morgandlm
regular
Reged: 03/03/2005
Posts: 211
Loc: Essex
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Had a great day out sailing in The Blackwater today ..... until I left SWMBO on the helm while I went for'ard to tidy up a mooring line ( I should have done it before). We encountered a bit if a gust and instead of luffing up she tried to fight the tendency to luff and tried to bear away - we didn't get knocked down but we certainly got "very tippy". The situation was quickly resolved but she had a fright and got upset. This after years of trying to gently break her in to sailing and convince her it's fun. I'm not sure what happens next. At the moment she doesn't even want to talk about it. Any suggestions please? Morgan
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curve
regular
Reged: 09/02/2008
Posts: 866
Loc: North by Northwest
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More experience of the same.
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Searush
regular
Reged: 14/10/2006
Posts: 3716
Loc: k up if caught.
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Ask her if she has learned a useful lesson or will she just hide under the bedclothes?
-------------------- Boaty junk clogging up your shed or lockers? Chuck it in Marinaskip
Want a used bike, spares or repairs in Staffordshire? Visit http://back2bikes.org.uk/
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JasB
regular
Reged: 28/10/2005
Posts: 916
Loc: Harwich
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I have the same problem, first the boat started sinking near a shipping channel (so we thought...the water pump had come disconnected, and as far as she was concerned, we were sinking), then the engine packed up when going down the twizzle at walton, needed a tow, then I blew myself up with petrol in the bilge...now I think persuading her to come sailing with me may be a lost cause...in fact, I am not too keen either! Fortunately, I have a 20 year old son who is keen, and I have given up on the Wife as a lost cause, perhaps I should do the same with the boat?
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Conrad
regular
Reged: 30/03/2008
Posts: 81
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Not easy, my wife got more comfortable when the fear left my face and water on gunnels became a regular occurence.
So as someone said more of the same, as you both learn the boats limits it doesn't get such a worry.
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JasB
regular
Reged: 28/10/2005
Posts: 916
Loc: Harwich
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Quote:
when the fear left my face
Not an easy trick to pull off!
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robstracey
regular
Reged: 27/04/2002
Posts: 313
Loc: North Shields, Tyne and Wear.
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Start by actually teachin the lass to sail, thats what i have been doing with future SWMBO, and it seems to be working, as she is really getting the hang of it. The trick seems to be to start off on really calm sunny days when the boat will hardly move at all, so she learns to get the best from the canvass, then move on the the awkward stuff.
Next weeks lesson for my future mrs is reefing, that should be fun.
-------------------- Rob.
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Krew2
regular
Reged: 20/01/2005
Posts: 2066
Loc: Dorset
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When I feel it's getting a bit too tippy I tend to bear away and spill some wind, letting the boat luff up in strong gusts can surely lead to a broach.
-------------------- I'm not racy and I aint no lady
Before I can trade up I need to sell see here
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LakeSailor
regular
Reged: 15/02/2005
Posts: 26355
Loc: ation : Lake District
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I thought it was just me. I've usually found the act of luffing up makes the boat heel more until the sails stall. I have found in my little boats that maintaining my course seems the better option. Heels a touch more, but it's stable.
If it's really bad I just slacken the mainsheet a little.
-------------------- If I can misunderstand, I will misunderstand.
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Avocet
regular
Reged: 03/06/2001
Posts: 1227
Loc: Cumbria
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I have a daughter who is scared of "leany-over" boats. We have a radio controlled model yacht and she really took to sailing that. Afterwards I asked her if she noticed that no matter how much it leaned over, it never went right over and she asked if our boat would be like that. The answer seemed to comfort her a great deal. Unfortunately, with the boat out of the water, I can't see if it's made any difference!
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