Women Sail Strong

see my other blog

2009-08-27T08:30:00.000-04:00

http://yuppiesurburbanhomesteading.blogspot.com

No More Sailing? I'll be closing this one down soon.

2009-08-27T08:25:00.004-04:00

No sailing for me this year. I did kayaak a couple times...does that count?
Other new things in my life sort of required my attention to be directed elsewhere.
Sold my townhouse. Bought a house with my significant other. Now live in the City...short walk from Park Avenue area. A practicing Zen Buddhist. On the edge of a big life change...
see my other blog for more. I'll place a link after I complete this posting.

It's not that I've given up sailing, but I'm going to pursue it from a different angle. Not sure what angle that is yet. ha! Maybe a Lazer....

New Ventures

2009-01-19T11:17:00.002-05:00

And does not the word "venture" imply newness? :-)

There most probably will not be any new postings from me on this site until sailing season, and even then there will undoubtedly be fewer than before.

This spring and summer I will be busy planning and giving workshops on urban/suburban homesteading, specifically on raising one's own food....the idea is sustainable living in small spaces.
You don't have to live in the country to raise your food. In fact, you can even have chickens in the city! Bet you did not know that!

See more on this at http://yuppiesurburbanhomesteading.blogspot.com/

The end

2008-10-05T18:33:00.003-04:00

Well, not quite.
The end of sailing season for some, and certainly it was the end of my sailing season weeks and weeks ago.
The unusually strong seasick reaction I got at one of my last sailing lessons through me....the symptoms persisted for days afterwards.
Not sure quite what I'm going to do about it. I won't give up my love of being on the water, but I will need to adjust how I'll be on the water.

Things for me to ponder this winter....while I'm on the snow! :-)

Taking a rest

2008-09-20T10:37:00.001-04:00

Sailing season for me is over, though I will probably take one or two more kayak trips before the winter comes.
I'm going to be spending more time on a new blog. As soon as I get it started, I'll post it here.

Seasick!

2008-08-31T20:44:00.002-04:00

Well, there are was, thinking that "hey I can handle this...I've got my special pill." So I take it, and the darn thing doesn't work! What do I mean? Well, it's that old friend seasickness that came to give me a hard time again. I had been under the, apparently mistaken, impression that I solved that problem! That I had faced it down. Nothing could beat me! But I was wrong.

What happened? Well, for one thing I believe that I can't take that pill once I start feeling unwell; it needs to be taken ahead of time. Secondly, I'm courting an inner ear problem of some sort. It's been playing havoc with my balance for a while. No wonder I've been having trouble with dancing spins. And no wonder that shake up on the sailboat set me whirling. Vertigo-city! My right ear has been hurting me occasionally for months. Of course, I was ignoring it. I thought it a symptom of age and being exposed to loud music when I dance. But now I'm thinking it's something else going on.

While dancing West Coast Swing the other night, a leader swung me too hard, virtually flinging me, and I lost it. Landed on my right buttock. Still hurts! Something awry here in the inner ear world no doubt!

Gotta get this looked at for the sake of my dancing and sailing and well...skiing season is coming!

Olympic Regatta Day 1

2008-08-09T11:40:00.003-04:00

Even if you're not into the Olympics...perhaps you're boycotting it because of China's horrible human-rights score or you're not into the hoopla for some reason....you might be interested in the sailing portion of the Olympics. Cut and paste from US Sailing Today:

"USA Finn sailor Zach Railey sailed a smashing opener on the first day of the Olympic Sailing Regatta in Qingdao, China. In string current and patchy winds averaging six knots, Railey pulled off a second and a fifth place in today's two races, putting him in second place overall in this 26-boat Olympic fleet.

Railey's most impressive move today was on the final run of the first race, when he passed thirteen boats. After rounding a minute and nine seconds behind the first place boat on the last leg, he shaved almost the whole gap, finishing only five seconds behind Greek sailor Emilios Papathanasiou. On a day with inverting fleets and frequent lead changes, Railey's consistency between the two races is what brings him to the top of the fleet. He currently sits two points behind Rafal Szukiel of Poland and four points ahead of three-time Olympic medalist Ben Ainslie of Great Britain."

