naviguer les écoutes entre les dents

English translation: hell-for-leather sailing

10:18 Jul 17, 2012
French to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Ships, Sailing, Maritime / yacht racing
French term or phrase: naviguer les écoutes entre les dents
A synonym for racing, pushing the boat/yourself to the limit : les bateaux naviguent les écoutes entre les dents

Can't think of a suitably "exciting" way of putting it in English.

Any suggestions?
Graham macLachlan
Local time: 06:05
English translation:hell-for-leather sailing
Explanation:
A few ideas:

hell-for-leather sailing

sailing flat out

seat-of-the-pants sailing

or some combination of the above.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 51 mins (2012-07-17 11:09:58 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"skimming the wavetops"

"going like the clappers"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2012-07-17 13:33:16 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Adapting the suggestion made by verslanglais below, another idea would be:

"Like a *boat" out of hell"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2012-07-17 15:15:25 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

sailing on the edge

extreme sailing

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 hrs (2012-07-17 16:49:52 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

racing close to the wind

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 hrs (2012-07-17 16:53:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"After another 24 hours of relentless match-racing close to the wind to see who can out-manoeuvre the other, Sill Plein Fruit has come out on top this morning, averaging a slightly faster boat speed."

http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/classes/?s=43&c=125&year=20...
Selected response from:

Colin Rowe
Germany
Local time: 06:05
Grading comment
Thanks Colin for all your ideas
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1to push the boat through its paces
Sarah Bessioud
4to sail with the sheet firmly between their teeth
Michel F. Morin
3 +1hell-for-leather sailing
Colin Rowe
Summary of reference entries provided
Hi, G:
kashew

Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
to push the boat through its paces


Explanation:
http://www.canadianyachting.ca/boat-reviews/sail/290-catalin...

We sailed hull number 4 on a day that provided good test conditions: relatively flat water and winds reaching 10 knots from the southwest that allowed us to put the boat through its paces.


http://www.sail-world.com/UK/Volvo-Ocean-Race:-Camper-Blogs-...

We have been making good progress south today, and putting the boat through its paces a little bit as well.

Sarah Bessioud
Germany
Local time: 06:05
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
Notes to answerer
Asker: thanks jdm, it almost fits the context but not quite


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Colin Rowe: Did you mean "put" (as in both your reference examples) rather than "push"? // You were *putting* my attention to the limits!
19 mins
  -> Thanks Colin. I did indeed - just testing to see whether you were paying attention ;-)
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
to sail with the sheet firmly between their teeth


Explanation:
Hello,

Par analogie avec "le couteau entre les dents" (quite common in French), i.e. "the bit (or the knife ) firmly between one's teeth", I suggest "to sail with the sheet firmly between their teeth".

Michel F. Morin
France
Local time: 06:05
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 43
Notes to answerer
Asker: thanks Michel

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18 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
hell-for-leather sailing


Explanation:
A few ideas:

hell-for-leather sailing

sailing flat out

seat-of-the-pants sailing

or some combination of the above.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 51 mins (2012-07-17 11:09:58 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"skimming the wavetops"

"going like the clappers"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2012-07-17 13:33:16 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Adapting the suggestion made by verslanglais below, another idea would be:

"Like a *boat" out of hell"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2012-07-17 15:15:25 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

sailing on the edge

extreme sailing

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 hrs (2012-07-17 16:49:52 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

racing close to the wind

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 hrs (2012-07-17 16:53:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"After another 24 hours of relentless match-racing close to the wind to see who can out-manoeuvre the other, Sill Plein Fruit has come out on top this morning, averaging a slightly faster boat speed."

http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/classes/?s=43&c=125&year=20...

Colin Rowe
Germany
Local time: 06:05
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thanks Colin for all your ideas
Notes to answerer
Asker: ha ha, "boat out of hell" is completely inappropriate for my text but I enjoyed it immensely, great teamwork!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Veronica Coquard: "Like a bat out of hell" came to mind too. :-)
2 hrs
  -> Thanks! How about: "Like a *boat" out of hell?"
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Reference comments


35 mins
Reference: Hi, G:

Reference information:
a linguee example - but the link doesn't work!
Les écoutes entre les dents, ils ne lâcheront plus rien.
safransixty.com
They have a firm grip on their sheets and are giving it their all.
safransixty.com

kashew
France
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 66
Note to reference poster
Asker: Thanks Mr H

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