Pam and I spent a few years living on our boat Drift Away and cruised down the east coast of the US from Albany NY to Jacksonville FL. We made many new friends along the way and reconnected with many folks who we've known for many years through Al Gore's Internets. We've made friendships that I'm sure will last for many years, if not forever. But they, and we, moved along. Some headed north on their boats, some headed south, and some are headed to the South Pacific and perhaps around the world.
Moving back home means that we're back with old friends, most of whom stay put. That has its advantages, and yesterday was one of those days. Pam went shopping with her mom and her best old friend Kim. I cut more brush from along side the house and then offered to help friends Lance and Barb rig their new-to-them Capri 22 sailboat.
Since Pam had three passengers, she took the Kia Sorento. I don't have my tractor yet, so I was stuck with the Miata. I guess it was fun to drive. It handles like its on rails, but you're so low to the ground that 50 MPH feels like 80. And I found that I'm a little rusty with a manual transmission.
When I arrived at the marina on the Great Sacandaga, it was easy to find Lance and Barb's boat. There's only a handful of sailboats there. I arrived just as they did. The mast was up, but that was it. So the boom went on, the mainsheet, boom vang, and topping lift. The main sail was bent on and the downhaul, outhaul, and reefing lines run. Their jib was at the sailmaker for repair, but it was sunny and warm, and the wind was out of the west at 5 or 6 knots. It was a perfect day for a novice's first sail. Let's go!
It was apparent that Lance and Barb had done a lot of reading about sailing basics. They had most of the lingo down. If you're not a sailor, the lingo can be baffling. For example, a sailboat has rope running all over the place, but not a single piece of it is called rope. There are halyards, rodes, sheets, and lines. Why? Because when the skipper barks out a command, it is imperative that the crew knows exactly what he/she means.
"Ease the jib sheet!" is more meaningful than "Ease that rope over there" while pointing.
Yep. It was a great day. I had fun, and Pam came back from shopping with a rug with bears on it.
The dogs like the rug because it gets their butts off the cold floor.
Today, Pam is registering the Miata while I wait for the telephone installer to arrive. We have no mailbox here, so I made a small sign with our number on it to stake out by the road. I hope his truck is a 4 x 4. Our driveway is still pretty muddy, and we're forecast for showers today.
Moving back home means that we're back with old friends, most of whom stay put. That has its advantages, and yesterday was one of those days. Pam went shopping with her mom and her best old friend Kim. I cut more brush from along side the house and then offered to help friends Lance and Barb rig their new-to-them Capri 22 sailboat.
Since Pam had three passengers, she took the Kia Sorento. I don't have my tractor yet, so I was stuck with the Miata. I guess it was fun to drive. It handles like its on rails, but you're so low to the ground that 50 MPH feels like 80. And I found that I'm a little rusty with a manual transmission.
When I arrived at the marina on the Great Sacandaga, it was easy to find Lance and Barb's boat. There's only a handful of sailboats there. I arrived just as they did. The mast was up, but that was it. So the boom went on, the mainsheet, boom vang, and topping lift. The main sail was bent on and the downhaul, outhaul, and reefing lines run. Their jib was at the sailmaker for repair, but it was sunny and warm, and the wind was out of the west at 5 or 6 knots. It was a perfect day for a novice's first sail. Let's go!
It was apparent that Lance and Barb had done a lot of reading about sailing basics. They had most of the lingo down. If you're not a sailor, the lingo can be baffling. For example, a sailboat has rope running all over the place, but not a single piece of it is called rope. There are halyards, rodes, sheets, and lines. Why? Because when the skipper barks out a command, it is imperative that the crew knows exactly what he/she means.
"Ease the jib sheet!" is more meaningful than "Ease that rope over there" while pointing.
Yep. It was a great day. I had fun, and Pam came back from shopping with a rug with bears on it.
The dogs like the rug because it gets their butts off the cold floor.
Today, Pam is registering the Miata while I wait for the telephone installer to arrive. We have no mailbox here, so I made a small sign with our number on it to stake out by the road. I hope his truck is a 4 x 4. Our driveway is still pretty muddy, and we're forecast for showers today.
You'll get used to the low ride height (which I made worse by removing some seat foam so I could get the top closed over my head!) and the transmission, but yeah, the rear seat in that car will always suck :)
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