For more information go to http://olympics.ussailing.org/Current__News/Olympic_Sailing_Regatta_Day_1__Finn_and_Yngling_Start_with_a_Bang.htm

Onward to Basic Keelboat Sailing

2008-08-06T08:20:00.002-04:00

Basic Keelboat Sailing Instruction starts this Sunday. Larger boat, crew of 4 plus instructor. Looking forward to it.

The series of classes seem too short to me, though. I feel I need more instruction. However, the next four on the larger boat should teach me more, though I am not sure if it will be enough. As with everything, time practicing what one learns in class is what learning is really all about. Once the classes are over, if I can find someone to crew with on a somewhat casual basis then I will do that.

Lake Ontario

2008-08-02T09:24:00.002-04:00

I am told that if you can sail Lake Ontario, you can sail just about anywhere. Now I don't know if this is true because I've only sailed Lake Ontario. :-)
However, I will venture a guess that the changing winds on this lake are some of the most challenging. Not necessarily because of their strength, though they can be quite awesome and dangerous, but perhaps the concept of the Lake's challenge is the frustration of the wind just suddenly leaving you dead in the water. I've experienced this offshore wind near dusk. All my sailing lessons at RYC have been from 5 to 8 and things might start out great, but as we got closer to the 8 mark the wind often decided to go to sleep.

As I anxiously await news about my next series of sailing lessons, I feel like the summer has gotten away from me already. It's August! geez. So many things I want to do and experience and so little time. I suppose if I stopped dancing and doing other things I love to do, I'd have more time for watersports.

Time is an issue for me because I do need my "chill" time as well as my "challenge" time. But one thing is for sure...I decided this morning that I haven't been taking my writing time. Because I now write for a living, I hardly do any writing for myself. So bear with me, reader.....if you exist at all...because you may find this blog reflecting non-sailing thoughts as I get myself back into the writing habit. Several thoughts on that....maybe I should query some sailing onlilne or print pubs with nonfiction ideas. Or I could try my hand at sailing short stories...fiction of course. hmmmm...... so many possiblities!!! YES!

Kayaking

2008-07-30T15:05:00.002-04:00

I think I've covered this topic before, but I'll revisit it because I went kayaking last weekend for the first time in several years. The gentleman who loaned me a kayak was the first person who alerted me to the concept of adding a sail to a kayak. I think I've pretty much given up on that idea, but I think I like the idea of owning a kayak. We did a resevoir, so the water was fairly calm, though the wind did pick up and things got a little interesting. I feel that next time I'd like to try a river run, but nothing too strenuous.

reminder...rules about posting a comment

2008-07-09T00:00:00.001-04:00

This is a cut and paste from 2007 to readers interested in commenting. I thought it time to republish it.

"If you're reading this and it touches you...angers you...connects...makes you joyful...intrigued...bored...whatever....pls feel free to leave a comment. I will be monitoring these to make sure nothing nasty gets published. However, let it be known that I have a strange sense of humor and a very open attitude about other people's thoughts, so it may occur that you, as a reader, will see things posted that you cannot believe I'd allow. On the other hand, pls know that I'm a Christian Italian woman who grew up with strong values, so I won't publish any comments that diminish anyone, including the person who makes the comment.

Not sure what to say? Go ahead and say it. No risk, no gain. :-) "

New photos on my blog

2008-07-08T23:55:00.002-04:00

Any suggestions? Ideas?

I don't own a boat anymore, so I can't use that photo. Maybe I can get a hold of a photo of me sailing. I have a photo of me on a sailboat during last year's Hospice Regatta but a sailing guest found it necessary to stand in front of me, so you can't see me.

Kayak with a sail...is it really sailing?

2008-07-08T23:49:00.003-04:00

Did you know that you can take a kayak and put a sail on it and then sail??? Did you know they actually sell sails for kayaks?

A good friend of mine told me about this a year ago and at the time I teased him a bit about it because at the time I owned what I considered a "real" sailboat...my Chimera. My friend is a kayaker and knows about such things, of course, but while I was intrigued, I did not really look into it.

But just recently he pointed me in the direction of a Website about Kayaks and on this site is a tab about sailing. So I HAD to check it out. And wow....I came to a realization that I can buy myself a kayak, which I'd love to do because I want to do more of this sport, and I can also transform it into a sort of sailboat. Okay okay okay...you "real" sailors out there are tish toshing me at this point. But consider the possibilities! If nothing else, I can learn an awful lot about the wind and sailing this way. It's something to think about!

