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Old 08-10-2015, 11:55   #1
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Am I sailor now?

Of course, I know the answer to the question, YES!

I successfully completed my Competent Crew course, spending 5 days on a Halberg Rassy 36 with 4 other students and our instructor. More than that, our instructor said she was amazed I've never sailed before, and that I'm a natural.

I absolutely LOVED the week, and it easily ranks as the best week of my life, and that's saying something. (If I can put modesty aside for a second.)

If you're interested in pictures and a short video clip or two, please visit my blog page - Sofa to Sailboat. Just too much to put here.

The sailing itself was amazing, even when it rained and was cold (typical September for England), but I also made 5 amazing friends. We sailed, we laughed, we plucked Bob (our MOB fender) out of the water time and time again, and laughed some more. Coming back to land and climbing into my car was the only part of the week I disliked.

My mission now is clear.
It seems I have very good navigational skills (ex-private pilot and making maps while in the Air Force probably helps), but I still have a bit to learn in regards to navigational charts for sailing. So I've bought myself a navigation exercise book and chart plotter and having a great time plotting courses.

This winter I'm also going to take some theory courses, brushing up on VHF radios, first aid, day skipper course, etc. And come next spring/summer, am going to get on the water every chance I can get. Am quickly becoming addicted to crew seekers.

If anyone is around the Suffolk/Norfolk coast of England and are looking for a spare set of hands, please get in touch.

MG

P.S.
Now I've spent some time on a monohull, I'd really love to see what it's like on a catamaran. If there are any Cat owners around East Anglia, I'll bring a bottle of wine for a tour.
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Old 08-10-2015, 12:31   #2
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Re: Am I sailor now?

Ahh you've caught the bug! Now you're in trouble! You are destined for a life of fun and excitement!
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Old 08-10-2015, 12:40   #3
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Re: Am I sailor now?

Similar experiences happen all the time in the inner city: it usually involves a sleazy looking chap saying "here, try some of this stuff... won't cost you a cent, and you'll like it"!

I believe that there are established 12-step programs established in many sailing oriented areas to help you. Do get started ASAP, or else you will end up like us... hopeless addicts, wasting our lives away.

Jim
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Old 08-10-2015, 14:00   #4
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Re: Am I sailor now?

Congrats! You're all in now
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Old 08-10-2015, 14:52   #5
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Re: Am I sailor now?

Thats a nice story Rum Time! I feel your excitement. Congrats. Now keep it going. Word of advice though: It is mission critical that your "significant other" be it spouse, boyfriend or whatever be 100% "All IN" (as gamayun said) as well. Trust me, I know about this. If they aren't as committed as you are there will stormy seas on your horizon. Keep us posted!
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Old 08-10-2015, 17:35   #6
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Re: Am I sailor now?

Yes you are.
The bug has bitten you and now there is no way back.
Sounds like you were on the Shanti ll with Bev as your instructor?
I earned my Coastal Skipper / Tidal
with her this past July. Same experience, Great instruction,Great fun
and made a bunch of new friends.
Navathome has some great theory courses for navigation and they are
RYA recgonized. Study lights, sounds, day shapes, I found flash cards to be
usefull. I feel your pain, I live in the northeast US and the season is about
over. Can't beleive i'm gonna be on dirt for 6 months although
I might try for a crew slot in the Carribean after my part time gig is
over with the circus January 15th.
Cheers
PS: Did Bev teach you the "Back the Jib" trick?
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Old 08-10-2015, 22:54   #7
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Re: Am I sailor now?

Thank you everyone for your comments. There truly are some wonderful people here (and on the sea obviously).

Category4jay - Good advice, for sure. Thankfully, I'm happily single.

Time2Go - Yes, Bev was our instructor. She's great and really knows her stuff. Yep, sure did learn about back-filling the jib. She's such a laid back, easy going skipper.

You came a fair distance to get your coastal skipper. LOL One of my sisters used to live in Portland, Maine, (you mentioned NE US) and her and her boyfriend used to deliver rich people's sailboats from Maine to Florida about this time of year, and then take them back up to Maine in the summer.

