Types of sailing: Cruising sailing

This type of sailing is the one envied by the sailor: manning more comfortable and capable boats, without rushing, for the mere fact of enjoying each mile traveled.

But be careful, let's not get confused ... this is not a «second division» navigation! Not much less! It is often in this discipline that we find the best seafarers: vocational crew members, with great seafaring experience, which entails all sorts of solutions to every problem that arises on board.

Day cruises

Most of the time this is a "day" sailing, enjoying a day of good weather at sea. However, we must not get lost and take it lightly. On the contrary, we must prepare correctly because this is a very changing environment and in which one can easily get an unpleasant surprise, if not properly prepared.

A preview of the weather forecast, a good time preparing the ship, a good crew to complement us, enough water and food (the appetite that both the Sea and the Mountain unleash is surprising…!), A check on the VHF radio on board …, And we are ready to sail.

In the first mile sailed, we will already be able to predict the degree of "seaworthiness" of that boat: depending on the chosen course, the sail hoisted and its "trim" (optimal orientation of a sail to the wind, depending on the course of the boat).

As a general rule, despite the fact that it was an unpretentious day, it is advisable to sail towards "windward", that is to say, sail "downwind" or "upwind" against the wind. This is an exciting and fun course, in which the boat leans ("heel") and surprises us with its power and capacity. But it is also demanding (both for the boat and for the crew) and, in strong winds, exhausting. In any case, it is the best option to start the journey for obvious reasons: in case of breakage or unforeseen events in the crew or in the ship itself, we will have the wind in favor to return easily and quickly.

After having rolled these miles "upwind", we can now "hit" the course and navigate "wing" or "stern" on the course back home. On this occasion, if the crew is sufficient, both in number and dexterity, we will have the opportunity to "hoist" the "spinnaker" (or balloon sail), to test our dexterity in handling the most complicated sail in the sailboats.

Crossings, long-distance navigation

There will come a time (sooner rather than later…) when a seasoned cruise passenger will inevitably consider taking the step of the «crossing»: a cruise navigation but already of great distances, accumulating days at sea. It is the opportunity to know other ports, other Seas, even. But, above all, it is the opportunity to experience authentic navigation, accumulating miles and hours at sea. And, no doubt, it also has a lot to explore one's abilities to master the boat and bring it to a good port, never better said .

We are already talking about larger companies, therefore, in which the more prepared we are and the more experienced we are, the more we will enjoy and the more performance we will obtain from the journey itself. As the saying goes ... "the crazier the adventure, the saner the adventurer must be!"

Therefore, it will be inexcusable to know the boat, have it checked and ready, know the weather forecast and its evolution, correctly foresee the entire "safety at sea" section (flares, life raft, etc.), the VHF radio ready, water clothes and flashlight, etc. Apart from the technical knowledge of navigation, how one handles themselves in these conflicts will largely depend on their expertise as a good sailor.

The «Mal de Mar»

Whether in one way or another, in both modalities the dreaded "dizziness" is present. It is an unpleasant situation where they exist, capable of ruining the journey of the most seasoned sailor (as a data, I will say that 15% of the sailors of the Volvo Ocean Race get seasick at each stage).

Technically, it results from the dizzying stimulation of the otic labyrinth. But the most important thing to know is that you are not really dependent on yourself. It is something that happens and that its only definitive treatment is…, practice; And even so, if conditions were tough enough, the entire crew would end up getting seasick.

The best way to avoid this unpleasant situation is not so much through its treatment, as through its correct prevention. In fact, it is considered that if the crew member is dizzy, it is too late for their treatment.

Therefore, we should review these preventive measures, which exist and are very effective, both to reduce dizziness in frequency and intensity:

• The journey actually begins the day before, at least: it is very important to ensure a correct rest the night before. If we leave already tired we will be much more likely to get dizzy.
• Alcohol is the great ally of "Mal de Mar". Therefore, hand in hand with the previous point, "going out for drinks" the night before or during the journey will put us at high risk.
• Likewise, large meals and spicy or spicy foods contribute negatively to the problem. Therefore, it follows from these three points that "going out the night before to have dinner at a Mexican and have a few drinks afterwards ..." is not a very good idea, if we want to avoid dizziness. This is an aspect that is also very present in professional sailing, where the great sailors are very aware of the importance of taking care of themselves every day but, especially, that day before the regatta.
• The well-known «biodramina» is a good ally against motion sickness, with the only exception of knowing how the medicine works to ensure its effectiveness: a pill must be taken at least 30 minutes before boarding. From this it can easily be deduced that, if we are already dizzy, the pill will not help us in any way.
• In any case, drugs are only a help. As important as they, or perhaps more, is the attitude of the crew member and their activity on board: a positive and confident attitude is essential, and the occupation of concrete and simple tasks during navigation.
• Finally, there are "trigger" situations that those who are susceptible to dizziness should avoid at all costs: the odors of fuel or its gases, the smells of some foods, tasks that require close attention (such as reading or writing), abuse of the time under cover losing the possibility of having distant visual references, etc., and a high variety of particular situations depending on the person, all these can easily ruin the journey. Therefore, these situations will obviously be avoided as much as possible.

Certainly, on more than one occasion (and on more than many ...) I have seen how «Mal de Mar» has easily defeated the most willing and enthusiastic of the crew, but the truth is that the only way to defeat it is ... by returning to navigate !!

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