Saturday was a busy day for both of us with Cindy running a mini marathon and myself working on a excavator that belongs to a friend of ours who is kind enough to let me use whenever I need it. After that was done I needed to get the trailer ready and make sure I had everything we needed to bring our girl home.
After a quick check of the grease in the wheel bearings and the tire pressures the trailer was ready. Now if I only I could remember everything we will need. The down side of only launching and recovering once a season is that means I need to remember things that are easily forgotten.
I think I have everything we need so time to pack for our last overnight on the water this season. Bittersweet as we did not get to over night near as much as we wanted to for various reasons. It was going to be a full moon but the cloud cover was thick. That meant it would be warm but we really hoped we could sail under a full moon. At least the wind was finally blowing and with a low pressure area moving our way winds were forecasted to blow through the night.
Soon Cindy was home from her mini and after a quick bath and packing we were headed to Columbus for the truck drawing. The mini she ran gives away a new Dodge diesel truck each year and only the ones who cross the finish line are eligible to win it. With only 2000 or so finishers the chance of winning is not as bad as playing the lottery, you just have to be present to win. We arrived and ran into friends who were having a drink as they waited so we joined them and sat under a umbrella to stay dry from a brief shower. The drawing came and went much like us as Cindy's name was not the one they called. The winner was standing about 4 feet from me when they called her name so I guess we can say Cindy came close to winning. No time to waste as the wind was blowing and we had sailing to do!
After a quick stop to grab doughnuts for breakfast we were unloading all our gear and heading to the boat. Our cockpit cover had taken a direct hit from a passing gull and was left with a nasty white skid mark of bird poo so I scrubbed that off before trying to remove some of the nasty black crud that was attached on to the bottom. I had really planned on doing a better job of staying on top of bottom scrubbing by pulling into shollow water and scrubbing her bottom a time or two during the summer but the elevated lake levels put the screws to that as there was no shallow water.
I gave up hope of getting all the crud and soon it was time to un tie and go sail. The wind was blowing from the southeast which was wanting to push the port side of the boat into the side of the slip. I gave her as big a push as I could to help get out of the slip but against the wind it did not get us far. What ensued was a good example of how quickly good things can go bad and how important it is to have good communication. I stepped on the bow like I normally did and started to remove the bow lines while Cindy backed us out of the slip. The wind was having a much greater affect on the boat than she realized and soon we were broadside to the slips and being drifted into them. I told Cindy to turn the motor, which at the time I did not stop to think that was the wording I had previously used when it was time to turn the motor around from reverse to go forward. Expecting her to have turned the motor to keep us backing away from the slips to get us room to manuveree I was surprised to see us about to run our bow into the out drive of a run about 3 slips from ours. Again, like an idiot I told Cindy to turn the motor, with more of an urgency in my voice. To which she replied that she did. Well between the wind and motor the distance between us and the slips was gone so I shoved off the slip with my foot to buy us enough time to do something. I got back to the motor as quickly as I could and stupidly told her to turn the motor again, in a not so nice way. It was then that I realized in my stupidity I had told her to turn it around, and she did exactly what I had told her to do. I quickly spun the motor back around and backed us away from the slips then got us headed out. I imedieatly felt awful for how I handled the situation. I had put my lil lady in a bad spot by merely failing to stop and think. Cindy did exactly what I told her to do. It was me who screwed up and failed to tell what I really needed her to do.
We had a long talk once we got under sail. I profusely apologized for my ignorance and we discussed why what just happened happened. I really wish there was some way I could help Cindy to be able to pick up on what the wind is doing to the boat as she struggles with that when we get around the dock. Cindy does great with sailing the boat and I have no doubt she could single hand it under the right conditions. But when the wind is blowing and we are being powered by the outboard problems seem to arise.
We have a really nice 3.5 hp Nissan outboard that has never skipped a beat. It moves the boat along with no problem. My thought when I bought it was that it was so simple to operate and maintain that we could not go wrong. Well, I can admit when I am wrong most of the time and this was the first time, LOL! It was simple as it only has forward and neutral. To back the boat up you just spin the motor around. Works great, for me, anyway. But Cindy with her short little arms really struggles with that. So in hopes of helping deal with motoring a little better we stopped and bought a 2014 Tohatsu 4 stroke 4 hp motor. It basically is just a bigger version of what we have now but it has reverse so all Cindy will have to do is flip the lever to back up. We will just have to keep working to get her to where she can pick up on the subtle visual clues of what the wind is doing to the boat.
We had good wind and we're enjoying a nice sail. Kathy finally arrived and she and Mike came out of the slips to join us on Anna, their Hunter 23. They were on the way to meet up with a friend of theirs on a Catalina 28 in "Party Cove". They invited us to join them so we headed off to Allen's creek.
