This is going to be a voyage of discovery but with Captain Ahab at the helm it will be one I hope you all enjoy as we set sail on a regular blog column through the by waters, shoals and creeks of sailing and cruising.
And as its winter hopefully Captain Ahab will keep you amused and stimulated until you can get back out onto the water.
But before you get on board with the Captain, you are bound to have many questions.
First who is Captain Ahab?
As many of you know Captain Ahab is a fictional character from Moby Dick but he is also a fictional character from Bromsgrove Boaters who has taken it upon himself to share his sense of humour and sideways glance at life as an occasional sailor.
Any why has he decided to share his thoughts?
To spice up and make more interesting Bromsgrove Boaters and its blog and website. But fear not, Captain Ahab may be fictional but he brings you no harm.
And please let Captain Ahab know what you think or suggest topics and issues on which you would like to hear from Captain Ahab, Silence will be taken personally and demonstrate a lack of interest in Ahab’s musings!
As you will learn Captain Ahab is a relative newcomer to the world of sailing.
Indeed compared to the many grizzled and sea bitten faces of many of those who come along to Boaters meetings, he is a mere baby.
Now many non-sailors consider sailing to be an exclusive non accessible pastime unless you are rich and have time on your hands.
The second may be true but we all know the first to be absolute bilge.
It is not money but language that makes it non accessible.
And Ahab is no good at languages.
He sometimes think it would be easier to learn Serbo –Croat than the language of sailing.
Even the most basic terms are designed to confuse and obfuscate.
Why is it Port and Starboard? Surely left and right are good enough.
If Ahab can drive and navigate through city streets using left and right why can’t sailors? After all they have less corners to turn.
And who came up with the terms sheets and lanyards and warps?
Bloody hell, they are all ropes and strings at the end of the day.
And heads, where did that come from?
Heads sit on shoulders, they are not place where we do our ablutions.
Do you get Ahab’s point?
We could go on.
Maybe it’s time for a Plain English Campaign for sailors and boaters.
Ahab is too old to learn a new language.
