Every once and a while the stars align

[leefrankpierce]

I suppose many of us use the form for emotional support. It helps that others have simular struggles where some times it seems more work than the hobby is worth.
I just went through a time where spending some money on new sails, rig rebuild (roller furler, track for mainsail, etc...) and putting in the efforts to get everything re-setup seemed to be rewarded with engine troubles and sailing days that were either no wind (we play bob) or too much wind.
Every trip seemed to be a work trip or a problematic sail.
Add that to Texas heat is really cranking up, pushing us to night only outings...
Dang, is this worth it?

Saturday morning, 4:30 my wife wakes up in the typical multi sleep sessions that age can bring, wakes me suggesting we go visit the boat before the heat sets in.

Winds were 10->16, exactly in the sweet spot for my rig, wind direction exactly 90 degrees from the longest portion of my lake, also minimizing direction shifts, motor behaved (new ignition and I found non-corn based fuel), new sails and we hardly noticed the puffs (old blown out sails made puffs way noticeable), some Wataburger biscuits and a spectacular sunrise while under sail. Get the bimini up before it gets too hot, get the boat put away before it gets too hot, 2nd breakfast at the local non-chain place where you both get called "hon" and they mean it.
Home by 8:30 am, for 2nd sleep.

Some times it is worth it.

[Stickinthemud57]

As a fellow North Texan, I feel you. If wind forecasts are much below 8 or over 13 mph it's either too little wind or too much like work unless they are steady from the southwest, in which case it's a broad reach up Lake Grapevine and back.

This is the time of year I make the shift to morning outings. Winds are not as steady as the afternoon, but it still beats sailing in 95+ degree weather.

I did not pull my 26S from the slip this winter, which allowed me to take advantage of of those freakish warmer winter days. I think I will probably do that this winter as well.

I'm glad to hear it worked for you, and kudos to your wife. I have yet to regret going out on the lake. I know it seems like the reverse, but try to think of work and improvements on the boat as "money in the bank". Skimp on that and you risk having some very not-fun outings.

[Be Free]

I suppose many of us use the form for emotional support. It helps that others have simular struggles where some times it seems more work than the hobby is worth.
I just went through a time where spending some money on new sails, rig rebuild (roller furler, track for mainsail, etc...) and putting in the efforts to get everything re-setup seemed to be rewarded with engine troubles and sailing days that were either no wind (we play bob) or too much wind.
Every trip seemed to be a work trip or a problematic sail.
Add that to Texas heat is really cranking up, pushing us to night only outings...
Dang, is this worth it?

Saturday morning, 4:30 my wife wakes up in the typical multi sleep sessions that age can bring, wakes me suggesting we go visit the boat before the heat sets in.

Winds were 10->16, exactly in the sweet spot for my rig, wind direction exactly 90 degrees from the longest portion of my lake, also minimizing direction shifts, motor behaved (new ignition and I found non-corn based fuel), new sails and we hardly noticed the puffs (old blown out sails made puffs way noticeable), some Wataburger biscuits and a spectacular sunrise while under sail. Get the bimini up before it gets too hot, get the boat put away before it gets too hot, 2nd breakfast at the local non-chain place where you both get called "hon" and they mean it.
Home by 8:30 am, for 2nd sleep.

Some times it is worth it.

Sounds like the perfect day (except for that 4:30AM part). It's the reason we do what we do. I envy (and rejoice with) you!

My perfect morning sail involves waking up on the boat as it begins to rock in the slowly developing morning breezes. After a light breakfast the sails go up and the fun begins.

Before moving to the Gulf coast I did a lot of lake and river sailing. A couple of things I noticed was that the best winds were before 10AM as the lake or river warmed and after 5PM as it cooled. One of my most memorable sails was from Jacksonville to Palatka on the St Johns river with the breeze directly behind me. It was all done in the dark, silently slipping through the water under a partial moon and clear skies. The breeze finally died out about 2AM so I dropped the anchor and went to sleep. It was magical.

Another observation was lake-specific. There would always be a large no-go zone in the middle of the lake from around 10AM to 2PM. Sailing was possible around the edges of the lake all day but the middle would be absolutely calm. It was stiflingly hot in the summer but a great place to anchor out and take a nap in the winter.

[leefrankpierce]

Agree that waking up on the boat can be the best.
My best memory = My wife and son stayed a week in a slip, I would get up and take us out while they were still sleeping.
The day was spent in/out of slip and supply runs to town.
Evening at went out at 8:00 PM, by 10:00 pm both fell asleep against me while on a reach back to the slip.

[Be Free]

That sounds wonderful.

