Sitting Out

[Andy Stevenson]

I would be in favour of allowing the crew to sit out on the side deck. I am a “short-arse” and the view of the jib luff and the telltales is very much enhanced when sitting on the side deck. Additionally being slightly hampered by a longstanding injury to my right leg I tend to stay upright a lot easier, which is always helpful!

Andy

[Neil Andrew]

When I was one of the younger owners, some 25 years ago, we lobbied for a rule change to allow the helm to sit on the side deck. At the time the older members voted it down at the AGM for fear of making helming too athletic for them. Now I am an older member myself and I still support the idea of the helm being allowed to sit on the side deck. As Andy says it’s so much easier to see the jib telltales, to rotate the torso as the boat heels, and to lean back to look at the main and windex without cricking your neck.
it’s about comfort and ergonomics not ballast on the rail. For that reason I am firmly against the crew being permitted to sit on the deck.

[Nick Leach]

A couple of years ago I raced Polly in Falmouth Week and ended up with a stiff neck caused by the way I was holding the tiller. Along with that, being short means that I can only see the bottom telltale and it feels so much more natural sitting out and holding a tiller extension and the sunbeam is definitely easier to steer.

[Nick Leach]

Neil – do you mean you are in favour of sitting out?

[David Owens]

All,

Mandy and I are extremely new to the class as owners so it would be premature to post our views without having first listened every carefully to all of the views being posted by far more experienced Sunbeam sailors. But could I ask Neil for you to clarify your comment above – are you saying that you would support the helm sitting out but not the crew ? As you can imagine with Mandy being the shortest of any helm in the fleet and with a big moveable lump of a crew in front of her it is an important distinction !

Dave

[Andy Stevenson]

In light of the subsequent posts I should clarify my comments on staying upright. I am referring to me not the boat! As some of you know, or have noticed (and contrary to any rumours about peg legs) I do have an issue with my right leg which manifests itself in having no balance whatsoever when standing on my right leg. So if I loose my footing on my left, gravity takes over and I am only going one way. Having sailed Mayfly with Ray at Cowes Classics a few years back I can vouch that sitting on the side deck is a much better way to helm a Sunbeam and has the added advantage that there is much less chance of me ending up in a heap in the cockpit mid tack.

Andy

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