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In another thread I'd made a referance to sailing and apparently there are several here who sail. Go figure.

I have 2 sailboats right now. One is a 1977 Southcoast Seacraft 22' sloop. Southcoast went out of business 2 years later. She's an Alden Design and a little cramped below deck but has a low shear and can be pretty fast even on light wind days.

My other one is a Precision 14' and is really fast. Just added a roller furler to the jib a couple of years ago.

If I could ever figure out a way to post a pic on here I'd show you them. I designed a bimini for the southcoast that I can use even when sailing, and I've also designed and built a drop leaf table for the cabin that is much better than the particle board POS that came with it.

I sail mostly on the small lakes here in Colorado, not much more than puddles really. The biggest lake I've sailed is Lake McConaughy in Oggalala NE. at 7 miles wide and 32 miles long. But that is a 5 hour trailer tow away.

I also built a sail kit for my 15' canoe, but that's not the easiest thing to sail.

How about you?

"Slow is Fast - Fast is Slow"

_________________
Slow is Fast, Fast is Slow
Violence may not be the best option, but it IS an option

We have a US Yachts 22 as I said in the earlier thread. Bayliner expanded into sailboats in the late 70's early 80's durring the first energy crunch. They are supposed to have a poor reputation, but its been a good boat for us thus far. We get some good wind on the Columbia River, plus some great scenery in the Columbia Gorge. I didn't care much for sailing as a kid, in fact I remember being pretty torqued that my father didn't get a ski boat instead, but have grown to develope a passion for it as I have gotten older.

Few things are better than hitting some heavy water with a good sting. Really makes you appreciate the Naval tactics used durring the days of old. Became a big fan of Lord Nelson & John Paul Jones after I learned to sail.

I even enjoy watching the America's Cup...

Interesting stuff. Im a big fan of mother nature, Sail planes.. Hobbie kats, A friend and I made some Kite Buggies. been allot of fun.

It was a woman who drove me to drink, and I never had the courtesy to thank her for it.
The cost of living has gone up another dollar a quart.Somebody left the cork out of my lunch.

I've been interested in learning to sail. One of those little laser boats or something, nothign too big.

Ignorance may be bliss, but it sure ain't fun!

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Evil is evil, no matter how small.

Hey Gifted,
The big boats, with wieghted keels, are much easier to sail, but you'll be a much better sailor learning on the little light wieght boats.

If you are ever out in the Denver area in summer, look me up. I'd be happy to take you out for a lesson. The little Precision is a hoot! Just drop me an email.

Frank.Howell@usap.gov

"Slow is Fast - Fast is Slow"

_________________
Slow is Fast, Fast is Slow
Violence may not be the best option, but it IS an option

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>We have a US Yachts 22 as I said in the earlier thread.<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

I remember those boats. I liked their underwater lines. I wanted the 25 footer but it was just out of my price range at the time (circa 1979).

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>I've been interested in learning to sail. One of those little laser boats or something, nothign too big.<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

When I was 13 my dad just bought me an 8 foot sailing dingy and said "have at it". I taught myself the ropes. A laser would have been a dreamboat then. It was literally sink or swim for a while as I got the hang of the physics through bio feedback. I have thousands of hours in that boat. The detail operation of each sailboat can be rather unique with all kinds of unfamiliar gadgets, but the feel, the physics of the balance of forces is remarkably the same. I can feel the acceleration in a keel boat when I get "in the groove" almost as much as on a sailboard (allright, not that much). Once you feel what it's like when everything is right, your constantly trying to get it back. That's why the captain is always tinkering with sail trim. Honest to god, I got a huge grin on my face seeing a little white "roostertail" behind my little keelboat, indicating it was going as fast as it could go. And the max speed was only about 6-7 knots. I was looking for people to race, secretly of course, without acknowlegement. When I was out on the bay, I was constanly comparing my boats performance with like size vessels and got pissed off if I couldn't keep up. It's a sailor thing.