Here's the Web site: http://www.sit-on-topkayaking.com/Articles/WhiteWater/Venus.htm

Let me know what you think....hey out there! If anyone cares to comment on this, I'm all ears! all oars? :-)

The sailing urge

2008-07-07T23:01:00.002-04:00

It is absolutely amazing how being near and/or on the water has gotten under my skin. I yearn for it all year long, but come the warmer weather I am drawn to it like a moth to a flame. I can't pass near water without searching into it and past it for something...what am I searching for? Something inside myself? At a restaurant near the water, my eyes and spirit and soul are drawn to it as I struggle to balance my attention between "it" and my eating companions. I wonder if a chocolate cake would keep my attention away from the water. (I LOVE chocolate cake!)

I sail once a week now...lessons. Though this week I have no lesson. I yearn to sail more than once a week.

Sailing Lesson # 3

2008-07-01T22:18:00.004-04:00

Sailing lesson was cut short a bit because wind conditions were weak. But what a beautiful evening out there anyway. The winds were maybe 2 knots. Gave us a chance to practice sailing in weak winds and also gave us time to talk about many sailing issues. I love that little boat we sail in. There's a small enough cabin for one to sleep in. It's easy to single hand, but I'm thinking I'd prefer my next boat to be even smaller (this one we're learning on is 23'..I believe it's a Sonar). I asked Cordo how much an Ideal 18 would cost and he said a new one is $20,000 but I can get a used one in good shape for $5 to $8,000. Yes, yes, I know.....didn't I just get rid of a sailboat? Yes, I did, but these smaller ones are so much easier to handle. And I want something that doesn't need to be overhauled.

Sailing has been amazing.....it was always amazing. But learning on this smaller boat is the way to go! I'm finally understanding how to jibe, how to tack, how to maneuver in various winds. Of course, I'm still a newbie and have so much to learn! But I don't feel so overwhelmed any more. I had no idea sailing can be like this.

I loved being on Robin's Petrel, but that boat was big and Robin knew it's particular response levels and reactions. And it was not an easy boat to singlehand. These boats I'm learning on are rigged for one person, but you can have several crew members.

It's wonderful to be able to just get onto the boat and start getting it rigged for sailing. To know where to attach what, etc. etc. I love it! To get out there and feel the wind. And to be closer to the water on these small boats is very cool too!

I can't say enough about how grateful I am to everyone who has been there in my life that somehow paved the way to sailing in my life. Thank you to the instructors who have been patient with me. Thank you to my friends and family who have put up with my "I bought a boat" scenario that converted into "I got to get rid of this boat" drama. Thank you so much Gary my boyfriend for having the patient and foresight to not mind the time I take to sail, knowing I "just gotta sail." Of course, I am grateful to the man who took a chance with me and let me sail with him and taught me my first lessons. Thank you Robin...of course, I know you don't read this blog, but I'm putting this out there anyway.

Quote of the Week

2008-06-27T14:25:00.002-04:00

If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable.

Seneca (5 BC - 65 AD)

Sailing Lessons at RYC

2008-06-27T14:15:00.002-04:00

I took my second "learn to sail" lesson at Rochester Yacht Club this past Tuesday. This time, we were out a looong time. The lessons are supposed to go from 5 to 8. I'd say we were out from 6 to 8, but that was quite long enough thank you. It's a 20' (21'?) sailboat, no engine. Soooo easy to sail. Soooo easy to rig. I'm learning soooo much. :-)

But, in the learning come the various challenges. I felt absolutely beat up last Tuesday after my lesson. Of course, part of that was from the stress and muscle tension of trying to learn all this new stuff. Also, I tacked us a few times which meant the boom came across the bow so fast I got hit a bit, but nothing too bad. It's amazing how easy it is to trim the sails on this thing. Now, I wonder, is this the case because it's so new? Or is it because it's small? My only other sailing experience was with Robin's 26' sailboat. His boat did not respond so quickly to steering, either.
The difference between sailing this smaller boat and the larger boat is the diff between driving a foreign sports car and a regular old American sedan. It's definitely fun, but also more challenging in many ways.

