| Sailing is great fun! Look at all the aerobics you get to | | | | or two to come along. I don’t know why we |
| do. Have you noticed the shape you get in from all the | | | | don’t just start our engines. It can’t be the fuel |
| sailing? How about that tan! Power boaters are usually | | | | usage. We only use up to a gallon an hour. Even at full |
| under canopies or pilothouses, drinking anything from | | | | throttle, we don’t use much fuel, and to tell you the |
| beer to martinis … and that’s underway. Wait till | | | | truth, we don’t go that fast either. That could be |
| they dock up. The drinking really begins when the | | | | the reason, or I think we just like our surroundings and |
| captain can join in. That’s when the good stuff | | | | want to savor the moment as long as we can. We |
| really starts flowing. No aerobics on powerboats - | | | | are always rushed on land; I guess this is our break. |
| there boats stay flat and go, go, and go. | | | | It’s a great feeling to be out on |
| Sailboats are different. We heel | | | | a sailboat, not worrying where the next fuel dock is, |
| over (lean), the drinks usually fall over and, listen to this, | | | | but only looking forward to that next breath taking |
| we have plastic cups to drink from. Power boaters | | | | harbor or cove. To be out for days sailing, offshore, |
| have real glasses! You can hear the ice clinking!! On | | | | seeing whales, dolphins, tuna, flying fish, and then |
| sailboats there is not much drinking. This is due to the | | | | hundreds of miles later, pulling into an island harbor |
| fact that when sailing we heel, or tack, the drinks. If not | | | | people normally take planes to. It’s not that difficult. |
| getting spilled, they are mixed up from moving to the | | | | It’s almost easy. The hard part is having the time. |
| other side of the sailboat. It’s times like this that | | | | Oh, that so precious commodity. |
| you’ll read about in the newspaper; a boater was | | | | There are sailboat clubs and |
| rescued from the water. It’s possible that it was a | | | | associations that hold races, which include not only |
| guest or crew member aboard a sailboat that was | | | | racing sailboats, but a “cruising” division for the |
| chasing his drink before both were launched | | | | rest of us. Here is where you hone your skills by |
| overboard. When we do get to our destination, you | | | | knowing your tides and currents to add a boast. |
| never see us on deck drinking or otherwise. We are | | | | Tweaking those sails to get every bit of knotage out |
| usually below sleeping to regain our strength. Aerobics | | | | of them. Tacking (oh no!) as efficiently as possible to |
| knocks us out. Then once we do regain our strength, | | | | pull ahead of others and take every advantage. This |
| its back on deck and look out... we’re fixing, | | | | “racing” builds knowledge and know-how in all |
| adjusting, and tightening everything in site. Then, you | | | | weather conditions from race to race. Some are long |
| guessed it, back to sleep. When we are back to | | | | (Around Long Island Race) and some are short |
| ourselves, we are usually sanding down teak, | | | | (around a few buoys in a bay), but in all, determination |
| varnishing, or oiling it. We do break out the alcohol, but | | | | to be more efficient, faster, and quicker, comes from |
| we have wine. We are reserved. How reserved, I | | | | your growing racing knowledge which in turn makes |
| don’t know. If you remember, we’re drinking | | | | you a better sailor. Hey! Did I give away a secret or |
| out of plastic. | | | | something? To give some examples, you watch the |
| Now, let’s get serious. It’s | | | | surface of the water for wind puffs, the skies for |
| not like that at all. Well, some of it is, but generally not. | | | | changes (dark clouds coming in or different |
| Sailing is just that - sailing through the water, and with | | | | formations). Your electronics help by giving you other |
| some people it gets through to their hearts. I’ve | | | | information about your last sail adjustment, i.e. did the |
| sailed from Montauk to Bermuda, taking 4 ½ days | | | | knot meter on board show a plus or a minus to your |
| and, on some of those days, there was not a need to | | | | knotage before? Is the depth sounder showing quick |
| even adjust the sails. I’ve gone to Block Island and | | | | depth changes that might slow you up, caused by |
| Nantucket needing to only attend the sails (winching | | | | undo currents or wave action? This awareness |
| and adjusting) rarely. It’s once you get through the | | | | gradually becomes automatic as you strive for other |
| “Boot Camp” and venture out on your own that | | | | tell-tail signs to bring you ahead. |
| you realize how mellow sailing really is. | | | | There is more than just getting addicted to racing. |
| With a powerboat, as the weather changes and the | | | | There are those before and after get-togethers, |
| waves get bigger or smaller, they just adjust their | | | | award dinners, and barbecues. It’s the finding of |
| throttle. Our throttle is those sails, Main and Genoa. As | | | | new friendships, boating pals and mates, plus maybe a |
| the wind picks up, our sails are either reefed (brought in | | | | few of their racing secrets that just tightens it all up. |
| some) or taken down to only one sail. And with the | | | | The funny thing is that you don’t have to be rich. |
| opposite (wind easing), we put out more or even | | | | Sailboats come in large and small sizes. Even |
| bigger sails. All this action is physical. Do we do it all the | | | | trailerable sizes of 26 feet or so with roomy interiors. |
| time? No, but as weather fronts roll by, it definitely | | | | These naval architects are working hard for us to give |
| keeps us busy. So when we have a sailing trip that is | | | | that performance with comfort. A tough combo, but |
| just perfect, we don’t forget. How often is the | | | | they’re making strides. By going on other sailboats |
| weather perfect? Sea conditions? Wind? All this has | | | | for an afternoon sail, or as crew in a race, you get to |
| to come together to achieve that perfect sail. Who | | | | feel the different characteristics of other models. Their |
| has patience for that? Because, it doesn’t come | | | | upwind and downwind abilities, the amount of heeling at |
| that often. Usually something is off. Well, we’re | | | | certain wind speeds, and other aspects. All this |
| always waiting for that perfect sail. Sometimes it | | | | unknowingly makes you a better sailor, giving you the |
| seems like a long time, especially if we are just drifting | | | | option to look at further destinations. Ones you never |
| with no wind. You know and I know we have engines, | | | | imagined. |
| but we’ll wait and just drift with sails up for a puff | | | | |