July 27 Sail on the bay... Very little wind, but a great time...

July 27, 2011: it was a great day for sailing despite the failing winds.

From 9:30am until 11:30am very light winds carried us at a tame 3 -5 knots from Commencement Bay out and around Brown's Point.

We crept patiently along under only the power of the mainsail for the first couple of hours. Then, inversely proportional to our nautical ambitions, came the grim doldrums. The tell tales died, and drooped limp and lifeless as the waves from passing tugs tossed the disabled Martin 242 like a cat swats a spider across the linoleum.

We tried valiantly to catch a occasional breeze to haul us back to the marina, but finally, as a last resort, we were obligated to fire up the outboard to make our 2pm return.We finished the sandwiches and rehydrated as we hovered above the salty depths.

A curious sea lion kept an eye on us from behind the boat like a bashful mermaid as we sat lifeless and silent in the middle of the sound and then disappeared with revving of the engine.

Close to the marina, with about 40 minutes to spare, the wind decided to tease us again, so we trimmed the main, unfurled the jib and did circles around the bay until time ran out.

I had my father go head to wind. My wife furled the jib. Once the jib was snugged away, I asked my 9 year old son to lower the main while my wife and I flaked it over the boom. It was a confidence builder for both of them and I think they enjoyed taking an active role in crewing the boat.

Though we hoped for more action, the forgiving winds were the perfect opportunity to teach my wife the finer points of sail trimming and by the end of the day, she was comfortable on the mainsail and headsail. That's real progress, especially considering she was too frightened to even board a docked boat only a few short month ago.

Lesson of the day - when turning into the slip, do not simply drop the engine into neutral - it's not enough to completely slow the boat and keep it from bumping the the dock. Instead, hit reverse, gauge your decreasing speed (to avoid stopping short) and go to neutral to glide into the slip as gently as a wool sock into a boot. It is a far kinder thing to do fo the boat.

I wish I would have remembered to try increasing the draft to help our progress in the light winds. Oh well, it was good just to be on the water again. Unless something unexpected happens, I probably won't be able to get back out until my ASA 103 class in late August.

"We're beggars and blighters and ne'er do-well cads
Drink up me hearties, yo ho!
Yo ho! Yo ho! It's a pirate's life for me..."

Sailing Commencement Bay July 16, 2011

Ahoy mates!

As planned we boarded the 24' Martin "PDQ" on the morning of July 16, 2011.

I almost cancelled; the rain was falling. However, we decided to drive out to the marina and decide what to do only after looking at conditions on the water.

When we arrived, the bay was blanketed in a fog; a condition of much greater concern than was the rain. As the boat was paid for and ours for the morning, we decided to head over to the Poodle Dog, a local cafe, and wait out the weather.

After a couple of cups of coffee and splitting an order of biscuits and gravy with my son, we headed out again. Exiting the cafe, we were bedazzled by how quickly conditions had improved. The clouds were slowing breaking up, with brilliant, white highlights beckoning us on. More importantly, the fog had dissipated and the bay was empty of boats - ours for the taking.

After introducing my sister to the basics of what I needed from her to crew the boat (and doing a little refresher with my wife and kids), we were off. Exiting the dock went brilliantly - with none of the problems that I experienced last month. There were boats docked on either side of the channel, so exiting the marina produced a fair amount of anxiety, but ultimately, we made it to the bay without incident.

Now, never in my life have I ventured to Puget Sound beaches and not experienced wind, so it seemed odd that my second time out without an instructor was as windless as the first. Clouds of smoke from the factory across the bay formed perfect vertical columns, ninety degrees to the horizon. Occasional gusts spun the masthead fly around, never finding clear direction. But we decided to raise the main anyway.

All went smoothly except for failing to notice that the previous charter had reefed the main on my initial hoisting of the sail. Occasionally, we'd catch a breeze but mostly we cruised along like a turtle in the sand - making about 1-2 knots at the most. It wasn't very exciting, but it did help build confidence in my ability. It also helped to alleviate my wife's fear of the water, so I guess our befriending the doldrums has served its purpose. I do miss the wind, though.

Next trip - July 28, leaving dock at 8am.

Take good care, me-hearties!