A New Sailing Season

It is time to start getting the boats ready for another summer season.   In particular, we are really looking forward to getting back out on the sailboat.  There is nothing like silently and quickly skimming across waves...  being splashed and sprayed...  trying to coordinate fighting the rudder to keep it where it needs to be with one hand while hanging onto the tugging mainsheet with the other...   your grip on the mainsheet and arm aching while your stomach muscles are straining as you lean far off the boat with your feet hooked under the hiking strap trying with all your might to not only keep your own balance but to keep the boat from capsizing...  what an exhilarating sport!  Meanwhile, your family and friends watching you from shore just see your sailboat cruising smoothly off in the distance instead of fully understanding the exhilarating struggle between you and forces of nature as you zip across the water.  The gusting wind is pushing and tugging...  the water is pounding the boat and spraying in your face...  the boat is fighting against you, against the wind and against the water...  and you struggle to coordinate all these forces while keeping control of the boat...  without being slammed off the boat by a wave.  Exhilarating!

Before we can even feel that spray in our face, however, we have a lot of work to do.

All rigging needs to be inspected.  The sail needs to be cleaned and inspected.  The teak rudder and centerboard need to be sanded and urethaned.  The hull needs to be cleaned, waxed and polished.  The cartop racks need to be inspected and repaired, if necessary.  Life vests need to be inspected.

This afternoon I also did some more cutting and assembling of a dolly designed specifically for our sailboat.  The dolly will make it easier to clean, polish and maintain the boat.  The main advantage, however, is the dolly will give my back a much needed break while being able to easily move the boat anywhere around the yard.  I designed this dolly last summer and started building it then but never finished it.  I am determined to get this completed in the next week or two.

This year I also have another little project to complete for the sailboat.  We bought a little waterproof camera that shoots video too so I am looking forward to getting some action video of sailing.  My plan is to make a few different camera mounts so I can record video from different viewpoints on the sailboat.  I am really excited to get some video shot right from the boat!  I have designed a camera mount for the top of the mast looking down on the boat...   another mount for the lower part of the mast looking aft...   another mount for the end of the boom...  and I am still working on a mount for the transom looking forward.  So, not only am I looking forward to getting out on the sailboat again, but I am also looking forward to getting some exciting video too!

We also have three kayaks which need some attention before we hit the water.  I need to dig out paddles, clean the boats, wax the boats, and inspect the cartop carrier.  The kayaks always need much less maintenance attention than the sailboat.  The great thing about the kayaks is they are easy and forgiving on my spinal injuries.

Before we know it, we will be at the lake house so time is getting short.  And this season is always too short here in Vermont!