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>The big boats, with weighted keels, are much easier to sail, but you'll be a much better sailor learning on the little light weight boats.<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

Arguable, but the consequences of mistakes are easier to take on the little boat. If you capsize it, usually the design has features to keep it floating while you right it. If you hit something (on or below the surface), it is light enough to bounce off without much damage, etc.

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>Im a big fan of mother nature, Sail planes.. Hobie cats, A friend and I made some Kite Buggies. been allot of fun.<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

I don't get the enjoyment out of communing with nature very often. I'm after getting the max performance out of the boat, even if it is almost calm. It's a creepy obsession.



Ninety percent of the game is half mental.

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<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>I have 2 sailboats right now...If I could ever figure out a way to post a pic on here I'd show you them.<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

I'd like to see them. The procedure I use is I scan the pix into my PC, upload them to a free picture hosting site (I am using picturetrail.com now). Once they are uploaded you can get the location of it by right clicking the picture, and then left clicking "properties" in the pop up window. Another window comes up and you right click the gibberish next to "Address (URL)". Another window comes up so you left click "select all" and the whole thing is highlighted. Right click the highlighted thing and a new window comes up where you can left click on "copy". In the message window in WT, edit/paste the URL. Then enclose the URL with image and /image delimiters, preview it.

Ninety percent of the game is half mental.

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????

Warning there Stress, you'er talking to someone who is severly internet challenged<img src=newicons/tard.gif border=0 align=middle>

I have no problem copying and pasting, but when I have to post them somewhere's else and link this to that and crosstie the chingadera with the discombobulator, I'm just a wreck after that. Hell, I don't even have a connection from home. I have to do all this from work. At home, I'm either working in my wood shop, (AKA Garage), or sleeping.

If you're interested, I could email you a pic or two.

By the way, you are right about the consequences being more drastic in a large boat. However, I find that a larger boat with it's weighted keel and larger size to be much more stable and to react much more slowy giving you more time to react to what it is doing. So long as you keep enough water under your keel, and watch where you are going, your chances of getting wet are slim. The small boats on the other hand react very quickly to even minor changes in the wind and waves, and without quick reactions on the skippers part, you end up taking a swim before you know anythings amiss.

As for learning, I think that people who learn in a small unstable boat, will be much better sailors in the long run. In the smaller boat you really feel every little change in wind, waves and balance. In the bigger boats, their stability tends to dampen the feel for what is affecting the boat.

So, yes, by all means, learn in a small boat. Your appreciation for the physics and dynamics involved as well as your FEEL for the boat will be greatly inhanced. Worst case, you take a swim, learn from the experience and hop back to it.

"Slow is Fast - Fast is Slow"

_________________
Slow is Fast, Fast is Slow
Violence may not be the best option, but it IS an option

I am a geek for underwater lines. For instance, looking at the side view of a sailboat hull, if you reflect the lines across the waterline, the result frequently resembles an aircraft plan view. I prefer the ones that look like transonic fighters, but there are some that are supersonic transports, some that resemble ultralights and some that look like they won't fly at all.

Ninety percent of the game is half mental.

_________________
????

In life most of us have to make choices.

For me it was a case of choosing one of these:

<img src="http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~greg.c/sailboat.jpg" border=0>

Or one of these:

<img src="http://vnexpress.net/Vietnam/Oto-Xe-may/2005/05/3B9DEB67/Porsche_logo_B.jpg" border=0>

I feel i chose wisely....<img src=newicons/saevil.gif border=0 align=middle>

<img src="http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b343/m21sniper/928kimmysdriveRT.jpg" border=0>
http://media.putfile.com/928InCarVideo

<b>There are two kinds of soldiers.
Snipers...and targets.</b>
<img src="http://www.creedmoorsports.com/images/SA9121-M21.JPG" border=0>

I dunno, tape up the windows, tip it upside down and it'll make a pretty good dinghy <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>...

You're born, you keep your head down and you die. If you're lucky...

Yeah, that'll happen....

LOL.

