One step at a time.

One small article for me and my colleague Rachel, one big step toward future publications.......Southwinds printed our Ladies Night at West Marine article. This spurred an all day dawn to dusk seminar that Rachel and I are planning for the spring. The theme will be to combine the mind/body experience to reduce stress, increase energy, and enhance learning. Stay tuned, it's a busy week-end transitioning from 48 hours of peaceful sailing and sitting around the campfire, to sunfish competition. Gotta go.,,,,,,,,,life's too good to sit in on such a beautiful 78 degree sunny day with winds SSW at 10-15 (which I learned means that the forecasters believe there is a 70% chance the wind will be within the 10-15 range, a 15% chance the wind will be stronger than 15 and a 15% chance the wind will be less than 10. I picked up that tidbit at the bar from sailing friend, Jennifer. Thanks Jenn, Hope to see you all on the water today......

Reality Check

Here it is another year gone by and I'm still not making definite plans toward my solo circumnavigation. Sure, I do a lot of talking, bought and sailed my practice boat, joined a ladies racing team, sail just about every Saturday and Sunday, bitch about my finances, and go to work each day. But when I learned that my sailing idol Sherry Beckett is back in town for her annual fly home from where-ever on the globe she anchored her world cruiser, I cried. Literally, I crawled up on the couch, dragged my flannel West Marine cover up over my head and sobbed for hours.

Then, like a bolt of lightning struck my mast, I shuddered as I fell to my feet. Time to sell the tri. As much as I have enjoyed this past year, especially cruising into otherwise unknown harbors in Abaco, it is time to move forward with my plans. If interested you can see the ad posted on usedboats.com (28 ft. Corsair tri). I'll add more pix to the ad and each month promise to increase the advertising.

I'm supposed to be studying for my ham radio license, and need to call the seven seas cruising association about the GAM to be held in a few weeks in Eau Gallie. In the meantime, I'm happy with the progress the Fast Lane Ladies have been making. After our 5th race we still rank last place. But considering the lack of previous skill the crew has had, and the fact that are chief foredeck gal was absent, we're still making progress. At least I held a more steady course, used good judgement when choosing the smallest sail in favor of being in control, and enjoyed our new coach.

I also am putting the final editing on my article about the pram which was finally built and tomorrow will donate a bicycle to a needy family. Slow progress but steadily making way to that wonderful day when I say, 'say la vie' I'm on my way......................................................

In case the tri is still in my possession this summer, let me know if you want to join me for some cruising up to New York Harbor. At the last minute last year, if you recall, my plans changed and off to Abaco I went. No regrets, but the thought of sailing around Sandy Hook and anchoring at the Sandy Hook Beach Catamaran Club is too intriguing to by-pass. Plus, sailing up and down the east coast will provide the more intense type of practice needed to become a safe off shore sailor.

Stay tuned, my motivation is back,,,,

Always something to learn

After 28 years of racing I am finally fine tuning what I need to do to get to the front of the pack. While some people seem to learn this instinctively, it has been a long hard battle for me. Besides getting used to a particular boat, what I notice is that regardless of whether I'm racing a Lindenberg 28, a Hobie 16, sunfish or windsurfer (yea, remember those), finding the right place upwind has continued to befuddle me. I can do fairly well on the downwind leg. After all you usually can sail directly to the mark, jibe when the wind shifts to leeward and keep the boat under the headsail.

But upwind, what looks like the shortest hitch to the mark sometimes takes the longest. I'm always amused by those who take onto starboard as soon as they round the leeward mark and then proceed up the middle of the course to beat me at the windward mark. One of my coaches gave me a hint that I tried this past week-end. He said, once you pick a side of the course, stay on that side, never cross over the imaginary line drawn from the windward mark to the leeward one. I just drew it out on paper and plan to use this tactic the next time I race on a monohull. I think on a catamaran you might move the imaginary line a little more to the right of the leeward mark because the tacking angles and time to tack need to be considered. Trimarans however, need to be treated more individually. The F28, for example, has about the same angle as a Lindenberg 28 and tacks about as fast. The Dragonfly 25 seemed to having a wider tacking angle.

As I babble on, I realize my mind isn't as focused as I would like it to be. Then, again, I have raced and or practiced sailing every Sat. and Sun. with an occasional mid week sail since the first of August.The bottom line, is for future races I shall not look back, I shall steer a steady course, quit wiggling around in super light wind and just relax....and maybe this Satuday, stay home and tidy up my office, ha, ha, ha,