First sail!

Last Friday saw the first sail of 2011. Disappointed that the Winter didn’t allow a single sail but ice, persistent strong westerlies, low water and the leaking split plank conspired to keep me dockbound. I did have many watches below thanks to my semi-retired status so don’t feel too bad for me.

There was a moderate breeze out of the NNW, bright sun, about 40 degrees. Couldn’t resist so I did my usual circuit, heaving to off Swan Point for breakfast. Of course the wind picked up, gusting to 15kts with one blast just off Beaton’s that put the deck under up to the coaming. So far so good with no increase in Sjogin’s normal weeping.

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Nice breeze; ready to go. No one on the Bay but Buffleheads and Ospreys.

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Running out of Beaton’s with the stove doing it’s work as the smoke streams to leeward. Unlike most times when there’s a long time between sails, it felt like I had been sailing just the day before.

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Left the sail covers off in hopes of another sail but this interminable cold Spring put paid to that hope.

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Your very Happy Skipper enjoying the first sail of 2011.

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When I got back to the dock and looked below I found the ships library had been shifted to leeward when hit by the gust off Beaton’s. The white and green book on the shelf ended up directly opposite the place where it started. I imagine there was a bit of bouncing to have ended up where it did as Sjogin was certainly not knocked down 90 degrees.

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Silent Maid out of the shop after an off-season makeover looking Beaton Fresh. Oh how she glows. Word is that she’ll stay on the Bay this summer and compete for the Toms River Challenge Cup against the A-Cat fleet. This will be the first time a boat other than the 28′ Mower/Sweisguth designs have competed since 1906.

Happy Retirement Jake!