"JAXAshby" wrote in message
...
btw, rhys, have *you* ever purposely spun an airplane?(indeed, do you even
know
how?) Wendy has, for the fun of it. She will do just fine as a sailor.

Flying is flying, and sailing is sailing. I think they are two different
and distinct skill sets, and proficiency in one will not necessarily
indicate proficiency in the other, navigation notwithsanding. While events
occur much more rapidly in an airplane than in a boat, what is more
important is that the dimensional and situational aspects are completely
different, and thus require different skill sets. I can fly. I can't sail-
haven't got a clue what to do when decision time rolls around as regards
reefing, what sail to set, etc. The fact that I was able to learn how to
fly indicates that I might be able to learn how to sail. No more, no less.

Wendy

On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 19:18:13 GMT, Rosalie B.
wrote:


There are lots of teachers in lots of places that are teaching lots of
stuff that 'ain't so'. It's a hazard of life, and not particular to
the USCGX or the USPS or any other venue. One of my children's 5th
grade teachers taught them that the blood in the veins is actually
bright blue like in the illustrations. And some songs teach that a
square is not a rectangle.

One of the things that one does is to integrate what one already knows
into what they are telling you and if it doesn't compute, you question
them until they admit defeat!!! (or throw you out of class - I had one
teacher in a course I took as an adult that said I was every teacher's
nightmare)


I took a CGAUX course in the late 1970s, when I had been sailing for
15 years. I learned quite a bit. I had previously taken a Coastal
Navigation course at the American Museum of Nat Hist. I got a second
instructor because the class was oversubscribed, and I got taught some
that wasn't so.

However, by that time I could tell. The text was Duttons.

I joined the auxiliary and taught until this year, when I retired. The
requirements added on by Homeland Security were getting to be a bit
much.

I never got a uniform.

The Aux courses, and the similar USPS courses, teach far more than
many people know who buy a boat and go. Especially with motor boats,
but also with club racing sailboats.

In all the time I taught, Nobody (except me :-) ever aced the test.
Even my wife got one question wrong.

Still, such a course mainly exposes you to a series of topics that
anyone should know a lot more about, but it also guides the student
toward further learning.

The problem of people teaching things that aren't so, or are
oversimplified enough to be misleading, is everywhere.It is
exacerbated by volunteer instructors. But it isn't bad enough to make
the courses worthless.


Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a

The meme for blind faith secures its own perpetuation by the
simple unconscious expedient of discouraging rational inquiry.
- Richard Dawkins, "Viruses of the Mind"

On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 19:18:13 GMT, Rosalie B.
wrote:


There are lots of teachers in lots of places that are teaching lots of
stuff that 'ain't so'. It's a hazard of life, and not particular to
the USCGX or the USPS or any other venue. One of my children's 5th
grade teachers taught them that the blood in the veins is actually
bright blue like in the illustrations. And some songs teach that a
square is not a rectangle.

One of the things that one does is to integrate what one already knows
into what they are telling you and if it doesn't compute, you question
them until they admit defeat!!! (or throw you out of class - I had one
teacher in a course I took as an adult that said I was every teacher's
nightmare)


I took a CGAUX course in the late 1970s, when I had been sailing for
15 years. I learned quite a bit. I had previously taken a Coastal
Navigation course at the American Museum of Nat Hist. I got a second
instructor because the class was oversubscribed, and I got taught some
that wasn't so.

However, by that time I could tell. The text was Duttons.

I joined the auxiliary and taught until this year, when I retired. The
requirements added on by Homeland Security were getting to be a bit
much.

I never got a uniform.

The Aux courses, and the similar USPS courses, teach far more than
many people know who buy a boat and go. Especially with motor boats,
but also with club racing sailboats.

In all the time I taught, Nobody (except me :-) ever aced the test.
Even my wife got one question wrong.

Still, such a course mainly exposes you to a series of topics that
anyone should know a lot more about, but it also guides the student
toward further learning.

The problem of people teaching things that aren't so, or are
oversimplified enough to be misleading, is everywhere.It is
exacerbated by volunteer instructors. But it isn't bad enough to make
the courses worthless.


Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a

The meme for blind faith secures its own perpetuation by the
simple unconscious expedient of discouraging rational inquiry.
- Richard Dawkins, "Viruses of the Mind"

On Sat, 31 Jan 2004 03:32:13 GMT, "Wendy"
wrote:


"JAXAshby" wrote in message
...
btw, rhys, have *you* ever purposely spun an airplane?(indeed, do you even
know
how?) Wendy has, for the fun of it. She will do just fine as a sailor.

Flying is flying, and sailing is sailing. I think they are two different
and distinct skill sets, and proficiency in one will not necessarily
indicate proficiency in the other, navigation notwithsanding. While events
occur much more rapidly in an airplane than in a boat, what is more
important is that the dimensional and situational aspects are completely
different, and thus require different skill sets. I can fly. I can't sail-
haven't got a clue what to do when decision time rolls around as regards
reefing, what sail to set, etc. The fact that I was able to learn how to
fly indicates that I might be able to learn how to sail. No more, no less.

You will be able to learn to sail. It is flying (gliding) at the
boundary between two fluids, with foils scaled to fit the fluid. But
Please!! learn to sail before you start worrying about what kind of
boat you want.

You will learn to sail fastest in a boat barely big enough to hold
you. That is because you will feel the effect of everything you do
very soon.




Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a

The meme for blind faith secures its own perpetuation by the
simple unconscious expedient of discouraging rational inquiry.
- Richard Dawkins, "Viruses of the Mind"

On Sat, 31 Jan 2004 03:32:13 GMT, "Wendy"
wrote:


"JAXAshby" wrote in message
...
btw, rhys, have *you* ever purposely spun an airplane?(indeed, do you even
know
how?) Wendy has, for the fun of it. She will do just fine as a sailor.

Flying is flying, and sailing is sailing. I think they are two different
and distinct skill sets, and proficiency in one will not necessarily
indicate proficiency in the other, navigation notwithsanding. While events
occur much more rapidly in an airplane than in a boat, what is more
important is that the dimensional and situational aspects are completely
different, and thus require different skill sets. I can fly. I can't sail-
haven't got a clue what to do when decision time rolls around as regards
reefing, what sail to set, etc. The fact that I was able to learn how to
fly indicates that I might be able to learn how to sail. No more, no less.

You will be able to learn to sail. It is flying (gliding) at the
boundary between two fluids, with foils scaled to fit the fluid. But
Please!! learn to sail before you start worrying about what kind of
boat you want.

You will learn to sail fastest in a boat barely big enough to hold
you. That is because you will feel the effect of everything you do
very soon.




Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a

The meme for blind faith secures its own perpetuation by the
simple unconscious expedient of discouraging rational inquiry.
- Richard Dawkins, "Viruses of the Mind"

"Wendy" wrote in message
vers.com...
Hi-

I'm new to this group, and while I have done some archive digging I have a
few questions I was hoping I might get some answers to. Specifically, I
am
interested in a sailboat in the 35'-40' range that is suitable for serious
offshore work to include transatlantic crossings. The boat should be easy
to sail, obviously well-built, preferably sloop-rigged, and (here's the
catch!) around $80,000 or so. I would live aboard the boat- I'm single
with
no kids- while building up a cruising kitty. I am going to look at a 1990
34' Pacific Seacraft this weekend; at $99,000 it is more than I would like
to pay but perhaps it's negotiable. There is also a 1985 Cheoy Lee
Pedrick
36 (yes, I know about the teak decks) at $60,000 that has caught my eye.
Obviously one gets what one pays for, and the Seacraft is no doubt the
better boat, but is the Cheoy Lee suitable for serious passages? I know
Westsail is a definite possibility, but what other boats should I consider
based on my plans and price range?

http://www.mahina.com/cruise.html#boats4cruising

John Neal's site (expedition sailing adventures) has a very good list of
boats that he considers suitable for offshore trips. I tend to agree with
most of his choices and comments.


--
Evan Gatehouse

you'll have to rewrite my email address to get to me
ceilydh AT 3web dot net
(fools the spammers)

"Wendy" wrote in message
vers.com...
Hi-

I'm new to this group, and while I have done some archive digging I have a
few questions I was hoping I might get some answers to. Specifically, I
am
interested in a sailboat in the 35'-40' range that is suitable for serious
offshore work to include transatlantic crossings. The boat should be easy
to sail, obviously well-built, preferably sloop-rigged, and (here's the
catch!) around $80,000 or so. I would live aboard the boat- I'm single
with
no kids- while building up a cruising kitty. I am going to look at a 1990
34' Pacific Seacraft this weekend; at $99,000 it is more than I would like
to pay but perhaps it's negotiable. There is also a 1985 Cheoy Lee
Pedrick
36 (yes, I know about the teak decks) at $60,000 that has caught my eye.
Obviously one gets what one pays for, and the Seacraft is no doubt the
better boat, but is the Cheoy Lee suitable for serious passages? I know
Westsail is a definite possibility, but what other boats should I consider
based on my plans and price range?

http://www.mahina.com/cruise.html#boats4cruising

John Neal's site (expedition sailing adventures) has a very good list of
boats that he considers suitable for offshore trips. I tend to agree with
most of his choices and comments.


--
Evan Gatehouse

you'll have to rewrite my email address to get to me
ceilydh AT 3web dot net
(fools the spammers)

"JAXAshby" wrote in message
...
hey, rhys, NO one suggested you were forced to buy the "Japanese Standard"
in
condoms. You wanted a center cockpit boat, you got one. Live with it.
Motor
with it. Enjoy the large aft stateroom/small salon. It was your choice.

Small point, but rhys doesn't have a centre cockpit boat and didn't say he
did. He does have an Ontario Viking 33, an older C&C design with an aft
cockpit. He did say he has a friend with a centre cockpit. I suppose I'm
about to get flamed for pointing out the obvious...
--
Ken Heaton & Anne Tobin
Cape Breton Island, Canada
kenheaton AT ess wye dee DOT eastlink DOT ca

"JAXAshby" wrote in message
...
hey, rhys, NO one suggested you were forced to buy the "Japanese Standard"
in
condoms. You wanted a center cockpit boat, you got one. Live with it.
Motor
with it. Enjoy the large aft stateroom/small salon. It was your choice.

Small point, but rhys doesn't have a centre cockpit boat and didn't say he
did. He does have an Ontario Viking 33, an older C&C design with an aft
cockpit. He did say he has a friend with a centre cockpit. I suppose I'm
about to get flamed for pointing out the obvious...
--
Ken Heaton & Anne Tobin
Cape Breton Island, Canada
kenheaton AT ess wye dee DOT eastlink DOT ca

"Rodney Myrvaagnes" wrote in message
...

You will learn to sail fastest in a boat barely big enough to hold
you. That is because you will feel the effect of everything you do
very soon.

Yah, I've got a 17' Hobie Cat now- very fast, very twitchy. It's the sport
model, with no jib, but it's loads of fun. I've learned a lot on it ("how
to upright your catmaran" was the first lesson I'd just like to step up
to something a bit more serious.

Wendy