Sailing – Page 4 – ɔimoɈɒ

Fair winds…

Yesterday I made a resolution to take some positive steps towards my eventual yacht ownership. I don’t want to just buy a boat and start trying to sail. That way would inevitably lead to some sort of personal disaster in a sad boating accident. I want to learn how to fix the inboard engine, wire … Continue reading “Fair winds…”

Yesterday I made a resolution to take some positive steps towards my eventual yacht ownership.

I don’t want to just buy a boat and start trying to sail. That way would inevitably lead to some sort of personal disaster in a sad boating accident. I want to learn how to fix the inboard engine, wire the lights, set up something to charge the batteries and maybe wire in some solar or wind generators. As electrics have always scared me (a holdover from being a biologist I reckon), I figured I needed to find some local courses for ridding myself of the fear and getting some knowledge. Of course, due to some nanny state regulations, none of our local colleges seem to do any sort of instruction.

So, today I ordered two books, text is from reviews of the books.

	“There is no denying the scope of this book is, to say the least, comprehensive. It covers almost every topic imaginable in DIY from dry lining your basement to capping the chimney and covers it at every range whether you just want to change a fuse or rewire the entire building.”
	“this is one of the best books I have EVER seen on any aspect of sailing. It is also probably the best illustrated sailing book I have ever seen – there are so many photos it makes every task extremely straightforward. I like the way it breaks the tasks down into ease of use, and tells you step by step how to solve the problem (even where to find the area you need to work on!”

I’ve also tracked down a RYA Basic Navigation Course at the Bangor Campus of SERC which I’ve enquired about. 5 weeks and starts in February. I reckon I’ll have time for that. The RYA describe it as:

This course is for anyone interested in sailing, motor boating, sea angling or diving. It’s also the perfect stepping stone to the more in-depth Day Skipper shorebased course or our on-the-water courses such as the Intermediate Powerboat, Start Yachting, Helmsman or Day Skipper courses.

They also note: it will be possible to take it online too through our RYA Interactive e-learning site.

My hope is to also get myself onto a Competent Crew course in 2011. My preference would be one of the courses operating from foreign shores, preferably the Med.

I’m intending to do some Skipper courses in 2012 – there’s no rush here.

Project 49

The real boost I’ve received this year towards getting some time on the water was on the 1st August which some may recall as being my wedding anniversary. My wife bought me a pair of sailing sunglasses and a hefty book on sailing. I’ve read through most of the book but find myself now wanting … Continue reading “Project 49”

I’ve read through most of the book but find myself now wanting to put some of it into practise. In the absence of time on the water, however, I’ve started to buy a couple of sailing magazines every month and also started contributing to their online forums. My contributions there have won me a Helly Hansen hat and also given me an idea for a cool app – the basics of which are on the Code4Pizza site.

So – what is Project 49?

Project 49 is simply a description and a journal of everything I’m going to do over the next 12 years (until I’m 49) to get myself sea-worthy and get my own boat. Ideally I will get a smaller weekender to practise with at some point and make a few friends who want to spend time afloat. The culmination, the finale of Project 49 is stepping off the pontoons here or in Belfast and disappearing around the world under sail.

I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me.

An index of mooring?

I know it’s a little premature as I didn’t manage to clock a single hour on a boat this summer and I’m still not able to actually sail (though I’ve done the book-learning!). I have, however, started to hack together a wee map of moorings which I plan to update and would appreciate any input … Continue reading “An index of mooring?”

I know it’s a little premature as I didn’t manage to clock a single hour on a boat this summer and I’m still not able to actually sail (though I’ve done the book-learning!).

I have, however, started to hack together a wee map of moorings which I plan to update and would appreciate any input others have. Green icons indicate free moorings, Red icons indicate pay-for moorings. A dot in the middle indicates whether the location has other facilities that might be useful to the intrepid sailor.

View Mooring Spots in a larger map

Drop me a mail if you want your mooring added to the list!

RYA Competent Crew…during Winter?

Last night I took a few more steps towards sailing by actually finding a sail training company that answered email. I had zero luck with the local training folk in Ballyholme with both email and voicemail but I lucked out and remembered an article in the August 2009 issue of Sailing Today (which is by … Continue reading “RYA Competent Crew…during Winter?”

We don’t have the weather for sailing all year round and and this is never more apparent than when you drive past Ballyholme Yacht Club and see the smaller yachts being hoisted out of the water and laid up for storage during our “harsh” winter months. In other regions, especially close to the equator, sailing is an all-season pastime. Which brings me to AllAbroad which was featured in the issue of S.T. but also was very quick to email me back (turnaround time of around 8 hours – most of that overnight – which again sets them apart from other trainers I’d contacted.

As you can see, the AllAbroad Competent Crew course is £475 off-season and covers 5 days and 6 nights of accommodation on the yacht with a focus on safety and boat handling and giving you the opportunity to visit Gibraltar, Spain and Morocco. To avail, all you have to do is pay your ticket, bring along a little spending money and then get yourself a return flight to Gibraltar.

My costs would include a flight to Gatwick (£50-75 return) and then a flight from Gatwick to Gibraltar (£100 return) but even so, the trip seems very reasonable and as soon as I’m able, I’ll endeavour to get that booked.

The schedule of the course as laid out in the magazine was:

Sunday – Introduction to boat and safety briefing
Monday – Kitting out, exercises under engine in Gib Bay, Sailed up to Strait for look around
Tuesday – MOB exercises and passage to Ceuta
Wednesday – Ceuta to Smir
Thursday – From Smir, planned passage to Estepona aborted on rounding Ceuta – made for Gib instead
Friday – Sail across Gib Bay, exercises and dinghy drill in inner Bay.

All of this also included time ashore in the various locations including Morocco/North Africa and the historic regions abound (especially if you pay attention to your Templar lore) but among all of this foreign culture you learn the full RYA-approved Competent Crew syllabus.

Seems like a bloomin’ bargain.

Ahoy

Just over a year ago, my friend Keith (who I have known for 25 years), took me our for 4 hours on his yacht (a Contessa 32) around a waterway near his home in Holland. Since then I’ve been somewhat hooked on the romance of sailing. I have only those 4 hours to go by … Continue reading “Ahoy”

Just over a year ago, my friend Keith (who I have known for 25 years), took me our for 4 hours on his yacht (a Contessa 32) around a waterway near his home in Holland.

Since then I’ve been somewhat hooked on the romance of sailing. I have only those 4 hours to go by but the experience was so much fun that I have a strong desire to repeat it and, eventually, to own my own boat.

I’m buying sailing magazines (Sailing Today, Yachting Monthly, Yachting World, Ireland Afloat) in an attempt to get to know the terminology, to be able to adequately explain to someone else the difference between ‘a jib’ and ‘to gybe’. I do notice, however, there’s a dearth of resources online for sailing the way I have been able to eat my fill of news and articles about technology. I’m sure there’s more out there but until then, dead tree will suffice.

Sailing is not in my blood (to my knowledge) but now I live by the sea and have a dream of circumnavigating the world in my own boat.

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