TillermanThe current forecast on Sailflow for frostbiting in Bristol on Saturday afternoon is 15mph gusting to 47mph.
I’m currently trying to figure out what my feelings about sailing in 47 mph gusts should be.
Could be any of the following…
1. Gusting to 47 mph? Are you crazy. Why isn’t sailing cancelled?
2, Holy shit – we’re all going to die.
3. What if the mast breaks? (Oh wait, I forgot. I sail an RS Aero now. Not that other boat.)
4. How could the gusts possibly be three times as strong as the base wind speed?
5. I’ll go sailing and just concentrate on not capsizing. It will be good experience.
6. Sailflow could be wrong. It will probably be 35 gusting 50.
7. Are there any new movies on Netflix?
The man who decides stuff must read my blog. Racing is cancelled this week.
I am starting to get cabin fever. I haven’t been sailing since last year.
My experience of Aero winter sailing, gained over some four winters to this last, is it’s either a cold light wind 9 rig day, or a warmer with strong wind 5 rig day; 9or 5 sailing!!
This winter I’ve added another option – cancelled – as has most of February and so far early March – making 9 or 5 or cancelled!!
Which reminds me of the catamaran sailor I crewed with for eight years who when I first met him said; “I sail the whole season from late March through to the Grafham Grand Prix, always the 1st Sunday after Christmas, then I take three months away from sailing!!
In that interval I would ‘boat tart’ with other helms.
It’s eighteen years now since we stopped sailing together: in my later years I’m thinking maybe he had something in that schedule?
It’s been a bit like that in Rhode Island this winter too. Lots of days cancelled because of being too cold or too windy or no wind. A few of my friends have moved their boats to Florida for a couple of months and are flying down to do RS Aero regattas there.
Yep, going to get me one of these RS’s and sail it whether its cold on the water or not!
That’s the spirit!