I accidentally discovered something wonderful recently. A fierce windstorm blew across the lake one night, and I wanted to check on my boat early the next morning to make sure everything was ok. I arrived at 0530 in the morning to find everything in perfect condition. Including the weather.
The sun was working its way up the back side of the mountains in the east, and a fresh cool breeze blew across the lake from the south. The boat tugged lightly on her moorings, obviously anxious to get out for a morning run. So I took her out.
Just as I raised sails the sun peaked over the mountains, its rays shimmering clear across the lake and filling the black sails with sparkled reflections. About a mile out from shore the wind climbed from 10 mph to about 20mph, and the boat took off like a rocket. And it wasn’t yet 6 am.
I’d never intentionally sailed first thing in the morning, as most sailing trips were sunset affairs winding down to a moonlit peaceful ending at the docks. This morning sailing was exhilarating.
So I started doing it more often. Since the days are full of other tasks and activities, stealing time at the start of day is a selfish treat. But I had to get good at it to not waste time.
At first, it took 20 minutes from entering the park to the point where I was leaving the jetty in my boat. But after some practice, it now takes me exactly 10 minutes from when I first enter the gates at the state park to when I am motoring out of the marina onto the lake. In that time a lot happens. I park, walk onto the dock, pull off sail covers, open the through-hull to the engine, switch the batteries on, fire up the engine, turn on electronics, run jacklines, cast off the dock lines, and back out of the slip.
There are a few things I’ve done to make that 10 minutes possible. I mounted the fenders to the dock itself, so I don’t have to remove and stow them. The jacklines are the exact right length for the boat, and attach with carabiners on the forward end and bowlines tied aft. And I have to intentionally ignore a dozen maintenance projects as I move through the boat, reminding myself that this trip is all about sailing.
Embarrassingly, one morning I was out on the water and the wind was really moving. The boat was heeled well over and broke 8 knots. It felt so electric. Since no one was out on the lake, I raised my hands in the air and let out a triumphant yell. It seemed like the proper thing to do at such speeds. Just then I heard a voice yelling. A motor boat had sped up on my blind spot and was only 30 yards away. The driver yelled across the distance, waving a radio in his hand. I took up the receiver, and he asked how fast I was going. Turns out he has a Catalina 270 he sails at home in San Diego. I should have been more embarrassed about my yelling, but hey, 8 knots 🙂
So if you see me out there one morning, arms in the air and yelling like a mad sailor, it’s because that boat is really moving.