Laser 28 - Excellent example of this great design Hamble le rice |
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Laser 140101 Tynemouth |
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Laser 161752 Tynemouth |
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List classes of boat for sale |
Twenty years from now |
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Woodbotherer ![]() Posting king ![]() ![]() Joined: 11 Dec 14 Online Status: Offline Posts: 192 |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posted: 29 Jan 15 at 10:53am |
I really envy people who know/knew what they wanted to be in life, I just muddled through mine with as much of an emphasis on going out to play and selling toys for those of like minds to do that, never did I dream it might have turned int a proper business but it did lucky for me.
I've made and lost small fortunes over the years suffering all those slings and arrows I see detailed above, the '87 stock exchange crash cost me dear, the Black Wednesday Exchange rate mechanism crash left me exposed to hundreds of thousands of Deutche Mark & US Dollar Debt, and this latest debacle must have cost me not far shy of a mil in bad debts and forced asset sales, but we pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and start again, and the one fundamental thing that carries me through all that and the day to day stress and sh*t, is the ability to sail away from it all and be locked in that concentrated hours race thinking of nothing else for a bit, board, boat I don't care, it's just the tranquility and the mind focussing chess match that develops and being at one with the elements, I'm so pleased to have rediscovered it sat down in boats, I don't know what I'd do without it, go even madder than I am already I guess. There are lots of people like me that sail to get away from the crap life deals us in our day to day work existence, a reason I get so wound up by the petty rule bollox we don't need in our leisure time. It often spoils an otherwise excellent sport, that & the unfairness and hypocrisy of the yardstick system as it currently stands, but hey nothing i can't live with, I do think it needs a radical rethink to carry us through the next twenty years, but right now I'm optimistic with another year ahead and looking forward to the dinghy show news of whatever it is they are planning. I'm getting close now to my three score and ten, so many of my pals didn't make it this far, every year my health and motor skills hold out is a bonus, so I need to make every sail count and I'm indeed fortunate that even at this late stage in life I've found something I can still improve at and in doing so can help others to enjoy a fantastically intricate and exciting pursuit using the power of the elements as our friends. I just hope we can continue for even ten of the next twenty. That and the moaning of course, life wouldn't be much fun without that little pleasure.
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Rupert ![]() Really should get out more ![]() Joined: 11 Aug 04 Location: Whitefriars sc Online Status: Offline Posts: 8956 |
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iiiiitick, you think? I'd have said simply being honest - not many will admit to being in a position whee they can do what they want, even when they have worked hard for it. (Americans seem better at this) In the context of this thread, you, me and James are all examples of people in situations where those like us in to years will be able to do the sailing that they enjoy - compared to the doom and gloom merchants, we should be celebrating that fact.
Edited by Rupert - 29 Jan 15 at 10:39am |
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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686
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Null ![]() Really should get out more ![]() Joined: 11 May 14 Online Status: Offline Posts: 745 |
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Leads on to perhaps another thread entirely. But Sailing can be as expensive or as cheap as you want it to be. I am 33 years old, have a good job, house, 2 kids and a wife with a particular taste for handbags. I have two hobbies now, cycling and sailing. I never went to Uni and our club was so far off the beaten track i never heard of squad sailing. However I did stop sailing at around 16-22 I found beer, girls, lads holidays, girls, cars, girls so much more interesting. Once i had met my now wife and we had our first child i settled back down and started again. I had no money to start with and sailed a £250 solo as things became better i upgraded. I have spent years now travelling around the country in various classes having a great time with like minded people. However its been at the sacrifice of family time, something which as my kids grow older and less interested in me I cherish. The only reason i got back into sailing was my brother and mate still did it. If they had also of left there is no way I would of come back. As a sport i find it similar in cost to cycling. But that i guess is down to me. One thing i was amazed with recently was the cost of Abersoch Dinghy week, something i used to go to every year religiously. My wife and kids got bored of sitting on the beach especially after a year of constant rain. That i agreed to take them abroad the following year. We now spend 10 days in somewhere hot, all inclusive at a significantly cheaper prices than would could stay in abersoch. We looked at going backthis year but frankly the mind boggles as to the pricing!!! I cant see us going back any time soon now. We worked out that with food, house rental, entry fee etc. we would see no change from £2000 for the week!
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turnturtle ![]() Really should get out more ![]() Joined: 05 Dec 14 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2538 |
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Cool, can we have a smug and conceited competition- I've got some corker one-liners if we are?
