Why do you sail? What is it that drives you to pursue this hobby. Just a general question.

For me I like the tweaking. The little adjustments in sheeting, weight placement, and setup that can give you just that little bit of speed over someone else. It appeals to my anal-retentive, obsessive compulsive nature.

Because I can! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Clayton

Recreation. In the literal sense. Sometimes when flying a hull on the H-16, I would loose awareness of where my feet stopped and the boat began! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> Of course, a few beers helped.

Now, I have that seem sense of renewal, minus the beer, and the challenge of improving my own skill level.

Nice people too, mostly.

It's easier than rowing.

Number 5...

Because in 1981 the Hobie 16 was a chick magnet, really.

Number 4...

Satisfies primal thrist for oneness with the elements.

Number 3...

Got a great deal on the Y membership, the lessons came with it.

Number 2...

Love the water, but I'm a cheap bastard and wont pay $4/gal for gas.

and the Number 1 answer for why I sail...

I got bored having sex all the time <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Damn, must be rough to be you <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Credit to my wife for that line, it's a running joke around our house.

The people. That is only reason, really.

First big regatta was Hobie 16 NAs in Wildwood NJ in 1993 - there were this really friendly couple of guys that helped my 250 lb. soon-to-be brother-in-law Josh and I set up the yellow 87179 - H16 racing had hooked Josh so hard, he'd gotten a VA vanity tag for his car - FRST RND A. Anyway, these two guys were funny, relaxed, and very helpful. One was named Wally and the other was named Mark.

The parties that week were incredible. I had a regatta fling with a college cheerleader that was on vacation, saw the boats and wanted to know what was going on. She had the cutest freckles...

After that event, I started crewing on anything I could beg my way onto, just so I could keep hanging out with the fun people. Soon after that, I moved to Pensacola Beach - I found a killer beach bar with good pool tables. Some skinny dude laid his quarters down and we started talking - he said he was a sailor too, and I dropped Wally's name. The guy laughed at me little for acting like such a noob, but he started taking me sailing and hooked me up with some other really cool people. His name was Kirk.

Definitley the people. All other aspects of sailing I can get in other pursuits, but nowhere else do I get the social experience of a regatta. Is it the salty air? Beer and rum? Sandy feet? Lots of skin? Dunno, don't care. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I sail to get away from reality. One of my early sailboats was named Escape. Things are much more peaceful out on the water.

Now racing, that's a whole different ball game! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

I would definetly say that people is what made racing fun for me. Sailors tend to be some of the greatest people. I haven't met one that I disliked, or couldn't tolerate. Round home I've been on the water once with a another cat so the sailing community around home is non-existant. Teaching people how to sail, and altering their often times very wrong impression of what sailing is can be a great experience as well.

John- life sure is rough <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Why sail? To paraphrase from a movie line (guess):

To conquer
To have my enemies crushed before me
And to hear the lamentation of the women

(he's one big dude -and it's an old movie)

I think that was part of his campaign slogan, too. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I'd give you some swag, but I don't have any.

Besides, we're not worthy Alter Man

Why Sail? the wind is God's Gas Pedal. over 25 years of sailing and I still get a rush when I pull in the main sheet and harness that power into speed.

Why Race? The competition and the ever changing conditions makes it challenging. The people make it DAMN FUN. Don't think I'll ever out grow it.

I do it for the adrenaline rush, also there is some feeling that I can't get anywhere else. When that hull pops up and I am just flying along with no one controlling what I do except me.... It just doesn't get better than that.

I agree. It's two different things. It is possible to love to sail but hate to race, or love to race but not be particularly interested in just going sailing for the sake of sailing. And some people like both.

John wayne- "The Conqueror"?

I'd use the words of 15th century Portuguese poet/writer Luiz de Camoes, who wrote about the great sailors and navigations of that time.

"Navegar é preciso, viver nao é preciso"

It translates both as

"To navigate is a need. To live is not a need"

and

"Navigation is precise, life is not precise"

For the joy of no motor fumes and noise <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

For the competition. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Training my grand daughter to crew for me. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> She is getting helm time now. Enjoy passing on the sport on to next generation. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

AND most of all for the sure least of any stress. That is why I named my boat "Stress Free" <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Doug Snell

Luiz, wasnt that from Plutarch, way before the 15th century?

"Navigare necesse est, vivere non est necesse"