why don't people sail.

Indysailor · May 21, 2013

Man, I hear you on the stress reduction of sailing. School year is ending and it's sending one of my kids (on the autism spectrum) into a behavioral tailspin that's making every day a constant struggle. It's worse for him, but my nerves are about shot and I'm not getting much sleep.

Then I was out for only a half an hour yesterday just to shake things down after making a few changes. Two or three tacks, hove-to, back in, and I felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders.

And then at lunch my son asked me if he could invite some kids down to the marina to play on our Sunfish. It was the first positive thing he's said about sailing in a couple years. Magic is happening...

Benny17441 · May 21, 2013

Why don't people sail? For different reasons I guess but here is my list;

1) Limited available time. Have visited all the destinations available in my sailing area more than once and now I wait to make time for longer trips.

2) My preferred weather conditions are sunny with winds of at least 15 knots. If the conditions do not coincide with available time will likely not sail. Rainy, hot and humid days with no wind are definitely a no no. The good thing about being a recreational boater is that I choose when to move.

3) Nice marina with ammenities like a nice restaurant, swimming pool and a Tiki bar. Here you have developed friendships. Why sail to a transient slip on a marina with lesser facilities?

4) Sitting on a boat in the water. The enjoyment is practically the same irrespective of the location of the boat. We go to the far shore of the Bay and the sailors over there come over here. When we reach our destination we are both in our boats in the water. There is less work and less cost if you just stay at your berth.

5) I'm content with my current level of sailing profficiency. From observation and comparison I happen to think I'm quite able and don't need as much practice. Every once in a while I will go out in adverse conditions just to maintain the old sea legs.

6) A boat that sails at every opportunity is hardly well maintained. I have always had a balance between actual sailing and maintenance. I just insure that the boat is ready to go on a long trip with minimum preparation.

7) Age. As we get older and hopefully wiser we learn to enjoy different aspects of sailing and boating. I'm now looking more to sailing destinations than to sail trim advice. As a kid was always exasperated by snail races so never really got into sailboat racing. But do prefer travelling by sailboat to any other form of transportation.

I can understand that as a young, perhaps new boat owner you may go out every opportunity you have but it will pass. As you have noticed yourself the great majority of the boats seldom leave the dock. Would that make it the rule rather than the exception?

LuzSD · May 21, 2013

campuscab said:
I have sailed for about 5 years on sunfish and lasers. This is my first season at a marina. After doing the power boat trailer thing for years. It really centers me. Having the family is fun watching the kids learn. We have had a bad economy in Michigan and lots of stress. The sailboat takes it away. I learn something new everytime I go to the marina. This has been the most fun of anything I have ever purchased. I hope my kids will take their children sailing someday.
So I am not knocking the ones that do not go out as much as just wondering if the still have the same wonder when the sail fills.
I an glad that they don't because I can always find somebody to go out. I had 3 guys last week with years of racing and we saw some 20 to 30 knot winds and I got to see my boat really come alive. The were finding wind, tweaking the sails, it was amazing what experience and finesse can do. I can move the boat from point a to b safe but that,showed me how much more I need to learn. So I respect everyone out here and all the advice and stories but I still think on the water is the best place to be.

I'm impressed, you have a wonderful sense of appreciation and desire and I admire that very much. My dad didn't get into sailing until his 70's...when he got a Catalina 27. And in his late 70's was toying with the idea of sailing a laser! He soon found out he had colon cancer and everything changed. You are young and I hope your joy with sailing builds and builds and you continue to be the guy who's boat is always out! Awesome for you and those around you!

njsail · May 21, 2013

LuzSD said:
... He soon found out he had colon cancer and everything changed.

over the years I've seen too many people work hard their whole life thinking they would have time to enjoy their retirement. I've seen many people not make it to retirement, get sick or worse very shortly after retirement. For me I've decided to live life on the way and if I get to retirement great, if I don't I would have done all the things that I wanted to do in life and have no regrets. Buying a boat and sailing is just one of those things that i enjoy and I love sharing with my family. Lets go sailing and be happy.

Stu Jackson · May 21, 2013

We met great couple today. They were on a Catalina 42, we met by dinghy. They recognized me (our boat) 'cuz they're out every week and so are we, not necessarily on weekends either. Unless there's some major storm, we sail what's out there on the days we go. Not an issue for us, although I can understand for some. This couple and we agreed that "we're" the ones there and "they're" not, gee what are they missing? But it's only fair to say that everyone has their own lives. Ours, for the past30 years and hopefully many more to come, is spent on our second home.

