether it's a day sail, a weekend overnighter, or a week or two on the lake or a month in the slip doing all the chores, we love it all. And if two boats are heading in the same direction, it's a race, right?
Chalice is her name and cruisin's the game...Whether it's a day sail, a weekend overnighter, or a week or two on the lake or a month in the slip doing all the chores, we love it all. And if two boats are heading in the same direction, it's a race, right?
Endurance Sailor
I consider myself an endurance sailor. I like a challenge, but not one against others when the rules are established and rarely fair to everyone. Nature has her rules and they apply to all players. A long trip with some foul weather thrown in makes for my challenge. Not looking to put myself or anyone else at risk. Working on the boat would have to be second love. There is a great peace of mind associated with knowing things are done properly and that you can count on them when you need them. I do vertually everything myself(much to the wife's dismay). As to a beer? There's a place for that too on my boat or a nice glass of wine. To the self-righteous who would outlaw alcohol, I can only say that I feel more threatened by a self-righteous captain who thinks he or she knows it all than by a captain who consumes in moderation when the time is appropriate.
I consider myself an endurance sailor. I like a challenge, but not one against others when the rules are established and rarely fair to everyone. Nature has her rules and they apply to all players. A long trip with some foul weather thrown in makes for my challenge. Not looking to put myself or anyone else at risk. Working on the boat would have to be second love. There is a great peace of mind associated with knowing things are done properly and that you can count on them when you need them. I do vertually everything myself(much to the wife's dismay). As to a beer? There's a place for that too on my boat or a nice glass of wine. To the self-righteous who would outlaw alcohol, I can only say that I feel more threatened by a self-righteous captain who thinks he or she knows it all than by a captain who consumes in moderation when the time is appropriate.
Shear ARTISTRY
I enjoy the shear artistry to holding the wind in my hands and slicing through the water. Doing the lazy eights into and out of the wind. The wing on wing, surfing with the waves with the wind at my back, and the spray in my face kind of sailing. Honestly, I have to say my favorite sailing is done on day sailers. I have an Oday Osprey and I realy love it. But like every sailor I want another boat... Bigger ? No, not me. I want a Sunfish. Possibly the best days sailing I've ever had were on my uncle's Sunfish. I realy learnt to sail on that thing and I still love them. To me, that's REAL sailing! Don't give me a cabin or instruments or the smell of gasoline. Just water, sun, wind, and waves. Pat Keogh
I enjoy the shear artistry to holding the wind in my hands and slicing through the water. Doing the lazy eights into and out of the wind. The wing on wing, surfing with the waves with the wind at my back, and the spray in my face kind of sailing. Honestly, I have to say my favorite sailing is done on day sailers. I have an Oday Osprey and I realy love it. But like every sailor I want another boat... Bigger ? No, not me. I want a Sunfish. Possibly the best days sailing I've ever had were on my uncle's Sunfish. I realy learnt to sail on that thing and I still love them. To me, that's REAL sailing! Don't give me a cabin or instruments or the smell of gasoline. Just water, sun, wind, and waves. Pat Keogh
I have to say- All the above!
I enjoy the excitement of racing, cruising, those quiet afternoons with my favorite beverage, but also enjoy the maintenance too, would not have a boat if I could not do the work on it, that for me is half the fun! I need to include the 4 PM "happy hour" we have on the pier, great time spent with other boaters, not just sailors.
I enjoy the excitement of racing, cruising, those quiet afternoons with my favorite beverage, but also enjoy the maintenance too, would not have a boat if I could not do the work on it, that for me is half the fun! I need to include the 4 PM "happy hour" we have on the pier, great time spent with other boaters, not just sailors.
Weekends on the water
We spend most of our weekends and a few weeks during the summer on the water or atleast on the boat in the harbor. Sailing, harbor life, working on the boat...it's all good!
We spend most of our weekends and a few weeks during the summer on the water or atleast on the boat in the harbor. Sailing, harbor life, working on the boat...it's all good!
Cruiser
I sail my boat, DaixDream in the British Virgin Islands where I have her in the Sunsail/Stardust charter fleet. I make it down at least twice a year, once in January and then again in June, occasionally in October but that's a crap shoot due to hurricane season. I'm a cruiser -- the fun is gettin' from "A" to "B" and simply enjoying the ride and snorkeling/diving spots along the way. Rarely drink while sailing, prefer to wait til I'm on the hook. While I don't think I ever "race," it sometimes can't be helped when you're sailin' on the same tack as someone else and just wanna see if you can either stay ahead or catch up, so in a way, every cruising sailor has a bit of racer in their blood. Cheers!
