Wonderful Sunday sail

[Tim Gardner]

A great day of sailing!

The Admiral and I noted the wind forecast of 12MPH out of the NW for the large part of the day. We hoisted the working jib, and struck out for as far as time would allow.

For the first 30 minutes, we sailed a bit off ( a gybe here and a gybe there ) downwind making hull speed with alacrity (look it up).  

Two miles downwind, we met up with two boats racing, and watched as they darted and parried for their invisible finish line. The Sunfish won!  The Lightning gave way to the bitty boat as it skipped across the water on full plane.

Knowing we had to beat to windward to return to S'go's dock, we began our two hour, 45 tacks, beat home.  Our lake is 1/4 mile wide in the area we live, sometimes annoying, but always challenging, to sail. Mountain lakes can refine your tacking skills!   We practiced two mob drills, (one with me pretending to be overboard &  one with her overboard for real (kidding)), and upon tying our proud vessel into her slip,  toasted our our recoveries with una tasa de vino blanco.

Fall sailing can be a wonderful thing!

TG

[Bob23]

Thanks for bringing us along via the site! I haven't sailed on a lake in ages, being a salt water guy these days.
Bob23

[lostsailor101]

Sounds like an pleasant day on the water.  Thanks for sharing your experience, stories like yours help keep sailing on my mind, while I count down my remaining time in the sandbox. Happy sails to you.

[GlennB724]

I have a similar report for this past Sunday.  We also sail on a narrow man made lake in Western Pa, but we headed upwind first; getting some good practice in co-ordinating the tacks on our little cp16.  Both the "first mate" and myself are of generous proportions, so moving around the cockpit of the 16 can be interesting.

I actually almost decided not to go, since it was heavy overcast with not a breath of wind visible; but guilt as much as my desire to get in as many sails as possible before the end of the season, convinced me to give it a go.

SO glad we did... nice steady, (for a lake), winds at about 10 or 12 knots and the threatening rain never materialized.  First under the new main alone, for the Mrs. to get the feel of it again, and then with the Genny unfurled to about the size of a standard jib.  Perfect balance of wind and canvass. 

NOW all I have to do is figure out where the water is coming into my bilge from!!!  I'm pretty sure it's those damn scuppers!  Definitely something to work on during the off season.