Greetings from the Austrian Alps

[GreyRaven]

Hi.

I’ve just returned from Port Dickson, Malaysia where I took into possession a Warwick Cardinal Centre Cockpit 46. She’s a most lovely cutter, the first yacht I’ve owned, and I spent a few intense days there familiarizing myself with her inventory, instruments and equipment.

A friend of mine, who is also a member of this board, suggested I drop by, take a look and consider joining. So I did, liked what I saw and here I am. I'm looking forward to enjoying many good reads and learning more from all of you and your experiences.

Kind regards,

GR

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha GR,
Welcome aboard!! Good to have you here. That's a big boat. I've sailed Celestial 46 and Cal 2-46 (both ketches). Both center cockpit boats. I'm not familiar with the Cardinal.
Hope you enjoy your "new" boat and this forum.
Kind Regards,
JohnL

[SkiprJohn]

P. S.
I've visited Innsbruck and the Jungfrau. Beautiful!!
JohnL

[GreyRaven]

Thank you for the welcome.

Indeed, she is quite similar to the Celestial in design. Here is a link to “Spirit” which provides a good overview:

HowisonMarine

From the onset I’ve been quite impressed with how strongly built she is and the nearest comparison I can make puts her in the Swan category. Am very much looking forward to spending the next couple of years sailing in SE Asia with her.

I hope the link works.

[GreyRaven]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

P. S.
I've visited Innsbruck and the Jungfrau. Beautiful!!
JohnL

I take it that the “Jungfrau” you visited was in the Tessin, Switzerland and mountainous in nature, although some can be found in Innsbruck (with similar characteristics) as well, to be sure.

Agreed, the Alps are quite beautiful and it’s a wonderful place to raise children. The down side, of course, is the distance to the sea. It’s a six hour drive to St. Giorgio in Italy and the Adriatic. Nonetheless, I live on a 13 km long Alpine lake and sail a Norwegian Yngling there between May and October, with mountains towering on all sides. The thermal conditions they produce make for interesting sailing.

[SkiprJohn]

Oops, Sorry. I didn't mean to place the Jungfrau in Austria. I just got my countries a little mixed up. The last time I was there was mid 70s. It was the time when a new Mercedes Coupe could have been boughten for $3600 USD.
I learned to sail on Chiemsee in 72 and, yes, I do know that Chiemsee is Germany. I remember Salzburg pretty well. It really is a beautiful city. The Yngling looks a bit like a mini-Soling? Fun sailing boats and I'll bet the higher lakes are a challange.
Thanks for helping me remember.
Kind Regards,
JohnL

[libellula]

GR
Sweet boat
please keep us posted!

[GreyRaven]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

Oops, Sorry. I didn't mean to place the Jungfrau in Austria. I just got my countries a little mixed up. The last time I was there was mid 70s. It was the time when a new Mercedes Coupe could have been boughten for $3600 USD.
I learned to sail on Chiemsee in 72 and, yes, I do know that Chiemsee is Germany. I remember Salzburg pretty well. It really is a beautiful city. The Yngling looks a bit like a mini-Soling? Fun sailing boats and I'll bet the higher lakes are a challange.
Thanks for helping me remember.
Kind Regards,
JohnL

As far as car prices are concerned, those certainly were the days. BMW’s haven’t gotten any cheaper either.

That’s right, the Yngling has many similarities with the somewhat larger Soling although they are just 18 ft. long. We bought ours used in 1988 (ours is OE 47, a very old one built in Norway) and we took part in many regattas with some success. The most important thing for me was that I learned to sail and handle a small sailboat well before certifying for the larger ones. For having taken that road, I am everlastingly grateful.

When I did move on to water sailing">blue water sailing, my training was of the “old school”. At that time GPS was still a twinkle in God’s eye and the other systems were nearly unaffordable. So we learned to navigate the Mediterranean using terrestrial navigation, keeping 24 hr. watches, plotting on paper charts, searching for those lighthouses throughout the night till they finally came over the horizon and the exact position could be determined. It was a lot more work, but we loved it. Despite the plotters which are available and we now use, I still refuse to only rely on the “high tech” solutions. The chart is always there on the table. And my course is there on it - in pencil.

I suppose I’m a bit old fashioned. Yet the crews I have trained, who have in turn become skippers in their own right, come back to me and confirm that only by learning it the “old way” can one really appreciate and understand the “new way”, while keeping their boats safe and on course.

For what more can one ask?

[GreyRaven]

Originally Posted by libellula

GR
Sweet boat
please keep us posted!

Yes, I know.

When I described her in my first posting I called her “lovely” and after hitting the enter key regretted it. After the fact, I thought I should have used another word, especially on a forum populated by so many “old salts” and tough sailors.

Yet, that is what she is - lovely. And I spoke from the heart.

The hardest thing for me right now is knowing that my ship is berthed over 5000 miles away from where I am, on the other side of the world. It takes me nearly 24 hours to fly to her, through 9 time zones. Yet, she’s mine and I love her. And if I could drive 24 hours down the Yugoslavian coast to Dubrovnik to go sailing in the past, I can fly that distance to be with my lady now.

The difference is, the ships in Dubrovnik were only mine for a week. “Spirit” will be mine forever. Viva la difference.

[SkiprJohn]

I still have a good sextant, buy a nautical almanac each year and have paper charts. Won't leave homeport with 'em.
JohnL

[swagman]

Welcome matey,
Glad to see any new member on the site and hope you find it as useful, informative and as much fun as I do.
Sail safe
JOHN

[GreyRaven]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

I still have a good sextant, buy a nautical almanac each year and have paper charts. Won't leave homeport with 'em.
JohnL

I’ve still got to get myself a sextant. There’s a Cassen and Plath I’ve got in my sights but perhaps a plastic one will do as well. Last time I practiced was somewhere off the coast of Corsica. The position I determined placed my ship somewhat to the East of Rome that day.

Got some serious practicing to do still, I believe.

[GreyRaven]

Originally Posted by swagman

Welcome matey,
Glad to see any new member on the site and hope you find it as useful, informative and as much fun as I do.
Sail safe
JOHN

Thanks, John.

I find the site very much as you describe it. Above all, for me at least, it’s simply good to be among like-minded, serious sailors.

Take care on your Westward journey.

Fair winds.

[Windgeist]

My wife is Austrian and we visit there almost every other year. Beautiful county!!!!! My wife and I had our first sail together on Mondsee, a lake between Salzburg and Linz.


and we got married here...Hohenwerfen Castle

[Lancerbye]

Welcome aboard from a displaced Canadian. I know what you mean about the hurt of being seperated from your boat by a long distance. I to am a long distance commuter when it comes to my boat. will see it at xmas and then again at the end of June for two months. Only 18 months left in this contract. Thank god.