Sailing with girls [ was: Re: [bolger] Bait and Switch]
On Monday, my 13-year-old daughter and I sailed our Windsprint (Otter,
http://www.patrickcrockett.com/boats/boats.html)from Harker's Island 4
miles to Cape Lookout on North Carolina's Outer Banks. Beautiful day,
nice breeze, clear water. We took in one reef -- could have done
without, but she calls it her "comfort reef" and we weren't in any
hurry. Saw a herd of ponies on Shackleford banks as we went by.
Sailing back we stayed in the channel, broad reaching or running most of
the way. I think we should have braved the shoals instead -- it was a
pretty tense ride most of the time, with large, fast motor boats passing
in both directions. I've learned to keep all the crew weight as far back
in the boat as possible when on these points of sail, and to over-sheet.
Still, it feels pretty unstable in waves of 2 feet or more (all wakes,
from different directions, this time), and jibing under these conditions
especially makes me nervous. Only time I've felt comfortable running
with a strong breeze in this boat was with Craig O'D aboard (and a
broken, non-functional rudder). Amazing how much difference an
experienced crew makes.
Even with the tense moments coming home, it was a great day of sailing
(and laying on the ocean-side beach). Topped off by the marina manager
saying, as we pulled the boat out, "Looked like you knew what you were
doing out there. We all thought you were coming in awful fast, but you
just turned and stopped like it was no big deal." They don't get many
sailboats (as evidenced by the power line across the drive leading to
the boat ramp) and clearly have no concept of a boat so lightweight
that, no matter how fast it is going, it has virtually no momentum to
carry it directly into the wind. Also, by sheer coincidence, we did
coast right up to the dock with just about zero velocity when we
arrived, so my daughter could step off with the bow line as if we'd just
been sitting there all along. It's sweet when that happens. I suppose
some people practice so that they know just how to do it with their boat
in all wind conditions, but I just take these little gifts as they come.
Patrick
Chris Crandall wrote:
http://www.patrickcrockett.com/boats/boats.html)from Harker's Island 4
miles to Cape Lookout on North Carolina's Outer Banks. Beautiful day,
nice breeze, clear water. We took in one reef -- could have done
without, but she calls it her "comfort reef" and we weren't in any
hurry. Saw a herd of ponies on Shackleford banks as we went by.
Sailing back we stayed in the channel, broad reaching or running most of
the way. I think we should have braved the shoals instead -- it was a
pretty tense ride most of the time, with large, fast motor boats passing
in both directions. I've learned to keep all the crew weight as far back
in the boat as possible when on these points of sail, and to over-sheet.
Still, it feels pretty unstable in waves of 2 feet or more (all wakes,
from different directions, this time), and jibing under these conditions
especially makes me nervous. Only time I've felt comfortable running
with a strong breeze in this boat was with Craig O'D aboard (and a
broken, non-functional rudder). Amazing how much difference an
experienced crew makes.
Even with the tense moments coming home, it was a great day of sailing
(and laying on the ocean-side beach). Topped off by the marina manager
saying, as we pulled the boat out, "Looked like you knew what you were
doing out there. We all thought you were coming in awful fast, but you
just turned and stopped like it was no big deal." They don't get many
sailboats (as evidenced by the power line across the drive leading to
the boat ramp) and clearly have no concept of a boat so lightweight
that, no matter how fast it is going, it has virtually no momentum to
carry it directly into the wind. Also, by sheer coincidence, we did
coast right up to the dock with just about zero velocity when we
arrived, so my daughter could step off with the bow line as if we'd just
been sitting there all along. It's sweet when that happens. I suppose
some people practice so that they know just how to do it with their boat
in all wind conditions, but I just take these little gifts as they come.
Patrick
Chris Crandall wrote:
> Folks:
> ...
> Since we're adults, we should get back to boating. Our lake is so
> swollen with rain, that only one of the three ramps is working--it's a
> pretty busy place. I took three girls out last week, two for their
> first ride in an outboard skiff--they were 8 and 5.
>
> -Chris
>
>