Seven Sea Ways to Make Sailing More Fun

by Cruising Editor on 6 Apr 2006 `


When you step aboard your boat for the weekend or longer, you should be leaving all cares behind. Life aboard should be an antidote to pressures of the 21st Century, and should not bring a new brand of worry. Seven Sea Ways have been derived from many conversations with many cruising sailors over many a sundowner:



Rule No. 1:
KISS: Keep it Simple Stupid:

There are so many clever things to buy today to enhance your boat, that temptation lurks around every Boat Show corner - One more great gadget that could be really handy, one more system that will transform your life on the boat, one more piece of electronic hardware that will be so much fun to use.

The result is often a boat that is difficult for two people to manage on their own and systems that require a lot of learning to operate and a lot of maintenance to keep running properly. Have you spent time with cruisers whose holiday was spoiled because of all the stuff that kept going wrong? Not serious stuff like engines or refrigerators, but extra stuff that they may have been able to do without in the first place.


So, the message is, resist the extra complications, by asking the ‘Do we REALLY need it?’ test question. We know someone who was so devoted to the KISS principle that he wouldn’t allow even a pump loo on board – the loo had a direct hole to the water. (This was years ago of course – I wonder what he’s doing now? Probably on a farm.) This is probably going too far, but remember that enjoying the sundowner and the sunset is what you came for, not performing repairs while everyone else sips their G&T


Rule No. 2:
Switch Off!

Switch off the cell phone, and unplug the email system. DON’T, under any circumstances, have TV on the boat.
Slow down: Ashore, most of go at 60 miles an hour, we want information in nanoseconds, and we are constantly running to keep up with it all. On our boats we usually go six miles an hour so we really need only about a 10th of the hyperactivity we need ashore. But it can be hard to make the switch from overdrive to sail power.

The trick for us is to leave the sailing schedule wide open, switch off the cell phone and unplug the email system. Once the static has cleared you can see the world around you with clearer eyes and can listen to the wind with sharper ears. Then let the wind tell you when and where to go. You will be amazed at how euphoric the atmosphere becomes once you are away from these trappings for a while.



Rule No. 3:
Reef early, reef often!

We have a rule that goes ‘Once the wind reaches 15 knots, we put in a reef.’ Every boat is different of course, but most sailboats like to sail relatively flat and with a balanced helm, and most crew feel the same way. Being able to tie in a reef or roll away some mainsail and genoa quickly and easily means that you can keep the boat sailing at its best while keeping the crew relaxed and happy. Plus you may very well sail higher and faster than your friends who are dragging the rail in the water and battling a brutal weather helm.

Rule No. 4:
Reef at night.

Unless the conditions are VERY extraordinary, on longer cruises, when it’s sundowner time, it’s time to reef as well. After all, we’re cruising remember, not racing. Reefing during the night is a no-no, particularly as it may mean disturbing someone’s off-watch sleep. (See Rule 7)








Rule No. 5:
Plan well, but stay flexible.

Good planning results in safe travelling. However, even long voyages are accomplished one day at a time, and it is each of those days that hold some small opportunity for discovery. On a weekend cruise, seek out little harbours that are off the beaten track or go for an over-night sail to nowhere so you can have a night of sailing under the moon and stars. When on passage, heave to for lunch and a swim at sea. Look at your boat from the vantage point of a dolphin. Let curiosity guide you, improvise and explore. The little unplanned adventures you have are the memories you will cherish.

Rule No. 6:
Keep the crew fresh.
When there are only two of you on board, you both need to be well slept at all times. This is very relaxing, as you know that if needed, you can both go a little further. There’s nothing worse than suddenly finding a storm pending, with one or both of you exhausted from lack of sleep or too much partying. Sailing is serious business at times, and you need to be prepared to be relaxed

Rule No. 7:
Sail for sailing's sake:

If you want to get there fast, go in a speedboat. If you want to get there well, sail. There is something pure and whimsical about harnessing a wind to ride the waves. Under sail we are away from the worst aspects of the 21st Century; and in a well-found boat we can explore the planet at will. When you want to be free, hoist the sails and go sailing. Like us, you may never wish to come completely ashore again.

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