Sport Today

by **Glenn Woode** » Wed, 17 May 2000 04:00:00

Quote:

>P.S. I've been told that putting sails away wet from fresh water can
>result in mildew. Doesn't seem to happen with salt water.

Susan,

Wish I could have joined you for the downwinder. Was Chris Z. with ya?

I can tell you first hand about fresh water on the sails after sailing in the
rain about a hundred times. I hate packing my sails up with fresh water on
them. They start stinking immediately. I'd prefer completely dry but at least
with salt water they are mildew-free.

by **(Pete Cresswell** » Thu, 18 May 2000 04:00:00

RE/

Quote:

>If you take the time to understand the
>ocean it is also friendly.

Supposed old Arab fisherman's saying:

"Those of us who do not fear the sea are drowned often.
Those of us who fear the sea are only drowned now and again."
-----------------------
Pete Cresswell

by **Mark H** » Thu, 18 May 2000 04:00:00

A guy pitches a major whine about salt water, sprinkles in a dash of
territorialism and what does he get? I think I'm getting the hang of this
NG!
But, I draw the line at sniping at people! Well, maybe except for that MTV
Guy......What the hey.....he sees those pink booms at the swap and I didn't
think he would ever calm down. "Those are the booms I started on!," he
cries e***dly. Heck, he didn't even see my old Exel wave mast and '87 9.0
Gaastra Slalomfoil. The guys who bought all that stuff live in HIS
neighborhood. What does THAT mean?
Let's tally my other responses:
A lot of folks praised the virtues of sea life. There's a change in tune.
The last eight months all I've seen on this NG are stories about shark
attacks, stepping on rays, the needlefish scourge, and a "strange creature
hopping on your board" contest. Sheesh. All you have to worry about on the
Great Lakes is the odd 4-foot Carp!
I also never realized there was such a fresh-water mildew problem out there!
I never saw any on my sails or anyone else's in the northern Midwest. But
Woodell has me dead to rights - I never detected any odor on my sails,
either, but I guess one has to smell better than the mildew to detect it!
;-) (OK, well maybe the slimy skin and matted hair wasn't really the fault
of the salt water, either.)
Aaahh, the women! Always so nice and supportive. Why aren't there more in
windsurfing? Because of we men.

Truth:
I do appreciate all of your responses with both technical and attitudinal
advice. Writing is a tricky medium. Being half-serious can be problematic.
Or being curmudgeonly. I guess I'll have to use more of those "face-things"
to help get my true meaning across.
Really, I do find salt water somewhat annoying, but it's probably just a
matter of getting used to it. Like Mike said, I like to spend time in the
water, not just on the board. In fact, I eschew booties, hoods, gloves,
that sort of thing, so you know that I'm no warrior sailor (far from).
The ocean don't scare me, neither, I'm just "playing" about the sea
creatures, etc. I don't mind "upping" the Great Lakes, however. They ain't
called "great" for nothing. In fact, food for another thread is the "feel"
that one gets from sailing on different bodies of water. I think the Great
Lakes is underestimated. There seems to be few others on the NG with whom
to share my sentiments.
I'm gonna check out that Camelbak and get one soon.

Dare:
(I can't be "good" for too long!) A responder said, "A fresh water lake
feels pretty dead, compared to the oceans." So, how many of you actually
sail on the OCEAN, anyway, huh? Seems like it MOSTLY is Bays, Sounds,
Inlets, Ponds, rivermouths, some more protected backwater. I think most
people don't have any idea how large the Great Lakes are and that the power
one feels when out on them may well be greater than one feels in the Bays,
Sounds, etc.
Just being territorial. :-)

I think I'll go have that beer now (Thanks, Ellen!) and get back to reality
watching NYPD Blue.
Mark H.
THE Bronx ("Da" was really an affectation attributable to Chicago - Da
Bears!)

by **Mike** » Thu, 18 May 2000 04:00:00

"Mark H." spoke: > But, I draw the line at sniping at people!

Well, you better tread lightly around these parts, podner. And you better
KEEP yer Yankee arse away from that there jetski forum. 8<)

But seriously, folks, there is a sure cure for fear of sharks in the oceans
around our continent: Fly over the U. S. Gulf of Mexico coast. The
incredible quantity of sharks right near shore will make you laugh at the
great white smorgasboards off the California coast ... or cure you of ever
getting salty again.

Mike \m/

by **Glenn Woode** » Thu, 18 May 2000 04:00:00

Quote:

>Really, I do find salt water somewhat annoying, but it's probably just a
>matter of getting used to it.

That's exactly what it takes. We all would prefer not to have the stinging and
*** taste but we would not want the mildew that comes with fresh water. We
want our cake and to have it spoonfed to us also. I am sure our comments were
largely based on support for our local waters, speaking for myself. I do sail
ocean and near ocean more often than not but the brackish water of
the Pamlico sound is about as close to fresh without the mildew as you can find
anywhere around here. Personally I would sail anywhere I could find liquid
water!

by **Alan Whit** » Thu, 18 May 2000 04:00:00

Personally I would sail anywhere I could find liquid

Quote:

>water!

