Video

Hiking Out While Sailing. (Photos And Moving Pictures)

Trap 01

Trap 02.22

Garda_worlds_2004

Who wants to do that? Trapping is superior to pure hiking, it's faster, thrilling and better for your knees. I wonder, does this mean a Farr 3.7, Contender or a Paper Jet (boats I can build) is in my future? The Farr and Contender are shown, any guesses as to what the boat at the top is?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bsH0fNubuc&w=480&h=360]

Now This Is A Race! (Forget That America's Cup Thinghy.)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3F7wcgpFYI&w=480&h=270]

Crazy 8s

Kudos to the US Men's Crazy 8s for winning the gold.
Kudos to the Women's 8s and Men's 4s who also won gold at the Wolrd Cup.

Funny thing about real races, everyone uses the same design. It's the person or team that determines the outcome. That's something the billionaires running the other Cup should think about for the future.

Do You Hate Wearing A PFD? This Could Be The Solution: An Inflatable Rash Guard. (Moving Pictures)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boh_JOCcFxQ&w=480&h=270]

Sup

Paddle

Surf

Bodysurf

Splash

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCR1W7PqbMo&w=480&h=270]

The Aqua Life Inflatable Shirt is a close fitting shirt that is designed to be used in water activities where protection or buoyancy is required. The shirt is ideal for all water sports. The patented zip up front makes the shirt easy to wear and take off. Aqua Life inflatable shirts are designed for maximum comfort and support. The shirts are double lined eliminating itching, chaffing and scratching.

The embedded and adjustable waist band ensures the shirt stays snug to the body in all conditions. It won't fill up with water or ride up like a wet t-shirt, or even worse, be pulled off in rough surf conditions. Some of the more frequent uses of the shirt include: swimming, surfing, body surfing, body boarding, water skiing, surf skiing, snorkeling, canoeing and kite surfing. If it involves water, then a "Aqua Life" shirt should be considered. The shirt is available in all sizes and suitable for all ages from 2 to 92. Aqua Life inflatable shirts are available in a variety of colors and can be made with matching company logos and other options. Optional configurations include, but not limited to: short, long or no sleeves, strobe lights, whistles for attracting attention, and many many more.

The Dabchick: Is This The Best Sail Trainer For Groms?

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k554e8yvY2M]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm wearing my sailing instructor's hat. The Dabchick is a sailboat (...board...scow) used in South Africa to train youths after outgrowing Optis (Oppis). I think it would make a great trainer and a wonderful way for the groms to learn some boat building skills. How cool is it to sail a boat that you've built.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWyW_f1QQzA]

From Go Sail: "The Dabchick dinghy designed by Jack Koper of Cape Town, was launched in 1956 as a double handed junior class. The idea was a simple flat decked, no cockpit, scow with a planing hull that could be home built from a few sheets of ply.

Dab1

The Dabchick dinghy has found great popularity with some 4 000 boats having been built since then. Fairly quickly adept juniors found they could handle the two sail configuration single handed, and that has been its niche for most of the class existence. The sail plan is of a genoa, sheeted on a tracked fairlead, and mainsail. A dagger-board sits in an extended case allowing for it to be raked back in a breeze and on a reach.

Dab2

The broad scow hull gives the boat enormous stability for the ab initio sailor whilst also being exceptionally quick onto the plane. In comparison to similar junior classes of the Mirror and Topper it well out performs both boats on all points of sailing. Like all scows is prefers a slight heel when working to weather. Not drawing much water it is snappy through the tack, and quick off the mark once the genoa is trimmed in. On the reach they are exciting but kind, due to that beam again. It is not unusual to see youngsters going out in conditions over twenty knots to enjoy some screaming reaches. Down wind placing the hull on a slight heel, as on a beat, reduces wetted surface and the Dabchick dinghy scuttles effortlessly along like the wildfowl it is named after.

Dab3

The restricted class allows for different masts and fitting of control systems that feed onto either side of the deck, which is a great entry point for future performance dinghy sailors. The class has also recently allowed the introduction of Mylar sails as well as the adoption of a loose footed mainsail."

Hat tip to Tweezerman for the idea.

Maritime Monday. The Greeks Are Still Great Mariners! (Video)

ΑΔΑΜΑΝΤΙΟΣ ΚΟΡΑΗΣ

Korais

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsnH00fzASg]

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PytXU6yiCaM]

Fantastic ship handling skills by the crew of the Adamantios Korais (Αδαμάντιος Κοραής) with Captain Isidoros Ligno ( Ισίδωρο Λιγνό) on the bridge.

 

Under normal conditions

This is what it looks like under normal conditions.

Via gCaptain. Hat tip Pat Brynes.