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The Marina Village

Captain Dave the Rave's Harbour

"From dance floors to sea floors"

A FeelFamous Village for sailors, dreamers, and anyone who's ever looked at the horizon and thought "what if?"

Free forever. Learn, ask, identify. Join the FeelFamous Family to unlock PRO features across ALL -Oid apps.

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Harbour Master's Office

Welcome aboard, mate. I'm Captain Dave — ex-Bristol raver turned sailor, fisherman, and PADI Dive Master. If you've ever stood on a dock and thought "I wish I knew what any of this meant" — you're in the right place.

No such thing as a daft question here. Only daft answers — and those are usually mine after too many rums. Whether you've just bought a £200k yacht and can't tie a bowline, or you're dreaming about your first dinghy, pull up a fender and stay a while.

☕ Buy Dave a Rum 📷 Identify a Boat 🧑‍✈️ Ask the Captain ⭐ Join the Family

The Pontoons

Your berth assignments. Pick a pontoon and dive in.

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Pontoon A: Boat Identification

→ Sail-Oid AI — right here

Snap a photo of any boat, yacht, dinghy, or piece of nautical gear. Dave's AI identifies it, tells you what it's worth, and gives you the full story.
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Pontoon B: Learn the Ropes

Knots, terms, weather, safety

Complete beginner? Perfect. Dave explains everything like he's chatting at the bar. No jargon without translation. No judgment. Ever.
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Pontoon C: Chandlery

Gear, books, essentials

Dave's honest gear recommendations. What you actually need, what's a waste of money, and what will save your life. No sponsored rubbish.
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Pontoon D: Ask the Captain

AI chatbot — Dave answers anything

Chat with Dave directly. Sailing questions, boat buying advice, weather reading, knot tying, diving, fishing — anything nautical. 24/7.
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Pontoon E: No Daft Questions

The Q&A jetty

Real questions from real beginners, answered by Dave without an ounce of condescension. Port from starboard? We've got you.
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Pontoon F: Crew Finder

Coming Soon

Need crew? Want to crew? The notice board for matching skippers with willing hands. Experience not required — enthusiasm is.

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Pontoon G: Dealer Berths

Coming Soon

Chandlers, yacht brokers, marine surveyors, sail makers — vetted professionals who give a damn. Dealer passes available for trusted businesses.

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Pontoon H: Below the Surface

Coming Soon

Diving, snorkelling, underwater exploration. Dave's a PADI Dive Master — this is his other world beneath the waves.

📷 Sail-Oid AI

Test the Captain. Fool the Captain. Upload a photo and Dave's AI identifies it.

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Camera

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Gallery

Don't know a Bowline from a Buntline? Ask. If I'm wrong, Roast Me!

🎉 Recent Villagers

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📚 Learn the Ropes

Dave explains it like he's chatting at the bar. No jargon without translation.

⛵ Parts of a Boat — The Essentials

Bow

Front of the boat

Stern

Back of the boat

Port

Left side. "Port" = 4 letters = "Left"

Starboard

Right side

Hull

The body — the bit in the water

Keel

Fin underneath. Stops you tipping over

Boom

Horizontal pole. DUCK when it swings!

Head

The toilet. Yes, really.

Galley

The kitchen

🪢 Five Knots That'll Save Your Life

1. Bowline 👑

The King of Knots

"The rabbit comes out of the hole, goes round the tree, and back down the hole." Creates a loop that won't slip. Use it for everything.

2. Cleat Hitch

Securing to a cleat

One full turn, then figure-eights, finish with a locking turn. You'll do this every time you dock. Get it right.

3. Round Turn & Two Half Hitches

Tying to a post or ring

Dead simple, dead reliable. Go round the post, two half hitches, done. Works every time, undoes every time.

4. Figure of Eight

Stopper knot

Stops ropes running through blocks. Tie one at every rope end. Easy to untie even when wet. The polite knot.

5. Reef Knot

Joining two ends of the SAME rope

"Left over right, right over left." For tying reef lines around the sail. NOT for joining two different ropes — it'll slip and that's how bad days start.

🆘 Safety — This Bit Isn't Optional

Before Every Trip:

✅ Check weather forecast

✅ Lifejackets for everyone

✅ Tell someone where you're going

✅ Check tides

✅ VHF radio charged and working

✅ Flares in date

Emergency:

📞 Dial 999 → ask for Coastguard

📻 VHF Channel 16

📱 Download HM Coastguard app

📱 Download What3Words

RNLI — donate to these heroes. They volunteer to save lives.

🌤️ Reading the Weather

Beaufort Scale — Know Your Numbers

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Force 0-2

Calm to light. Peaceful.

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Force 3-4

Perfect for learning.

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Force 5

Fresh. Beginners: head in.

