Yeah, I was struggling to remember a "worst" sailing experience... capsizing
a catamaran in the surf, stuff like that, but couldn't really think of one
until I saw this. Then, I remembered the mosquito attack in Baja (a place I
don't normally associate with bad mosquitos). Finally went ashore, rented a
room, and turned the fan on high to keep them away. Nothing else worked.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"Scout" wrote in message
. ..
"Joe" wrote in message
oups.com...
For me a December night/morning 03:00 or so and my boat got a net
tangled in the wheel. It was under 30 degrees. We were offshore about 5
miles, luckly it was calm as glass. Only way out was to jump in and cut
the net from the prop. Having to jump in freezing water stay under
until I finished the job and then climbing aboard covered with frost
was the very very worst and painful memory sailing for me. Even being
washed over in freezing water was more enjoyable. What sucks about it
is knowing beforehand you have to get in, reminds me of when Bogie has
to get back in the water to tow the africian queen knowing leaches are
going to be all over him.

The boat had no heat, and all I had to swim in was shorts. After all
that pain and work the strut snapped and we had to be towed up the
Holma Navigational canal by a shrimper later that day.

What a nightmare that trip was.

What was your worst trip/ adventure. David is exempt, we all read
his;0)

Joe

Mine happened 35 years ago. I was out exploring, sailing my little 12
Styrofoam boat up a creek, a few miles from where Dad anchored our cabin
cruiser at the south end of long beach island, NJ. The wind was minimal, I
was up the creek without a paddle, which was fine, until hordes of
mosquitoes descended upon me, thousands and thousands, and I with no
shirt, no shoes, just a bathing suit, fed cities of the little *******s
before I could get back to the mother ship. It may explain why I get so
much joy in watching those blood suckers fly into my zapper. Look at 'em
fry - yeah baby!!
Scout

Capt. JG wrote:
Yeah, I was struggling to remember a "worst" sailing experience... capsizing
a catamaran in the surf, stuff like that, but couldn't really think of one
until I saw this. Then, I remembered the mosquito attack in Baja (a place I
don't normally associate with bad mosquitos). Finally went ashore, rented a
room, and turned the fan on high to keep them away. Nothing else worked.


Probably my worst sailing adventure ever was breaking a
Lightning mast about 40 seconds before the start of a race.
It was just plain stupidity on my part, and good luck that
nobody got hurt.

All my sailing experiences have been great. The ones that
might seem not-so-great are really great learning
opportunites, like the time I had to paddle a 21' auxiliary
racer/cruiser about 7 miles (absolutely no breath of wind)
because I couldn't start the engine... which didn't have the
fuel hose properly attached. Or the time my wife & I
capsized the Johnson 18 (for real, not a drill) in March
while trying to luff the spinnaker around a reaching mark
that was just a little too high. Learning experience! If you
survive enough of them, you get to be a pretty good sailor.

DSK

Or, me removing the mast from my Windrider tri's mast step, and it's a bit
ackward, so I step back to steady myself and it's still swaying, so I step
back again, but that's not enough, so I step back some more... right off the
dock with the mast in hand. :-)

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"DSK" wrote in message
...
Capt. JG wrote:
Yeah, I was struggling to remember a "worst" sailing experience...
capsizing a catamaran in the surf, stuff like that, but couldn't really
think of one until I saw this. Then, I remembered the mosquito attack in
Baja (a place I don't normally associate with bad mosquitos). Finally
went ashore, rented a room, and turned the fan on high to keep them away.
Nothing else worked.


Probably my worst sailing adventure ever was breaking a Lightning mast
about 40 seconds before the start of a race. It was just plain stupidity
on my part, and good luck that nobody got hurt.

All my sailing experiences have been great. The ones that might seem
not-so-great are really great learning opportunites, like the time I had
to paddle a 21' auxiliary racer/cruiser about 7 miles (absolutely no
breath of wind) because I couldn't start the engine... which didn't have
the fuel hose properly attached. Or the time my wife & I capsized the
Johnson 18 (for real, not a drill) in March while trying to luff the
spinnaker around a reaching mark that was just a little too high. Learning
experience! If you survive enough of them, you get to be a pretty good
sailor.

DSK

Capt. JG wrote:
Or, me removing the mast from my Windrider tri's mast step, and it's a bit
ackward, so I step back to steady myself and it's still swaying, so I step
back again, but that's not enough, so I step back some more... right off the
dock with the mast in hand. :-)


Heh heh I've done that with a Laser mast...

DSK

DSK wrote:

Probably my worst sailing adventure ever was breaking a Lightning mast
about 40 seconds before the start of a race. It was just plain stupidity
on my part, and good luck that nobody got hurt.

All my sailing experiences have been great...

I agree, not having had a major disaster I can't recall a "worst"
experience. Your dismasting reminds how fine the line is between
exhilaration and depression sometimes is. One of my most exiting
rides was on an IOD, crewing for the fleet wizard in Marblehead, when
the wind gusted up from 20 knots to 30 during the spinnaker run. We
had a great ride, but the fleet behind us got hit just a they popped
the chutes and several got dismasted. Their problems gave us the
advance warning we needed to prepare.

Also, some of my best experiences have been the worst for the rest of
my family, who suffer a bit in heavy weather. I got mine some years
back ('78?) following Hurricane David. We had been out for a week and
survived the hurricane without drama, but I had to dive to retrieve an
anchor that was fouled. Water temp was frigid, so it took me a day to
recover and I ended up with an ear infection. When we returned I got
a call from friends that had had their worst ever experience during
the hurricane, almost losing the boat in a small harbor in Nova
Scotia, and they needed my help to bring the boat back from Maine. I
threw clean cloths in my bag and grabbed the next small plane Down
East. The sail back was uneventful, but the ear infection meant that
I was low grade sea sick the entire time. I was unable to go forward
for fear of falling off. I have little recollection of the trip other
than sleeping in the bunk and felt I was more of a burden than a help.
My friends, of course, say that they never could have done it
without me, and consider that return trip a bright spot in their
vacation. Everyone has a different perception of events!

Jeff wrote:
I agree, not having had a major disaster I can't recall a "worst"
experience. Your dismasting reminds how fine the line is between
exhilaration and depression sometimes is. One of my most exiting rides
was on an IOD, crewing for the fleet wizard in Marblehead, when the wind
gusted up from 20 knots to 30 during the spinnaker run. We had a great
ride, but the fleet behind us got hit just a they popped the chutes and
several got dismasted. Their problems gave us the advance warning we
needed to prepare.


Sounds like that might have been somebody else's "worst
sailing experience" that day. You're right about a little
warning making a big difference, too.




... I got a
call from friends that had had their worst ever experience during the
hurricane, almost losing the boat in a small harbor in Nova Scotia, and
they needed my help to bring the boat back from Maine. I threw clean
cloths in my bag and grabbed the next small plane Down East. The sail
back was uneventful, but the ear infection meant that I was low grade
sea sick the entire time.

Ouch!

I was unable to go forward for fear of
falling off. I have little recollection of the trip other than sleeping
in the bunk and felt I was more of a burden than a help. My friends, of
course, say that they never could have done it without me, and consider
that return trip a bright spot in their vacation. Everyone has a
different perception of events!


They were having fun playing pranks on you while you were
asleep.

It may be that the extra pair of hands in the cockpit were
welcome and your presence gave them renewed confidence.
Makes a BIG difference especially after a crisis.

DSK

DSK