Your First Mate/ Deckhand

My wife and I have sailed together ever since we started cat sailing 5 years ago. We also race together, apart from a couple of big events and long distance races like the Great Texas. I'm the driver man, she is the jib man and calls tactics.

This year she bought a used Marstrom A-Cat so she could learn to sail on her own (I think teaching your partner to sail whilst you are on the boat is as risky as teaching them to drive!). She's loving it and it has paid dividends when we race together now.

I agree with the advice of not sending your crew around the forestay if you want to keep them sailing with you. I made a few mistakes at first that nearly ended our sailing career, but am much more careful now. This year at the Texas Cat Champs on the 2nd day it was cold, raining and blowing like stink and she had a great time racing and came in grinning from ear to ear!

Chris.

How well does the Hobie sail with a 36' monoslug on top of it?

My GF first started sailing with me after we met. Did some fun sailing and serious racing. Now after getting married she'll only sail with me in the fun stuff. Something to do with an aversion to spinnakers <img src=

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Buy her a Wave for XMAS

So, that lost post brings up a question. Is sailing stuff and okay gift?
I have to get something for my g/f that sails with me all the time. I was thinking something sailing related, but couldn't decide what would be a good idea!

Absolutely. My wife doesn't know it yet but she's getting a drysuit for Christmas.

Gree:

A sailing related thing I think she would absolutly love.

Eileen has a long coat. It is made out of the same material that the great sailing jackets are made of. You know the fleecey inside with the Gortex-like outside? It goes all the way to mid calf. Big warm thing to put on after a day of sailing. Even if it is not cold out, in your mind, she will probably be putting it on. They are similar to the long coats that you may see at a cold football game.

She uses it to stay warm and also as a changing room, in a pinch. It lives in the car.

Later,
Dan

If sailing is something that she enjoys because its doing something with YOU then sure, sailing stuff for xmas is always fun. If she does it JUST because it makes YOU happy, then it may not be the best idea to get her sailing stuff. In other words, if she's the one constantly badgering you to go out sailing with her, get her sailing stuff, but if you're the one that's like

hey hon, why don't we go sailing?

and she says that she's too busy because she has to wash her hair, then maybe getting her a nice trap harness for xmas ain't the best.

Alternatively, you could do what I did, and get her nautical/sailing styled jewelry. It can be hard to find stuff that looks nice and isn't tacky in this area, but it does exist.

She loves sailing so I guess that would be a good idea. She is actually looking for a boat of her own. I tried to get her to buy my old 14 but she wants one of the new rotomold boats. She has really been looking at the Bravo, it is small enough that she could handle it all by herself, I mean we have my Nacra when we want to go out together, but the bravo seems like a good boat for her and she likes the way it looks.

Maybe a nice new trap harness, that is more comfortable than the old one she uses.

Tell her to get the wave

That way she can race with a bunch of cool people when she wants <img src=

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Make sure she tries to drag the Bravo across the grass and beach... It looks small but I have seen the kids and women really struggle going up the beach without wheels.

its a neat little boat but don't underestimate the drag coefficient... Also... getting wheels under this boat on the beach are also a muscle thing so tell her to check it out.

Gree
Not to throw a wet blanket on things, But
Back in the day, I bought a girlfriend everything needed over a couple of years to sail. We broke up and all gear gone.
Next girlfriend: Bought everything again, after a year or so, broke up. All gear gone.
Then I decided to buy all the gear and when sailing with any new girl let her know it's yours and she can use it when sailing.
It worked, I married that one and she gave me my current super crew.
The wife now crews around and we are both much happier at the end of the day.
Buy the jewelry as a present.

Keith, 36' monoslug on top of my own Hobie..... VERY SLOW

Thanks for the laugh

Thanks for the advice, she has most of the stuff. Just the trap harness that she has is and old Hobie on and kinda sucks compared to the one I use.

As for her getting a Bravo, is there any other boat that people would suggest? Not to be mean but she is strong, not like husky strong, but she works out alot and isn't that much weaker than me. She can handle my 14 alone, so I figured she could handle the Bravo. Plus we sail on Lake Thunderbird and put our boats in where the old Highway runs into the water. I drive directly down to the water so there is almost no pulling the boats around, but if you all think it would be hard for her to pull it around then maybe she should look into something else.

Ditto. Refer her to the Wave Nationals thread and the Wave forum. Also, keep an eye out for Rick's article. Should be out soon.

Keep her on the 14 and get her a nice trap harness. There are two women sailing 14's in your area, one is excellent and one a newbie. They'll be at the Daggerless.

Check your PM.

Bob, you're really going to have to talk Liza into wearing something more aerodynamic. <img src=

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I have one of those kinda pictures, too:

Come to think of it, Diane doesn't look that aerodynamic either.

Nothing wrong with that hat!!! I like that hat and wear the same... (It just looks better on her.....) <img src=

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Why don't Enrique and Carla have the team helmets?

It's got to be a Reynolds number thing.

Matt, Is that from Nationals? I was thinking of all you guys that day wondering how many, or if anyone would sail! Amazing sailors! Some great crews!

Well, I have good news. Today while me and the g/f were working on the old Hobie 14 she asked if I had thought about what I was getting her for Christmas. She said

you know that old trap harness isn't to comfortable

and then she winked!!!

I think the trap harness might be a good idea but now I have to get something else also so that she knows I put some thought into it. Darn her and her hint's, I had better get something good.

Looks like your source has been compromised. Does she read the Catsailor forum? <img src=

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I'm also looking for a harness. I need to get a small one for my son. I've been looking alot at ebay but I keep getting outbid. I guess I'm being cheap.

-Rob V.

Sarah hung in for all 5 races that day in the pouring rain.
Matt B. described it:

as the most intense day of racing he could remember

(30 years of sailing)
Not bad for 11 years old. Pound for pound, the toughest sailor I know.
That was the last finish of the last day and we were whipped.

Brian: Those are all from this years Nationals.

Guys/Gals:

I am trying to get the youth involved and I am training Ashleigh for her new (2002 Mystere 4.3) I just bought her. We need to do more to get the youth involved to save the sport.

Doug Snell
Hobie 17

Stress Free

#007

No, my g/f doesn't read anything on here. I think she just wants a trap harness. And as for her getting a bravo I don't think she is going to. I have basically decided to keep my 14 so I think she is just going to start sailing it. That also solves the storage problem, she will just keep it at her house.

Any other gift I ideas?

I really don't recommend the Bravo. They are God aweful slow. Easy to sail, but slooowwww. The 14 sounds like a good boat though.

Does she need a wetsuit? New sailing shoes? I've seen some really cool shoes that would work well for sailing on the kayaking sites. A nice pair of gloves? A new Blade F16?

-Rob V.

My better half doesn't like salt water on her hair..... So, I was

forced

to buy a stinkpotter.

Once there was a pastor who was asked to be guest speaker at a nearby church. They specifically asked him to talk about sex. The pastor was feeling shy about this, so he told his wife, that he had been asked to talk about sailing. The big day came, and something came up, so the pastor's wife could not attend his sermon about sailing. Two days later, the pastor's wife ran into one of the church members who had heard his sermon. She asked how it went. The church member replied that he knew his subject inside-out and forwards and backwards. The pastor's wife replied,

That's funny. In the 25 years we've been married, he's only done it twice. The first time he fell off. The second time, he got sick.

D. HO
TheMightyHobie18 1067

You have to be kidding! Salt water makes your hair shiny, gives it more body -- and you don't need to use hair spray. <img src=

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