Tell me about Solo Sailing

[boatman61]

MarkJ... for those times in traffic or a channel I find an empty 5litre plastic water bottle handy..
No.. its not for the amount I pee.. its just the larger neck virtually eliminates the need to watch what your doing and concentrate on your surroundings..
Don't forget to 'cap' it after...😃😃😃

[Saleen411]

5litre plastic water bottle handy..
No.. its not for the amount I pee.. its just the larger neck...

Ha.....WHAT self respecting sailor would fess up to using a NARROW neck receptical???????.....even if I could, I would lie about it.:big grin:

[reed1v]

While we are on that topic, hospital supply shops carry useful items that are way better than trying to fill some bottle: large or small necked. Even have devices for the female anatomy.

[AKA-None]

For me I read books and visited this forum during the winter then took a class as soon as ice was out. Followed but crewing on a small racer for a year and half. At that point I decided I really liked sailing so I took more classes sailing up in Lake Superior (think cold / rainy / windy with fast storms. And then I was hooked and bought a small boat, C&C 27, with a full sail complement and began soloing the "lake" between 2 locks on the Mississippi.

So I agree with those who said do your armchair sailing when your locked in for the winter, take a class so you don't get yelled at to much when your with someone who knows how to sail. Then get out on someone else's boat when you can get your "finishing". And I am a firm believer that you'll learn fast if you are racing with the same skipper week after week.

my $0.02 worth

[Curious Sailor]

Originally Posted by Saleen411

Ha.....WHAT self respecting sailor would fess up to using a NARROW neck receptical???????.....even if I could, I would lie about it.:big grin:

Lol lol

[Jon Eisberg]

Originally Posted by Saleen411

Ha.....WHAT self respecting sailor would fess up to using a NARROW neck receptical???????.....even if I could, I would lie about it.:big grin:

A real sailor needs something like this... ;-)

A simple painter's cup, $1.99 at Harbor Freight...

[jheldatksuedu]

Originally Posted by boatman61

MarkJ... for those times in traffic or a channel I find an empty 5litre plastic water bottle handy..
No.. its not for the amount I pee.. its just the larger neck virtually eliminates the need to watch what your doing and concentrate on your surroundings..
Don't forget to 'cap' it after...������

I use a pace picante sauce bottle, big neck, 1/2 gal, good handle, and it seems the plastic bathed in picante sauce for months doesn't smell as bad after it has been used a few times.

My comment about bike helmets, I hate them on my bike, I think I see more and react faster without that huge ungodly thing on my head. I also hate how hot my head gets with one on, that certainly doesn't help promote clear thinking. I might use one under the boat working on the prop in waves, I've been biking all my life, ridden many, many thousands of miles, even that many in just one trip, I have taken many spills, and I learned and know how to roll and protect my head. On a motorcycle I always wear a helmet, because of the speed, in fact my helmet saved my life last summer, when a car pulled out in front of me and I was doing 65, I made a split second decision, managed to get in front of the car so it's front bumper hit me with a glancing blow instead of smack at full speed broadside into the car at full speed. Sure I'd be dead if I did that, instead the cars bumper hit my leg, I think I pushed myself away from the bike, like I always said I would do, I rolled and tumbled for a couple hundred feet, my helmet shows 4 spots where it scraped along the highway different directions. After a foot surgery, no broken bones, I am still walking funny, can't run yet, and stairs cause pain, but I'll come back with the only long term effect, no feeling in my upper calf. I'll also have a better bank balance. The 1966 Honda 90 with a 125 engine that I rode from Florida to Kansas was totaled but I had it back on the road in a couple months. I still will not wear a bike helmet, probably have rode the bicycle 1000 miles since the accident. Kayakers that wear helmets do so in rocky fast unpredictable water, where their head my find a rock with thousands of pounds of fast water pushing the kayak and them into it, that's not sailing. I've never seen a kayaker wear a helmet when on flat water or even choppy water. If you are afraid of cruising sailing enough to think you need a helmet, I'd say it might not be your sport. But it's your decision. Cat Racing sailing is a different story.

I got a chance to practice my fall and roll from the bike this weekend, carrying a heavy salvaged from the trash stainless oven door on the handlebars, when I stopped the bike I couldn't get my foot over the top bar fast enough, and down I went, in front of a few bystanders too. Part of the big flat stainless panel will probably find some use on the boat. And it has a stainless grab handle too.

[reed1v]

Yes, i have operated on a bunch of jerks who refused to wear bike helmets and thus caused us to waste precious medical resources to deal with their brain damages. Irresponsible and juvenile are words that come to mind about your post. But I certainly would not want you to feel offended.

Since you sound like you have not had much sailing experience,would suggest you stay in near shore environments and not venture too far away from safe harbors. One time in Diego Garcia we had to wire together a sailor's smashed skull that had gotten in the way of an errant boom. Amazing what a simple jib in strong winds can do. But you would not know that, I suspect.

[thomm225]

[QUOTE=jheldatksuedu;1974842My comment about bike helmets, I hate them on my bike, I think I see more and react faster without that huge ungodly thing on my head. I also hate how hot my head gets with one on, that certainly doesn't help promote clear thinking. I might use one under the boat working on the prop in waves, I've been biking all my life, ridden many, many thousands of miles, even that many in just one trip, I have taken many spills, and I learned and know how to roll and protect my head. On a motorcycle I always wear a helmet, because of the speed.[/QUOTE]

Glad the helmet saved your life on your motorcycle.

