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JoergK
Navigator

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USA
140 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/28/2005 : 12:28:09

It is almost 4 years since I first sailed my boat and I have very fond memories of that occasion. I'd like to hear others' recollections of that memorable day and share mine, but I am concerned it would clog this message board. Is there any other venue to collect/display such short stories?

Joerg
2002C250 WK "BerLyn"

Edited by - on

frankr
Captain

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256 Posts

Response Posted - 07/28/2005 : 12:37:32

Actual account of the boat days 1 -3.
Well our boat finally came in – the sail boat that is not the money boat. It’s probably as far from a money boat as you can get. Our anxiously awaited delivery of our Catalina 250 wing keel is about to occur. It was supposed to be delivered on Monday 4/14 (the best weather of the year sunny & 70) but the dealer waited until the last minute to paint the bottom and we had to wait until the paint dried enough to deliver it by trailer. So on Thursday 4/17 he arrives 3 ½ hours late. Weather is 42 degrees, small craft warnings and misting. He didn’t make arrangements with the marina to have the boat launched; they won’t do it until next week. So he begs and pleads with them and they agree to put it in the water that day. He didn’t quite have everything ready when they came with the big launching rig – but since he weaseled a launching that day, he can’t tell them he isn’t quite ready. So anyway the boat gets launched – YEA it’s in the water. The marina people tie it up to a dock and he continues working on it. I am watching him and suddenly – PLOP he drops a necessary part into the water (8- 10 feet deep). He gets a magnet and tries to fish the part up– no luck stainless steel isn’t very magnetic. He calls numerous sailing rig places and finally finds a place that will sell him the part. We drive him 40 mile round trip to get the part. He finishes assembling the boat. It is now about 5:30 PM – he starts going over the boat parts real fast – I say WHOA – I want to see all the lights work and where the switches are – well 5 of the 6 lights work, the one half way up the mast doesn’t light. He adds that to his growing TODO list. I can’t get the forward hatch open – he tries it can’t get it open either. After lying on his back and using his feet it opens or rather it explodes open– the glue on the hatch gasket had glued it shut – opening it separated (as in rips) the hatch seal – he adds new hatch seal to his list.
The man is diabetic – I offered to get food/lunch several times – all anyone ate that day was granola bars. He seems confused now (6:15 PM). He starts showing us how the porta-poti works and dis-assembles it. He is trying to put it together upside down. I tell him twice the bottom part is upside down – finally he believes me and it gets back together again. At 6:45 PM he says he’ll be back in 3 or 4 weeks and fix anything that is wrong – I’m sure he will be – I still owed him $800.
The next day (Friday) is windy, 40’s and rain and fog. Barbara and I go back to the marina and stow away stuff and go buy more boat stuff and stuff it away. I start the motor and get the little propane tank for the one burner stove filled. We go back to David’s house (Barb’s son). Saturday comes with light winds, sun and 50-60 degrees. He is off that day and at least knows something about boats – he has a 22-foot powerboat. He agrees to go see the boat and help us some. The dealer was supposed to spend a day going over docking and sailing with us. We decide to back out of the slip, go out the channel and come back – just under the motor to see how the boat handles. Well I managed to get the boat out of the slip and into the channel with destroying anything. This thing is as big as the Queen Mary. I chug around – forward – backward turning circles and stuff – doesn’t look too bad. Start back in – fear number one comes up – where is our dock. Ah relief I find our dock row, and locate the slip (best part of the day so far – it rapidly deteriorates from here). The boat goes too fast to make the turn into slip. Boats don’t have brakes. Hit reverse slow it down – narrowly missing pilings and other boats. Crew is busy pushing off other boats and pilings. Communication level increases – decibel wise that is. Backup out to the channel again try again, boat still moving too fast to dock. More near misses. – Tummy churning, knuckles white – hyper ventilating – vital signs deteriorating. Several more tries – if I can find a piling close enough to lasso, I’ll tie up the boat to it, swim to shore and take the first offer I get for it. Finally David says I’m using too much motor – just nudge it into and out of gear. – AAAHHH boat moves real slow now – Just coasting in idle (really the exhaust bubbles are propelling it along), approach dock at a reasonable speed – I still want to throw up and die. David tells me when to start turning. I turn - Gee it looks like we’ll make it in. Only slight scuffmark on port side rub rails. WOW we made it. Make about 6 or 7 more survivable dockings. Tie up boat to piers and go ashore. David and Barb walk around marina while I sit down and regain my health and will to live again.
After about and hour we agree to go for a short sail. – Ah this is what it is all about -- the smell of the salt air, the wind in the few hairs I have left and just the sound of the wind and water. We motor out into the bay and turn off the engine (Captain Frank’s color and vital signs are returning to normal now). I put up the sails and we are sailing now. NEATO, sail for about 40 minutes then back to the channel, drop the sails and motor back in. Good docking – tie up boat and go get some food. Praise David for saving my (our) sailing career. Next day – Sunday hardly any wind – go back to marina clean up boat, buy more stuff (starting to sound familiar). Practice docking some more – by ourselves – no David to the rescue this time around. Barbara does real good nudging boat off pilings and snagging dock lines. We are getting good at it. We are sailors?? Call it a day and head back home.

Edited by - on

John P
Captain

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USA
324 Posts

Response Posted - 07/28/2005 : 13:17:41

What a great post! I can not wait to take mine for her first trip. Mine will be launched at one marina then I will take it North about 7.5 miles to her home for the remainder of the summer. Looks like it will be next Saturday (8-6-05). I already have the jitters!! Still unsure if I will sail at all or just power my way. I will have all my sails with me, so time will tell. I will post the results.

I want to hear more 1st time stories.

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.