Just don't breath any of that dihydrogenated monoxide!

Anyway, I've heard people around here bestow the virtues of salienated water for those wearing
contact lenses. But that sand, ouch!

Alan

(from NC, where the Bronx cheer meets the Rebel Yell YEEEHAAW!)

club page:http://www.ibscc.org

by **BDSincla** » Fri, 19 May 2000 04:00:00

Quote:

>>Really, I do find salt water somewhat annoying, but it's probably just a
>>matter of getting used to it.

>That's exactly what it takes. We all would prefer not to have the stinging
>and
>*** taste but we would not want the mildew that comes with fresh water.

Uh-oh, I feel myself being consumed by a counter-rant....
What! Are you guys nuts?!?? Are you sailing in the Dead Sea or the Great Salt
Lake?
I'll admit to having frozen my Hawaiian born ***with a brief dip into
Superior or Itaska, but the lakes I actually sailed in when I was living in SE
Minnesota were unbelievably foul. Even the tap water tasted ***, and so hard
I was covered with a layer of slime getting out of the tub. Had to fly home
and dive in the ocean to feel clean again!
Later, when living in SW Washington I skied on a lake the locals used for
drinking water, but I sailed on the river. I'd sooner drink Kailua shore break
than gorge river water. I always swim with my eyes open, last time I broke my
watch band I free dove to the bottom looking for it. I used to hate to open my
eyes at the gorge.
Salt water should leave just a fine film on your skin that washes off in a
second under the tap. It should sting your eyes considerably less than a
chlorinated pool. You should be way cleaner after you sail than before. If
that's not true for you, your problem is with what's in the salt water, not the
salt water itself.
End of rant.
bs

by **Glenn Kolber** » Fri, 19 May 2000 04:00:00

Quote:

> Dare:
> (I can't be "good" for too long!) A responder said, "A fresh water lake
> feels pretty dead, compared to the oceans." So, how many of you actually
> sail on the OCEAN, anyway, huh? Seems like it MOSTLY is Bays, Sounds,
> Inlets, Ponds, rivermouths, some more protected backwater. I think most
> people don't have any idea how large the Great Lakes are and that the
power
> one feels when out on them may well be greater than one feels in the Bays,
> Sounds, etc.
> Just being territorial. :-)

I'm sure the Great lakes are great, still theere is something special about
the sea.
If you don't mind cold water try our Norwegian coastline. Some of it
provides very good windsurfing, the reason for that have also demanded human
sacrifice during all times. The winds are most of the year strong as the
Atlantic ocean slams the unprotected coastline that streches thousands of
kilometres up to the north. If you go out in off-shore winds and your mast
breakes, next stop is America :-)

Glenn

by **Karina & Da** » Fri, 19 May 2000 04:00:00

I really prefer sailing in salt water for several reasons. First, while
"clean" fresh water does leave the skin and hair a bit uncluttered when it
dries, freshwater seems a haven for all sorts of virally, parasitic
critters. I drank Columbia River water once. Once. At least with
sal***er their is no such temptation. Also, more sal***er locations offer
anything close to down the line sailing than their freshwater counterparts.
Yeah, I know about Lake Michigan and the "waves" throughout the Gorge, but
these unique and exciting waterways are few and far between. The ocean is
full of big water sailing, offering every sort of challenge. Plus,
sal***er heals poison ivy like nothing else. And, I don't have to rinse my
sails everytime I derig. Plus, since aluminum components and sal***er
don't mix, the motivation to sail all carbon spars is greater on the ocean.
Yeah I really need that $400 boom for my 4.0!

I really dig the Gorge but love the ocean. (Never sailed on the Michigan
shore so I can only belief the Borah brothers on that one.)

Quote:

> ......>What's with this ocean stuff? I grant you can fall in and cool off
if
> you
> >overheat, but when you get back on your board your eyes burn and you feel
> >like spitting. And sticky, slimy skin and matted hair!?.....

> >Thank you.
> >Mark H
> >The Bronx

> Well, I've never been to the Bronx, but you might want to try clean
sal***er
> ;-)
> bs

by **Mike** » Sat, 20 May 2000 04:00:00

Ya know what bothers me infinitely more than salt water in general: fresh
water up my nose! When I take a nostril-first crash, I don't even try to get
up again until the excruciating PAIN subsides. It takes about 15-20 seconds
to peak, but then for a minute or so I'd swear I just had frozen or boiling
battery acid rammed into my sinuses. It is INFINITELY worse than any ice
cream headache I ever experenced.

MIke \m/

Sport Today

How do y'all cope with salt water?

How do y'all cope with salt water?

How do y'all cope with salt water?

How do y'all cope with salt water?

How do y'all cope with salt water?

How do y'all cope with salt water?

How do y'all cope with salt water?

How do y'all cope with salt water?

How do y'all cope with salt water?

How do y'all cope with salt water?

How do y'all cope with salt water?