messing about in boats
Please do not become discouraged over this time element. As stated by these other fellows, it’s a long learning experience both on the water and off. Every time you launch and retrieve you learn something new about your boat and having the boat at home allows you the convenice to make the necessary repairs, additions and adjustments needed for your time on the water, this takes lots of time and effort.
This apprenticeship will pay huge dividends in the long run, if not then maybe sailing is not for you. There’s a passage from a childrens book written in England about 1900 that says it all about the old timer’s on this blog;
**`This has been a wonderful day!' said he, as the Rat shoved off and took to the sculls again. `Do you know, I`ve never been in a boat before in all my life.'
***`What?' cried the Rat, open-mouthed: `Never been in a -- you never -- well I -- what have you been doing, then?'
***`Is it so nice as all that?' asked the Mole shyly, though he was quite prepared to believe it as he leant back in his seat and surveyed the cushions, the oars, the rowlocks, and all the fascinating fittings, and felt the boat sway lightly under him.
***`Nice? It's the only thing,' said the Water Rat solemnly, as he leant forward for his stroke. `Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing -- absolute nothing -- half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Simply messing,' he went on dreamily: `messing -- about -- in -- boats; messing -- -- '
***`Look ahead, Rat!' cried the Mole suddenly.
***It was too late. The boat struck the bank full tilt. The dreamer, the joyous oarsman, lay on his back at the bottom of the boat, his heels in the air.
***` -- about in boats -- or with boats,' the Rat went on composedly, picking himself up with a pleasant laugh. `In or out of 'em, it doesn't matter. Nothing seems really to matter, that's the charm of it. Whether you get away, or whether you don't; whether you arrive at your destination or whether you reach somewhere else, or whether you never get anywhere at all, you're always busy, and you never do anything in particular; and when you've done it there's always something else to do, and you can do it if you like, but you'd much better not. Look here! If you've really nothing else on hand this morning, supposing we drop down the river together, and have a long day of it?'
The Wind in the Willows
by Kenneth Grahame, 1908
Now, when I’m at the bay I sail out of two marinas that have launch ramps and cater to the trailer sailor by having the facilities to keep the boat on the trailer with mast up at a reduced cost, there’re probably many more if you check around. What you have at the bay and especially in your area is so many of these places and they are not over booked, so negotiations are there for you also.
The two;
Holiday Hills in Mayo, the same town you now sail out of, the place is rough and no amenities, but the old guy will negotiate.
Maryland Marina on Middle River, Baltimore, very nice, but the brothers may only do a full year contract.
AND the best part is I can change my view whenever I want.
