My habit on a Sunday, is physical abuse for a couple of hours in the gym that I pay an arm and a leg for. But, having been inspired by yesterday's visit to the dinghy show, I just couldn't resist a Sunday afternoon on the water.
A bit breezy I thought, but what the hell.
I did get a little worried after chatting to a Laser driver who was coming in. The phrase, "it's not for me, more like survival sailing" did nothing to inspire confidence. But, no going back by that time.
Off I go. Got to do something with the rudder - seems a bit of a faff to get it down when under way. Too loose and it drags on the bottom as you prepare, too tight and you're hanging out the back fiddling with the tension screw. When I was learning to sail, we used an Omega with a nifty rudder arrangement - got to get one of them methinks!
Not entirely happy initially, couldn't work out why the boat wouldn't point too well, and tacking needed a good deal of boat speed, else I ended in irons, hmmm! Also, I had decided to give it a go with a reef on the main. Note to self. Don't tie the reef around the boom and the main sheet - doesn't help the movement of the sheet. Doh!
After a while I noticed the sheet was getting caught around the transom corners, so the sail wasn't often a really good shape. I may have noticed it earlier if I hadn't been in and out of boat, hiking, like the proverbial fiddlers elbow. My powers of concentration getting a good workout. And then I noticed that I had managed to fit the tiller incorrectly. Double Doh!
So, no problem. Back to the slipwayI thought, sort it out and back on the water.
However, the safety boat crew had other ideas. They had been 'sort of' buzzing me earlier. Which could have been just showing they care, or maybe something else - don't want to get all sensitive about it that's for sure.
Anyway, as I was sorting out the rudder, I noticed that the RIB was in the process of being hauled up the slipway.
So I wasn't going back out then.
Apart from the spray, I managed to stay dry, unlike some of my fellow club members who were practicing their recovery drills - which was nice; for me that is, not them necessarily. I do find those Moths impressive - when they are not on their side that is; which is often. Given the horlicks I made of setting the dinghy up, could be thought of as a result.
I'm not sure if it was a completely good idea to go out, I'd probably have to admit to a degree of wearyness; long day, short of sleep and a session in the gym, aren't generally ideal preparation, but no experience is a waste. Certainly learnt that I need to check more carefully before taking the plunge.
P.S. I learnt subsequently that the mean wind speed during the afternoon was around 25+ kts.
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