The things you have done, but wish you didn't on a sailboat.

[noelH]

Usually don't sail much in August.  Over the past few seasons the winds have been light to absent.  Guessing heat domes and the effects of western forest fires might be influencing the frontals. 

The trend continues. So far, only two days sailing this August. Missed one F3-4 day.  Went windsurf foiling with a windsurfing friend and wing foiling friend. Could be the only day to wind foil this month based on recent trends.
 
Day one.  Improper attachment of the jib clew soft shackle.  Hard to do. But I did it. Not once, but twice.  Hoisted the main with one reef in. Hoisted the jib.  What the heck.  Boogers. Walking up to the foredeck on Vela in lumpy seas is not fun. Twice.  Rest of the day was uneventful. Typical August winds.  Gusty. Waves of upper F4 to low F5 winds, but the lulls were weak F3 in lumpy seas. Keeps you awake at the helm.

Day two.  Was yesterday. Ugggg weekend line up at the ramp. Hoisted sail around 1100, after waiting in the ramp line up for ? minutes. Life on a nice weekend day at the Marina.  Nice solid F3 with sustained gusts to mid F4 WSW veering NW once out of the Bay.  Five sails in the Bay. Couple white blips S. of Basswood Is. Many power boats.  Deep broad reach across the Bay then a reach to the mouth of the Bay. Few more boats hoisting sails out of Pikes, Port Superior, Bayfield, and Madeline Is marinas.  ~1230 reached the mouth of the Bay. Too many sails to count. Nice.
 
Everyone must have seen the recent wind forecast.  For whatever it's worth or not worth. Dismal winds forecasted for the next 10 days.  Like single digit "breeze".

Back at the marina ~1700. Buggers. Line up to pull out. Doesn't help that a powerboat did not pull up on the long ramp pier.  Assumed it was pulling out. Nope.  They started unloading gear. Dufus. Pull up to at least allow another boat to dock. After hovering around for an extended time I pulled out of the line up to allow couple large power boats in.  Didn't feel comfortable sandwiched between the ramp piers and couple monster boats. Some not so nice words came out of my mouth when they questioned me whats going on at the ramp. One of power boats did have a loud horn. Hour later. Loading Vela onto the trailer. Still evil thoughts drifting through my thoughts.   

Last day sailed in July I forgot to drop the rudder.  Made for an interesting moment or two as I shoved off from the pier. Motor is locked to straight only.  Luckily I had my boat hook out just in case.

 

[Doug SC]

Public boat ramps!

One very hot day midsummer I meet three fellow trailer Sailors (they didn't make the change over to here) at Lake Wylie. We had a good day sailing. We enjoyed a really good day sailing. One spent the night on the lake and two left before me; while I kept sailing. Sailing into the ramp a fast speed boat pulled in front of me when I was close to the dock and I had to veer off and sailed away. The launch has two ramps, but the other side of the dock had a guy working on his outboard with the boat on the trailer backed down into the water. So, I dropped sail and started my small outboard doing small circles to hold my place. When the dock was free, I headed back to the dock, but a girl was siting where I needed to go with her legs hanging into the water and a boy was fishing there. I had to ask them to move, and they didn't pay me any attention. The second time I said if you don't move, I might run into you. They reluctantly moved giving me the look as did the parents. By the time I pulled the boat out dropped the mast and was ready to travel I had finished off all my water and was lightheaded from the sun and heat. It was like everyone at the dock thought they had priority over a boat needing to take out.

The speed boat that cut in front of me put me in a bad mood and the rest conspired to keep it there. My mood might not have deteriorated as much if it hadn't been so dang hot. I'm sure what I was mumbling shouldn't be repeated. It is great to have the two ramps at the club where I do most of my sailing these days. Being able to keep the mast up and not having to trailer the boat home is a big plus.

[Riley Smith]

I'll have to admit that fellow that launched when I was pulling my boat out awhile back sort of got under my skin. He didn't tend his boat well and the POS skewed and tried to hit my boat just before I climbed on the pier. And it was a bona fide POS; the greasiest, trashiest, NASTIEST thing man has ever tried to traverse the brine with.  I fended it off and realized dude was an idiot and I was above all that. Just barely. I will say there was scorn written all over my face, but no words passed.

(You have to consider this is a concealed carry state and you BETTER act nice).

[noelH]

Not only power boats, but trailer sailors can be more than clueless. 

A few seasons ago returning from a day of sailing a sailboat launched using the ramp on the long pier. Of course being clueless they didn't pull to the end of the pier to allow other boats to launch or come in.  Don't remember if the the first transitional bay was open.  The "avatar" image is Vela sitting in the transitional bay at the end of the ramp long pier. Most pull off and tie off out of the way and then go park their vehicle and trailer.  Not only were the dolts blocking the ramp.  They proceeded to load their sailboat with gear.  Then sit....  I realized they didn't have a motor.  Assuming they forgot it at home along with their brains.  Too tight to launch under sail from the ramps. There is a reason why the Washburn City Marina requires motoring in and out.  Thompson's West End Washburn Boat Club ramp allows and is relatively easy to depart and come in under sail. Where NorthCoast Community Sailing launches their Opti, 420s.... You learn to depart and come in under sail. Wrong marina dolts.

So.... I pulled back out of the marina just in case they decided to give it a go under sail only.  Didn't want to get hit. Or move out of the way into the shallows and ground.  I've done that before avoiding intoxicated power boaters and being a dolt.  Hoisted sails and just drifted around for awhile.  Eventually they found someone to tow them out to the now glassy waters of the Bay. Clueless people.

At least they cannot power launch or load:). 

I've done a few stupid things at the marina. The grounding in the shallows. Unknowing dropped the stern docking line until it wrapped around the propeller.  Torqueedo has a load sensor that auto stops the motor to prevent damage. Another incident where I almost needed the boat hook to fend off hitting other boats. Couple years ago when my balance was real off due to idiopathic SSNHL I fell into my boat. Luckily straight towards the boom to catch my fall, but with enough momentum to bang my head on the boom.  Good thing for the furled mainsail and Tilly hat to pad the blow. Over the years the local live aboard smile when they see me.  Bit of dockside entertainment.

Hopefully will not become as brain dead as the power loaders and boaters that are ramp etiquette clueless.

Vela is a small and light sailboat.  Luckily I can just get deep enough on the ramp to have the trailer wheels in front of the large steel plate that sits sort of dead center bridging the hole in the concrete ramp. The concrete ramp seems to be tilting to starboard. Vela now sits a bit cockeyed by a couple degrees on the trailer after retrieving.  One of the large power boats that I let pass noted that the ramp seems more than slightly tilted.  Guessing the deeper you go the more tilt from the undercut below the concrete.  Waiting for the day when a larger boat's trailer causes the steel plate to cave in.  Plate is a temporary bandaid.  Marina manager noted they will have to increase the daily and season ramp fees to offset the high costs of repair.  My suggestion.  Do as what Vail Resorts (aka Epic pass) and Alterra(Ikon) have done.  Raise the day passes so high that purchasing the Epic or Ikon pass is more economical.  Money up front to help pay for ramp fees.  Mega expensive day pass for the rest.