"DSK" wrote in message
...
Is that how far apart your destinations are, or how many miles over
ground, or miles thru the water?

Donal wrote:
Miles through water.

I don't have an accurate count on that, the dinghies don't have a log,
the H19 knot log keeps getting stuck & the tugboat has only a primitive
GPS.


My longest leg so far has been St. Malo, which was about 150 miles.

That would be a good sail. Are you planning to do another Round The
Island race?

Not this year. My main motivation for doing it in the past was to get
experience. I would now like to do some winter racing, which can be very
competitive.

I'm really a cruising sailor, but I like to try to get the best out of the
boat. So I view racing as a means to sharpen my skills.




Last year, I had my worst sailing season ever. A combination of work,
and
private commitments conspired to prevent me getting out on the water. I
think that I only did about 500 miles.

The year before, I only missed two weekends between the middle of
February
and the end of October.

When do you haul out?

I usually have the boat out for 3-4 days to get her antifouled, the shaft
anode replaced, the cutlass bearing checked and the hull polished. It was
done 3 weeks ago.

I like to have her in the water through the winter, because we can get some
beautiful sailing. We have some days where the air is crystal clear, the
sun shines, and the Solent is empty. If you don't mind the cold, then it is
absolutely fantastic.





I'm determined to get more sailing in this year. However, I have two
teenage sons who have discovered that girls are interesting. When I
ask
the family if they would like to go for a sail, I just get grunted at!!!
[sigh]

Grunt back. Get a club.

Believe me, I'm tempted!


Better yet, get one of them to invite a girl
sailing. In my experience women find sailing very romantic (at least, up
until it involves throwing up).


I will force the issue(a bit) this year.


Regards


Donal
--

wrote in message
...
On Fri, 14 May 2004 23:24:54 +0100, "Donal" wrote:

*IF* you spend less that 50% of the time with the engine running, then
you
either sail in an area with fantastic breezes, or you may be
overestimating
the time that you are running under sail alone.

Wow, are you ever way off the mark! I'm beginning to think that you really
have
a Mac26x, not a Benetofu. That's the only explanation I can think of.

That's because you're not very bright.


I sail after work quite often. I have to motor in and out of my marina
down a
channel. It never amounts to more than 10 minutes of motoring each way.
That's
20 minutes of motoring, which even as part of a very short sail of two or
three
hours does not come remotely close to your estimates. Once I'm out of the
channel, it is very rare that the motor gets used. When it does, it's for
a
couple of minutes to get over to where the breeze appears to be.

What kind of sailing do you do? And what kind of boat do you have?

Most of my sailing is not of the "after work" variety. I would dearly love
to be able to do this, but the marina is an 80 minute drive. So most of my
sailing is at weekends. Usually there is a destination involved. If the
destination is closed at certain states of the tide, or if we need to get
somewhere for a meal, then the engine may be needed.



Regards


Donal
--

Bobsprit wrote:
I'd say last summer I can count on one hand

That's because you do most things with one hand.

... the days where we had no wind.

Funny, LIS is notorious for summer doldrums. I guess you must have your
own supply of wind?

... The
worst times were we were on trips.

Didn't know you were a Deadhead, boobsie. That would explain many things.

DSK

... the days where we had no wind.

Funny, LIS is notorious for summer doldrums. I guess you must have your
own supply of wind?

Not every year is the same. I remember a couple of summers with the Catalina
that were really dead. Last few years have been excellent, even in August.

RB