One thing I was getting super confused about was the diff between jibbing and tacking. I think I've got that pretty much down now. I also got a better feel for the wind and how the boat reacts to it and how to compensate for this and that while at the helm....even something like what to do when the wake from a powerboat hits the sailboat. Corbo, our sailing instructor, is really good. He's patient too. There's just two of sailing with him. Another woman and I. She's got experience sailing sunfish and stuff, which I don't. So I sense her ability to "feel" the wind is better than mine.

Two more "learn to sail" lessons and then it's on to "basic keelboat." I have no idea what that's going to entail. Given how much we're learning on these first four lessons, I can not fathom what other challenges the more involved sailing course would offer. The basic keelboat is on a larger boat, I know that.

New Chapter

2008-06-27T14:08:00.002-04:00

My ex-sailboat Chimera is now in the hands of new owners and hopefully she'll get the love and attention and fixing up she didn't get from me or the owner before me. I asked these new owners to send me photos of the boat once she's fixed up. They said they would, but we'll see if that really does happen. They moved the boat to Buffalo. Not far from here...cool.

Do I ever want to buy a boat again? You know, at first I thought that I wouldn't, but now that I'm sailing again this year, I'm feeling the bug again. Next time, though, I'll be wiser about it. Many things have come to pass between the time I bought Chimera and today.

I don't regret having bought that sailboat. It was a good experience, even though I never actually got to sail her! LOL

My thoughts on a future boat go all over the place. On the one hand, having something small is easier to handle in some ways, but too small is too easily capsizeable. I like the idea of having a small cabin to store stuff and maybe nap in. Smaller is also cheaper. An Ideal 18 looks like a good possibility someday. I don't know.....the thing about getting a boat is then I need to dock it somewhere and there's the whole cost thing around that too. A sailboat with a cabin that you can live in is super, but I can't afford that unless I bought another Chimera! And I don't see myself ever having the skills or knowledge or time to get another fixer-upper.

Nonetheless...for now, I'm not looking at boats. For now, I'm just learning how to be a good sailor.

Haul Out and Such

2008-04-22T11:39:00.002-04:00

Haul Out at PYC is Sat 4/26. That is when Chimera will be hauled out and taken away.
I will be there. It's supposed to be first thing in the morning. Gary will provide his strong shoulder for me to cry on, should I find myself shedding tears.

Recommendation to anyone wanting to learn to sail: Find a good skipper, read, practice your knots, talk to other sailors, and sign up for lessons at a certified sailing school.

Speaking of knots, I've been lax in practicing nautical knots this winter. Gotta catch up!

Farewell Chimera; Hello Other Life Events

2008-04-22T11:31:00.002-04:00

A very special person in my life (Guess who, Gary!) mentioned to me that I hadn't posted anything on this for a while. Thank you, dearest, for reminding me!

It's not that I haven't had sailing on my mind, but rather that perhaps in a few ways I've been avoiding putting out some feelings I have regarding this particular time in my sailing life. As some know, I have decided to donate Chimera rather than fix her up and sail her. I purchased her with so many dreams, but my dreams for her changed. I was "told" by a higher power to buy her, to care for her as best I could, to learn from her about her and about myself. And now it is time for me to hand her over to her real caretakers. She will be used to help caring adults guide troubled teens into living full lives. I can't think of a better life for Chimera.

Also, truth be told, this gives me more time for other things. Time to become a better sailor, a better race crew members. And time for those people so important in my life.....

Someday, I am almost 100% confident, I will come to care for another boat. Perhaps it will be a kayaak, perhaps it will be a sailboat smaller than Chimera, perhaps I will become a partner in the purchase and care of a larger boat. Nonetheless, my sailing journey has only just begun. And this sailing blog will continue as well, despite Chimera moving on to other waters.

William F. Buckley and sailing and why do any of us sail??

2008-03-07T09:15:00.003-05:00

I had no idea William F. Buckley was a sailor. And while I didn't agree with everything he said or wrote, I enjoyed listening to him. I enjoyed the timbre of his voice, the command of his words and the way his face moved when he spoke. He had a rather strange face, I think. And he was so obviously intelligent. No idea what his IQ was, but no doubt it was way up there.

