Dinghy Ad venture s
27
persuasive advocate of the gentle art of pottering in small boats. He was in his dinghy when I first called him, sailing up Brittany’s Rade de Brest to spend New Year’s Eve afloat. (Videos of that trip plus many others are on his inspirational YouTube channel:
http://bit.ly/RogerBarnes) ‘That little sail, though only two hours, felt a great adventure,’ Roger says later. ‘I reefed, I went ashore, I had dinner and put up the boom tent. It was such a big change from ordinary life. That’s the point of sailing, isn’t it?’ He compares the appeal to hiking. No one questions why walkers prefer small tents in mountains to caravans in campsites. ‘You’re there to be in the wilderness living simply under the stars. But when it comes to boats everyone says, “Wouldn’t you be more comfortable in a yacht?” In Brittany, I didn’t see another boat for two days. It was just beautiful.’ If yachting can be perceived as
involving faff, dinghy cruising yells fun. My father and I didn’t anchor or inflate
a RIB to explore sandbanks. We just stepped ashore. If we ran aground we hopped overboard laughing. And there are few problems in dinghy cruising that can’t be resolved with spare rope and a bit of grunt.
shared experiences
I wonder if dinghy cruising doesn’t address something quietly profound, too. Even without staying overnight – which is definitely a step up (see page 29) – by taking delight in simplicity, by stripping sailing to nothing more than you, a small boat and a lovely place, it represents uncomplicated escapism in difficult times. Slow travel at its best. And all that’s before we mention
cost. An ideal dinghy such as a Mirror is around £400 (see page 30). Small wonder the RYA has taken note and launched its own cruising trails – but more on that in a moment. Whereas most clubs obsess about dinghy racing, RYA base Lydney Yacht Club (
www.lydneyyachtclub.org) on the
“People often see yachts as
the only vessels for cruising
adventures. with a modest shift in perception, a dinghy is even better”
The waters near Porthmadog are a beautiful backdrop for a first-timer’s dinghy adventure.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76
