Finally, the day had arrived. The day to put the boat in the water and make sail. After co-opting my eldest daughter and her husband as the unwitting crew, we set out to
rig and launch the beast, a case of the blind leading the blind. After getting her in the water and managing not to hit that big rock by the boat ramp, we motor out about 100 yards and make sail. First the
Jib, then the main as we catch wind and begin to move. We start off downwind running wing and wing SAILING!
Hmm, there's an inch or so of water there in the cabin sole, ok, no worries. We run down the lake a bit feeling splendid when we notice that one of the cabin footwells is now full
. Ok, now to beat back to windward. We come about on a starboard tack and find that every time we try to run close hauled she falls off the wind, not much help from the tiller. Ok, the motor being down must be canceling the rudder so we lift it. Bang! The motor drops back in and refuses to stay up so we're now steering with both the motor and the rudder. Back and forth we go trying to work our way to windward but everytime we get headway and attempt to close haul, the wind drops and she falls off. We're heeling somewhat and remember the keel, only to find it's rusted in place. After tacking back and forth and going in circles for an hour or so, I'm noticing that water is bubbling up through the keel cable hole and both footwells are now full. Ok, time to motor back but the motor isn't cooperating now. Three minutes of furious cranking later, I decide to prime it. Vroom! We're off and running. A fast skiboat goes tearing by and I crack the throttle open only to have the water in the boat rush back and bury the motor . Hmm, a couple of yanks and we're off once more with a bit less throttle and the crew perch on the forepeak for balance. We get back to the ramp and the Son in law, missjudging the depth, hops off with a bowline and disappears. He pops up momentarily and we enjoy a laugh at his expense. When we get the bowline hooked and
winch her onto the trailer I notice the bowhook comes in under the
winch, how strange. In a hurry to get the boat out, I pull forward. The wildly waving arms of my daughter stop me. I get out only to find that the tires are almost flat from the weight and that the tiller, which I forgot to pull in the rush, has dragged and twisted forward into the transom
. Matter of fact, the back trailer frame is dragging, Good Lord! So we pull the newly discovered drain plug and notice another stream of water UNDER the boat. Upon checking this out we find a nice 2" hole in the hull that had been hiding behind the rub rails of the trailer. Eventually, enough water drained out that we could refloat her and get her all the way on the trailer as well as pull off the now shattered tiller/rudder. Lessons learned? Use a check list. Take rain gear and warm clothes, we were all in tees and shorts when that cold rain just popped up. Sailing's a BLAST, even when it's not. So now we work on the boat so we can get back out there as soon as possible.
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