Writer and fellow sailor William F. Buckley died at age 82. He was asked once why he sailed.
His answer:
"I sailed the sailboat as a result of a gradual acknowledgment of the coefficient of work over-against satisfaction. The kind of work you need to do in order to maintain a sailboat, to sail it competently as I did three times across the Atlantic, once across the Pacific, requires an investment of certain ergs of energy, and those ergs of energy give you, classically, ergs plus pleasure."

When asked why I am drawn to sailing, I explain how it's physical, emotional, psychological, intellectual and spiritual. Definitely, it's pleasurable. For a deeply emotional woman such as myself, it serves as a healthy constructive outlet for my emotional energy. I am also very physical, intellectual, spiritual, psychological...and sailing serves as an outlet for those energies as well. As a younger and less-wise woman, I found it much more difficult to allow myself outlets for the full extent of my energies. I did, however, write. I wrote lots more than I do now. But in my maturity, I have discovered physical and social outlets. Sailing is one of my physical outlets. Dancing, running, and now skiing.... another physical outlet I will not discuss here is not being fulfilled, but to be fully fulfilled requires my finding a life partner. lol For a woman such as myself, somone a gentleman or two have described as "a handful"....it means my finding a life partner with the same energies and the maturity and healthy attitudes required to funnel those energies constructively and positively.

I digress..... I guess my point here is that those of us attracted to sailing, I think, participate in this endeavor because it makes us feel alive. And, there it is.....what joy it is to be alive!

March 2008..sailing season right around corner

2008-03-06T22:24:00.002-05:00

As Chimera sits drydocked at PYC, I ponder her leaving me. It was a difficult decision to donate her, and yet on the other hand not so difficult.

As I explained to a friend this evening, I felt compelled (called, if you will) to purchase her. Here I was a super-newbie to the world of sailing, a single 50-something woman, never even owned a canoe for crying out loud...and I buy a 27' sailboat? And one that needed work? But it was meant to be. And I loved her, for the short period of time I have owned her. And I still own her and will until she goes to her new home at the end of April. Meanwhile, I take care of her as best I can.

Also meanwhile, I continue to read and dream and think about the upcoming sailing season. Very soon I will register for this summer's RYC adult sailing school. And, of course, I prepare myself in various ways for the racing season.

1971 Coronado 27' For Sale

2008-01-28T13:55:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry to say that I need to sell Chimera. No no no...not giving up sailing and definitely not giving up racing. In fact, I'm looking to get involved with women's racing here in Rochester.

But due to financial constraints, I need to give up my current dreams of boat ownership.

Anyone interested in buying a sweet boat that needs some loving care, please email me here.

Thanks.

-Jean

Sailing Women in Tasmania

2008-01-16T15:27:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone! You need to check out this blog from women strong and courageous women in Tasmania. Great photos!

Thank you yachttinggirls for sending your comments and sharing your site!

Thinking of sailing

2008-01-06T15:26:00.000-05:00

It's January 2008 and many of us who sail in warmer weather are busy with other things, but sailing plans are still in our heads.

I'm eagerly waiting for the Rochester Boat Show to start my season. IT is here I hope to share and get ideas from other boaters and vendors. For one thing, I need to get a recommendation for someone to scrape and recoat my boat's hull. This is one thing I do not want to do myself.

Happy Holidays!

2007-12-25T21:18:00.000-05:00

to everyone everywhere....

peace and love!

Coronados

2007-12-20T22:09:00.000-05:00

As I study and plan for the sailing season with my new boat, I am finding much internet info on Coronados. I've placed a few links on this blog for those of you who might be interested. It would be nice to hear from other Coronado owners. Apparently the 1971 Coronado 27' was built in Australia. The mfg decided the 26 wasn't selling as well as they hoped, so they redesigned the cabin area. It's got about 6' head room, which is pretty special for a boat this size. See more info below and at the linked sites.

