Started out as:
B**bs, Beer and BBQ
Then: The people associated with the above.
Have added rum since.

There's a joke in there about man-boobs, but I'm not going to touch it - especially since your wife is crewing for me in 2 weeks. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Freedom.

Close Pete - think of another big dude who just happens to be Governor of a state in the West.

Movie name rhyhms with "Ronan"

Negative ions -- addictive.

Now that you mention it, I remember someone pointed this to me once. You are right.

But Camoes significantly improved the original expression. He could have used the Portuguese word "necessario" which is exactly the same as "necesse" and "necessary".

Instead, he cleverly translated "necesse" as "preciso", meaning both "necessary" and "precise". This gave the expression a second meaning, and both of them are interesting reflexions on sailing and life:

The need to sail surpassing the need to live and the mathematic precision of navigation as opposed to life's uncertaintys.

Beyond philosophy, the second meaning praises the sailors whose stories he wrote about. The Portuguese and Spanish excelled in navigation and at that time they were the only Europeans who could say navigation is "precise".

Camoes expression is far more interesting and meaningfull than the original. I stick to him.

Cheers,

What? <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Never mind; please don't repeat it.

My reasons (not in order)

1, The fun ; You cannot beat sailing down wind with the kite up, on the wire in a cloud of spray

2, The adrenaline rush; sailing in big winds is really something else

3, The people; sailors are the bet people on the planet (a close second comes skiiers)

4, The challenge; I truly believe we do the hardest sport in genearal terms; we have to be fit (ish), we need to understand the conditions (ish) and we need to understand the technology.

Yes, doing triathlons is harder physically
Yes, Surfers can read the waves better than we can
Yes, F1 is more technical.

5, The challenge of always knowing you could have done better. I don't believe anyone, ever will have a perfect race.

6, The people, did I mention that ? I still know people I met 28 years ago when I started sailing, we've shared the good times, the great times and the bad times and the sad times.

7, Just being out on the water, be it racing or taking people out for a blast.

8, Did I mention the people ?

My son says "Why Not?"

To Sail or Not to Sail... what a dumb question!

Clayton/John

For some it's not a matter of "drive." It's a matter of NEED to get away from land and all the responsibilities attached to it. As somebody else said, sailing is ESCAPE.

I sail…

…to get the kids to the ice cream store across the lake without spending a dime on gas.

…to start the day right by single handing and flying a hull for hundreds of yards and waking up some sleepy fishermen with a fly by.

…to keep from getting killed café racing at over 100 mph.

…to hang out with some really good people.

…to teach kids to sail whom, in some cases, have never been any good at any other sport. It’s very gratifying to see them take what an old gas passer teaches them and discover it really works.

…to try out all the good info I get from Catsailor.com.

…to be ready in case Wouter ever comes to Maui.

…to see the whales and run with the dolphins.

…because I can.

Mary:

That is why my Hobie 17 is named "STRESS FREE" <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Doug and Ashleih

I have been asked this question many times, and I still don’t answer, but in looking at John Williams’s post yes some of the best times I have had are a result of a boat, friends, and all the other ingredients to go into having fun.

Must be in my genetic make up – my mother was a sailor.

Mike, very good. For me, it is a family thing. Just check the picture.
Caleb

Luiz,

the subtlety was lost on me. I agree that Cameos more philosophical approach is better. It would probably have been easier if I understood portugeese <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Dunno how pc this is going to be on a sailing forum but anyway....

I sail because I couldn't afford to go motor racing. About 6 years ago I seriously needed another interest and motor racing was my first choice but since money doesn't grow on trees, I decided to get a hobie-cat which was a dream when I was sailing monoslugs as a kid. Bought a TheMightyHobie18 and quickly found out that it was a ton more difficult than I remembered and spent the best part of a season up side down. The rest as they say is history....

Tiger Mike

With summer gas prices sure to rise to nearly $4.00 a gallon, maybe more motor boat people will try sailing. I used to work for a guy who was a big time powerboater/sport fisherman. He would easily spend $80-150 a day (and gas was less than a buck a gallon back then) on gasoline just to troll around at 3 knots. He asked me why didn't I buy a powerboat instead of that slow sailboat?

I said, "Because I can spend all day sailing at 5 knots (J-24 owner at the time) and drag a fishing line if I want to fish, but I don't spend $5 on gas for the entire SEASON, let alone $80 a DAY!"

That was 30 years ago. He now owns a 48 foot Hatteras, I have no idea what his fuel bill is but he almost never leaves the dock. He likes to sit on it, listen to the stereo while drinking Gin and Tonic, not that there's anything wrong with that!

I did invite him to go sailing with me many times but he's never set foot on a sailboat, in his entire life! Oh well... <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Chap here has a big Riv and it's 2K to fill. Those wakes are great to jump off though!

HOBIE FLEET 204 <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I sail for the 'scream and giggle'

It sounds like...whoa! hee hee hee.