Preview: Slow August – Cradle Cove

40 Responses So Far to “Slow August – Cradle Cove”

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  Lester Garnier says:

  I prefer swinging at my mooring. It allows ventilation through the Dorades as well as the forward hatch. Particularly nice when sleeping forward on a warm night. When the wind blows up you have the bow head on rather than rolling in the sea. Plus it is easier to fall off the wind and sail away or to pick up the mooring headed into the wind. Maybe Harry has an explanation for his particular arrangement that I haven’t seen as yet.

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    John Wujack says:

    Lester, I believe the intention is to allow the boat to be safely cradled and even take the bottom for either maintenance or safety should a deep water mooring be unwise, I’d give my left leg for this set up!

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    Lester Garnier says:

    I spoke too soon. Just saw Harrys video showing his boat resting securely on a tidal flat in his well-designed cradle.

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  Wolfgang Doughty says:

  Neat

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  Sam Robinson says:

  Slow TV at it’s best

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  DOUGLAS ST. ONGE says:

  Every time I see some lucky soul in a sailboat it makes me wish I could start my life over. All my life I dreamed of having a sailboat but there was always some reason not to. A wife with no desire to go in a sailboat. Six children, many grandchildren with many needs.
  I would build or buy a sailboat before I got married and hopefully the wife would love it. One of my favorite experiences was the sailboat trip out into the Atlantic at Booth Bay Harbor Maine. I have been there several times and loved it. I live in the Milwaukee, WI area and we have the largest Irish Fest in the world here. Many years a group called Schooner Fare from Portland, Maine have been there to intertain us with their Seafaring and Irish Songs. They were awesome. Many of you have probably seen them. They were a trio, Chuck & Steve Romanoff and Tom Rowe all former schoolteachers from Portland. Tom Rowe passed away so they broke. What a loss.
  I am in my eighties now and my sailboat will be graved on my gravestone. Until then I can dream. Sorry this got so long.
  Douglas St. Onge

  Love your website and the great articles. I can still dream.

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    Michael McEvoy says:

    Doug:
    I saw your note about wanting to go sailing a year to the day late, but I note that you are basically right on the water in Milwaukee and all you have to do is go down to the Milwaukee Community Sailing Center and they’ll have you in a sailboat in no time flat assuming you’ve had your vaccine shots. Happily you don’t need a boat, in this world, just access to one and so what that you’re in your eighties? My grandmother went rock climbing in Maine for the first time in her eighties – she always wanted to do it and did it. Admittedly, she was a tough old Irish Spirit, but the point is she just went and did it and you can and should to! Let us know how it went!
    Mike McEvoy

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  Peter Strock says:

  Willian Sontag has a serious point. “Needless consistency…” While I treasure and appreciate the “old ways” and Harry Brayn is to be admired for his ingenuity in many things he is sculling a 25 foot [?] boat in a flat calm with no observable current or tide. And walking around a deck without flotation for himself. As Grandpapa said in the last few bars of Peter And The Wolf: “That’s all very well, but what if Peter hadn’t caught the wolf, what then?”

  Everyone i teach to sail learns to prepare for the worst and enjoy when it doesn’t happen. It is hard to not feel that Harry relishes flaunting the Gods, is very successful at it, but needs a little more humility in his coffee. Show me the same performance with an ebbing/flooding tide, a brisk breeze to oppose tide, and at least a chop if not some waves to bounce the whole thing around. The remark about the dingy is well said.

  Still, recognizing the moment and having the skills to do what Harry does is priceless. I have a similar story about picking up a mooring while cruising into Hadley’s Harbor, alone on a Concordia 44, that fills my memory cup 30 years later
  Don’t quit Harry, just be more careful.

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    Charlie Stewart says:

    This is about a lazy hazy day of summer. It’s an anomaly. When the winds, tides and temps are different, I’m sure you’ll see a quite different approach, utilizing the tactical techniques you teach. On stormy night passages I wear beacons, vest and tether, on day sails I wear a light pfd, and on still summer days I dive in and swim. But thanks for teaching safety at sea. It has kept me alive.
    Captain Charlie
    Sv/OneEighty
    Gulf of Mexico

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  Douglas Mosby says:

  Late to the party as usual…I don’t get it! How can a person own that part of a waterway? Rig up a floating davit; port and starboard morning lines secured across the way. I know your in Maine, but enlighten the rest of us!

