How many Sailors here?

[Schock Therapy]

Given that rum is the traditional beverage of choice for sailors, I was curious as to how many sailors we have here! Are you a racer or a cruiser? What kind of boat have you got?

I have been racing for almost 20 years, on a wide variety of boats over the years. I currently have a '79 Santana 30 Tall Rig that serves as a family cruiser and occasional racer. I am a member of Deep Cove Yacht Club and Royal Vancouver Yacht Club.

Anyone else?

[captkeith]

I'm boatless at the moment. I favour traditional rigs and am particularly fond of schooners. I am a member of the Nova Scotia Schooner Association and try and sail in schooner race week in the summer. I worked aboard the Bluenose II for a couple of seasons in the mid 70s.

[rumdog007]

I captained 8 foot canoe at Rough River Boy Scout Camp (Kentucky) in 1959! No rum to find, back then, though. JTR.gif

Seriously, I do whatever I am told on a 42 footer out of Long Beach, CA whenever her owner is short a hand.

[Schock Therapy]

I would love to sail on a ship like the Bluenose! It would be very interesting to see how it is done in the old days! Sailing on a tall ship is also on my "things to do someday" list! My world is one of fibreglass, kevlar and carbon fibre. The closest thing to a "classic" I have sailed on was a '40s vintage 45 foot ketch called Margaret Rintoul down in Australia.

[The Scribe]

I was actually in Vancouver the other day, and passed the RVYC in Stanley Park. I am an active racer. I sail in the Collegiate Dinghy class (Larks, C420's, FJ's, Techs, Lasers, joined as a class to modify Rule 42b [I think it's 42b that is rolling, unless they changed it in the new rules, also, it's kind of sad that I can whip out rules like that, though only 10-21 and 42.]). That mainly covers Spring and Fall. In the summer I used to sail Beneteau FIRST305's, but now I am very active in the OPB class.

[Schock Therapy]

You saw the RVYC coal harbour docks, which is home to the power boat fleet with all the boathouses etc. The main clubhouse is on Jericho Beach, that is where you find most of the sailboat fleet.
I've never raced any dinghy classes, but I've had a laser out in a blow enough times to know how much fun they can be!
I am a fan of the OPB class myself! Most of my racing career has been on Other Peoples Boats! It is definitely the cheapest class to race in! I race my boat in casual club races, but I'm not prepared to spend the kind of $$ it would take to campaign my boat seriously. I can race on someone elses stripped out speed machine, while I keep my boat in cruise mode for those weekends away.

[Lew Barrett]

Ou host, Ed, is of course a world traveler of great fame, and lived on his cruising boat for many years.

I am a "sailor" in that I have a boat (actually four if you count my 13 foot pulling boat with footless sprit rig, two dingys and the big boat). But I must confess, my cruising boat is a power vessel. Before you get your panties bunched up at my nerve in posting to a sailing thread, know that my boat is a restored 1938 50 foot Monk design of the exact type sailors migrate to when they become coastal cruisers who no longer want to take it on the chin in all weathers. She makes a pleasant 8 or 9 knots without producing annoying wake, has all the charms of a pre war wooden boat, is long, low and lean, highly efficient and generally very easy on the eye. And, I know and respect the rules of the road, and curse know nothing Sea Rays and Bayliners when they ignore common courtesy, just as you would.

So welcome me as a brother under the skin!

[captkeith]

Even though I am a diehard schoonerman, I really enjoy the pure exhilartion of pure speed in a high performance boat. I would love to expirience topping 30 knots on one of those open 60s that are now entering the Atlantic in the Vendee Globe, mind you, with a crew of sailors and not single handed as these guys and gals are doing. A couple of hours or days would suit me, not the 80 to 90 non stop days of single handed madness they are doing. As for classic motor yachts, you have my vote. I have always found that most people who cherish varnished wood and brass are far more likely to be considerate on the water than the tupperware variety.

[Lew Barrett]

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff76/LewBarrett/RitacomingeV05.jpg
Here she is with her heels dug in at 14 knots. I know....she's making some wake!

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff76/LewBarrett/away.jpg
And here's another angle at anchor in Von Donnop Inlet, Desolation Sound, BC

[captkeith]

What an absolutely gorgeous boat! Congratulations.

[forrest]

Goodness Lew what a beaut!

[Edward Hamilton]

I can almost smell the varnish on Lew's second love (just in case your wife ever reads this).

Here's a picture of Triton sailing in Culebra shortly after I bought her from the owner/builder Jack Slasor, who was one of the founding members of the Seven Seas Cruising Association.

http://www.ministryofrum.com/forums/../images/Tri.jpg

That's Jack's wife Jeanne on deck. Triton is 45 feet long and was built as a comfortable world cruiser. I feel lucky every day that I wake on this boat, unfortunately, I'll working too hard to enjoy her as much as I'd like to.