I sail my boat, DaixDream in the British Virgin Islands where I have her in the Sunsail/Stardust charter fleet. I make it down at least twice a year, once in January and then again in June, occasionally in October but that's a crap shoot due to hurricane season. I'm a cruiser -- the fun is gettin' from "A" to "B" and simply enjoying the ride and snorkeling/diving spots along the way. Rarely drink while sailing, prefer to wait til I'm on the hook. While I don't think I ever "race," it sometimes can't be helped when you're sailin' on the same tack as someone else and just wanna see if you can either stay ahead or catch up, so in a way, every cruising sailor has a bit of racer in their blood. Cheers!
All of the above
That was a tough quiz cuz I'd consider myself all of those options. I'm probably *less* a racer but I do like to play racer - you know, whenever another boat is on the water, it's a race... I love working on my boat. I love daysailing, I love cruising. Tough to choose just one! LaDonna
That was a tough quiz cuz I'd consider myself all of those options. I'm probably *less* a racer but I do like to play racer - you know, whenever another boat is on the water, it's a race... I love working on my boat. I love daysailing, I love cruising. Tough to choose just one! LaDonna
Semi retired racer
Having spent 35 years racing, 25 at the international level, I am now crewing on a Thunderbird in local races and enjoying the best cruising waters in the world (in a Hunter 31), something I could never do when I was travelling to regattas every summer. I'm not sure I'd want to race the Hunter I now co-own, but I'm looking forward to cruising in it. If anyone reading this intends to visit Butchart Gardens this summer, I have a buoy to which you can moor about 10 minutes sail from the Garden's dock. Ian Cameron, ianc@uvic.ca
Having spent 35 years racing, 25 at the international level, I am now crewing on a Thunderbird in local races and enjoying the best cruising waters in the world (in a Hunter 31), something I could never do when I was travelling to regattas every summer. I'm not sure I'd want to race the Hunter I now co-own, but I'm looking forward to cruising in it. If anyone reading this intends to visit Butchart Gardens this summer, I have a buoy to which you can moor about 10 minutes sail from the Garden's dock. Ian Cameron, ianc@uvic.ca
No,Yes, Yes, Maybe
No matter who's on the lake we race (even those bass boats and jet skis), there is nothing like arriving at our boat at mid-night, cruising down to the cove, anchoring and gazing at the stars, sipping on beers and making a "to do list" of projects that would interfere with sailing!
No matter who's on the lake we race (even those bass boats and jet skis), there is nothing like arriving at our boat at mid-night, cruising down to the cove, anchoring and gazing at the stars, sipping on beers and making a "to do list" of projects that would interfere with sailing!
Idyllic resort
When one lives in an uptight region, where can one(or two, or hopefully more) enjoy the sensual delight of nudism but in ones very own travelling private world; that of a wonderful MacGregor 25? Oh, the joy of the breeze all over the skin, the flow of the water as one dives off the side, the relaxation in the balmy sunshine!! FREEDOM is what its all about, and it awaits as soon as the surly shore slips descreetly astern.
When one lives in an uptight region, where can one(or two, or hopefully more) enjoy the sensual delight of nudism but in ones very own travelling private world; that of a wonderful MacGregor 25? Oh, the joy of the breeze all over the skin, the flow of the water as one dives off the side, the relaxation in the balmy sunshine!! FREEDOM is what its all about, and it awaits as soon as the surly shore slips descreetly astern.
"Rumbline to Freedom Land . . ."
Sometimes I feel pushed into this waterman's life, and like thousands of sailors before me, I'll say wind, and spray, and the turn of a sheet floats me on, but I and them are lying as we all flock to the ends of the lands and finally into the seas for no other ends but to escape the "Hanks" of our times. Nick
"Julia Bell"
Sometimes I feel pushed into this waterman's life, and like thousands of sailors before me, I'll say wind, and spray, and the turn of a sheet floats me on, but I and them are lying as we all flock to the ends of the lands and finally into the seas for no other ends but to escape the "Hanks" of our times. Nick
"Julia Bell"We sail to find where all the water came from.
When Reba and I leave the marina we always head into the wind and sail for 1/2 the time we have before turning back. Usually 2 to 4 days a week. One 6 day trip a month. In two months we should hopefully be on our next boat with the marina exit leading out into the Pacific. Same drill for 1 year. The last trip will not have the turnaround portion. Then we shall see if the waters coming out of New Zealand have as many German Brown trout as we've heard. Ray and Maria S/V Speedy
When Reba and I leave the marina we always head into the wind and sail for 1/2 the time we have before turning back. Usually 2 to 4 days a week. One 6 day trip a month. In two months we should hopefully be on our next boat with the marina exit leading out into the Pacific. Same drill for 1 year. The last trip will not have the turnaround portion. Then we shall see if the waters coming out of New Zealand have as many German Brown trout as we've heard. Ray and Maria S/V Speedy
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