About midday the wind died ocean sailing. The sea on top of the big
altogether following a small squall and swell was down and we were doing a
Discover your Northwest here... stayed away for five hours. Landsmen smooth 6 knots under genoa with the
think gales and storms are the worst late afternoon sun dancing a million
thing at sea but they aren’t for a well- reflections off the water surrounded
prepared boat. It is being becalmed overhead by the big impressive black
in a small boat that will drive a sailor and white squalls all around. A passing
insane, especially if there is still a sea squall had just brushed us and its edge
running when the wind quits as there of rain made a beautiful rainbow in our
was this time. Leaving the sails up will lee. Its brother was rising up to punch
dampen the rolling but when they slap us though and the wind came up to
across to the other side in response it about 18 knots. I went up and changed
THE RESORT AT PORT LUDLOW
feels like the rig will shake right out down to the working jib, but before I
The Resort At Port Ludlow, located on the west shore of Admiralty
of the boat and the strain on the sails was even done it was time to shift back
Inlet at the mouth of the Hood Canal, is a boater’s paradise.
will take years off their lives if not split to the genoa. “Gotcha”, I thought I
With a 27-hole golf course, full-service marina, waterside
them right in front of your eyes. So heard the wind say.
Inn, restaurants, trails and the last great waterfront
resort community, let Port Ludlow be your paradise.
you take them all down and you have The sail changing was especially
two choices. You can stay on deck and aggravating because of the acrobatics
2-YEAR BUY-BACK PROGRAM*
watch the hideous pitching and rolling, and burden required to use the safety
The 2-year Buy-Back program is an exclusive feature
gunnel to gunnel, until your eyes feel harness/lifeline system holding me
provided by Port Ludlow Associates available on a
limited number of new, move-in ready homes. For
like popping out of your head trying attached to the boat to prevent the
details contact John L. Scott Port Ludlow.
to keep them on the horizon. Or you sailor’s worst fear: watching his boat
can go below and lay down and try to sail away from him from the icy death
Golf 888.793.1195 Marina 800.308.7991
The Inn 877.269.1870 Real Estate 888.694.4763 sleep while it sounds like being inside grip of his own wake. Clipping on to
www.portludlowresort.com a washing machine that someone has the jack-line from the cockpit as I went
dumped all your mechanics tools into as forward, I went the wrong way around
everything you so neatly stowed comes the starboard vang, which I didn’t
adrift and your drawers and lockers realize till I suddenly fetched up on
rearrange themselves. Storms are easier the end of the tether between by legs,
to mentally prepare for than this and at falling on my face alongside the mast.
Darwin says:
least you have something to challenge Getting up I caught my knee in the
If you want to go cruising
you and keep your attention. There is loop of the second tether as I wrapped
with a gal you're a wooing,
nothing you can do when becalmed. I the first around my leg. Instead of
Dirty sails will take the
even considered leaving the boat and changing sails I was now reduced to
romance out of sailing
sitting in the dinghy where the motion doing gymnastics on the foredeck to
might be better. Standing on deck I had clear myself from the tangle, something
to laugh at the remarkably wild and much more likely to send me over the
Sailing is quick motion, the like I had never seen side in the first place! I unclipped and
all about
before. I went below to attempt sleep clipped back on only to fetch back up
romance
and concentrated on the words: “This is on the wrong side of the second jib’s
OK, I am having fun, thank you” over lazy sheet just out of reach of my job,
and over and over… and amazingly, I having to go back and clear things
eventually did fall asleep for over two again. It’s bad enough trying to keep
Let Clean Sails
hours. clear of the two sails and four sheets
work on that canvas
I woke up when the wind generator blowing around on the foredeck in a
until it's as neat & pristine
started spinning. I was surprised to find seaway without being yourself tangled
as a new bride in June.
the cabin sole wasn’t covered with all in it. On the way back I almost tripped
that was once stowed away. I went up over the tether just avoiding another
to make sail again and found the squalls face plant, this time into the cockpit.
still there, watching and conniving, no In my youth I was usually chosen to
doubt. I figured they would wait till I be foredeck/spinnaker monkey on
SAIL & CANVAS CLEANING
raised sail and then take the wind away the boats I raced because I am light
206-842-4445
again but they didn’t. We were on track and agile. Now I was reduced to
and hell had quickly turned back to being a ponderous ape groping his
DROP-OFF POINTS
Schattauer Sails Port t Townsend Sails
heaven once again. It seemed to me that way through the underbrush of vangs
Quantum sails Seaward canvas
old sailors have learned how to quickly and sheets and tethers. Much earlier,
North Sails Banks Sails
forget the bad times and reminisce on my singlehanded trip offshore to
North Sails, Oregon UK Halsey
only about the good, otherwise they Alaska, I finally gave up on the safety
wouldn’t still be sailors! The wind was system altogether, preferring to take
www.cleansails.com up to about 12 knots and it was perfect my chances to avoid the misery and
48° No r t h , Ju N e 2009 Pa g e 50
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98