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Force 6+

Stay in harbour. No shame.

❓ No Daft Questions

"Just daft answers — and those are usually mine." — Dave

What's the difference between a boat and a yacht?

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Honestly? Mostly ego and money. Technically a yacht is a vessel used for pleasure cruising or racing. A boat is... also that. Some say anything over 40 feet is a yacht. Others say if it has a cabin it's a yacht. Dave says if you're having a good time on the water, who cares what you call it?

I just bought a boat and I can't sail. Am I an idiot?

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No mate, you're brave. Loads of people dream about it and never do it. You've done the hard bit — committed. Now book an RYA Competent Crew course (2-5 days), then Day Skipper. And call your marina — most have sailing schools or can recommend local instructors. You'll be fine. Promise.

Which side is port and which is starboard?

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Port = Left (both have 4 letters). Port light is red. Starboard = Right. Starboard light is green. Face the bow (front), port is your left hand. You'll never forget it now.

Do I need a licence to sail in the UK?

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Nope. No legal requirement for a licence to sail in UK waters. But — and this is a big but — you'd be mad not to get proper training. RYA qualifications are internationally recognised and will make you safer, more confident, and your insurance cheaper. Plus some charter companies and foreign ports require certificates. Get trained. It's worth it.

How much does sailing actually cost?

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Depends how deep you want to go. A second-hand dinghy is £500-3,000. A small cruiser £8,000-30,000. Then add marina berth (£2-8k/year), insurance (£200-1k/year), and maintenance (10% of boat value annually). The boat is the cheap bit — it's the keeping that costs. But sailing clubs are cheap to join and you can crew for free on other people's boats while you learn. Start there.

What if I get seasick?

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Most people get used to it. Stay on deck, look at the horizon, stay hydrated, avoid going below in rough weather. Stugeron (cinnarizine) tablets work well for most people — take them the night before. Wristbands (Sea-Band) help some folk. And here's the thing: Nelson was seasick his whole career. NELSON. You'll be fine.

What's Dave's rave-to-sailing story?

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Oh mate. 15 years in the Bristol scene — Lakota on Fridays, Trinity on Saturdays, free parties in fields on Sundays. Techno, trance, jungle, DnB. Then one day I went fishing with a mate. Salt air, open water, that same peace you find at 6am when the last tune fades and the sun comes up. That was it. Hooked — literally. Fishing led to boats, boats led to sailing, sailing led to proper qualifications. Dive Master too. The sea is my rave now. Same freedom, same respect, same community. Just wetter.

Can I learn to sail as an adult? Am I too old?

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Absolutely not too old. Some of the best sailors I know started in their 50s and 60s. Sailing rewards patience, experience, and good judgment — things you've already got. Book an RYA course, show up with enthusiasm and a willingness to learn. Nobody cares how old you are on the water. They care whether you can tie a bowline and make a decent cup of tea.

What should I look for when buying a used boat?

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Number one rule: GET A MARINE SURVEY. Non-negotiable. A qualified surveyor will check the hull, rigging, engine, electrics, sails, safety gear — everything. Budget £500-1,500 for it. Beyond that: check for osmosis (blisters on the hull), standing rigging age (replace every 10-15 years), engine hours, sail condition. And sail the boat before you buy it. If the owner won't let you, walk away.

What's a "marina queen"?

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A boat that never leaves the marina. Polished within an inch of its life, fenders perfectly positioned, not a barnacle in sight... because it never goes anywhere. The owner visits on Sundays, has a gin and tonic in the cockpit, and goes home. No judgment — it's their money. But if that's you and you want to change, come talk to Dave. We'll get you out there.

🧑‍✈️ Ask the Captain

Chat with Dave directly. Sailing, boats, diving, fishing, weather, knots — anything nautical. 24/7.

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Captain Dave the Rave

Salty Sea Dog • Bristol • Online

🛒 Dave's Chandlery

Honest recommendations. What you actually need, no sponsored rubbish.

🦺 Safety Essentials

→ Crewsaver Auto-Inflate Lifejacket → Handheld VHF Radio → Waterproof First Aid Kit → Emergency Flares

🧥 Clothing

→ Musto Sailing Jacket → Gill Sailing Gloves → Dubarry Sailing Boots → Polarised Sailing Sunglasses

📖 Books Every Sailor Needs

→ The Complete Day Skipper — Tom Cunliffe → Reeds Nautical Almanac 2026 → Heavy Weather Sailing — Peter Bruce → The Boat Maintenance Bible

📱 Essential Apps

→ Navionics — charts (paid, worth every penny)

→ Windy — weather (free + premium)

→ PredictWind — forecasting

→ What3Words — Coastguard uses this!

→ HM Coastguard App — GPS position sharing

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