Those First Days
I'll never forget that first morning I woke up aboard my new boat at the town dock. I had stayed out far too late the night before inspecting the quality of some of Mr. Molson's product with friends. Instead of the quiet chirping of birds, I heard the plaintive voice of an eight year old girl, at far too early an hour – "Daddy, you put the worm on the hook for me please."
I had awakened to a children's fishing derby. There were 350 children crowded onto every slip in the marina, including the one right beside my berth. This was not the serene and stress free sailing life I had heard and dreamed about. Hangovers need quiet time to heal and this wasn't helping mine in the least.
At some time in your sailing life, you must spend a summer at a public dock rather than a marina. It is a most interesting and entertaining experience. It can also, if you are single, be a rewarding way to meet attractive women who would like to go sailing.
While I knew the basics of sailing, it had been a long time since I had sailed at all. Fortunately, sailing is like sex or riding a bike. You never really forget, although your technique may need work. Also, like sex, there is always something new to learn, which make both sex and sailing far more interesting than biking, at least in my opinion!
The first sail on Publisher's Choice was six miles, from Penetang Harbour to the Midland Town Dock, with the marina manager's son crewing for me. We set out in a 10 knot west wind, meaning that we would sail to a port beam reach, jibe to a run and then a starboard beam reach into the docks.
It was later in the day (a Tuesday, I took the day off) when we set out and, while off Midland Point, the sun shone on the water in a bronze swath ending at my transom. Into that glow, another boat sailed behind us, becoming a silhouette against the falling sun. It was so beautiful it could only be an omen of great sailing to come. I was totally entranced and more than ever convinced that I was doing the right thing. The only thing that could make it better would be to sell my first boat, as I would now be paying two slip fees. This is not a good thing for a boater on a budget I can assure you. Avoid it at all costs.
I am one of those sailors who will not use his engine unless he has to. I fire up the iron genny to enter and leave the marina and, if need be, to get out to wind. I will fire it up in a narrow or difficult channel as a safety measure but not put it in gear unless severe conditions – such as mindless power boaters – make it necessary. And I will use it if lack of wind, severe weather or safety issues dictate, and for anchoring.
That first summer, from May to the end of November and sailing every weekend, I burned $17 in gas. My power boating friends hated me with a passion every time the subject of fuel costs came up. They burn that much just getting out of the marina.
The next year, I managed to use about $20 worth of gas, but that included a bad weather day in one to two meter waves when the sails came down on my return to the marina. On the other hand, fuel prices were up 15% so I probably used close to the same amount. This year though, being in a sailor's marina, the issue never comes up. Most of us rarely use our engines. And isn't that the way it's supposed to be?
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