Seven Three on Two Three

 Monday, February 3, temperature 73, skies - sunny, winds SE 5-10 mph

Sounds like good sailing weather!

So I took the afternoon off and headed to the ramp. I hadn't sailed since the Pensacola trip back in early October - 4 months ago. Living in the south affords these winter-time opportunities to go sailing in relative comfort.

I uncovered the boat and hitched it to my new-to-me 2018 Kia Sorento with its newly installed hitch (first time to use) which cost me over $500! I have installed four hitches previously including the one on my 2008 Sorento. I figured I could do this one. I watched the video and looked easy enough. Kia is genius in that they pre-drill the holes in the frame and even pre-wire for the trailer harness. Luke and I spent an afternoon in an attempt to install the hitch. The exhaust hangers were a bear but finally got them loose. We position the hitch and tried "dry-fitting" it. We could not get the bolts through the exhaust side of the frame. There was a heat shield that was keeping the hitch just slightly too low for the bolts to go through. It was heavy and quite awkward so I gave up. $240 later, I had a hitch. Ugh!

With the boat hitched I headed to the ramp. What a gorgeous afternoon. 

When I arrived at the ramp there was a huge house boat at the ramp. They had the boat half in the water, half on the trailer and were working on the engine and who knows what all else. The boat was named Nauta Big Deal. It was actually pretty big! 

 I rigged the boat with no issues. It all came back to me. (Can't even remember when I was out on it last.) The only issue I had was with the mizzen. Seems a line was the wrong way around the mast. I untied the line from the clew and sprit boom, unwrapped it and retied. Once I got to sailing I realized that I tied it incorrectly and I had a fold in the leach of the sail. I didn't bother with it. I'll need to remember that and correct it before going out again - or, at least, I should. LOL

Just as I was finishing up the rigging, a fellow came by and began admiring my boat. That happens frequently: you don't see many wooden boats around these parts nor do you see a lot of sailboats at the ramp, even though there is a sail-only marina a couple miles down the lake. He talked for probably 20 minutes. He was from San Francisco where they sail a lot, so he was impressed to see a sailboat here on the lake. I tolk him about Serena, the girl who bought Little Bit.

I launched from the ramp as usual and sailed for an hour or so - just back and forth by the ramp. As usual for inland lake sailing, the wind was fluky: swirling, up and down; but I did get some good steady blows. In fact, there were a few puffs that were probably in the low teens. I got a good feel for the boat. With no ballast and cold water, I was extra careful. I sat in the floor most of the time. If I saw a good puff coming, I sat up on the seat, constantly pulling in and letting out the main as the wind dictated. It was quite the workout.

I estimate I sailed about four miles total. 

Time to get back in. The house boat was still there. I wound up having to wait for a runabout to get in and a jet ski to launch before I could take out. 

The runabout folks were slow, but I just relaxed in the wind-shadow of the shore and enjoyed the peace. No rush. 

As I was loading the boat onto the trailer, I overheard the workers call it a day and saying, "See you tomorrow!" Well, sadly, not me. 

While I was derigging the boat, I noticed the jet ski guy make a couple very quick passes by the ramp and then he came back to his truck, went back to the jet ski. Not sure what he was doing but he was gone before I was.

Got home and put the CIY back to bed just as darkness was closing in. A nice afternoon!