Stroll around any marina and you will soon spot the classic sailing characters: the old enthusiast Mariano Jersey , patiently restoring a wooden shell to its sleek former self; the dedicated racer, tweaking his stripped out, cutting edge craft; or even tanned BMW man, who turns up on sunny weekends to take his latest woman out for a spin in his souped-up power boat.
Move to the bar, and you'll find them easily. The old hand, scruffed down Marco Andreolli Jersey , ready for that all important anti-fouling job. The smart executive, shades in hand, leading an enthusiastic team-building session. Or the sun-bleached student, fresh from his gap year spent taking boats down to the Med.
But what about the rest? What about the unsung sailors? What about those resigned individuals who, worn down after years of hints, huffs and sweet-talking Luismi Jersey , finally utter the fateful words: 'Oh, for God's sake, alright then!'
In less time than it takes to hoist a mainsail, these women (for they are usually women) find themselves huddled nervously on the deck of a boat, trying to come to terms with the fact that yachts are supposed to tip over, and that this is good thing.
There are a surprising number of these reluctant sailors. Most Kevin Gameiro Jersey , like me, would prefer never to set foot on a boat but, driven by the need to see their sailing-mad partners on at least one weekend out of twenty, occasionally venture out onto the water.
In my case, my 'Reluctant Sailor' status comes largely down to a fear of venturing into an alien environment, where I am not in control.
I do not like not being in control. When a yacht tips over Jose Antonio Reyes Jersey , I want to know that it ? that I! ? can do something to correct it. When we are picking our way through a narrow channel, I want to know how to avoid hitting unseen rocks or other boats, and when my children are sitting on deck, I want to know how to rescue them if they fall into the water.
Education is the key and unfortunately this means that I, as the terrified new owner of a yacht, now face the prospect of learning to sail Grzegorz Krychowiak Jersey , so that I am not frightened of sailing.
But my reluctance stems not only from fear. There are many other reasons why I have no interest in sailing. It is cold. It is wet. It is usually raining, and always uncomfortable. Be honest now. How many good nights' sleep have you ever had on a yacht?
And yes, while there are around three days out of every year when weather, location and company combine to make sailing a blissful experience, does that really make up for the other 362 days when it is not?
My husband thinks it does. And so, nine years after we exchanged our dinghy for a baby and a pair of patio doors Gael Kakuta Jersey , I have finally relented. We have bought a yacht.
He is happy. The kids are happy. And I?. I have come up with some ground rules to keep me happy?
The Force Four Rule ? The Reluctant Sailor will not set foot on the boat if the forecast even hints at winds above force 4. [This rule is an adaption of the existing 12 鑴欒尃鑴濋垾娅厽鈷氣懇鈧顑炲悽鈭跺叅鎹椻懇鍋撴嫥鑴欓垾姣伄?C rule for dinghy sailing]
The Sunshine Rule ? The Reluctant Sailor will not go sailing if there is no prospect of sunshine over the period of the sailing expedition.
The Anchorage Rule ? No anchorage will be acceptable to the Reluctant Sailor unless it is within 100 metres of a pubrestauranthotel, and preferably a small town with a guaranteed escape route.
The Fair's Fair Rule ? The Sailing Fanatic will match every weekweekend that the Reluctant Sailor spends sailing with a weekweekend somewhere warm, dry and comfortable - preferably abroad.