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Surviving Sailing Owner Maintenance By Mark Dawson The last time I got my catamaran back onto the water after a lengthy restoration, I was more in need of repairs than it. A friend and I had sailed on the local lake with the only mishap being I fell off the wire and had to swim like crazy when the trapeze hook broke. Apart from a whack on the hand by the tiller bar I was OK. But because it was raining and had cooled down, we sailed in and packed up. It was then that I helped other sailors put their boats on trailers. No harm done, or so I thought. Back home I was a bit sore in the arms and shoulders, but as the evening went on the more I hurt, until in the end it felt like someone was running a red hot poker up and down my back. I was gasping for breath. Painkillers and a bodyrub from a concerned wife were the only help. Numerous visits to a physiotherapist came with advice I was courting spinal and health problems because I wasn’t doing regular exercise. At work I’m either in front of a computer or behind the wheel travelling, and at home I’m a couch potato. I’ve had to learn the lesson: Get up and do something. You need to get the blood pumping about three times a week. A fast walk is enough activity to raise a sweat. If possible get into regular activities ie jogging, tennis, golf, gym, whatever you are comfortable with and is not too strenuous to start with. Do anything to get you on your feet and moving about. Activity should last between 20-30 minutes and include a warming up and a cooling down period. People who do daily exercises ie. running, jogging, have an increased chance of injury compared to people who do it on alternate days. While at the other extreme, exercise just once a week can do more harm than good because of higher injury risk, since the body never really gets into the swing of things and the benefits can disappear within 72 hours. Ask around for advice on ways to improve you fitness. You don’t have to be Rambo, Arnie or Jane Fonda but every little bit helps. I don’t want a washboard stomach, I just want to see my belt. Hanging off a wire or sitting on a tramp in windchill for lengthy periods, interspersed with frenzied activity while tacking, or lifting and pulling weights can be a recipe for disaster. Bad posture when lifting cats on and off trailers is also a no-no. Many sailors remain in peak condition because they regularly exercise or play sports when not on the water. Being sore and sorry after a day’s sailing is not going to encourage you to get out there again soon. The older you get the harder it is to get enthused. If it’s all too much bother to take the cat for a pleasant sail or that screaming reach, take a long hard look at your personal fitness and see what you can do to improve it. You’ll feel better in the long term and sailing will be that much more enjoyable. The only problem that could arise if you get really toned up is that you may want a faster, more challenging hi-tech multihull toy. Mark Dawson DawsonM@prose.dpi.qld.gov.au Back to Features |