E
Eric
I'm still here to tell about it! Two weeks ago the wind was out of the SW at about 30 Kts. Enough to put white caps on the lake. I have very little experience, but I've been rebuilding my old 1977 C-27 for three years and I was going whip myself if I missed such a nice fresh breeze on a sunny day! So, with courage and perseverance and a whole lotta stupidity I set out of port under power. When I hit the open lake the wind was at what felt like "Hurricane' force. Blowing a good 35-40 MPH. But, being the novice sailor that I am I was not deterred by my obvious bad choice.(There are names for guys like me.....The term DA comes to mind!) Bow into the wind and up goes the main'sl. I had read enough to know you put the boat 'in irons' before trying to raise the main. They should have put me 'in irons'. While grasping the mast and holding on with one arm for dear life, I managed to get the sail up about 2/3 of the way to the top of the mast. As the boat blew off to port and the wind caught the sail I instantly knew I was in deep trouble. She instantly layed on her side, the top of the mast about five feet from the crest of the waves. Somehow I was able, in my new prone position, to pull down the mainand while doing so the boat righted herself. I was shaken, but not deterred. (my wife was manic, but that's a whole other story). Again, I put my bow directly into the wind and dug out the reefing straps. One third the way up thge mast and tied off, I knew I was set. I caught the wind and over I went! When I finally righted and changed my shorts I cranked up the old engine and beat it back to port. Lesson learned. Don't mess with Mother Nature. Don't think you can sail because you've read every book ever published, and don't ever, ever, go out on a cold and windy lake without a life jacket strapped to your body........