Is it real?

That 2.4mR continues to amaze me. It was just launched, and yet there are already races being held on a regular basis.

Hey look...

No wonder. Not only does it look like a boat from the outside. The details are all in place. Even on the inside.

It's a real boat!

See... Allmost nothing is left out, and there's even a really comfy seat. I am telling you I fit in this boat like hand in glove. Ok, the cupholder - there's no cupholder! Where's the friggin cupholder?

Oh yeah!

But let's not get carried away by the inside details. Let's see the sails. Huh! Sailors out there... just take a look at those sails. They definately look like brand new sails. Perfect shape. Perfect trim too :-)

Camera on the aft deck

I just love sitting here. She pinches very well. I can probably make it round that next corner without tacking. Hand in glove indeed. Let's take this baby out in the open and see what she can do.

... she is definately alive

Ooops... she is a lively lil thing. Better sheet out or I will take in water. Obviously there is a pump, but I'd rather have the water stay out. I hate salty buns. They itch.

Open water

Here we are... Open water ahead. So far the Q2.4mR is almost too good to be true. I feel like pinching  myself to remember it is not the real thing. Be back with more sailing shots and characteristics soon. Thanx to those who made this happen. You know who you are...

More about the 2.4mR here...

A quiet morning

Ahh... Nothing like a quiet morning before a hectic day. The virtual world is a great way to relax. I may sound a bit silly, but this...

Imagine the sound of waves breaking out there

It is a mood-job... whatever mood you are in, it will make you think good thoughts, calm thoughts, creative thoughts. It will make you breathe slowly and think clearly...

Add seagulls and a few cikadas

Hmm. Not entirely sure I am ready to start working. Seems my head was all quiet and peaceful, soaking up the view and the sounds...

So relaxing

Let's have some more of that, and then off into the real world. Have a truly great day.

Oh, these images are from the north end of that island I moored at. I file stuff like this under views; Perhaps I should have a category called relaxing and soothing views.

The waiting is over...

Yesterday, Quest Marine finally released a long awaited and absolutely cute and beauuutiful little single seater raceboat.

Testing the prototype

It is of course the lovely 2.4mR in the form and shape of the Norlin Mark III Olympic Class.

More testing

It's adorable, right? And here it is, the release version with the prototype alongside.

Finally...

I have already done a regular post about it. I also did a seanemagraph with it. However...

JK and me looking things over

It is such a fantastic little boat, I simply need to post more, and I most certainly will.

I might even try and compare it to the real deal, which I posted about here. Till then... I know where I'll be... out there with a new toy...

Moored and explored

I was out sailing, and I passed this place. I simply had to moor and explore, go see what's up there. It is a perfect example of a number nine: Approaching a new island, - being excited about what will be there.

What's up there?

I've sailed past this island a hundred times. Always on my way to some exotic destination far away. Kinda like in RL. Those distant isles always seem more enchanting, - even though that island right across the water is just as mysterious and fun to explore. Different language, different money, different icecreams...

Anyway, you can see the south end of this island here, and the north end of the island here. What's up there I'll save for another post, but I'll tell you it's beautiful.

Anticipation

What's so great about sailing anyhow? Hibernation got me thinking. Apart from the beautiful places, - there's a few things... in no particular order...

A beautiful place...

1) The socializing
Relaxing with friends, discussing how to go faster, checking out new gear, helping newbies come up to speed, the feeling of a community... It's so great.

2) Racing
It's intense. Getting away with a good start and tacking to cross in front is a fantastic feeling. A port start done right is huge too. Makes you feel so much alive.

Easy on the tiller or you will get wet with excitement.

3) Max speed planing
Hoisting the kite in strong winds, feeling the accellerations and the vibrations when the boat is pushed to the max and you know just one tiny mistake will slam you right over.

4) Taking off
Planning a cruise is intense. Buy and store food and drink, pack clothes, books and music, check the boat and all gear. Phew. It can get stressy. What is fantastic is the calmness that settles a few minutes after take off. Everything is in place. We're off. The wind decides where we go. Total relaxation. Maybe it's time for the Destination Paradise post...

Sudden change of sea-colour. Get the chart out. Like now!

