Are you a Sailor/C-brat?

thataway

Active member
Below is a list which appeared in "Scuttlebutt" (a daily digital sailing rag, from Sailing Today.

Look at the list, and see how you score--then add on what else makes one a "C Brat" Some of these are not for C Brats, but many are. (I know there are two "21's" )

1. Knows what phase the moon is in
2. Can tell the wind speed by feel
3. Can light a cigarette no matter the weather conditions (French sailors) 4. Has lost a digit in a winching accident
5. Dresses in primary colours
6. Gets upset when people call the British national flag the Union Jack
7. Always passes port to the left (unless he’s in America)
8. Can sleep anywhere
9. Has an eclectic collection of yacht club-branded T-shirts
10. Sports sun-yellowed eyebrows
11. Is not afraid of seasickness
12. Does not carry an umbrella
13. Sniggers when hearing someone say ‘Over and out’ in a movie
14. Can always find a parking space
15. Drinks beer/rum/whisky for breakfast (after a long passage)
16. Never uses a wheelie suitcase
17. Finds it acceptable to eat and drink out of plastic
18. Owns a spork
19. Can fix anything (usually with epoxy or duct tape)
20. Can throw a great party in the smallest of spaces
21. Can make friends in an instant that last a lifetime
21. Is good at keeping in touch
22. Is adept at sewing up holes (in sails, in clothes)
23. Is good at whipping (but not in a 50 Shades kind of way, although he or she does know a lot of handy knots)
24. Daydreams of adventure
25. Actually goes on adventures
26. Shies away from botox, knowing that lines speak of a life well lived 27. Never goes for a manicure
28. Does not use the word ‘hurricane’ lightly
29. Is not daunted by third world lavatories
30. Is open-minded and big-hearted
31. Knows the name of a good pub or restaurant in every port town in the western hemisphere (and much of the eastern)
32. Has a friend in every port town in the western hemisphere – often a bartender
33. Can whip up a hearty meal consisting entirely of tinned and packet foods
34. Is not phased by the idea of making tea at 30° (whether lat, long or angle of heel)
35. Knows the difference between latitude and longitude – and is always aware of where he or she is
36. Has seen more sunsets and sunrises, dolphins and views of the Milky Way than anyone else they know
37. Is not afraid of the dark - :smilep
 
There are some good ones there :D

I like the non-obvious ones, such as "never uses a wheelie suitcase." Heh, curse of the guest!
 
There can be two innuendo on #14--always finds a slot on a crowded starting line (physics of sail boat racing--no two boats can occupy the same space at the same time, so the water compresses to keep the other boat away at the last second) I got to yell "Comming up, Passage" on a Trans Pac Start --referring to the famous "Windward Passage".

The second, is that on most long races--there will be some "parking spots" along the course.
 
Understands that "sundowners" can happen anytime after breakfast.

Knows that their destination and the source of the wind are almost always the same point. Also a given, if one's course puts one on a favorable angle to the wind...the wind will die.

Can depend on the fact that, the longer the crossing, the more likely the time of arrival at the bell buoy, and the peak outgoing tide, will occur at the same instant.
 
Knows that it is a given, If there are two boats on the horizon headed in the same general direction...... it IS a race.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

PLI_and_SB_CBGT_2_683.thumb.jpg
 
Those of us who have sailed the tropics don't have the fear of Bananas...Bananas are one of the essential food groups!
Below is a photo of the skipper and his Admiral in 1982, just before casting off for a trouble free 41,000 mile voyage to Europe and back.
img002.jpg

Pardon the condition of the photo--it has been onboard in its frame for over 100,000 miles of open ocean sailing on "Locura" and the first "Thataway". I guess that both of us have a few raw spots from that also!

There are a number of reasons for the superstition about bananas on both sailing and fishing vessels. They range from slipping on the peel, to ships sailed too fast to get to port before the Bananas spoiled and could not catch fish because of the trolling speed. Bananas form a toxic gas (ethylene) as they ripen/decay, ships sunk, and often the only trace was a raft of bananas.

In Panama one of the ships transiting the canal had lost their remigration, and the Bananas had to be disposed of, and we ate bananas for many days! Also several times natives gave us "hands" of bananas. We have never believed that superstition.

Now on the other hand, a single handing Frenchman told us never to mention the world "Lapin" ("Rabbit" or "hare" in English...) We parted ways the Canary Islands. He never made it to his destination and was lost at sea..maybe it was because he had mentioned the word?....

We generally avoided starting long voyages on a Friday, but occasionally did, and no adverse effect.

We did whistle--but that was to bring up the wind--when becalmed--I cannot say it worked--and we had lots of storms, even when no one whistled aboard.
 
What a great looking couple and a cool post and nice hat. I love bananas and have them on board almost all the time.....maybe why I got to see so many bears in the Broughtons :oops:

As to leaving on a Friday, ba humbug..... If I didn't leave on Fridays I couldn't get a long weekend.

