Catamaran Sailing

[jssailem]

I understand, Mark.
Some of my formative youth fun was on a Flying Dutchman JR as the trapeze deckman crew in the California waters off Pt. Loma, racing with a crazy Navy LT. I, more than once, landed in the Mainsail or was knocked off the rail by a wave and caught by the skipper as I swung uncontrolled over the transom, as we tried to keep going overpowered sailing on the edge.

As seen in this image.

 

[kloudie1]

While stationed in Memphis with the USN 1967-1968, I learned to sail Cougar Catamarans with my friend Chris Rooke who is a sailmaker there. I crewed on his boat in a few races and learned a lot about sailing and race tactics .. What a hoot!
COUGAR MK III - sailboatdata

 

[Tally Ho]

A resort in Punta Cana had a Hobi Cat on the beach for guests to use. Wife and I would take it out most days for a little zip around the water off the beach. Last day of the trip, winds were whipping, and the resort wasn’t letting anyone take the cat out. But I talked them into it, promising not to go too far.

We had lifejackets, but were not wearing them and we were in swimming suits… and on one tack, I did something wrong and dumped us in the water as the cat overturned. I foolishly asked my wife to go out to the end of the boom and try to push it up, while I stood one the lower hull and pulled the top one towards me as hard as I could. I slipped off the hull, cutting my knee pretty good. Tried again, and got her upright…for about 2 seconds before she blew over again with no weight on it. Drifting towards a big motor yacht anchored there, we scrambled to get it righted a second time. This time we both got on and sailed away.

Wifey was quite concerned about sharks after seeing the bloody knee… but I said, hey we still have 15 minutes left before we have to be back! Admiral pulled rank, insisting I take her back right now!

Oh to be young and stupid…oh wait, that story isn’t that old!

Greg

 

[shemandr]

Youth fades away. Stupidity endures.
I once asked my wife crawl out on the foredeck of a 15’ boat to do some task. She did as a big powerboat wake nearly swamped the boat and our nascent marriage. She got soaked but I only got some spray. The Sun was lowering in the early season. She got cold. It wasn’t a warm night for either of us.