New Posts New Posts RSS Feed: Swimming = need for education
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Register Register  Login Login

Swimming = need for education
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <1234>
Author
  Share Topic Share Topic  Topic Search Topic Search  Topic Options Topic Options
Chris 249 View Drop Down
Really should get out more
Really should get out more
Avatar

Joined: 10 May 04
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2041 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Chris 249 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Swimming = need for education
    Posted: 27 Nov 14 at 8:59pm
Originally posted by fab100

. Even If I spent the next 5 years trying to master sailboards (ain't gonna happen) I'd still be falling in the water left right and centre. If you then saw me in action, you'd wonder (probably vociferously) why all the splashing about. Which would be fair enough - you'd diagnose that I was reacting the wrong way. aka Swimming = need for education

Or to look at it another way - in some classes it's said that you can only learn how NOT to capsize, by capsizing. One champ said to me "it takes 300 capsizes to learn how to sail a 12 Foot Skiff", and if that's true then it's arguably better to get all 300 capsizes over as soon as possible, rather than spending 7 seasons ruining every race by capsizing every race. It's faster to find where the limits are by going over them. 

If you were splashing about after 5 years of windsurfing it's possible you're rubbish but also possible that you're still trying new things, or trying new ways of doing things, which is great. I think that one of my problems with boards at the moment is that I'm not splashing enough. If I want to get serious again in them, I'm going to have to swim more so that I can learn more.

We just got a new and rather quick and high powered boat. We've stuck it in repeatedly (but only during our two training days, not our two racing days) and therefore learned an enormous amount. So far we've sailed it four times, capsized four times, but got the boat going much faster than we thought we could in such a short period. That's not a bad equation.

Obviously, other people may prefer another approach but there's certainly room for different styles and plans of attack. Mind you, the way I've approached it does lend itself to a lot of humiliation, since I've managed to do every capsize either right off the club, or right next to the other club's starting line. Embarrassed  As someone said the other day "I've seen your new boat twice, and it's been on its side both times."


* and the club STILL has the results wrong despite the class rep pointing it out. Sigh! 






Edited by Chris 249 - 28 Nov 14 at 4:37am
Back to Top
alstorer View Drop Down
Really should get out more
Really should get out more
Avatar

Joined: 02 Aug 07
Location: Cambridge
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2899 		Post Options Post Options   Quote alstorer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Dec 14 at 7:20am
it's all very well if you're sailing something narrow beamed and low powered. However, this situation occured because both helm and crew attempted to climb over the wing too far back:

Note they weren't "too far back" when it was upright- the boat requires all moveable ballast to the rear in those conditions. Better, when you do get a blown down, to accept the fate and make preperations to enter the water gracefully. I can heartily recommend not falling boot, head or hand first onto the window in the mainsail.
-_
Al
Back to Top
maxibuddah View Drop Down
Really should get out more
Really should get out more
Avatar

Joined: 06 Mar 09
Location: United Kingdom
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1760 		Post Options Post Options   Quote maxibuddah Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Dec 14 at 8:42am
I like that but about gracefully and quietly. I was sailing my 300 once in a drifter, was sat right up the front and for no apparent reason the boom suddenly swung across the boat trapping me against the side deck. I had no chance as I was going so slowly the rudder did nothing. Oh well, I'll do this as quietly add possible and hope no one notices and slid in backwards. Unfortunately the other 300 sailor noticed and cheered very loudly, which of course travelled across the water for all to hear
Everything I say is my opinion, honest
Back to Top
iGRF View Drop Down
Really should get out more
Really should get out more
Avatar

Joined: 07 Mar 11
Location: Hythe
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6499 		Post Options Post Options   Quote iGRF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Dec 14 at 9:23am
Caption competition if ever there was.

"Quick dear get the washing in before it gets wet"
Snow Equipment Deals    New Core Kite website
Back to Top
kneewrecker View Drop Down
Really should get out more
Really should get out more
Avatar

Joined: 09 Apr 14
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1586 		Post Options Post Options   Quote kneewrecker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Dec 14 at 9:44am
Originally posted by maxibuddah

I like that but about gracefully and quietly. I was sailing my 300 once in a drifter, was sat right up the front and for no apparent reason the boom suddenly swung across the boat trapping me against the side deck. I had no chance as I was going so slowly the rudder did nothing. Oh well, I'll do this as quietly add possible and hope no one notices and slid in backwards. Unfortunately the other 300 sailor noticed and cheered very loudly, which of course travelled across the water for all to hear

I lost my footing standing up in my phantom once- to the onlookers it looked like I ran out of the boat backwards.... they jeered, and even with the inevitable bad start I still got the bandit moniker upon returning to shore.
Back to Top
GarethT View Drop Down
Really should get out more
Really should get out more
Avatar

Joined: 21 Apr 07
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 714 		Post Options Post Options   Quote GarethT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Dec 14 at 9:51am
Originally posted by iGRF

Caption competition if ever there was.

"Quick dear get the washing in before it gets wet"


"See...... The kite does lift the bow. "
Back to Top
Chris 249 View Drop Down
Really should get out more
Really should get out more
Avatar

Joined: 10 May 04
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2041 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Chris 249 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Dec 14 at 11:21am
Originally posted by alstorer

I can heartily recommend not falling boot, head or hand first onto the window in the mainsail.

I can recommend it too. The worst time was when I had met a brilliant sailing-mad woman and we went out sailing on her high-performance cat about the fifth time we met. I went through her main when we tipped it in.

Oh, the anguished feelings of going foot-first through the expensive mainsail of the woman you are trying to impress. It's amazing how one can feel emotions with such clarity and depth when you're four feet under and going fast through mylar.....

Oh, the joyous feelings when, through the bubbles of shame, you see her going through the same hole half a second later, and realise that you don't have to take all the blame......

A dozen years later, we now have a cat with a tougher main, and she's gone through my Tasar's training mainsail so we're all square.




Edited by Chris 249 - 05 Dec 14 at 11:23am
Back to Top
Buzz View Drop Down
Posting king
Posting king


Joined: 14 Jun 04
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 101 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Buzz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Dec 14 at 11:51am
Re: photo from alstorer.
 
That looks like the B14 Worlds at Falmouth. I was in a safety boat with two photographers following the tangerine boat and it was the most spectacular capsize I have ever seen. They were hit by a massive gust. When they came ashore they were badly bruised but smiling about it.
Back to Top
ChrisB14 View Drop Down
Posting king
Posting king


Joined: 29 Oct 13
Location: London
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 101 		Post Options Post Options   Quote ChrisB14 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Dec 14 at 12:17pm
Originally posted by alstorer

 I can heartily recommend not falling boot, head or hand first onto the window in the mainsail.

Knee first is a bad idea as well, I've discovered. And just about any part of the mainsail will do. :-/
B14 GBR 748 Bullet B
In build: Farr 3.7 GBR 410 (both sail number and the current number of loose parts)
Back to Top
JimC View Drop Down
Really should get out more
Really should get out more
Avatar

Joined: 17 May 04
Location: United Kingdom
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6662 		Post Options Post Options   Quote JimC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Dec 14 at 12:28pm
But don't think catching the boom to protect the main is any better unless you fancy sailing in without a gooseneck.
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <1234>

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Bulletin Board Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 9.665y
Copyright ©2001-2010 Web Wiz
Change your personal settings, or read our privacy policy