Here's a little something I just cut and pasted from one of the sites:

This model was built under license by International Marine in Melbourne, Australia during the 1970s. The Australian magazine Cruising Helmsman has an article on this boat. It says the model was designed by Bill Tripp. The picture in the article looks like a C-26 MkII hull with a traditional cabin rather than the bubble top. It took some time but once I got a clear picture, I could see that it was a Coronado 27. It's well known that many Columbia models were created by stretching or shrinking other models, but it's also true that some Coronado models started as Columbias, or at least Columbia hulls. This is the case with the Coronado 27. It's a C-26 MkII with a different cabin and deck. Evidently the International Marine felt that the Corondado 27 would sell better than the Columbia 26, but that the Columbia name had better brand recognition, so the Coronado 27 became the Columbia 27 for the Australian market. The following are the basic specifications as listed in the article, the measurements converted from metrics, and comparative information for the Coronado 27 and the Columbia 26MkII:

                     COLUMBIA 27        CORONADO 27    COLUMBIA 26MkII
          LOA:  8.13 m       26' 8"      26' 8"         25' 7"
          LWL:  6.76 m       22' 2"      22' 2"         21' 8"
         Beam:  2.59 m        8' 6"       8' 6"          8' 6"    (Shoal draft)
   Draft Keel:  1.35 m        4' 5"       4' 4"          4' 4"    (   3' 2"   )
 Displacement:  2828 kg     6235 lb     6250 lb        5900 lbs   ( 6600 lbs. )
      Ballast:  1272 kg     2804 lb     2550 lb        2500 lbs   ( 3200 lbs. )
    Sail Area: 28.05 sqm  301.93 sqft    312 sqft       310 sqft

It has six berths and sleeps 4 comfortably. The cabin headroom is mostly 6 feet.

It's snowing..let's give thanks.

2007-12-16T00:34:00.000-05:00

'Tis the season. But to warm things up a bit, let me post some photos from my October trip to Maui.

Let's give thanks, though, that those of us who can read this blog (and write it) can stay warm and toasty this holiday season. There go I but by the grace of God: there's so much to these words that points to our human tendancy to take our blessings for granted.

As I drove home this evening and came upon fresh snow, til not trodden upon, I started to cry at the beauty of it. I thanked God for giving us so much beauty. When I am feeling discouraged, I try to remind myself of my blessings. An evening such as this, where I can curl up in front of the computer with my hot chocolate soy milk and granola bar () warms me in more ways than just one.

I am grateful for my health and energy, my intelligence, for my children, for my friends, for my childrens' father who is probably the best ex-husband a woman can have, my townhouse, my job, my ability to enjoy life, my ability to shed tears, my ability to experience love and give it, for my passions: dancing, music, writing, running, sailing. For the people who have shared themselves with me and through them have grown. Most of all, I am thankful for the love of Jesus, for the love of God, without which I am nothing.

Merry Christmas

2007-12-16T00:21:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe it's been almost a month since I last posted. It's not that I haven't been thinking about sailing, but it's a busy time of year for other things. Each day I read from my Women's Sailing Book and I'm plodding along with America's Boating Courses online. Thankfully, the holiday season means some time off from work and that means I can hopefully catch up with this stuff. I also have 22.5 hours of real estate continuing ed I need to take and I need to get these done in the next couple months.

Been discussing with el capitan my need for new sails. I want to take a somewhat conservative approach to what I need for Chimera, but I can already tell how easy it will be for me to spend more money than I should. I believe in quality and in getting the right tools for whatever it is I need the tools for. Also, I plan to rig the boat for single handing and this means specific types of rigging and using mechanical advantages. It's quite amazing the gizmos and such that are available for a sailboat.

Let's take solar battery charging equipment for instance. And air conditioning. The variety of fenders. Solar furling systems. Self-tailing winches. My gosh...I could go on and on. This is an amazing world I've entered into, but it can be an expensive. I must be careful to make wise choices.

As it is, I already know I need a new deep cycle battery. I need sails. I need fenders. Not quite sure what shape the mast and boom are in. The wiring needs to done. I need to get the hull scraped and painted. I need the wheel mounting fixed. I need the head replumbed. I need to patch some of the fiberglass. Have no idea where the shrouds and stays are. Need safety equipment. The traveler needs looking into. Basically, all standing and running rigging needs to be attended to. Holy holy holy! Writing this down makes it feel alot worse to me suddenly. :-)

America's Boating Course

2007-12-02T22:05:00.000-05:00

I'm using this winter down time...which for me really isn't a down time because seems I'm always busy with something or other...but it's a time when I cannot sail...anyway, I'm using it to take an online Boating Course through the U.S. Power Squadron. It's not expensive, it's a CD, plus a thin workbook. There's an online quiz and then I get certification of sorts.

