Well, I just had the boat taken out to water this weekend. This has been my first year of owning and sailing my own boat. What a fantastic season it has been!
I guess I have made just about every mistake you can think of, and I probably came up with a few new ones. Boat ownership has been quite an experience. I learned the joys of sanding and scrapping the hull in preparation of applying bottom paint. I discovered the pleasure of cleaning, sanding and oiling teak until it yields that rich chocolate brown color. I discovered that it is awfully difficult to back out of your slip and then maneuver the boat after the sheer pin breaks. I was very proud of myself after installing cleats on the bow, cam cleats for the jib sheets and wiring in a fish finder (All done after searching the archives for instruction!). While these are not exactly rocket scientist modifications, it really made me feel like the boat is more than just an appliance. I guess you become proud of it!
They were few experiences in life better than the first day I motored out of the marina, turned the bow into the wind, raised the sails and the boat actually sailed! That feeling of gliding across the water noiselessly and effortlessly was exquisite!
Luckily, my wife enjoys sailing too, so in addition to sailing around our area, we have also spent many lazy Sunday afternoons anchored in a quiet (and sometimes not so quite cove) and shared a picnic lunch and a bit of wine. I’ve taken many friends out for their first sail, and most of them have asked to go out again.
I discovered a whole new group of people who love this thing called sailing that I have just started and have made many new friends. Mostly, I want to thank all of you who have so generously shared your knowledge and experiences. While I am not a very ‘vocal’ participant with lots of postings (I don’t feel I have the experience yet to contribute much), I am a very active reader and make sure I check into the site at least once daily.
All in all, this has been one of my best summers ever. I have already put my down payment on the slip for next year and am planning what upgrades to work on this winter!
I guess I have made just about every mistake you can think of, and I probably came up with a few new ones. Boat ownership has been quite an experience. I learned the joys of sanding and scrapping the hull in preparation of applying bottom paint. I discovered the pleasure of cleaning, sanding and oiling teak until it yields that rich chocolate brown color. I discovered that it is awfully difficult to back out of your slip and then maneuver the boat after the sheer pin breaks. I was very proud of myself after installing cleats on the bow, cam cleats for the jib sheets and wiring in a fish finder (All done after searching the archives for instruction!). While these are not exactly rocket scientist modifications, it really made me feel like the boat is more than just an appliance. I guess you become proud of it!
They were few experiences in life better than the first day I motored out of the marina, turned the bow into the wind, raised the sails and the boat actually sailed! That feeling of gliding across the water noiselessly and effortlessly was exquisite!
Luckily, my wife enjoys sailing too, so in addition to sailing around our area, we have also spent many lazy Sunday afternoons anchored in a quiet (and sometimes not so quite cove) and shared a picnic lunch and a bit of wine. I’ve taken many friends out for their first sail, and most of them have asked to go out again.
I discovered a whole new group of people who love this thing called sailing that I have just started and have made many new friends. Mostly, I want to thank all of you who have so generously shared your knowledge and experiences. While I am not a very ‘vocal’ participant with lots of postings (I don’t feel I have the experience yet to contribute much), I am a very active reader and make sure I check into the site at least once daily.
All in all, this has been one of my best summers ever. I have already put my down payment on the slip for next year and am planning what upgrades to work on this winter!
. Now I too have winter projects ahead of me I would like to make a set of wood crib boards along with all the other cleaning and prep work.
