Sail

by Eric J Taylor

Created on: August 20, 2008

A very simple question with a complex answer. To simply separate boats into two categories does not address the subject fully, nor allow a complete analysis of the topic. The sports within sailing can be divided into a number of sub-categories, including dinghy racing, inshore keelboat racing, offshore racing plus inshore and offshore cruising. Similarly motorboat, usually called powerboats or "stink boats" in Australia, can be divided into groups including various classes of racing, coastal and game fishing and cruising, generally on inland waters and rivers.

To say one is better than the other will depend on the personality of the person making the choice and what are their goals and objectives. Personally, I believe sailing offers a greater range of challenges that can be far more rewarding than can be achieved in a powerboat. In my eyes, the driving of a powerboat differs little from the driving of a motor vehicle. Yes, the skipper of a powerboat does need to have knowledge of the effect of tidal movement to steer the vessel, as does the helmsman of a yacht, but sailing also requires knowledge of the principals of aeronautical science. The principals, in the shape of a wing that keeps a plane in the sky are the same as those that shape the sails on a yacht and allow the vessel to progress towards the breeze. Whether sailing a small dinghy or a large keelboat, the principals are the same and without that knowledge and skill, the yacht will be stationary in the water.

Many people will buy a powerboat not as an activity in its own right, but as a means to undertake another activity, to go fishing. These people obtain their pleasure in knowing where different species of fish can be caught and which rig and bait is best used to catch these fish, which can be most rewarding. What they seek is the power to take them to their fishing grounds as quickly as possible in a vessel that is seaworthy in the local conditions. People who like to race powerboats live for the adrenaline of speed. While they need to be aware of the effect of wind and current, they usually seek calm, protected waters for their sport.

As a yachtsman, it is more than just being on that water that appeals to me. Once a yacht is under sail and the engine noise has ceased it throb, the sounds of the water flowing past the hull and the breeze through the rigging brings one close to nature. Add to that the excitement of seeing the bottlenose dolphins that live and breed in the water around our city and regularly inquire as to what our yacht is doing in their waters. Irrespective of the weather conditions, the yachtsman must concentrating 100 per cent. When the winds are strong, we ensure that we are not overpowered and are in control of the boat. We must be aware of the swell and waves upon the sea. And "Huey", the name we have given to the wind, has our respect at all time. Then we have the days when there is no more that a zephyr wafting across the ocean. We must watch for every little movement on the water and ensure that the sails are correctly set to obtain the full benefit of what little breeze is available.

Offshore sailing also provides the opportunity for other skills that are rarely used aboard a powerboat. The art of navigation is a skill that can provide great satisfaction to the navigator of a yacht. To plot ones position upon a chart during a journey, whether obtained from actual sightings or using modern technology, then seeing land appear when and where expected is a most rewarding experience.

Sailing is an activity that uses little fuel, with energy provided be a renewable resource and producing minimal pollution in these days of global warming. We could even call it a "green" sport. It can also be a low cost activity, although to become a top racing yachtie, the costs associated with maintaining high quality equipment can be exceptional.

I have often looked at the recreational fishermen returning from a day on the water. They usually place their boat in the marina or onto their trailer and quickly leave the area. Yachties are a different breed. Those who belong to a sailing club will usually meet after a day on the water and share their experiences in the clubhouse over a beer or glass of a shiraz. Those who do not belong to a club will still chat with others on the marina after securing their vessel, discussing the local conditions, where they have been and what they plan to do to their yachts. It does not matter whether they are cruisers or racing sailors, they like to share their experiences. The experience of sailing can also break any class barrier. It matters not whether the yacht you sail upon is the latest "top of the range" multi-million dollar machine, an off-the-beach dinghy or cruising upon an old yacht that may is no longer seen as a speed machine, a yachtie is a yachtie and we all talk to each other. The highly paid company executive, the small business owner and the wage earner are all sailors together.

If you are looking for an activity on the water that can offer the camaraderie we seek, the challenge of being able to achieve or the be one with nature, sailing is the sport for you. As I have said for over 45 years, "I'd rather be Sailing"

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