Stay of Execution: Boats

1) I went sailing on Ocean Planet yesterday. I was impressed in spite of myself. I guess at this point, I've sailed a lot of boats in a lot of places and I feel like I shouldn't be impressed. So I tried not to be, but the boat got to me. It's very fast. And it's very cool. The big carbon rig is unstayed, and that is new and foreign to me. (My grandparents' Nonsuch, and the Laser I sailed when I was younger, are the only freestanding rig vessels I've been on, and neither of them are much like this boat.). There were very few shackles on the boat -- line is used instead, and the effect is light and strong and interesting, and oddly old-fashioned. For some reason those fasteners (I don't know wht they're called) reminded me of the schooners I've sailed on. It's a big boat, obviously, 60 feet long, and so everything is big and takes teamwork or leverage or steps or assistance to do. The idea of sailing that boat, alone, around the world, amazed me. I still can't imagine sailing around the world -- I don't have the imagery or comparisons to fill the void in my head for something like that. But walking around on the boat and imagining being alone on it, for a week, and then another week, and then another, sort of blew my mind. After five of us heaved the main up I tried to imagine doing it by myself, in breeze and waves. Bruce was sailing alone for 109 days. We put up a couple of spinnakers, and the boat moves well. It was a fun sail. It was a photo op of some kind, so I imagine there will be pictures on the Ocean Planet website one of these days.

2) After getting off the OP I went to my boat to meet Ruby to take the mast out. Our main halyard jammed on Tuesday night and I feared the worst. But the operation was the quickest and easiest I've ever dropped a mast: we unhooked the boom and the stays, put the gin pole up, pulled the mast, and discovered that the halyard had jumped out of its sheave. We pulled the sheave out and freed the halyard, and actually decided to replace the sheave because its inner sleeve was worn through. Simple. When do repairs ever go without a hitch? We popped the mast back in and my friend Diva and I and an off-duty launch driver set the boat up and made it out to the starting line just in time (well, a tiny bit late) for the start of the beer can race. Excellent.

3) I have a boat crush. On Sunday I was sailing with my parents and spied this gorgeous wooden boat, maybe 34 feet long. Maybe 36. I don't know. It was lovely enough that I forgave it the silly off white fake-canvas sails it had. (They gleam slightly pink in polarized sunglasses, and something about the high tech material posing as old-fashioned canvas rubs me the wrong way.) I don't know what kind of boat it is. It's wooden, and old, and beautiful, and I couldn't take my eyes off it for too long. A man was sailing it, alone and shirtless, and we overtook him and rubbernecked at the boat a little bit until we passed. As we approached the boat I had a daydream that the man would turn out to be handsome, young, and single, and somehow we would lock eyes from across the water. That didn't happen, and indeed he turned out to be older, with the aggressive tan and physique of a bodybuilder, and a smoker. Probably not my type. I kept looking at the boat, though. Beautiful. On Monday evening, when I was sailing with the Special Olympics athletes, I saw the boat again. Sail number K-32. Flying a Centerboard Yacht Club flag. I'm going to have to go down there and investigate, I think.

4) To the vandals who covered the Hooked On Tonics with Oreo cookies: you think you are very funny, but this means war. We know who you are and have begun scheming our revenge. Soggy Oreo cookies make a mess, but it's nothing compared to what's in store for your boat. Watch your back. I just hope no innocent bystanders get caught in the escalating crossfire of this dangerous mischief you've begun.

Verify your Comment

Previewing your Comment

Posted by: |

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Your comment could not be posted. Error type:

Your comment has been posted. Post another comment

The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Stay of Execution

In which Scheherazade postpones the inevitable with tales of law and life....

About

Archives

Categories

Blogs I Read

Site Meter

2006 Blog Party

Boats

TrackBack

Comments

Verify your Comment

Previewing your Comment

Post a comment