I took "SaraSpunda" out at noon today with my wife and son on Lake
Sallie. Winds were pretty darn brisk, yet we headed two miles across
the lake with a full main and the lapper reduced 50%.
Heading back, however, was for me a great learning experience, but for
my wife, Marilyn, an education in how to respond to shouts coming from
the cockpit, the foredeck, and from my son Peter who was playing
computer games in the cabin "...what's up, Dad!"
The brisk winds were now pushing 20 knots. Marilyn rolled the lapper
in completely, and I went up to the mast to reduce the main to the
first, and only, reefing points, shouting down into the cockkpit
"...should of done this before I needed to!" This is my first year
pottering, and even though the jiffy reefing worked great, I was
pretty concerned.
Even with this new sailing configuration, the heel was uncomfortable,
and I knew as we sailed back to our unprotected dock that this winter
I'm putting in a second set of reefing points.
Actually, for a novice, this was a terrific sail. But for the rest of
my crew, it wasn't. Hefty winds, even on a small lake, can be pretty
disconcerting.
Paul Anstett
SaraSpunda #1022 P19
Fargo
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