I had a great sail today.

smackdaddy · #1 (**permalink**) 06-05-2010

This thread is for those sails that are really nice. When the wind is just about perfect. The sun is shining. Water's beautiful. People you really dig are hanging out with you.

You take a deep breath and thank God you took up sailing. THAT is what this thread is all about.

So, tell us about yours...

smackdaddy · #2 (**permalink**) 06-05-2010

So I'll start.

Today was just what I described above. It was just me and my two boys (6 and 10). The wife was shopping with her mom (forced into it more like - she's not a big shopper). It was the first time for just the 3 of us.

Anyway, the wind was in the 10-15 knot range, so it was fresh but really nice. A bit of drama coming out of the slip. The shear pin on the prop broke. Why is it that it always happens after you back out into the fairway? After nervously trying to get forward gear to engage - with no luck - I just kept it in reverse, flipped us around and backed back into the slip.

Into the water with a pair of pliers tied to the stanchion and a new pin that had been stored under the motor cover - and 10 minutes later we were underway.

I let the 6 yo drive as we motored out of the marina. I was taking the bungees off the main when I heard the 10 yo saying "no the other way" pretty emphatically. I looked up and we were 30 feet from the rocks. I jumped into the cockpit, swung the tiller around, and waited for the blood pressure to go back down. The 6yo just giggled.

The 6 yo kept us motoring into the wind and we hoisted our sails. Then the 10 yo drove us for a couple of miles the passed me the helm and went below for Oreos and a book.

The boys would pop back up and help me with each tack and steer for a couple of minutes - then back to the snacks and sodas. That's cool - it was just great being out there with them. I had that "sigh" moment.

I decided not to try to run the GR course for obvious reasons - but had a blast sailing with my boys.

Tonight the 6 yo said, "Someday I'm going to have a sailboat too." Music to my ears.

bljones · #3 (**permalink**) 06-05-2010

Sometimes a BFS doesn't have to be a BFS to be a BFS. Sometimes it is the crew more than the conditions that makes a sail memorable. Treasure these moments, Smack, because they grow up waaaayyyy too fast.

KeelHaulin · #4 (**permalink**) 06-06-2010

Dude- you need to get them an el-toro or opti! They will love it; and they will learn early.

ericread · #5 (**permalink**) 06-06-2010

Saturday (6/5/2010) was a really nce sailing day in the San Diego harbor. 8-12 Kt winds, somewhat gusty and overcast. Not the normal San Diego weather as it was a bit cold, but enough wind and gusts to give us a very nice sail. The upside is that the SD sailors are so spoiled that it wasn't very crowded out there.

Eric

Edit: A bit cold in San Diego means 65 degrees F. So I guess I really shouldn't complain about that.

bobmcgov · #6 (**permalink**) 06-06-2010

We took the SJ21 out on Lake Hattie today, for our second sail of the season. The lake is now 80% of its full size, so there's room for a small boat to play a little. The winds were steadier in direction than summer winds, but they came in alternating 10-minute blocks of 8kts and 20+. One little spell had us plowing a rut into 28kts, a bit much for this early in the season. We got lots of practice furling and unfurling the jib.

No speed records set, but it sure is nice to be back on the water. And this year, the boat will live on a mooring ten minutes from home. Gonna be a fun summer.

CharlieCobra · #7 (**permalink**) 06-06-2010

Smack, pretty cool when a youngster likes something you love to do. Enjoy it while it lasts.

mccary · #8 (**permalink**) 06-06-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by smackdaddy

Tonight the 6 yo said, "Someday I'm going to have a sailboat too." Music to my ears.

Smack, it just takes one to start that seed growing. You are lucky to have them so close, my daughter (an only child) grew up too fast and now lives in Boston area with her husband (a golf person, not a boat guy), and my 2 granddaughters, the youngest almost 2 and the oldest 3½. The oldest loves sailing with granddad and sits, on many winter's day, in her house over looking her snow covered yard and draws pictures of sailing and sailboats.

When she was one I gave her a rocking dory instead of a rocking horse. She has grown into a boat person so far. My fingers are crossed.

ccriders · #9 (**permalink**) 06-06-2010

On Saturday we had a wonderful 'though short sail on Corpus Christi Bay with winds strenghtening from 8 to 12 knots. We have been enjoying having our son here. He is a Marine Pilot and has returned to CC to be an instructor pilot at the air station. It was his first opportunity to get out on the boat with us and with smooth water and light winds we were able to just cruise along and have a five hour conversation without a care in the world. One of the nice things about light air is I don't worry so much about something breaking an our GOB. Anyway light air smooth water and 85 degrees was pretty wonderful.
John

CharlieCobra · #10 (**permalink**) 06-06-2010

Corpus was a gorgeous town when I last lived there in 1972. I used to enjoy strolling down Ocean Dr. from St. Luke's to the bridge.