[NE Sailboat]

Dennis ,, you convinced me!

I have a Trek road bike. It is an old favorite. Very light.

I will figure out a plan for taking it aboard. Probably use two bags. One
bag = front wheel and equipment. Second bag = the remainder of the bicycle.

As you wrote,, the hard part seems to be the getting and going. How to get
the bicycle to the boat and how to get the bicycle off the boat.

But ,, it will be worth it .. I know that.


Planning ... always planning ..


========================
"Dennis Pogson" wrote in message
...
John wrote:
On Apr 30, 1:15 pm, "NE Sailboat" wrote:
I know there are foldup bicycles, etc .. but .. what about an old
banger ..

How can one attach? Or store?

Any thoughts?

Something else to think about . . . unlike most things in your boat
which are corrossion resistant (note I did not say corrossion proof)
to some degree or another . . . bicycles begin to rust almost
immediately unless you really stay after them. I grew up a few blocks
for the ocean and had more than a few friends riding "solid rust"
bicycles. Even such things as the springs beneath the seat (saddle?)
would rust. Nowadays with composite frames, small or no fenders, and
a lot less chrome, this might be less of an issue.

Happy trails.

John

Yet another myth to explode.

As an ex racing cyclist-turned-sailor I explored the possibilty of
cruising
with 2 very expensive racing machines in the early eighties. Being
involved
in waterproof clothing manufacture led me to design 2 custom zip-on
waterproof covers for the bikes, but there are other solutions if your
boat
is roomy enough. On our 34-footer we usually tied the bikes across the
stern, and in rough weather were able to pass them down below. We once
took
4 bikes and crew to the Isle of Man during TT Race week and cycled round
the
course after the racing, a little congested aboard the sailboat if I
remember correctly, but it was worth it!

We cruised extensivly off the West of Scotland for about ten seasons, and
never went anywhere without the bikes.

Rust was not a problem, due to the extensive use of alloys throughout
racing
bikes, also we were fastidious to the point of madness in keeping the
machines salt-free.

The biggest broblem with expensive bikes at sea is not rust, or oxidation,
but getting the bikes to and from the boat in anchorages which have no
marina-style pontoons, which, as you may guess are plentiful in the West
of
Scotland.

We usually solved this by one of us stepping into the dinghy, fitting the
outboard, then the other crew handing down the bikes, which were laid flat
across the front of the dinghy and held together with a bungee plus a
tight
grip from the first mate! We developed a system which worked, to everyone
else's consternation, and became the talk of the cruising fraternity off
the
West Coast. Sailors dressed in Lycra are a rarity, you must agree!

Obviously if the wind and waves were too bad, we would abort or delay our
departure, but I can honestly say this was rare. (who would choose a
stormy
anchorage for an overnight stay anyway?).

We cycled round virtually every beautiful inhabited island on the West
Coast
over a period of some ten years, and I can honestly say the pleasure of
cruising was increased tenfold, despite the extra hard work involved in
the
maintenance and conveyance of the bikes. Traffic-free roads, and magical
scenery, made it all worthwhile.

I'm now too old to think about taking myself, let alone the bikes, to sea
again, but if you are young and fit, try it. You don't know what your are
missing! You will discover places and meet people you never knew existed,
beautiful bays, white sandy beaches, completely deserted, and will wish
you
had done this years ago!

Oh, lest I forget, a dram of the local Malt Whisky tasted just as good
ashore as on board!

Dennis.