Sail Fast!

I have a couple of boats.  The smallest of the two is 19 feet long and is a Y-flyer type racer.  I gave it a name and called it “Dagger”.  I love this boat it really picks up some speed in a good wind and is fun to sail.  This sail boat is trailer able meaning it has no weighted keel to keep it upright.  Instead it has a swing down center board made of light weight thin metal.  This is what allows the sail boat to cut through the water and sail into the wind.  It took me some time to fully understand this because it makes no sense.  After my first time on this boat and my first time sailing I started to understand and became even more fascinated by sailing.

As the years have gone by taking the boat out is something I look forward to.  I have also discovered another anti-logic, sailing is filled with adrenaline but not fast.  Common is the knowledge that speed equals excitement and adrenaline.  So how can a sailboat that does not move very fast cause the gratifying feeling of excitement and high levels of adrenaline?

I will explain with this story of my brother and I sailing in the Puget Sound off of Olympia, Washington.  I sat at the back of the boat at the tiller and my brother ran the Jib sheets (ropes that control the front sail).  As we tact back and forth into the wind, we got up to speed!  We were flying through the water leaning out to keep the boat level (this makes you go faster).  As the wind picked up so did we with big smiles on our faces the center board started to vibrate back and forth.  This really brought on the smiles as I looked to my brother we both knew that the vibrating center board meant we were about to tip over!

So with the wind in our hair and the spray of the ocean blowing into our faces I looked over and saw a man waving at me as he passed us in his kiyake.  We waved back and our smiles were gone, and then we laghed.  Sailing is not fast but it is one of the most exciting activities I have ever tried.  I love sailing and I know everyone should try sailing at least once in there lives but be carful because it can be addicting.

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