Does anyone else get bad land-sickness? I was fine on the boat, never had an issue, even in the slightest, with motion sickness. Above deck, below deck, absolutely fine. Got back on land and the troubles began.

The world swayed from when I got back on Friday until the following Thursday. There were times I had to lay down and have a nap, or get in my car and take a drive. I wasn't eating as much (a good thing), and couldn't sit at my computer for more than thirty minutes before the screens would rock so bad I had to get up.

It eventually faded and the ground seems normal now. I think the only obvious solution is to get on a boat, and stay there.

MG
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Old 09-10-2015, 05:25   #8
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Re: Am I sailor now?

I suffer from 'benign positional vertigo'. What you describe sounds very similar. See your GP. I had a bad attack a few years ago, now it recurs occasionally, especially after some time sailing. If you google it you'll see it's no more than an inconvenience if not too severe. Apparently Ben Ainslie is a sufferer. This is different from the feeling of the land moving which usually only lasts a few hours after coming ashore.


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Old 09-10-2015, 08:35   #9
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Re: Am I sailor now?

Clearly you need to have to have some really bad experiences. Your problem is that everything has gone well and easy for you. Having had as summer of one difficult experience after another where I often wondered why it was called "FUN", its easy to have the bug be tempered a bit.

I'd be happy to suggest some ways you could discover how dangerous and "NOT FUN" sailing can be.
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Old 09-10-2015, 08:39   #10
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Re: Am I sailor now?

Quote:
Originally Posted by MoxieGirl View Post
Does anyone else get bad land-sickness? I was fine on the boat, never had an issue, even in the slightest, with motion sickness. Above deck, below deck, absolutely fine. Got back on land and the troubles began.

The world swayed from when I got back on Friday until the following Thursday. There were times I had to lay down and have a nap, or get in my car and take a drive. I wasn't eating as much (a good thing), and couldn't sit at my computer for more than thirty minutes before the screens would rock so bad I had to get up.

It eventually faded and the ground seems normal now. I think the only obvious solution is to get on a boat, and stay there.

MG
I always have that. I never have sea sickness. But for days after coming back things constantly move back and forth. I have it right now, after spending about 2.5 hours on the water yesterday. I wasn't aware that anything could be done about it.
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Old 09-10-2015, 10:39   #11
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Re: Am I sailor now?

Yellowtulip, I think what I get is closer to Mal de debarquement, or disembarkment syndrome. Close to vertigo, but slightly different. I was just surprised how long it lasted.

They say travelling in the car can help it go away for a short period, and sleep seemed to help. It was worse later in the day when I was tired, not so bad in the morning.

Zedpassway, I appreciate sailing can be not-fun, and I'm sure I'll have plenty of those experiences. Going to rave about the good times while I can though.

Mg
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Old 09-10-2015, 10:52   #12
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Re: Am I sailor now?

Welcome! It's always great to hear stories like this. I'm so glad you had such a great instructor.
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Old 09-10-2015, 10:53   #13
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Re: Am I sailor now?

Was it a Charlie Chaplin film where he is drunk and unable to walk straight on the deck of a ship when it is in port but walks perfectly straight when the ship is in a storm? I'm not saying you are drunk, just that you'll be fine when you get back on a boat.
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Old 09-10-2015, 10:59   #14
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Re: Am I sailor now?

Which workbook did you get?
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Old 09-10-2015, 11:07   #15
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Re: Am I sailor now?

Quote:
Originally Posted by zedpassway View Post
Clearly you need to have to have some really bad experiences. Your problem is that everything has gone well and easy for you. Having had as summer of one difficult experience after another where I often wondered why it was called "FUN", its easy to have the bug be tempered a bit.

I'd be happy to suggest some ways you could discover how dangerous and "NOT FUN" sailing can be.

For starters, how about suggesting she go out and buy a wooden boat, nice thing about wood is the bigger the boat, the cheaper the selling price!

In all seriousness to the originating poster, congratulations about learning something new about yourself!
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