We manuvereed back and forth behind Anna trying to catch up as whenever two sailboats go off to the same place a slow speed race almost always ensues. I finally took a different tack to try and position ourselves better so we would have good wind through the "narrows". It was about now that we both needed to do a "prop check".
Those of you who know what I am talking about will understand I have the unfair advantage of being able to stand up. Cindy was faced with the option of dipping in the now quite chilly water that she did not like the sound of or holding it. I then reminded her that her Go Girl was on baord and she should try it. What is a Go Girl you may ask? Well it a urinary directional device for women. Google it, as it is a hoot! She thought about it for a minute and then said what did she have to loose. I can't give an exact account of what took place next, partly because Cindy's comments had me laughing so hard I was coughing my lungs up and gasping for air, and partly to preserve a shred of decency to this blog. Let me just say the reactions Cindy had to getting to relieve herself standing up for the first time were hysterical!!!!!
Yes, we have a head onboard, but guess who has some sort of issue using it? Not me, but she is going to have to get over that issue as we will have to use it next summer when we are in the North Channel or face jail time in a Canadian jail.
After I finally caught my breath we passed Anna as we had a better angle on the wind to get us through the narrows. I had been bit by the no wind bug there several times before and have learned to read the water and find the best line. We rounded the corner and had to work to keep the sails filled as we were behind the trees and they were really blocking the wind. Mike finally gave up and started his outboard as we dropped sails to let them catch up. We followed them into Allen's Creek as the last hints of light faded to black. Chris was not much further ahead of us and was just dropping anchor as his lights came into view. We waited for Mike and Kathy to tie up on his port side and then we tied up on his starboard side.
After introductions we all fired up our grills to make our dinners. We simply turned the gas on and lit the fire in our rail mounted gas grill. I turned around to see flames rolling off the stern of the other two boats as the lit their charcoal grills. Luckily boats on the hook spin around into the wind so all the sparks were being blown away from their boats. We just never thought about having a charcoal grill onboard. Mike said he thought about lighting their grill as we sailed there. Good thing he didn't as we were on a broad reach and with the wind behind us the sparks would have been blown into their sails. That could have been bad!
While dinner cooked Cindy went over and checked out Chris' Catalina 28. I could hear her from our boat as she took in all the room in the cabin of the bigger boat. She came back to the Memory Maker with that glazed over look in her eyes that she gets when she sees something she really wants. I just keep saying we have all the boat we will ever need. Granted a bigger boat would be nice, if we had more time and could spend more than a day or two aboard at a time. I am about as simple of a man you will ever meet and the thought of stepping up to a bigger boat just for the sake of stepping up to a bigger boat just does not sit well with me. With every foot increase in length the upkeep cost go up proportionally. We have already dumped a lot of money in our little boat and she is about as close to new as we will ever get. To have to start over with another boat is terrifying. Maybe someday we will step up but not for the foreseeable future.
We ate our dinner, which was super simple and super yummy. Cindy was beat so we un tied and headed off to go anchor in Allens creek. After Cindy used her Go Girl for the second time, which still amazed her just as much as the first time, I asked if she wanted to raise the sails. She was beat and said no. Well the wind was still blowing nicely and although the moon was blocked by the clouds I could still see just fine in the dark. I was not going to let good wind go to waste so I raised them on my own as Cindy went down below to nap.
It was a great night to sail as it was still quite warm, the wind was good, and the lake was practically deserted. I say practically because along with us there were three Hobie Cats out sailing with no lights on what so ever. At first I thought my eyes were seeing things as it looked like what you imagine a ghost ship to look like in the distance. Then as it got closer I could see that it was really another boat and it was scooting. Finally I could make out it was a Hobie. He had company as I saw two more as the sail went on.
There is just something very peaceful about sailing at night, even more so than during the daytime. The lake seems so much bigger and without your normal visual clues you almost feel as if you are sailing a new lake for the first time. I tacked back and forth as I worked our way up the lake to the north east enroute to Allens Creek. The wind was steady at about 10 and it was a very nice sail. I will admit I was a bit lonely without my lady by my side but I could see her curled up in the V birth under a quilt and new she had to be beat after running the mini marathon earlier in the day.
At one point the wind picked up and I was really wishing I had set up the tiller tamer before I had started off as now I was going to have to tie a bowline knot in the dark then thread the line through the tiller lock and cleat if off. I could have just pointed into the wind and depowered the sails but who wants to do that when you can multi task and keep sailing along. It was about at this point that the wind got a bit gusty. Things got a bit interesting while I set it up but I managed to get it rigged up and was able to let go of the tiller while I got the boat ready to drop anchor.