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  George Short says:

  Wonderful video… Thanks for “slowing down”.😊

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  William Sonntag says:

  I have watched a number of these “slow August” vids, many very nice and much appreciated. But this one veers into overly fussy crusty old man compulsiveness that is quite precious in a not so good way. After all, this whole thing takes much specialized equipment (boats included), access to expensive real estate, quite a bit of compulsive fiddling, all done in context of a climate that might allow this idle to take place during 3 months of the year ideally? Sorry for contrarian view…..

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  Hector MacNeil says:

  This is the most enjoyable video I’ve watched in a long time. Thank you. Now I’m going to watch it again.

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  Sean Hogben says:

  Appropriate technology at work.

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  Rick Robinson says:

  This is my ideal vision of what heaven will be like.

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  James Turner says:

  Your timing is impeccable. I was just about to begin painting the new dinghy. It now has a sculling notch. Thank you. Harry’s videos have always been inspirational.

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  nick hanbury says:

  Great video! The man’s in perfect harmony with his craft and surroundings. I like the idea of using that cradle to clean the bottom of my hull mid-season.

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  Eric Child says:

  Makes me excited to learn sculling… thanks…!

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    Rob Dutton says:

    I’d be interested in seeing the details of that two part sculling oar.

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  Eric Hansen says:

  it’s beautiful, almost brought a tear to my eye, nice try.

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  Philippe Candelier says:

  So relaxing…

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  Derek Lasher says:

  I love this version of the slow series—There’s still a ton to learn from this video just by quietly observing a master at work.

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  Ben Vette says:

  A picture paints a thousand words .

  Thank you OCH

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  Rick Robinson says:

  The beauty and simple pleasures of maneuvering a small boat in areas like this are among the best things in life. Listening to the wilderness surrounding you. I can also imagine the pleasure of a nap onboard and being lulled into slumber by the sound of water and birds.

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  Joseph E Pitoniak says:

  Thank you for this. My wife called it magical.

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  Morgan says:

  Let’s here it for the older Gentleman in the world. Smooth, no wasted motion. Yea, Something to aspire to.
  Thanks,

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  Donald Rullman says:

  Impressive! Calm and deliberate. Equally impressive was how easily he stepped onto his tender. I noted then that he did not have a life jacket on. Great video!

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  carey harmon says:

  very ingenious

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  Dan Dennett says:

  I learned to scull when I was a young teenager 64 years ago, but haven’t done it for many years. Now I want to rig a sculling notch on the transom and see if I can recover my skill. beautiful episode.

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  Tony Arkwright says:

  Only in Canada, eh?

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  Stewart Simpkins says:

  Hats off to whoever discovered this fellow and especially to whoever decided to record it.
  Stu Simpkins

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  Frances Elliott says:

  Thank you for another beauty!

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  Steve Gunn says:

  I would like to know more about it hi boat and the gentleman in this video.

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    Brian Hunter says:

    Lovely to watch an old guy in synch with his boat and surroundings, from one old guy to another ‘well done Harry, but please don’t untie your dinghy before you are safely in it’
    I’m a bit mystified about the cradle I am asuming your vessel is in a tidal anchorage and takes the ground at low tide? I am fortunate where I am in Australia I don’t have to contend with that.

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  Tom Greaves says:

  Beauty — thanks.

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  George Conbeer says:

  Harry’s economy of movement is possible because he carefully envisioned what he wanted to accomplish. He is truly an inspiration.
  Not to one up a previous poster, but I’m having my coffee in the cockpit of my boat in Peterborough Ontario. Later today we will transit the Peterborough Hydraulic Lift Lock, one of the true testaments to man’s ingenuity. I think Harry would appreciate the simplicity of its design.

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  Dana Cole says:

  Skulling is a wonderful skill. I am not very good at it I admit. I hate to leave a negative comment, but where I live (Oklahoma) calm days like you see in this video are very rare and I think skulling a boat that size would be nearly impossible against even a 10 or 12 kt wind. My solution is a Torqeedo 1.5, which is recharged by my on-board battery, which in turn is maintained by solar panels. So, except for the energy used to build the motor, battery, and solar panels, my carbon footprint is no worse than this guy’s and I still get to move around plenty slowly.

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  Dave Dickmeyer says:

  Watching Harry from my newly poured patio having morning coffee with my sweetie. A beautiful blue sky with a few slowly floating clouds. I’d say we’re easing up!
  Great video! Thanks.

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    Alexander McKendrick says:

    Nice one!

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  Philip Myer says:

  As they say- start off slow then ease up.