I have more tools on the boat than at home!

capta · May 22, 2013

In the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor in Honolulu, there were probably 100 boats preparing to sail south and possibly circumnavigate. Most never got out, I'd guess less than 10%. Some reason, from a broken radar to a new stove; lots of excuses. A lot of folks lived aboard and why not; for about $50.00 a month you could live in the heart of Waikiki! Few of these sailed at all.
During my time in Charleston, living aboard in the City Marina, I sailed a passenger schooner at least several times a day, 7 days a week during the season, so I had a pretty good idea of what was out on the bay each day. Charleston has two marinas which are quite large and yet less than 10% of those boats ever went out, even for the fireworks on the 4th of July. I didn't understand why all those folks owned their boats; they just were not used, even for socializing in the marina.
Your observation is not unique, it seems to be the standard, not the exception. Go figure.

DougM · May 22, 2013

Interesting comment about the Ala Wai Harbor in Wakiki. Why the municipal authorities don't do something about cleaning up the derelict boats in that harbor, i'll never know. There are boats there that appear not to have been moved in decades. The harbor itself should be a showcase for the city and the state. Instead one finds floating mattresses, sunken shopping carts, and the occasional stolen car at the base of the launch ramp. Its alleged that one could find any illegal substance they wanted on a couple of the docks. The cheap slip fees and lax enforcement of liveaboard rules (if any) don't contribute to the beautification of the facility. I guess one cannot believe the image created by the aerial photos of the place.

That raises another debateable issue. When one reaches the point where, for whatever reason, they can no longer sail or afford to maintain their boat, what can be done?
The boats become an eyesore, and in some cases the owners have nowhere else to call home.

Stu Jackson · May 22, 2013

Doug, the municipal authorities can't do anything because the harbor, IIRC, is run by the State!. www.latitidue38.com has run letters and stories about this blight for many years.

zeehag · May 22, 2013

there are many souls who buy boats then die...the nerve...their boats are set up in a situation wherein the rent is paid and no one sees boat in forever.
the marinas cannot rid selves of these trustafarians, either..lol..have fun trying...research how many derelict boats belong to these trust funds for boats....enjoy....is same all over, btw, not just in hawaii.

Gary_H · May 22, 2013

I'd sail every day if I could but I live (due to work) 135 miles from my boat. basically that means I can only sail on weekends. some weekends, will be bad weather, some weekends there are family, Social, obligations. And since my wife doesn't really seem to like sailing, then some weekends I feel I should spend with her. That really eats up the weekends during the sailing season. I enter the season enthusiastically saying "This year I'm sailing every weekend regardless" but it doesn't seem to work out that way in reality. Still, I try my best to sail at every opportunity. I have saved quite a few vacation days I'm going to try to take throughout the summer to get some sailing in.

Scott T-Bird · May 23, 2013

Don't take you vacation in the summer unless you can choose your days on the spur of the moment. I remember having 9 consecutive days off a few years ago, which I chose to take in late August. It was close to 100 degrees the entire time with absolutely NO wind, barely even a breath. We did take the boat out to jump in the lake, but that was about it. I think I got to sail on the last day before returning to work. Last year, I took days off in October and had fantastic weather. October seems like a better bet on a regular basis. By August, I am often pining for October, even though that would bring the end of the season closer.

gettinthere · May 23, 2013

I was amazed at the number of sailboats motoring in excellent sailing conditions in the Sea of Abaco Bahamas.
12 knots broad reach with plenty of room, seas less than 2 feet.
We would be sailing along genoa only at 6 knots easy peasy, seeing multiple sailboats under power. Buy a trawler!

Stu Jackson · May 23, 2013

I agree, I don't get the sailboats motoring. We get that here a lot when it's windy. Go figure... Use a small jib and reef and it's soooooo much more comfortable sailing, even if you have to go upwind. Given where we usually want to go and our heading back home, it's upwind downwind. What's a reach? Haven't seen one in years!!!

sesmith · May 23, 2013

If they all sailed (or motored) the water would be a very crowded place, so I'm glad they don't.

I also learned that some of those boats, that I thought never went out, just had owners with very different schedules than we have. I found that some of them sail every bit as much as we do and probably thought we didn't sail our boat.

Stu Jackson · May 23, 2013

sesmith said:
1. If they all sailed (or motored) the water would be a very crowded place, so I'm glad they don't.

2. I also learned that some of those boats, that I thought never went out, just had owners with very different schedules than we have. I found that some of them sail every bit as much as we do and probably thought we didn't sail our boat.

1. Oh boy, who can disagree?

2. I thought so, too. So I used this as an "excuse" to go to the boat more often on different days. That said, after every different day of the week, most still didn't. It's the ones you never see out there that never go out. Some part of it may have to do with seasons vs. 24/7/365 in the water, but our "usage" is less than 10% on a regular basis. They don't know what they're missing, but I'm not missing them.