Sunday Sail, the First
2010-01-17 Joe and I went out today... my first sail since taking possession of Ripple . Flew both the jib and the stays'l, as well as the main. Getting to know the drill... lots of things to keep track of, including raising the gaff spar on the correct side of the topping lift. I didn't, and had to lower the rig and reset it. Good thing there wasn't much wind, because we weren't exactly snappy about setting sails. We ended up in the starting line jockeying of a modest lake union race, that had everything from tiny day-sailers to 40 foot blue water racers. Weird menagerie. We weren't a threat. As a full-keel boat, Ripple isn't exactly a speedster, but there wasn't a prettier boat on the water, and her record at drawing appreciative compliments on outings remains at 100%. Returning to the dock, still the most stressful part of a sail, is starting to feel a bit more routine. We tested the Force 10 cabin heater for the first time since ...