Are there any sailors on the board?

[fat.tail.event]

Us Chicago folks only have a few good months of weather, so we have to hit it hard out on Lake Michigan. Feels great to be out in the boat yard these past couple of weekends, putting the sweat equity in for the pre season.

I havent been foolish enough to buy my own yacht yet...own a 2 man olympic racer though. I started racing on a dinghy in college. For the past 8 years I have been racing on some of the bigger boats here.

This season my father in law and I are doing a lease share on a cruiser, so it will be nice to relax a bit more on the water, get the family and friends out to share the passion. I will be skipper and instructor on this boat...hope everyone still likes me come October, lol

Just wondering who else is out there to share some tales....

[Nanuq]

My friend Mike and I raced his 54' sloop, double-handing that beast through the winter and spring series here in Resurrection Bay (by Seward).

Cold sailing? Baby you ain't seen cold.

[FxrAndy]

I have just come back from denmark doing a bit ofd crusing/drinking 307nm in 6 days with a different bar every night

342 hally rassy, shame i dont own it but i could never afford the upkeep

[Toadtorrent]

I used to race for years on a 24' boat called a Shark...but with having 2 young kids, most of my big activities like sailing and others have been to the wayside for awhile.

[fat.tail.event]

I used to race for years on a 24' boat called a Shark...but with having 2 young kids, most of my big activities like sailing and others have been to the wayside for awhile.

My wife and I are having a similar discussion on whether or not to keep the dinghy so that I can teach our future young ones on it. Thats a few years out though. We are crazy water people, even our puppy was on the wave runner with us at 6 months old trying to bite the spray.

nanuq- I cant imagine doing an entire race series in anything below freezing. one or two days a year I am out when its that cold, and with rough seas in that weather, it makes for that much more of an exhausting day.

Fxr - my wife and I chartered a captained yacht for our honeymoon down in the VIs/BVIs and the couple were German with extensive sailing experience in Denmark. After spending the week with them, I wonder why Denmark doesnt get more acclaim and recommendatons for sailing vacations. It sounds like great conditions and lots of interesting ports.

[Demsey]

Used to sail on a 35' J boat on the LI Sound, American Yacht Club, Rye. Did a few Block Island TriSail events. Light duty, running the topping lift, rail meat mostly. It's great stuff. The 'tech' of it all.

I dunno, like a game of golf ruining a perfectly good walk throught the country, the competitive side of 'sailing' ruins a great day on the water. It's all supposed to be about 'fun' but usually errodes into barking orders and finger pointing, bad vibes. And that's from the winners.

'Cruising' is where it's at for sure. Not just; "out of the marina, three hours later, back to the marina", but actually navigating across the expanse and 'going somewhere'. You can't just 'luck out' and make it. You really have to have skills and self reliance. Like aviation.

As far as 'kids' go, adapt the program for safety and take them on whatever adventures you used to. My kids were on the Russian River pointing out Black Bear, flying inverted and snorkeling the Keys before they had their first tri-cycles.

[Toadtorrent]

As far as 'kids' go, adapt the program for safety and take them on whatever adventures you used to. My kids were on the Russian River pointing out Black Bear, flying inverted and snorkeling the Keys before they had their first tri-cycles.

It's true. There are many adaptations possible to make most any activity accessible. I'm working on getting the kids very water comfortable and hope to get them kayak touring soon. Other people I know have had their kids doing technical rock climbing on 300' rook climbs by age 5, so most anything is possible.

I would keep the boat...unless you want to sell it now, and upgrade to an International 14 later.

[pollux1]

My first and only sailboat so far was a Van de Stadt Buccaneer, I had never even sailed before buying her, i had a lot of fun and more than a few scary moments learning the ropes lol, next year i'm going to get myself a 23-24ft sloop and keep her locally for fun, as the powerboat my friend and I share just doesn't have that "feeling" only sailing can invoke.

I suppose I'll never ever grow up, and for that I'm glad :D

[GHBG35]

grew up on J30s. now mostly sprit boats and phrf J80's J105's melges 24's, etc.haven't pulled the trigger on my own boat. Too many toys as it is. Gulf coast sailing is year round.

[Fireman_Fred]

Living on the south coast of the UK, I've done a lot of yacht sailing/racing over the years. Most summers, there is a "European Firefighters Sailing Challenge" where firemen (and women) from across Europe get to battle it out on the briney and then get to battle it out in the bar afterwards. Generally, we, the Brits go to have a bit of a laugh but the French Firefighters (Sapeurs Pompiers) take it VERY seriously and turn up with stripped out, factory Beneteaus !

[GHBG35]

I was just in Portland in Sep. Impressive Olympic sailing village there. And of course the French showed up in Bendyslows. Like everything in New Orleans racing is laid back. "Ready to Tack", "Not yet, I need to finish my Drink".

Living on the south coast of the UK, I've done a lot of yacht sailing/racing over the years. Most summers, there is a "European Firefighters Sailing Challenge" where firemen (and women) from across Europe get to battle it out on the briney and then get to battle it out in the bar afterwards. Generally, we, the Brits go to have a bit of a laugh but the French Firefighters (Sapeurs Pompiers) take it VERY seriously and turn up with stripped out, factory Beneteaus !

[Toadtorrent]

grew up on J30s. now mostly sprit boats and phrf J80's J105's melges 24's, etc.haven't pulled the trigger on my own boat. Too many toys as it is. Gulf coast sailing is year round.

Those are some fast boats. The Melges are beautiful. There's one at the club I used to hang out at.

[fat.tail.event]

Well Nanuq the cold weather sailing (my version of cold at least) begins for me this Saturday morning. It looks like it will be low 40s with moderate breeze when we get out on the water at 7am. There arent that many boats in the water in the Chicago harbors at this time of year, but our family's lease share yacht is one of the lonely ones moored out there now. On Saturday I head out for a little sailing competency test to show that I can single and/or doublehand one of these cruisers.

Next weekend I jump on the yacht in my pic to do the 'river trip' that a lot of folks do around here. A couple of the major yacht yards in Chicago are located on the south branch of the Chicago River. A group of about 20-30 yachts assemble in the morning (well provisioned with beer and donuts) and the flotilla moves together as all of the bridges go up and down in the city (good show for the tourists) until we get to the lock that lets us out on to Lake Michigan.

[Shundi]

Sailing and cruising...terrible combo- one of my favorite pastimes! A good friend has a Beneteau 49 at Newport Yacht Club... good times