Basic Keelboat 1

I'm fairly certain now that had either of the two times I went sailing in the past couple of years been anything like this past weekend, I wouldn't have considered taking sailing lessons. There was no throwing back beers while cruising towards Alcatraz. It was all I could do to keep myself inside Mr. Squiggley.

Day 1
"CNB, CNB, CNB. This is Mr. Squiggley calling in for radio check. Over."

As we pre-cruised the 26' boat, it all started coming together for me. Oh, "sheets" are lines, and the "halyard" pulls the main up, and right, there are no "ropes" on a boat. Back in the classroom, "tacking" and "jibing" seemed clear as mud. After lunch, we hit the water and as we left the marina, it was hard to contain our excitement, the sun was shining for us and it was one of those amazing weather days we always pine for in the bay area. As I had been seated at the front of the boat, I was in position to lift the main sail and unfurl the jib. As the sails start billowing and slapping against the wind...points of sail, into the wind, closed hauled, tacking, jibing, oh boy, how is this all going to come together? We each have a turn at the helm and I wish Captain Doug would just tell me what to do instead of just telling me to stop the turn cause as far as I'm concerned, I'm not doing ANYTHING! Oh, that's the problem, I am not controlling the boat. I send my fellow shipmates scrammbling for the highside as I try to tack and end up turning us in complete circles. Oh boy. Luckily we're all in this together and I did my fair share of scrambling and holding on for dear life as well. I'm thinking there were some moments we were nearly standing on the water, although it was probably more like a 45 degree heel. By my second turn at the helm, it starts to sink it a little more and I'm holding my course a little more steady, that is until we start heading downwind and need to start jibing. It's comical. And harrowing. And stressful.

As I guide us back into the marina, and oh shit those rocks look awfully close because I can't tell which way the wind is, I can't help but feel extremely gratified. I think I just learned to sail. I don't know if I'll remember any of this tomorrow but my gosh, what a day.