The thing about solo sailing is that you really have to think ahead and almost work through each step in your head before you have to actually do it so you are prepared for what you need to do. I usually come up with a easier way to do the task as I do this so it pays to pre plan. With Cindy asleep I went forward and dropped the main which I think woke her up. I got it folded and tied off as we continued into the cove under the head sail only. Once we reached our parking spot I turned her into the wind and hurried forward to drop the jib. It was about now that the boat just started doing whatever it wanted as we had lost steerage. I dropped the anchor and then Cindy, who had woke up to help, backed us off the anchor to let out the rode. With the anchor set it was time to put the boat then ourselves to bed.
We had decided to try sleeping on the main birth which uses the table top that drops down to make the larger bed instead of the v birth like we normally do. After I had it set up and the bed made it was time to get so shut eye. As we laid there waiting on sleep to overtake us we could hear the wind in the wires and the waves lapping at the boat. I could also hear the annoying sound of the lower rudder mount working on the rudder pin. There is just enough wear in the lower mount hole to allow it to knock back and forth on the pin and it drives me crazy. Added that to the list to repair this winter.
It was not long and I was out like a light. I woke up thinking it was 3 am, it was 6:30, and the wind was still blowing pretty good. We went back to sleep till 9 or so then we got up and I made us coffee and feasted upon an assortment of doughnuts and pasties I had gotten on the way to the lake.
It was a sad breakfast as we both knew it was out last one on the water for the season. Luckily the wind had laid down quite a bit and it was still fairly warm so we were at least going to luck out and have good conditions to load her on the trailer.
It was a peaceful motor back to the slip where Cindy dropped me off so I could bring the trailer around to meet her at the boat ramp. I untied her and watched her back the boat out, which she did a flawless job of this time. Soon she was disappearing out of site around the point and I amade my way to the ramp. As I sat and waited for her to come into sight I noticed what looked like fog forming over the lake. After a quick look at radar I realized it was rain and not fog. Ought oh, someone might be getting wet as she brings the boat around. It wasn't long and the Memory Maker came into view and I went down to get a slot at the ramp. Luckily we had the place to ourselves. As I waited for Cindy to hit the bunk boards I wondered if maybe I should have back down deeper as with the new 13" tires the setting I used last year put the bunk boards just barely below the water. Turned out just fine as the wind had Cindy going a bit faster than I would have liked and although I was a bit concerned about getting her stopped before I got pinned between the boat and winch stand the boat slid to a stop in the bunk boards well short of pinning me.
All went well with getting our girl ready for the ride home. We had the sails pulled and folded up in their bags, the mast dropped and secured, and everything tied down for the ride home in a little less than a hour. Not bad for only doing it once this season. Here she is all ready for her ride home
Turns out I did forget to bring something. I forgot the mast cradle that goes on the bow pulpit so I had to use a beach tool. Worked fine and probably was not near as ugly as the mast cradle. Add making a new one to the winter to do list. We made a quick stop to pay next year's slip rental then headed for the house with our girl in tow.
It had been a fun sailing season. Even with the late start due to paint and Cindy's travel we still got to sail quite a bit, although not nearly as much as we wish we could have. Being 20 mins closer and not having to launch the boat each time really made a big difference and increased our enjoyment level so much more. Meeting Mike and Kathy and getting to sail with them was really nice. We shared lots of laughs and one awesome shooting star with them and we look forward to sailing with them more next season.
Now the time has come to put our girl to bed and start on the to do list to get her ready for next summers adventure to the North Channel. Our new sails are on order and should arrive around February. In the mean time I have lots of little things to do like install the chart plotter, compass, sew up a tent top for our pop top, make a cockpit tent, and fix that darn worn rudder mount hole! Here she is sitting in the garage on a set of 8" tires and wheels I got for her so we, I, don't have to pull the pulpits and poptop off to get her inside.
The smaller tires worked great but they are a bit overloaded to say the least. I should probably jack her up and get them off the ground and just use them for entry and exit to keep them from blowing the sidewalls out. It will be tight squeeze once we pout the concrete in the garage. If she doesn't fit we have just enough room to add a boat bay onto the west side of the garage.
Cindy and I will be getting married in Empire MI on our way to the North Channel next July so the North Channel will be our fist sail as husband and wife. We both are looking forward to that with much excitement. Until May 1 st, which is when we can take her back to the slip, we will keep ourselves busy taking care off all those things we did not get done because we were busy playing on the water while we eagerly await the first snow flakes so we can go play in the snow!!!!
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