5) Inshore navigation
Visiting the beautiful Swedish archipelago requires precise navigation. Again it is the intenseness, the need for absolute concious presense that rocks.. or rather keeps you off the rocks.

6) Guests
Having guests on board is fantastic. Especially non sailors. Watching how they adapt to life on board, learn the routines and get bitten by the bug... it's an amazing process.

There should be a marina here. See something? Anything?

7) Nightsailing
The realisation of how small we are compared to the universe. The need for extra awareness. Somehow it also gives a very strong feeling of being together, a shared destiny if you will, with those onboard. More nightsailing here...

8) Swimming at sea
Noone around? Sails down, rip off clothes and jump in. Climb up and dry in the sun with a cold beer and a chocolate chip cookie. Less than a handfull of things can beat that.

Can we get an orangina and a veggieburger in there?

9) Approaching a new island
Ahh, the restlessness, the anticipation of what will be in there. So many islands to explore.

10) Freedom
No phones, no papers, no email, no plans... just go where ever the wind takes you. Strangely, you cannot always go where you want, but still it's an extreme feeling of freedom.

Let's not have really big waves, ok

Oh, and a good book in the hammock... that's priceless too...

Oops! Was that a ten things I like most post? I suppose it had to happen, eventually. Is there a favourite, a number one? Not sure. Do you have a favourite?

Hibernation

Hibernation is not a button on your computer. It is a state of mind, and it doesn't take just 10 seconds (Yeah right) to wake up. Oh no. The dark times of winter makes you sleepy, slow and sometimes almost depressed. Happens to most northern people, but there is hope. Yesterday morning I took this photo...

No, it's not a lake. It is the ocean... 

Oh yes it looks nice. The sky is blue and the ice is gone. What you cannot see is that sea is still below the (freshwater) freezing point, and the air is just above. Brrr... I've done wintertraining before. In snow. It's not much fun, when you need to broom the foredeck before getting up there to gybe the spin.

Still hibernating

The second image shows boats in hibernation. It's strange to think that in one month they'll all be out there. Sailing the waves and the wind, happily racing, but right now... they don't look very happy. Obviously, hibernation is not a very hyper nation.

Hiber-dreams??

Enough talk about the dark and cold times of winter. Here's a picture of a happy me happily sailing my virtual rescueboat in a happy hyper hiber-dream. There's even an island with birds circling above. Woohooo!

Yes, I know... Ain't no substitute for sailing, but six months in the freezer?? Virtual sailing is The Healer!

PS: Just in case you missed the "icebergs".

The virtual IOD collection

This is a fun contrast to the AC spacebug, I recently wrote about. For a while now, I've been watching a brand new oldtimer moored at Tradewinds. It seems virtual oldtimers are hot these days. Good things last... Probably because there is virtually no maintenance.

Left to right: Jim, Craig and me.

Here's the builder, Craig, and Jim and me talking virtual IODs, and there is definately something to talk about. They are so alike, yet so different. For starters the Trudeau One on the left is too big. It is almost 10 meters long. On the right we have the Bolero, which is also a little too big. The Ktaba 20 in the middle matches the size more accurately.

Spreaders

Then there's the rig and mast. Note how different the spreaders look. The Trudeau One has the most accurate mast. It is the only one of these three with a strut above the spreaders to support the top of the mast. Right now, it seems to me the Ktaba 20 mast is a little too short. The Bolero sports an interior setup with beds, lamps and what nuts plus live telltales.

Details

The Trudeau One and the Ktaba 20 have spinnaker poles lying on deck. However, they all come with spinnakers. Then there's the sailing engine. The Ktaba and the Bolero use modified BWind. The One uses a Trudeau engine, and it is the only one of these three to support crewed balancing. I suppose that's why the One is popular for racing.

Motoring, Craig in the back with sails set

Hmm... This could be lengthy, so I better stop. Suffice to say it is interesting to watch how different these virtual IODs really are. Naturally, we took the Ktaba 20 to sea. It sails nicely, but it is work in progress. Iit would not be fair to go into details now, so laters... When Craig tells me it is ready. 

PS: If you can't wait, then check Orca's Ktaba20 sailing pics.