You'd think after 10 years of sailing I'd be past rookie mistakes. I guess not
. First sail of the year. 2 days planned onboard at Howard Prairie reservoir. it's the premier sailing lake here in S.W. Oregon and it has more water than at any time in the past 7 years at 96% full. I'm excited for a full season of excellent sailing as I arrived in the setup area at 8:00 Saturday morning, hoping to avoid the holiday rush. it was already busy, but not terrible, so being the first sail of the season I spent extra time to check, double check, and triple check everything before launch. it usually takes me about 30 minutes to get the boat wet (minus sails) but being extra careful it was more like an hour fifteen before I gleefully left the parking area and headed the 50 yards towards the boat ramp........... until half way there when I clipped an overhanging tree branch and took the mast down. not the highlight reel I expected . Upon inspection I discovered things could be a lot worse however as the mast is fine, as well as all stays and fittings, with the exception of a ss quick link on the forstay and a quick pin that retains the boom to the mast. fortunately I had enough spare parts onboard so after careful inspection I finally made a successful launch by about noon. sheeze.......! sailing was pretty good all day, as it typically is at HP. it didn't take long at all to get the rust off and feeling right at home cruising in 10-12kt with a smile.
I finally tossed anchor a half hour before dark in my favorite cove with no-one else in sight. time for a stroganoff dinner and a warm bunk with a star filled sky through the v berth hatch. Up at 7:00 for breakfast and a face wash as a bald eagle curiously observes me from a nearby snag on shore. guess it's time to pack up the sails and get ready for an early exit before the mob arrives. time to pull anchor...... pull anchor...... pulllll anchor... $h1T... the anchor has found a home and not ready to leave under any persuasion so after a half hour of fighting I reluctantly cut her loose in 50 feet of water. I've lost a few anchors in Lost Creek Lake, where stumps with exposed roots are common anchor thief's (the marina won't even provide anchors for rental boats!) but I've never lost one in HP before..... until now. I build my own, so after I got home I decided to build two new ones along with a custom "pick" to splice in anchor line loops. maybe if I carry a spare anchor
I'll never loose another one?.
The things we go through in the name of a good time.
. First sail of the year. 2 days planned onboard at Howard Prairie reservoir. it's the premier sailing lake here in S.W. Oregon and it has more water than at any time in the past 7 years at 96% full. I'm excited for a full season of excellent sailing as I arrived in the setup area at 8:00 Saturday morning, hoping to avoid the holiday rush. it was already busy, but not terrible, so being the first sail of the season I spent extra time to check, double check, and triple check everything before launch. it usually takes me about 30 minutes to get the boat wet (minus sails) but being extra careful it was more like an hour fifteen before I gleefully left the parking area and headed the 50 yards towards the boat ramp........... until half way there when I clipped an overhanging tree branch and took the mast down. not the highlight reel I expected . Upon inspection I discovered things could be a lot worse however as the mast is fine, as well as all stays and fittings, with the exception of a ss quick link on the forstay and a quick pin that retains the boom to the mast. fortunately I had enough spare parts onboard so after careful inspection I finally made a successful launch by about noon. sheeze.......! sailing was pretty good all day, as it typically is at HP. it didn't take long at all to get the rust off and feeling right at home cruising in 10-12kt with a smile.I finally tossed anchor a half hour before dark in my favorite cove with no-one else in sight. time for a stroganoff dinner and a warm bunk with a star filled sky through the v berth hatch. Up at 7:00 for breakfast and a face wash as a bald eagle curiously observes me from a nearby snag on shore. guess it's time to pack up the sails and get ready for an early exit before the mob arrives. time to pull anchor...... pull anchor...... pulllll anchor... $h1T... the anchor has found a home and not ready to leave under any persuasion so after a half hour of fighting I reluctantly cut her loose in 50 feet of water. I've lost a few anchors in Lost Creek Lake, where stumps with exposed roots are common anchor thief's (the marina won't even provide anchors for rental boats!) but I've never lost one in HP before..... until now. I build my own, so after I got home I decided to build two new ones along with a custom "pick" to splice in anchor line loops. maybe if I carry a spare anchor
I'll never loose another one?
.The things we go through in the name of a good time
. 
!
