I've been sailing mostly single-handed since I started with my first sailboat Seanility. In retrospect, I guess I've been going out alone since I had my last powerboat, a 20' Boston Whaler Outrage in Ft. Lauderdale.
In those days, I liked to get up before the crack of dawn and be on the water trolling offshore as the sun peeked over the horizon. The Whaler would beat you to death in a chop so I held out for nice flat seas. I would wake up around 5 am, peek out the window and if the leaves were moving on the trees, I'd roll over and go back to sleep. t was easier to go alone than to risk having to call someone at 5 am and tell them you weren't going to take them out fishing because the leaves were fluttering. They rarely helped clean the boat or pay for fuel anyway.
This Spring, I met a newcomer to Sea Harbour Yacht Club. Steve, from Greenville, SC, purchased a Pearson 36 that had been a longtime resident of the club. The boat had been for sale for a couple of years and needed some serious bottom work. Steve took the boat up the river to Wayfarer's Cove to have her hauled and begin the repairs. Unfortunately for Steve, weeks turned to months on the hard as work progressed slowly.
I met Steve the day before he moved the boat to the repair yard and offered to take him out on 6 Knot Grin whenever he needed a break from working on the boat in the 90-degree heat. Afternoons were too hot to work and the wind usually freshened significantly by 3 pm. We began to coordinate our trips to Oriental so that we could sail together.
Steve was new to sailing so I attempted to share what little knowledge I had as we spent our afternoons chasing the easiest points of sail on the wide Neuse River. It's a pleasure to share time on the water with someone who is enthusiastic and eager to learn.
Sailing in good company makes the experience that much more enjoyable. Not to mention, bringing in the sails in 15-20 knot winds is considerably easier.
This Spring, I met a newcomer to Sea Harbour Yacht Club. Steve, from Greenville, SC, purchased a Pearson 36 that had been a longtime resident of the club. The boat had been for sale for a couple of years and needed some serious bottom work. Steve took the boat up the river to Wayfarer's Cove to have her hauled and begin the repairs. Unfortunately for Steve, weeks turned to months on the hard as work progressed slowly.
I met Steve the day before he moved the boat to the repair yard and offered to take him out on 6 Knot Grin whenever he needed a break from working on the boat in the 90-degree heat. Afternoons were too hot to work and the wind usually freshened significantly by 3 pm. We began to coordinate our trips to Oriental so that we could sail together.
Steve was new to sailing so I attempted to share what little knowledge I had as we spent our afternoons chasing the easiest points of sail on the wide Neuse River. It's a pleasure to share time on the water with someone who is enthusiastic and eager to learn.
Sailing in good company makes the experience that much more enjoyable. Not to mention, bringing in the sails in 15-20 knot winds is considerably easier.
