I’ve been sailing dinghies on and off for about 40 years, which co-incidentally is also how long I’ve been involved in Buddhism ( though also a bit on and off! ).
I got back into sailing again this year, having bought an old Laser, and have been enjoying the elements - sun, wind, water and space. It’s quite meditative at times, feeling at one with the boat and the wind.
I also have a sit-on-top kayak which I took out to sea last year, nice just to relax and feel the waves move underneath.
Anyone else into water sports, or just mucking around on the water?
I used to surf quite a bit, although now I do it more sporadically. I was taking some sailing lessons out in a harbor on Lido 14s which was pretty fun until I tweaked my back from being crouched underneath the boomvang for so long. I’d like to sail again, although I might need to do it in a boat where I’m not bent over so much of the time. I love the ocean though, and staring out at the horizon, I always feel called to head out towards it, off into the endless beyond.
California sounds like a nice place to sail - I’m on the east Coast of England, next to the cold North Sea!
You mention being crouched underneath the boomvang, were you crewing/observing? Laser sailing can be hard on your back and knees, though I don’t move around so much these days, I’m a lazy sailor.
Right on, California is a nice place to sail surf etc., although in defense of the cold, I think I like the ocean more in winter. Although my winter is much warmer than yours.
And yeah, I was crewing/observing, my second favorite thing to do on a 1-2 man boat.
Once you’ve learned the basics then a single-hander like a Laser might suit you - old ones are quite cheap, I got mine for £150, she was built in 1975.
It’s a lovely way to experience the natural world. I sometime crew on larger boats when I’m in the mood for some company. I’m currently doing a power-boat course at my local sailing club, as I’ve volunteered to help on the safety-boat. Tomorrow we get to drive a RIB really fast, like in the James Bond films.
We had great fun on the power-boat course today, high-speed planing runs and fast turns on a river. I think we worried some swans and hire-boats though.
I sailed my Laser today for the first time this year, gorgeous weather and enough wind to make it interesting. She’s a very old boat (1975) but basically sound, and quite exciting at times.
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