Every once in a while I intersperse all my posts about planing boats, or racing, or boatbuilding with videos of people just enjoying a daysail and a day on the water. The wind is perfect, not too strong, not too light, the sun is out, the water temperatures are good for swimming. Sailing is best done with the feet up and a smile on the face.
The Dutch Valk klasse is similar size and original concept to the U.S.A.'s Lightning class though with a squat traditional gunter rig. It appears the Dutch build them in fiberglass for recreational sailing - the PolyValken. (I think they reserve the wood ones for racing.) By the looks of this video, the Valk fits the recreational role superbly. (I like the cross thwart at the aft end of the cockpit allowing the skipper to recline and steer at the same time.)
Zeilen op de Kagerplassen from Muxio on Vimeo.
Jolle segeln is German for dinghy sailing. Here is a daysail in a true classic German dinghy, wood with traditional fittings. (Video settings doesn't allow me to embed.) I'm not sure what the class is, maybe a reader can help out.
Kudos to this Bookseller
3 days ago
4 comments:
This is what I love about the Netherlands - lots of water, everywhere, lots of inland lakes and rivers to sail on and some very, very original yacht designs unique to The Netherlands as well. I have been there a few times - its a great place.
Sorry to be a pain, but the boat is called a Valk (falcon). Valken is the plural.
I took a sailing course in Friesland in a Valk. Hate to mention how long ago that was.
Wavedancer
Wavedancer -
Not a pain at all. Indeed I expect you to correct me. It's how I learn. So did you learn to sail in a Valk?
Alden -
In a bucket list I would like to do one of the Dutch sailing weeks, either Kaagweek or Sneekweek. Not sure that is going to happen but it's out there.
It was a week long session with two other 'students' in the boat on one of the Friesian lakes. Roughly fifty years later, I am still learning...
Wavedancer
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