I've been lucky enough to race on all kinds of boats from schooners in Antigua Classic Week to one design boats in Hong Kong, but for me there's nothing like setting the sails, locking the helm and enjoying the ride while a cruising boat sails comfortably from one island to another.


http://www.ministryofrum.com/forums/../images/triton.jpg

[Lew Barrett]

Thanks, guys! She's a lovely place to have a sip of rum, and the most ambitious private project of my life. Like a teacher, she has taught me skills I never thought I'd have, and some things I wish I'd never needed to know!laughing.gif

You're all invited if you get to the Northwest, of course!

I have to add that Triton looks to be an incredibly comfortable home, and the very picture of a beautiful cruiser. And I agree, Ed, that just getting out and underway in a pleasant seaway is the best part of cruising and boating for me! You find your spot after an exhilarating day underway, and enjoy a sip of the rum in your glass! Is there anything better?

[Lew Barrett]

By the way, you probably don't know, and I normally wouldn't mention it, but I write a column for an on-line classic yacht magazine. I'm one of the color writers.

This month, I'm working on an article about the relationship between rum and our marine heritage. It was an idea that came to me because I was unable to do photography last month on the previously planned topic. I'll be writing it tonight, and will post a link to it when it gets published. As a color writer, I have pretty broad ranging freedom to pick my topics, and what, after all, is more "colorful" than rum?

Thanks Ed, for creating this amazing, easy going community. It's going to help save the bacon for me this month!

[Schock Therapy]

Lew that is a beautiful boat! I have no problem sharing this thread, and the water, with power boats as well! I am sure when I am to old and frail to handle a sailboat anymore I will end up with a power boat of some type. I've seen a few Grand Banks that caught my eye! That would be my style for a powerboat! Hopefully before I get to that point I will work my way into a comfortable performance cruiser in the 40-45ft range....There is still nothing like sail power for a peaceful journey!

Ed Triton looks like a fantastic cruiser! I envy all the space you must have down below! You are a lucky man to be able to spend so much time cruising!

CaptKeith, speed is definitely fun! I haven't had the opportunity to sail on any of those extreme machines that can hit 30kts, but I have raced on some pretty fast 40ft racers. just this past fall I was racing on an Olson 30 and on one leg of the race we averaged 15kts with bursts up to 16.5kts! What a blast! Unfortunately my old "lead mine" is only going to hit speeds like that if it falls off the lift at the boatyard!

[captkeith]

Lew,
A whole bunch of years ago - probably ten or twelve - I wrote a small piece on boat courtesy for Wooden Boat. I am the master of a BC Ferry and travel every day through the Gulf Islands. My ship is over five hundred feet long and it takes quite a bit to stop it and often we are limited in our ability to manouver due to narrowness of passage. In the summer it can be madness out there with hundreds of boats of every description. Everyone and his uncle has a boat and many have no regard or understanding for the rules of the road. I wrote in the piece that I found that those who have classic yachts and care for them, generally have a higher degree of understanding of what it is to be a mariner. They almost always seem to be the ones who first give way, make room and avoid potentially hazardous encounters. I can almost always count on them to do the right thing. Then again, maybe I am just totally biased towards classic old yachts of any description.

[Lew Barrett]

Keith,
I probably have the magazine, as I'm a subscriber! Point me to it as I'd love to read the article again! That's about as good a boating magazine as there is, as you know.

I run from BC ferries for the obvious reasons. Classic boats have classic manners, and that means they can roll a bit in a beam sea. The rest needs no explanation!

I have never been hailed for bad manners, except, sadly, once by a BC ferry! So I guess now's the time to tell the story, eh? I was exiting the north end of Nanaimo in blustery conditions. This is a stretch where a meeting with a big ferry can be really exciting, and nobody has much maneuvering room. I had not checked the schedule but when we turned the corner and looked out across the Straight towards Vancouver, out in the far, far distance, I could see a spec that I knew was an incoming ferry. We had left Newcastle behind us, but needed to clear the rocks and islets just north, as it was blown up in the Straight. We make nine knots at cruise, and I calculated the distance to my turn north into the straight, estimated the ferry's speed, and decided we had enough room to exit the channel and still stay out of the ferry's way. I know how deceptively fast the ferries can move and took mind of that in my considerations. So, the rest you can see coming!

I had just made my turn into the teeth of the blow on Georgia Straight, with the Ferry a good or more mile off, but to my surprise she hailed me by name and gave me a good dressing down, cursing me in the clear and telling me to get a copy of the ferry schedule (something I had never considered having aboard before). To this day, I can't decide if he was in the right or not, but decided on account of his language that he couldn't have been entirely straight up with me, and maybe had already experienced a tough morning. What I don't know is if he read the situation as critical and had to slow for me well back. It sure didn't look like he ever backed off, so I still assume I read the situation correctly, but didn't leave him as much room as he thought the circumstances merited. I would like to think I never would do that to a big vessel like he had command of, but he will always have the right of way, and nobody took movies so no instant replays on that one.

