watervole | Entries tagged with sailing

I have a story that I really want to write.

Unfortunately, an integral part of the story is a traditional Oceania Voyaging craft (as seen in Moana). This type of vessel is capable of circumnavigating the globe. One already has...

Watch on YouTube

My problem is that I want to write about what it would be like to be part of the crew on such a ship and how one would learn to sail her - because part of the story involves a group of total novices and one very experienced sailor, going on a journey together.

But I have no idea where to start. I know a small amount about some English forms of sailing (but not very much) but nothing at all about Hokulea and how to operate a crab claw sail - this is all I've been able to find, and having it in audio rather than written makes it even harder to follow - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmH337ckZQw

Is this how it's moved around?

Watch on YouTube

Basically, is there anyone (I know at least a couple of you are proper sailors, and my best experience is an attempt to sail in a straightest line in Poole harbour with my daughter watching every second) who would be willing to work with me to write something that sounds plausible and interesting?

There is no purpose to this story - it doesn't even count as fanfic - unless you count a story 2000 years in the future and loosely inspired by Moana as fanfic. It's just that I want to write it.

Crossposts: https://watervole.livejournal.com/685665.html

Went out on Molly for the second time.

This time I got to take the rudder and main sheet (at least I think that's what the rope in question is called...) for a while and learnt the very basics of sailing.

The wind was very light and we got caught in the lee of Brownsea Island. Lin took the tiller while Richard and I rowed (very handy that Molly came with oars). I quite like rowing - we've taken Oswin out in hired row boats on the River Stour. We got two or three times the speed when rowing added to the sail power.

Mind you, both Richard and I row better solo. With an oar each, we don't keep good time, even with someone calling the strokes.

Here we all are as a family. Lindsey at the tiller, Richard and myself on the centre thwart and Oswin in the lifejacket.

You can see how flat the water was, hardly any waves at all.

Crossposts: https://watervole.livejournal.com/654918.html

Got back from morris last night around 11pm to discover that the high winds had started removing the tarpaulin we'd tied over Molly. (She's on the trailer on our drive at present)

So I retied the ropes and added more, getting my skirt thoroughly wet in the process.

That held until morning. Fortunately it was dry and sunny today, so we took off the tarpaulin, bailed her out and gave her a good airing.

I've discovered that rain gets into the bow compartment, owing the the trailer being on a slope, so I dried that out with a sponge.

Some bits are still a little bit damp (that handles of the oars, as they aren't varnished, and part of the bow compartment), but most is fine.

Wrapped her up again as tomorrow is likely to be just as bad.

For long term storage, she'll be upsidedown, but we need to get a proper cover for her first.

Crossposts: https://watervole.livejournal.com/654586.html

My daughter has long been fascinated by boats. She grew up with 'Swallows and Amazons', has had two holidays boating on the Norfolk Broads and on the rare occasions when money allowed has hired a dinghy in Poole Harbour.

She recently lost two of her grandparents and inherited some money. Most of that is earmarked for finally being able to afford a step towards the first rung on the housing ladder, but the dream of owning a dinghy also floated to the surface.

New dinghies are crazy money, £9000 for a new fibreglass Gull for example.

On the other hand, if you love older boats and are prepared for the love and attention that a wooden dinghy requires, then a second-hand wooden boat is only a fraction of that....
( Fate sort of took a hand... )

Crossposts: https://watervole.livejournal.com/654244.html

Judith Proctor's Journal

Ramblings on morris dancing, 17th century re-enactment, and gardening

Entries tagged with sailing

How do you sail one of these...

Sailing is fun

Molly and the rain

Messing about on the Water

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