But what's the point.... if there were a fleet of Finns sailing locally, then I could probably find the funds for a new 20k one, or at the very least justify the loan repayments. I've got friends who can spend that in depreciation on a motor car in less than a year.... the plonkers. But there isn't a fleet of them, there isn't even a fleet of the new baby sister - yet. So really, no point at all saying how wonderful we do individually, when at the end of the day, quality sail boat racing relies on groups, not individuals. The reality for me is that if I want to sail a low-cost, simple option boat locally, against a demographic and broad enough skill set similar to my own; then there really is only one choice currently- the game hasn't moved on in 20 years, and that, I'm afraid, is what puts quite a few of my ex-saling friends off.
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iiitick ![]() Far too distracted from work ![]() Joined: 04 Jun 14 Location: gb Online Status: Offline Posts: 478 |
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Mmm...perhaps a bit 'smug' there James?
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Jamesd ![]() Far too distracted from work ![]() Joined: 01 Feb 08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 377 |
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Rupert, granted, but I was never bright, I was never wealthy, I didn't s**t a golden egg, I just knew early on what where I wanted to be in life and worked for it.
I am not saying you don't have as much fun with your kids on the beach, hell, I can't wait for that day to come. I guess the point is, we all have different ideas on sailing and indeed life. |
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Rupert ![]() Really should get out more ![]() Joined: 11 Aug 04 Location: Whitefriars sc Online Status: Offline Posts: 8956 |
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James, not that hard if you are bright enough to get a Masters and driven enough to work that hard. Most of us (me included) are not, and don't get that much holiday, so we have to lower our sights a little. Doesn't mean we can't have fun sailing though - subsitute weekends camping at the club with the kids for sailing abroad, reduce the original cost of the boats, and off you go.
Agree a decent crew can get a large chunk of his sailing for free, even if not being flown round the world. |
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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686
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Jamesd ![]() Far too distracted from work ![]() Joined: 01 Feb 08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 377 |
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I am in the 25-40 age bracket.
I own a house (or at least 60% of a house, the other 40% is owned by NatWest) I saved for a deposit, I bought a house that needed some work, it is probably worth 120k more than I paid for it and I only bought it 3.5 years ago. I went to uni and walked out with a masters and minimal debt. I have 7 weeks holiday pencilled in this year (excluding the annoying mandatory days off for xmas) 4 days are in Dublin for some quality time with the missus (conveniently when England are playing Ireland in the six nations) and the rest is on championships. 4 of which are abroad. I did not inherit money, nor borrow any from parent. I worked hard and made good decisions and a lot of sacrifices. I knew when I was young that the Olympic dream wouldn't happen for me. I was a good sailor, a 'nearly-man', but I knew that some dreams are best left as dreams. Instead I worked hard to put myself in a comfortable position so I can put together sailing campaigns, so I can spend a week in garda racing and not worry too much about it. I don't have kids....yet. but it is achievable to sail, go away, own a house and live a life, all with some hard work and self discipline. As for expensive international events....pfft! airbnb, and double stackers! it is cheaper than my mates going skiing! Oh and there is always the crewing route! There are plenty of people willing to fly a half decent young sailor across the atlantic, to race for a week all expenses paid, especially if you are a finn sailor or 50kg girl! Just saying, its not that hard |
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iiitick ![]() Far too distracted from work ![]() Joined: 04 Jun 14 Location: gb Online Status: Offline Posts: 478 |
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Our club is in the same position as the above. The RYA via Sport England have helped us with money to improve facilities, electricity new rib etc. We are being rewarded for our successful training program, hence the rib. I can't help thinking that the RYA believe we are training youngsters, but we are not of course. Our trainees are largely 'mature'. We do appreciate hot showers and electric light as we drift into our dotage but personally I wish they had put the money behind the bar in our local where it would have done more good. We do have to do this Olympic lark so we need a training program....I suppose, but it is a shame to take youngsters away from home clubs. |
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patj ![]() Really should get out more ![]() Joined: 16 Jul 04 Location: Wiltshire Online Status: Offline Posts: 643 |
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The governing body and most clubs are so busy pumping money into youth sailing that they are missing out on a generation that is the backbone of clubs - the silver sailors.
The majority of our new members aren't youngsters but fifty somethings starting a new hobby or returning to sailing after a dabble in their childhood. As older members leave, these are the ones who take on club responsibilities and a high proportion will have come to sailing later in life. They aren't aiming for championships or travelling, just pleasant sailing and good company and being able to take the grandchildren out occasionally. |
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