I have maybe 15,000 miles on my present bicycle. It's a 2004 Titanium Litespeed Vortex I paid $3,300.00 for used. (More than I paid for my boat!)

Anyway, I've broken two bike helmets while riding in a group. (peloton) My worse crash was at maybe 10-12 mph where I crossed wheels with the rider in front of me while looking back and making a turn.

My front wheel went to 90 degrees immediately from center and I went down hard slamming my head into the pavement as if it was the end of a whip! I was knocked out for a few seconds. This at the end of a 70 mile ride.

The other crash was at the end of a 100 mile ride. Mile 96. Both times I had slowed down. The second time I hit a small piece of 2 X 4 while taking a drink.

So, sometimes it's not about the speed.

Btw, Trek will replace broken helmets for free in the first year or so! My present helmet is a Bell. Not sure if they have the same policy

[jheldatksuedu]

Wearing a helmet should be personal choice, If that makes me a jerk by your standard, you have the right to be wrong, far too much stuff is mandated by law pushed through by well meaning people. But for me a bike helmet is not a good thing, it's too hot, and too damn big. I've probably survived 100 falls without the helmet, I'm happy deciding not to wear one, and you most likely will never see me wear one on the boat either. Lets get back to solo sailing, wearing a helmet is not about solo sailing, a pee bucket is, so piss on it.

[roverhi]

Organ donation should be automatic for those who refuse to wear helmets on two wheeled transport. It's a shame to waste all those good transplantable organs. Have busted two helmets but not my head in bicycle mishaps.

[GrahamHO]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

I have a hard luck bike helmet. I have tried to sell it at two different events. The damn thing will not go away. I don't use it on the bike anymore and I am certainly not gonna wear it sailing. But I can now bill it as an AC training helmet! Ka Ching!

Safety gear is slowly becoming more and more required in all sports for better or worse. When I started sailing, nobody had lifelines, or a pulpit. Likewise cycling, motorcycling, and skiing we didn't have helmets. Now in NZ you can get $150 fine for not wearing a cycle helmet. A friend skiing in NZ was recently hit on his ski helmet by an out of control skier flying over a hill. He was knocked out and choppered to hospital and is now OK. Without a helmet doubtless he would have been killed.
It's hard to see where the safety requirements will end but you can be sure they will keep coming, and safety gear will only get better.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by jheldatksuedu

Wearing a helmet should be personal choice, If that makes me a jerk by your standard, you have the right to be wrong, far too much stuff is mandated by law pushed through by well meaning people. But for me a bike helmet is not a good thing, it's too hot, and too damn big. I've probably survived 100 falls without the helmet, I'm happy deciding not to wear one, and you most likely will never see me wear one on the boat either. Lets get back to solo sailing, wearing a helmet is not about solo sailing, a pee bucket is, so piss on it.

It doesn't make you anything by my standard. I was just pointing out that helmet wearing/protection has nothing to do with speed at certain times.

I had to wear the helmet to ride with the cycling group I chose to ride with. Lucky for me they had such a rule.

As far as personal choices go though, smoking and riding without a helmet are just a couple of reasons why health insurance has skyrocketed and become so expensive over the years.

As for the urination game, two words: Simply Orange. The 59 oz size seems to work the best.

https://www.google.com/search?q=simp...pp_-y57QnRM%3A

[jheldatksuedu]

You have busted 2 helmets, I've had a hundred crashes and protected my head in each one of them, You are one of those people that just can't imagine that somebody could have a different opinion than you, there are many ways to skin a cat. Personally I'm sorry that your bike club had that rule, because maybe if they didn't then there would be one less of your type we have to deal with. Obviously my soccer training and other sports, in addition to riding a bike thousands of miles before a bike helmet was even thought of has prepared me well for my riding style. I'm sorry that you have made me decide to lower myself to this name calling stupidity. I apologize to everybody else, also. It just could be possible that some of those jerks that ended up in your care, maybe not with head wounds, but other life threatening situations, ended up there because they had a helmet on, maybe your helmet keep you from being able to look back quickly, maybe your head was too hot to be able to make a good decision and you strayed into the other bike. Many things are possible, I only know what has happened to me and quite happy with the status quo. I've made it 50 some years riding a bike on the street, with very little damage. I tried a helmet and it was not for me. Label me a JERK. They say it takes one to know one.

I never have smoked anything in my life. I also eat healthy, watch my weight, exercise regularly, canoe, kayak, bike, row and check my blood pressure regularly. Must be a JERK is somebody that cares for themselves, gets the facts and makes good decisions. After all I lived through a rather deadly motorcycle accident by making a good quick decision. I think you should make a good decision and shut up.

[Don C L]

Well, I didn't think I'd admit it (hoping I'd be out of sight by the time it was needed,) but, uh, I have a kayaking helmet stashed in my boat. OK there I said it. But it is for a heavy weather day and it is because I did bash my head quite well (on land) a few years back and I think you are only allowed one good bashing. My boom is kind of low and I seem to hit everything on my boat with my head anyway.