Where's Haggis?

   The only reason I ask is that I have seen some quite good junior sailors jump into a 29er and really struggle to start with.  They then end up fed up and sail less.  I have seen some others who have cut their teeth in Fireflys and 420's hop into a 29er and go straight to the front of the fleet (at club level). I think you hit the nail on the head when you said you struggled to sail the boat and look for gusts, even if you were sailing single handed.  Learn to look for the gusts in something a bit taner than a skiff then when you progress all you have to worry about is learning to sail the boat.
If you are determined to get a skiff then also put as much effort into getting a regular crew as you do to getting the boat.

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bigwavedave Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 04 Jun 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 944	Post Options Post Reply Quote bigwavedave Report Post Quote Reply Topic: Where's Haggis? Posted: 22 Nov 04 at 5:47pm
	The only reason I ask is that I have seen some quite good junior sailors jump into a 29er and really struggle to start with. They then end up fed up and sail less. I have seen some others who have cut their teeth in Fireflys and 420's hop into a 29er and go straight to the front of the fleet (at club level). I think you hit the nail on the head when you said you struggled to sail the boat and look for gusts, even if you were sailing single handed. Learn to look for the gusts in something a bit taner than a skiff then when you progress all you have to worry about is learning to sail the boat. If you are determined to get a skiff then also put as much effort into getting a regular crew as you do to getting the boat.


Brian Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 27 Sep 04 Location: Ireland Online Status: Offline Posts: 503	Post Options Post Reply Quote Brian Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 22 Nov 04 at 5:32pm
	struggled singehanded i said! i hav done. um, well i have been sailing since last easter.i think. watever well i have sailed two summers anyway, one of them for six weeks and the other for four. and a few weeks in between. like easter. and i have never done racing. heck the best thing i have done is won a series of three 'races' at the sailing school and the instructor said i have definite racing potential. yay Edited by Brian

bigwavedave Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 04 Jun 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 944	Post Options Post Reply Quote bigwavedave Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 22 Nov 04 at 5:21pm
	Brian, How much sailing have you done? Best to find out why the rudder snapped so as you can prevent it from happening again (bad workmen and all that). You may not give a damn if you are not good enough to sail a certain class of boat, but you will have much more fun if you are good enough to sail it. If you struggled that much with the 405 you should get some more experience before jumping into a 29er. Don't write off a class just because it looks old fashioned.


Brian Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 27 Sep 04 Location: Ireland Online Status: Offline Posts: 503	Post Options Post Reply Quote Brian Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 22 Nov 04 at 5:00pm
	redback,i dont like 420s tho, they are so old fashioned. i have sailed 405s aswell, a little, i find them really annoying. the absence of a ridge in the middle of the boat to brace ur feet against means every time the boat heels u just fall onto the leeward side. you might say the crew shuld have been trapezing to level the boat but that is just it, i was sailing the Hobie singlehanded, so i had to do the jib and tiller and main at once, which was distracting enough without having to watch out for gust and hike at the same time.... and i dont have a clue why the rudder snapped. i doubt it was because of heeling, i had someone trapezing so i think it was pretty flat. its probly just coz the rudder was rubbish. it was basically a plank of wood. not even sharp, just vaguely rudder shaped. and in reference to being to hard to sail, well yes, u might be right. but if u see my 'signature' then u will realise that i dont give a damn if im not good enough. sorry about the lenght of this but i wanted to explain evrything fully...

sailor girl Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 13 Jun 04 Location: Spain Online Status: Offline Posts: 1031	Post Options Post Reply Quote sailor girl Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 22 Nov 04 at 3:49pm
	why is haggis winking at that?!!!!
	Sailor Girl, Queen Of The Forum!

redback Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 16 Mar 04 Location: Tunbridge Wells Online Status: Offline Posts: 1502	Post Options Post Reply Quote redback Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 21 Nov 04 at 10:09pm
	Hey Brian you know the 29er is a difficult boat to sail. I hesitate to say this but a 420 might be a better boat to start off with, especially as you're breaking rudder blades (a sure sign you aren't keeping the boat flat enough). In all honesty you'll get to handling a 29er faster if you go through blasting a 420 in a force 7 first and it might be cheaper and so you'll get your hands on it sooner.

Haggis Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Posting king Joined: 23 Mar 04 Online Status: Offline Posts: 180	Post Options Post Reply Quote Haggis Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 21 Nov 04 at 10:00pm


Brian Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 27 Sep 04 Location: Ireland Online Status: Offline Posts: 503	Post Options Post Reply Quote Brian Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 17 Nov 04 at 3:33pm
	ya its cork, it just the rcyc is ages from my house, about an hour and a half, so i dont usually have much reason to go down that-a-ways.

Garry Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 18 Apr 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 536	Post Options Post Reply Quote Garry Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 16 Nov 04 at 7:51pm
	Do you mean Cork? Find someone to crew for. Contact the club and ask them if they have a crew register. If the're still Yacht racing then finding a crewing position might be easier (more crew needed for a Yacht), failing that get a notice on the club notice board. Above all be upbeat, positive, enthusiastic, happy and prepared to muck in where need - you'll soon get to know people.
	Garry Lark 2252, Contender 298 www.cuckoos.eclipse.co.uk

Brian Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 27 Sep 04 Location: Ireland Online Status: Offline Posts: 503	Post Options Post Reply Quote Brian Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 16 Nov 04 at 5:32pm
	better than languishing by myself...