By the time I got the MacGregor most of my kids were either "too old" to want to spend the night on the boat or had already moved out. The two youngest did spend a couple of nights out with me but most of the time it's just me or me and the admiral.

She enjoys the boat but not the Florida heat. Right now there are about two weeks in the spring and another two in the fall when the temperatures meet with her approval. I'm about 80% of the way to having an air conditioner on the boat. If the hurricanes will hold off this year maybe this will be the year of the AC and we can expand her sailing season!

Grandkids aren't quite old enough to have the patience for a long sail yet, but they are getting closer. It doesn't help that they have been on powerboats since before they could walk. The most common question when we are sailing is, "Can we go fast now Granddaddy?" Come to think of it, they say the same thing when I'm running the Honda at WOT. When I reply that, "For a sailboat, this IS fast!", I get some very doubtful looks.

[NiceAft]

Be Free said;

For a sailboat, this IS fast!", I get some very doubtful looks.

[dlandersson]

Some times it is worth it.

[dlandersson]

In July - August, south side of Lake Michigan, this is also often true.

Another observation was lake-specific. There would always be a large no-go zone in the middle of the lake from around 10AM to 2PM. Sailing was possible around the edges of the lake all day but the middle would be absolutely calm. It was stiflingly hot in the summer but a great place to anchor out and take a nap in the winter.

[dlandersson]

I was thinking about leaving my X on the hard this year. Last couple of years my kids (middle teens) were lukewarm about going out. To my surprise my son (16/17) kept pestering me about "when will our boat be ready". Not so much me, he wanted to invite his friends.

That sounds wonderful.

By the time I got the MacGregor most of my kids were either "too old" to want to spend the night on the boat or had already moved out. The two youngest did spend a couple of nights out with me but most of the time it's just me or me and the admiral.

She enjoys the boat but not the Florida heat. Right now there are about two weeks in the spring and another two in the fall when the temperatures meet with her approval. I'm about 80% of the way to having an air conditioner on the boat. If the hurricanes will hold off this year maybe this will be the year of the AC and we can expand her sailing season!

Grandkids aren't quite old enough to have the patience for a long sail yet, but they are getting closer. It doesn't help that they have been on powerboats since before they could walk. The most common question when we are sailing is, "Can we go fast now Granddaddy?" Come to think of it, they say the same thing when I'm running the Honda at WOT. When I reply that, "For a sailboat, this IS fast!", I get some very doubtful looks.

[leefrankpierce]

Dead spot in middle of lake.......
You know.... ya, I may fall victim to that, I wonder what the physics behind that are.
I always presumed to stay away from the shore, presuming it would either be blocking, or otherwise disturbing the air.

[Be Free]

I'm sure it's the same thing that causes on-shore and off-shore breezes at different times of the day; uneven rates of heating between the water and the land.

You are partly correct about getting too close to shore. When you are quite close to shore you may find yourself in the "wind shadow" of items along the shore. Just out from that area the winds will be a little "unsettled" but still usable. Just a little bit more away from shore and you should find either an "on-shore" or "off-shore" wind blowing steadily both early and late in the day.

In Florida, a lot of the lakes are old sink holes. They are easy to spot from the air since they are often almost perfectly circular. I find it challenging to try to "circumnavigate" one of the larger lakes while remaining on the same tack. It's fun when it works. So far the biggest one I've completed is Lake George. That was pretty much an all-day project.

[dlandersson]

Another reason to avoid the shore. That's where are the power boats (well, mostly) zip back and forth. The wakes don't help my sailing, such as it is.

Dead spot in middle of lake.......
You know.... ya, I may fall victim to that, I wonder what the physics behind that are.
I always presumed to stay away from the shore, presuming it would either be blocking, or otherwise disturbing the air.

[leefrankpierce]

This morning, overcast, 8mph forecast, 5:45 am, get to marina and find they changed the gate codes and had not sent them out.
Gate code changes are normal at beginning of each month, but usually they send first and then change a few days in.
Lake was glass, no wind, so we changed the purpose of our morning outing.
Picked up a dozen blue-berry donuts, re-filled the Tahoe with fuel = successful trip.
Rained on us on the way home, gate code sent via email at 11:00 am.
God bless whomever came up with air conditioning.

[Be Free]

Bobby Burns was smiling at you this morning. I'm glad it turned out for the best.

Your AC comment reminded me of the end of five-day excursion sailing a beach cat up the St Johns from Palatka to Deland. I don't believe I ever appreciated an air conditioner or an ice-cold cola more (or since) than I did when I got in the car that day.

[Russ]

It's great to have the stars align.

Last week we had a perfect day. Which is rare for mountain lakes.
We had perfect steady wind the whole day with 80 degrees and no humidity. PERFECT day.

THIS is why we do this.