Early end to the Season

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Dec 25, 2009
269
American 26 & MFG Challenger 12 American 8.0, Challenger 12 Lake Pepin, Wisc.
Regrettably, my wife and I had to call an early halt to this years sailing season.

My Admiral and Halyard puller had to have Rotator Cuff surgery to her left shoulder a week ago and despite her wish that it be a simple fix 1 or 2 stitches through a scope, it turned into a major repair and now she is out of commission for 4-6 months.

This was our last sail on Lake Pepin Saturday the 7th of July. It was a memorable one.

Sailing Up a Sun Beam:
:cry:

I am going tomorrow early to pull the boat and bring her home. Oh' well. Next year is just a few months away, I wish.

Regards,

Tom...:)
 
Dec 2, 1999
15,184
Hunter Vision-36 Rio Vista, CA.
Why don't you haul halyards and let the admiral tend the wheel/tiller? That is what her other arm is for.
 
Dec 25, 2009
269
American 26 & MFG Challenger 12 American 8.0, Challenger 12 Lake Pepin, Wisc.
I wish that it were that simple. I have had both hips replaced in the past 7 months and don't move around to sure footedly on the boat even while tied up to the dock let alone when underway in a nice wind. Just the simple things like going forward and releasing the jib so that it can be hauled up are not in my repertoire yet at least not for several more months. I still use a cane after the second hip and the old adage from the Royal Navy. "One hand for the ship and one hand for yourself" still applies, especially on days when the winds are stiff.

She can operate the engine and the tiller, but that does take two hands as well. I have tiller mounted motor controls. There again. One hand on the tiller and one hand for the controls.

Sailing just needs two good hands and two good legs. It is even better if they are all attached to the same body. In our case it is fifty/fifty.

Cheers,

Tom...
 

BobM

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Jun 10, 2004
3,269
S2 9.2A Winthrop, MA
Leave the boat in. Motor around when you can't find an extra hand. Do some maintenance. You will at least still be on the water.
 
Dec 20, 2010
294
Yankee Condore 21 Halifax
Hiee Tom,

I hope that both of you heal up well and quickly.

c_witch
 
Oct 10, 2009
1,045
Catalina 27 3657 Lake Monroe
Shoulder surgery like that is tough. I had my left shoulder reconstructed twenty years ago and can attest to how hard it is to rehabilitate. Lots of pain at the outset, but things get better eventually. Mine was rebuilt by the (then) bone cutter for the Cincinnati Bengals, who told me I now had a shoulder worthy of taking a hit from an NFL linebacker, not that I'd ever try it. Please wish your wife well and convey my hopes for a speedy recovery!
 
Jan 24, 2005
4,881
Oday 222 Dighton, Ma.
I wish you and your wife the best Tom. My boat has been out of the water for weeks now. This has been the worse boating year that I can ever remember.
Even though she's not in the water, I have her sitting on the trailer next to my house with the mast up. I like to hang out on her occasionally, do some reading and take naps in the cabin. I can see the lake across the street from my boat and it's the next best thing to being on the water for me right now.
 

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Dec 19, 2006
5,832
Hunter 36 Punta Gorda
Me Too

I had rotator cuff shoulder surgery last august and was planning to take our motor home out west for 6 week tour of our USA but instead stayed in Florida and had the boat pulled for new bottom paint and left the boat on the hard until feb when my shoulder was better and ready for sailing.
The first month or 2 is the worst part of surgery and things start getting better with PT things started improving and after 6 months I was ready but doctor and PT said no,I would say 8-10 months I was like new but still at 6 months things were much better and inproving but I not allowed to do any real using the shoulder.
But last April we did 4 weeks around Southern Florida and the Keys and been sailing ever since,we now in NY and planning our out west US trip for August,Good Luck and just wait things do get better again.
Nick
 
Dec 25, 2009
269
American 26 & MFG Challenger 12 American 8.0, Challenger 12 Lake Pepin, Wisc.
Thank you all for the kind words and wishes. It is a real nuisance to be house bound for months on end. I can get around with a cane and she is like keeping a lion caged. She is constantly trying to clean the house, wax the car you know like the Karate Kid. Wax on Wax off. It is like watching a continuous motion machine. I think, I am going to have to tie her in a chair and keep her there.

Oh' well, we wanted to go on the road in Oct to travel down south. Looks like this puts the kibosh on that.

Cheers,

Tom...
 
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