I have been extremely cautious, more so than ever, since then but there is always a judgement to be made in crossing situations, and a slower boat will always find herself in those. As I don't run on a schedule, I try to bear that in mind as well. It's how you react once a situation has developed that determines your nomination for a Darwin award or not. But I love my boat and the challenges of traveling in her, and there are enough of those without mixing it up with faster, bigger traffic! I take pride in being a safe,courteous pilot and wish everyone did. I salute you, Cap!

[Lew Barrett]

You might enjoy this forum as well, if you haven't given it a visit recently already!

Woodenboat Magazine forum (woodenboat.com/forum/index.php)

A word of warning: keep out of the Bilge section if you value your sanity! The rest is pure wooden boat bliss! Lots of Canadians on board there, too!

[The Scribe]

The rules of the road my daddy taught me when I was a wee young sailor:
- If she has a gun on the bow, she has right of way.
- If she could run you down, and never notice, she has right of way.
- If she noticed you, and still wouldn't be able to prevent herself from running you down anyway, she has right of way.
- Follow the rest of the rules.

One of my friends managed to catch a ride on Oracle-BMW two years back during the America's Cup. I'm pretty stoked, actually. My coach is doing commentary for the Volvo Round the World Race when they do the buoy race in Boston this spring and said we might get a ride on one of them. =D
Cheers. - S

[Folly Cove Kath]

Regarding "Rules of the Road"... I'll admit I have a common style Grady-White with 150hp. Since starting our distillery in Gloucester, MA, I don't have enough time even for that. But I will say around here payment is swift if you abuse the waterways of Salem Sound. We all live too close to home.
By the way, with all the sailors about Marblehead, Manchester, etc, large consideration was paid to ship's cabinatry during our bottle selection process.
Cheers,
Folly Cove Kath

[Michael]

Welcome to the MOR Folly Cove Kath!

Perhaps you could give us some details about your forthcoming Folly Cove Rum in a separate thread. glass.gif

BTW your website may need an upgrade as it now appears to be only the site of Beauport Vodka, rather than Ryan & Wood Distilleries (http://www.ryanandwood.com/).

[Texas TikiGod]

WOW Lew, she's beautiful!. I'm a "wanna be", or should I say "wanna learn" sailor. I'll take a class someday. But I do "sail" a 80,000# rig across the asphalt rivers of the US. (without the rum)

http://i511.photobucket.com/albums/s356/BigRigRob/island.gif http://i511.photobucket.com/albums/s356/BigRigRob/sailboat.gif

http://i511.photobucket.com/albums/s356/BigRigRob/6a00e54f8eb060883400e553fca2408834-.png

[AlanH]

I'm new to this forum, but racing sailboats since 1984, 18 to 78 ft. Mostly in Annapolis, MD, but as far as Newport, RI, Jamaica, Bermuda, St Thomas, St Maarten, and Antigua. As far as owning a boat, we have a downeast style Back Cove 26 power cruiser. Her name.... Dark'n Stormy.

[Texas TikiGod]

I think I found my first boat.........what ya think?

http://i511.photobucket.com/albums/s356/BigRigRob/Isetta_boat.jpg

http://i511.photobucket.com/albums/s356/BigRigRob/6a00e54f8eb060883400e553fca2408834-.png

[Rum Runner]

Got to love that craft Tiki. I see no problem with it on one of your Texas lakes.

I would not want to be on it during a "small craft warning" in the Gulf.

Where is the on-board bar located?

[Texas TikiGod]

Hehehe, the bar's in the hip pocket, M.O.R. flask of course. cigar.gif

http://i511.photobucket.com/albums/s356/BigRigRob/6a00e54f8eb060883400e553fca2408834-.png

[bonniesboytoy]

Reminds me of the "little tug boat " that could...Tom..party2.gif

[The Scribe]

So as I mentioned, the Volvo Ocean Race is swinging by Bahstahn, and I'm working the regatta! Word!
- S

[Schock Therapy]

So as I mentioned, the Volvo Ocean Race is swinging by Bahstahn, and I'm working the regatta! Word!
- S

SweeeeT! I would love to get an up close look at those machines!

For those who don't know what the Volvo Ocean Race is about, check it out:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGUVWZnzHgI

[Burnsy]

Hi all, I campaign a 1982 Dehler DB1 33' (10m) "Heat Wave" out of Bayview Y.C. in Detroit, MI.

We do the regular Lk. St. Clair races, as well as Bayview Mac, Chicago Mac, Trans-Erie, and a host of others. Some crewed and some doublehanded.

We've also done several Tawas and other Saginaw Bay races when I had the boat in Bay City.