Off topic brag

Mashmaster

Mashmaster

Active Member
Sorry about this being off topic:
I wanted to brag about our Sea Scout ship. They just got selected as on of the top 4 Sea Scout ships in the nation. We have a flotilla of Sunfish and the scouts all take sailing them seriously and maintaining them as well. This forum has helped them a lot.
 
Wow, really cool..
I don't know why you think it is off-topic, there's a ton of sunfishes in there!

I just sailed lake Georgetown a couple months ago, and Canyon lake a month ago. I'm sure we drove past the church on the way to Jim Hogg park.

I'll have to check out one of the events some time -- looks like you guys are having a blast!
 
Gregory Matous said:
Wow, really cool..
I don't know why you think it is off-topic, there's a ton of sunfishes in there!

I just sailed lake Georgetown a couple months ago, and Canyon lake a month ago. I'm sure we drove past the church on the way to Jim Hogg park.

I'll have to check out one of the events some time -- looks like you guys are having a blast!
Click to expand...
Thanks, it really is a great time.
 
Great! Dutch 'Sea Scouts' as they're called here in Holland (Yes we use the English terminology or the Dutch translation: Zeeverkenners) have a great training program for instructors who learn kids how to sail. I suppose that the quality of instruction in the US is equally outstanding. Sadly, Dutch scouts don't use the Sunfish. It's mostly Laser Picos and a horrible shaped steel(!!!) keelboat called a 'Lelievlet'. Nothing is more idiot-proof than that ugly thing.

Tomorrow is Remembrance Day here. Dutch scouts have an important role then. All over the country, scout groups assist with the wreath laying. Good to see that this is more or less universal.

Note the vests...

scouting-amsterdam-elfregi-zeeverkenners-slideshow-0.jpg
 
When I saw the subject heading "off topic brag" I was all set to be grumpy about it but no, this is totally relevant! Congratulations to you and your scouts.

Also I love the classy sunfish sail with the white logo. Never seen one of those before.
 
thieuster said:
Sadly, Dutch scouts don't use the Sunfish. It's mostly Laser Picos and a horrible shaped steel(!!!) keelboat called a 'Lelievlet'. Nothing is more idiot-proof than that ugly thing. Tomorrow is Remembrance Day here. Dutch scouts have an important role then. All over the country, scout groups assist with the wreath laying. Good to see that this is more or less universal. Note the vests...
Click to expand...
Wondering what an "idiot-proof" sailboat looks like, I checked Wikipedia:

Scouting-Seascouts-Lelievlet-mini[1].png

Looks like a very dry and solid rowboat with a centerboard. :) IMHO, that it has more than one headsail makes it a better basis for sailing instruction. :cool:

1) While we're off-topic :oops: my B.I.L.*—a pre-teen survivor of WWII starvation in Amsterdam—applauds my sometimes-correct pronunciation of "Scheveningen". Always handy if I were to be stopped by the Politie! :eek:

2) "Operation Mana" is practically unknown in the US. (BTW: Netherlands is twice the size of New Jersey).

3) Remembrance Day is very solid as the Dutch express it—much more so than Memorial Day in the US. Memorial Day Weekend is, however, the "official" start of the boating season in New England.

4) My Dutch neighbor* would raise the Dutch flag on the Queen's birthday. :confused:
*=Naturalized American
 
L&VW said:
Looks like a very dry and solid rowboat with a centerboard. :) IMHO, that it has more than one headsail makes it a better basis for sailing instruction. :cool:
Click to expand...

And very 'weatherhelm' (I hope this is the correct word for it in English: the tendency to turn the bow to the wind) as well. Most Dutch-built boats that are used for instruction purposes are built like that.

We took the Laser to the marina this afternoon (regatta-time this weekend and the weather is atrocious!) and on our trip, we discussed this thread. My son told me something that I'd forgotten. When he was 9 or 10, he was already sailing the optimist. One of his friends from school wanted to know more about sailing. At that time, I was on the examining committee for new sailing instructors here in Holland (I still do) and I took them to a scouting sail-training centre: young boys and girls training to become a certified instructor. Brilliant atmosphere, brilliant young people with a 'Can Do!' mentality. They all need pupils who have to learn how to sail, including novices. Enter my son's friend. At the end of the day, my son was not happy... That @#$%^^&&-boat is nothing like my Optimist. It's unbelievable weatherhelm!!! My son's friend had a fantastic day and did a few holiday sailing courses during the summers that followed.

Menno
 
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