And, when it came to naming the boat.... that worked, so, just in case you never here from me again, it must have been something else :shock: :lol:

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

Hell_Freezes_Over.thumb.jpg
 
We came to understand that the windex on the top of the mast was in actuality a "destination finder." :wink: (Sail a fast boat and it moves the apparent wind forward.)

UsWOE.jpg

We also had a 17 foot catboat that was our trailer-sailor. We hauled that little boat all around long before we bought the C-Dory... the cabin was just big enough for two to sleep. A cooler. And a porta-potty. The cabin was barely big enough to sit up in.

WBandCPe.jpg

We had friends ask about spending up to a week at a time in that boat... I described it as: "Imagine spending the night under your dining room table, and you can't extend any body part beyond the edge of the table. Oh, and put a blanket all the way around the table so you only have one little slit to see out. Well, it's kinda like that except the floor is constantly moving, leaning one way or another." :mrgreen:

Most were horrified by the thought of that. We enjoyed the heck out of it, at the time.

Sailing is a unique pleasure. I went sailing a week or so ago with our neighbors. He apologized because there wasn't much wind. She complained about the movement of the boat out in the Gulf (about as calm as I've ever seen it). I got to go along for the ride... well, I steered at one point while they put the sails up. It was great to just enjoy the scenery. Take some photos of the dolphins. (Yes, Pat, there were frickie-dickie dolphins. :lol: )

Sailing17Dolphins_zpsftybgj0k.jpg

Sailing11Gulf_zpsydntpr4m.jpg

There are times when I think about another sailboat. In the meantime, OPBs are enough. 8)

Jim
 
thataway":24bz20de said:
Those of us who have sailed the tropics don't have the fear of Bananas...Bananas are one of the essential food groups!
Below is a photo of the skipper and his Admiral in 1982, just before casting off for a trouble free 41,000 mile voyage to Europe and back.
img002.jpg

Pardon the condition of the photo--it has been onboard in its frame for over 100,000 miles of open ocean sailing on "Locura" and the first "Thataway". I guess that both of us have a few raw spots from that also!

There are a number of reasons for the superstition about bananas on both sailing and fishing vessels. They range from slipping on the peel, to ships sailed too fast to get to port before the Bananas spoiled and could not catch fish because of the trolling speed. Bananas form a toxic gas (ethylene) as they ripen/decay, ships sunk, and often the only trace was a raft of bananas.

In Panama one of the ships transiting the canal had lost their remigration, and the Bananas had to be disposed of, and we ate bananas for many days! Also several times natives gave us "hands" of bananas. We have never believed that superstition.

Now on the other hand, a single handing Frenchman told us never to mention the world "Lapin" ("Rabbit" or "hare" in English...) We parted ways the Canary Islands. He never made it to his destination and was lost at sea..maybe it was because he had mentioned the word?....

We generally avoided starting long voyages on a Friday, but occasionally did, and no adverse effect.

We did whistle--but that was to bring up the wind--when becalmed--I cannot say it worked--and we had lots of storms, even when no one whistled aboard.

Dr Bob's looks like Gonzo Gates in Trapper John MD...... except that Bob definitely won the 'finding the most beautiful woman award'
 
WBandCPe.jpg

Jim, is that a Compac. Looks suspicious or related. Yes, sailing is great, but being on the water is great -E S T.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

1_10_2012_from_Canon_162.highlight.jpg
 
Hi Harvey,

Yes, a Com-Pac SunCat. The Mastender® set up made rigging and trailering fast and easy. I could go from pulling up to the ramp to motoring/sailing away in 10 minutes or less (and that included parking the van/trailer). The sail stays on the boom, the mast "hinges" and lays next to the boom on the boom gallows.

I don't think there is any cabin type sailboat that is faster or easier to go from the trailer to the water. We sold the Corsair when we ordered the C-Dory, but kept the SunCat for a few years. As easy as the SunCat was, Wild Blue was easier, more comfortable, more amenities.

Having joked with Bill and El about being minimalists, we certainly understood what we were joking about, after our years with the SunCat. 8)

As I recall, you had (still have?) a Montgomery? When we bought the SunCat, the M-17 was the other boat we considered. The SunCat was much easier to rig; the Montgomery was faster. At those kind of sailing speeds (after owning the Corsair), it wasn't much difference. :wink:

Best wishes,
Jim
 
Thanks Jim,

FUNNY --- I looked at the Com-Pac and went with the Montgomery 15 because it was smaller and lighter. Yup, it did take me more time to set up and go, but the sailing speeds weren't an issue with me. I was never into the racing scene. Really did enjoy the quiet and the scenery though. Not may FD dolphins in the Columbia and Snake though.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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