I haven't started it yet, though.

I have, however, been reading Colgate's book about Women Sailing and it is absolutely fantastic!!

Baby it's cold outside

2007-11-28T09:41:00.000-05:00

I love the snow! And I love the crisp air! But I also love this icon!

Books for Sailors

2007-11-27T06:38:00.000-05:00

Currently reading "Woman's Guide to Sailing" by Doris Colgate of the National Woman's Sailing Association and Offshore Sailing School.

Excellent book, heartily recommended. She makes many excellent points about the differences between how men and women learn, as well as sharing her experience and experiences of other women in sailing. Women, she says, bring something different to sailing because they work with each other differently and while we're competitive, we tend to get into the "feel" of the experience more than men.

The most important thing I'm getting out of this book is an acknowledgment to my own philosophy that women can handle any size boat as well as a man as long as she understands what she's doing, what the boat and wind and water are all about and most importantly knows how to use mechanical advantage. For instance, just a simple thing like having self-tailing winches. Yes, extra or fancier rigging means extra cost....but the point is Nothing Is Impossible.

Women! remember that! Many of you already know that. Men....most of you already know that, I think! If not, well, get with the program!

Happy Thanksgiving and Check Those Boats

2007-11-25T19:18:00.000-05:00

Went down to the boat today to check it and make sure nothing was going too crazy with it. Wanted to make sure the cockpit wasn't collecting water and it's not. Wanted to make sure the tarp was ripping at stress points and it's not.

Just got my America's Boating Course book and CD. Looks great! Between that and my real estate online course, I'll be one pretty busy woman this winter!

Brought my daughter to see Chimera today and she said it looks bigger than the boat I crewed on this summer. lol I thought that funny, but you know I think it is a foot longer!

In addition to looking forward to working on my sailboat and having others work on it for me and with me, I look forward to crewing next sailing season because my knowledge base and fitness will be greater. This winter I'm really working harder at building my strength and my stamina.

Been thinking about sharing my blog link to some sailing publications and asking them if they can use a "newbie" female sailor to write a column.

On another note, I met some female sailors and I have some contact info about doing some crewing for an all-female boat next year. Another reason why I need to use this winter to find a new job...technical writing to be specific. Need more cash to support this new world of mine!

Power Squadron...tales from the past

2007-11-15T19:14:00.000-05:00

It's been several days since I've posted. I'd imagine much of this is becoming boring to anyone reading it since I don't have any exciting tales to tell.

I've signed up for an online course through the Power Squadron. This, along with any other materials I have at home to read and study will carry me through the winter til sailing season begins.

I'm trying to find a way to put into words some of the sailing experiences I've had.

My first sailing experiences were years ago, so long ago they almost don't count. Also, they were very nice, but not as exciting as the ones I had this past summer. For one thing, this past summer the sailboat was smaller, and the captain was a more exciting sailor in many ways. My first time out on Robin's boat...I just sort of sat there and took it all in. I watched Robin doing his thing, checking everything to make sure it all met his liking. He explained some things to me, but for the most part I recall being quiet and just enjoying it all. From the very first I was like a sponge, but it was all so complicated to me that I couldn't even think of the words to ask how it all fit together. Anyway, I fell in love with the experience and couldn't wait til the next time. Little by little, I learned more and more about the boat and what being a good captain meant. I had a great deal of respect for the wind, the water, the boat, the mechanics of it all, the captain. I'd watch Robin...his face...it was intently joyful and at peace and excited all the same time. I wanted that for myself! Though I knew and know that I can never be as good a sailor as he, I know that I will be what I am and what I am meant to be. I will bring to the experience myself and my own approach. I'm still like a sponge, taking in what he offers to show me, teach me, share with me. With every tidbit of information, I expand in so many ways. And this journey has only just begun!

Racing is great! I loved racing...not because I necessarily cared if we won, but because there was this competitive comradrie that took place between the boats. I admit, though, that the best racing took place when we had a crew. I loved...absolutely loved. ...the feeling of working with others as we crewed. While I was the weakest link, for sure, everyone was so patient and giving to me. I yearned to be as helpful as possible and do my share, but I also knew when I was more in the way than any help. These are valuable lessons for sailing on a boat as well as sailing in life.