<b>There are two kinds of soldiers.
Snipers...and targets.</b>
<img src="http://www.creedmoorsports.com/images/SA9121-M21.JPG" border=0>

Oh yeah Snipe, you made the best decision possible! As a matter of fact..........so did i! <img src=newicons/saevil.gif border=0 align=middle>

<img src="http://www.racegal8.zoomshare.com/album/Seduction%20on%20Wheels/images/93c13cbd3818d993f12c4bd47fc0b767_11116243380/image.jpg" border=0>



"If you can't beat them, arrange to have them beaten!"

_________________
\"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives\"

Tehehehehehehehe.

<b>There are two kinds of soldiers.
Snipers...and targets.</b>
<img src="http://www.creedmoorsports.com/images/SA9121-M21.JPG" border=0>

What can i say, i learned from the best! <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

"If you can't beat them, arrange to have them beaten!"

_________________
\"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives\"

Have you tried breeding them..?

You're born, you keep your head down and you die. If you're lucky...

hmmmm no havn't tried that one yet.......what do you think Snipe? <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

"If you can't beat them, arrange to have them beaten!"

_________________
\"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives\"

Are you trying to seduce me Mrs. Heatherson?
<img src=newicons/anim_lol.gif border=0 align=middle>

<b>There are two kinds of soldiers.
Snipers...and targets.</b>
<img src="http://www.creedmoorsports.com/images/SA9121-M21.JPG" border=0>

seduce you.....i would do nothing of the sort. I'm just a sweet innocent little motorhead angel <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

speaking of which, i fired up the shark this afternoon (with a little help from my carb spray unfortunately) and went for a nice relaxing ride, oh how i missed that house-shaking V8 rumble!!!!

"If you can't beat them, arrange to have them beaten!"

Edited by - Racegal8 on Mar 05 2006 6:06 PM

_________________
\"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives\"

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
...oh how i missed that house-shaking V8 rumble!!!!
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

This rumbles well also. My neighbors can hear my Deetroit motor long before I arrive.

<img src="http://pic16.picturetrail.com/VOL702/3046559/6177620/132110256.jpg" border=0>


Ninety percent of the game is half mental.

_________________
????

Heh, i spanked an older Lightning pretty good last time i was at the track.

New ones are rockets though. Nice truck stress.

<b>There are two kinds of soldiers.
Snipers...and targets.</b>
<img src="http://www.creedmoorsports.com/images/SA9121-M21.JPG" border=0>

How did I allow that highjack? Let's get back to it. The most exciting saiboat race is the Volvo Ocean Race, which is going on now. I know, mentioning sailboat, Volvo and exciting in the same sentence seems to be self contradictory, but check it out.

http://www.volvooceanrace.org/abouttherace/

I can't keep up with the technology they use to go fast. It is one heck of a lot more tech engineering than NASCAR.

http://www.volvooceanrace.org/abouttherace/theboats/

One of these boats, known as ABN2, has the race 24 hour record average speed of 23.4 knots. That does not sound fast but if you are on the deck of a sailboat doing better than 20 knots in the open ocean you will be frightened by the experience. If they averaged 23 knots over the day, then they must have been doing over 30 frequently, some of it in pitch darkness.<img src=newicons/anim_shock.gif border=0 align=middle> This is mostly going on out of reach of any help in the southern ocean. When something breaks there is serious risk of death and destruction. Some pictures of these boats "in the groove" have rootertails in their wake. This ain't the America's Cup.

<img src="http://www.volvooceanrace.org/images/assets/leg4start_oskar_10.jpg" border=0>



Edited by - a10stress on Mar 06 2006 1:43 PM

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This site has some video of one of the boats.

http://www.blackpearlracing.com/splash.asp

and this one shows some night sailing. It might as well be a spaceship to Alpha Centauri.

http://team.abnamro.com/web/show/id=117502

It takes a while to load and it will start itself.



Edited by - a10stress on Mar 06 2006 1:34 PM

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????

Now that is sailing at it's best! Great links Stress!

"Slow is Fast - Fast is Slow"

_________________
Slow is Fast, Fast is Slow
Violence may not be the best option, but it IS an option