Today, we enjoyed a very good Saturday sail after lunch with Bill, Vicky, Howard, Steve-o, Stevie, Ric, and myself.
Myself, Keith, Ric, and Howard went on Keith’s boat, a Lippincott 30. Everyone else on Steve Raye’s boat, an O’Day 28. Keith on helm, Ric worked foredeck and hoisted/doused the main, Howard took the jib. I worked mainsheet for the majority of the time until turning back toward the marina, then Keith abandoned the helm so I took over.
Prior to leaving the dock, Bill had placed a large container of stale cheese balls on the bow of Keith’s boat. A couple hours into the sail, Ric devised the idea of giving the cheese balls back… by throwing them at the other boat. We were downwind on the leeward side, so we passed them and began pushing them up, forcing them to turn down to get better air and positioning. We took advantage of being upwind as we slowed and allowed them to come alongside. At that point we unleashed an assault, Master And Commander style, tossing cheese balls at them. Our endeavor was successful, with many direct hits to the opposing boat and her crew! Everyone had a great laugh, even the victims, as we sailed back to the marina.
Pics or it didn’t happen
Man, you don’t know how much I wish I’d have taken video or photos. But we were all throwing cheese balls and I was trying to steer closer, but not too close!
It is really good to hear Bill is still getting out like that.
I may be mistaken but I thought Vicky was prone to seasickness?
Interestingly enough, Bill and Vicky are married and have a sailboat slipped at the same marina as mine; but they’re not the same Bill and Vicky you’re thinking about. ๐
Ha- crazy!
Sailing really means different things for different people. For me, sailing is about being away from people and decompressing from everything. I don’t really sweat it if the sails aren’t perfectly trimmed. I kinda go a general direction, but don’t fight things to get anywhere specific. Kicking back with a foot on the tiller and being alone with my wife is all I want. Other people go do things like you describe here for the interaction and fun in sharing the experience with each other. Other’s live to get their boat around the marks faster than the next guy – pretty much the absolute opposite of what I go for.
Based on the people I see at our little yacht club marina, I’m pretty much in the minority. They really like their races and parties. There is a LOT of social cachet and ego associated with the racing. Fortunately, I’ve been able to avoid a lot of that by using weekends to work on the boat while they race and party and save the weekday evenings for quiet sailing.
That’s very well said, Stan. I love that picture you painted when you mentioned kicking back with foot on tiller and being alone with your wife. I enjoy the peacefulness of sailing and I agree about not caring about the sails being perfectly trimmed.
The guys I sail with are mostly racers, but there’s a few who just enjoy the sailing aspect.
A good thing about sailing with racers, however, is learning how to sail more efficiently.
Yeah – I went out with the racers some when I first started sailing and learned a bit. I’m not sure that it was more than I would have learned spending the time out on our own and trying to figure things out. Basic sailing is far from being rocket science, no matter how complex they try to make it seem. I can see where it could take a long time to perfect all the nuances of sailing and that racing may help speed the learning curve.
You’re exactly right. I took an 8 hour sailing class [with about 4 on the water], but I definitely learned more by just going and figuring it out by myself. Now I’m having a sailing craving! ๐