Should I mention the first time I got seasick? We were racing and there was no wind! Thursday nites at PYC often had this curse. But the waves were strong, despite the lack of wind, and the boat was doing strange things....I had not eaten, I was sleep deprived, had too much coffee that day and feeling a bit not myself. Anyway, I got sick...man, was I sick! I was so embarrassed. Thankfully, only Robin was there. It was kind of funny because just before I took a swig of water from the water bottle, Robin says to me: can I have a drink from that before you get sick? IT's like he knew I was just about to lose it. And I did...over the side and without hitting the boat at all I'll have you know! I did not want to mess up Robin's boat. Robin was attentive, though earlier as I fought it off he told me to "buck up." The Good Lord knows I tried! I'm an amazing strong-willed little thing as anyone who knows me knows. My mind over matter abilities are something. Not esp strong in body, but pliable, flexible, and spry (spelling?) most of all, once I make up my mind I don't give up. But I could not control my stomach that time. I did alot of research after that to figure out what went wrong. I was not going to make my stomach get in the way of my sailing!! A prior post explains how I discovered Scopace and what it's done for me. I highly recommend it. My mind and my spirit and my everything can handle whatever ths boat will give me....my stomach needed some help lol so I got Scopace. Bring on those huge waves! Let's heel way to port! Let's show em! lol

Boat Projects Gallery on Lake Ontario Web site

2007-11-09T14:28:00.001-05:00

You gotta check this out!!!! see the link in my link list.

Batteries

2007-11-09T14:21:00.001-05:00

ah...the sparks we reap when we dost do wrong things with batteries

no, don't worry, I haven't been so stupid. But my ignorance about batteries, as I read more and more about them, continues to amaze me as much as the very concept of how these things work amaze me. Being the analytical type but also being a woman, I have been doing much homework (aka online, book and face-to-face research) about not only how these things perform their magic, but the varieties that exist and most of all...how to keep the darn things charged this winter! I like to get things that do more than one job....triple duty, so to speak...but am also wise enough to know that sometimes this causes one to compromise in all areas of the functions. I give myself another week to come to a conclusion as to what kind of charger to buy. In my mind, I have this image of a battery charger that can be used to charge a dead marine or auto battery, can be used as a float charger as well for the marine batteries, and can be hooked up to more than one battery at a time for float charging. And is portable, easy to use, maintain, etc. etc. etc. And doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

I'm open to suggestions.

final words, this season, about tarping and duct tape

2007-11-09T14:12:00.000-05:00

It's been a few days since I've posted anything. I like to say that my "job" gets in the way of my life. :-)

The jury is still out on how much the duct tape I placed near Chimera's hull will cause a problem. Since I didn't attach the tape to the boat itself, I think it's safe to assume the tape won't damage anything.

I will have to check the boat on a regular basis to make sure water isn't getting into places I don't want it to, as well as ensuring the prevailing winds won't affect the tarp too much. Because of the boat's shape and lack of mast on top, tarping it was a pain in the neck. One option was to remove the side rails, but I didn't want to do that. But I'm fairly confident things won't get too messed up with the tarp. Nonetheless, I created an interesting package-type closing for the stern area over the stern ladder that will allow me to access the cockpit and cabin and consequently shimmy over the cabin top to the bow area, which is where the prevailing winds will be doing its most work.

The ducts are in

2007-11-05T21:15:00.000-05:00

lol
Point made....duct tape is a mess to clean up. d

to duct or not to duct

2007-11-05T08:15:00.000-05:00

Someone mentioned keeping duct tape away from a boat...under normal circumstances I would agree. Though I'm a newbie, so my agreement or disagreement must be taken with that particular huge grain of salt. :-)

But my boat is a super fixer upper, meaning it needs the hull scraped and things repainted and waxed and all kinds of stuff. So perhaps there are some circumstances when duct tape is okay? But to clarify...I did not attach any duct tape to the boat's hull at all. I used duct tape to wrap a couple things laying "on" the hull.

Thoughts anyone? Is it possible that the duct tape will somehow discolor the hull? mmmm...

Let me know what you think.

Tarping

2007-11-04T21:26:00.000-05:00

A friend asking me if tarping is a real word. Well, I don't know if it is, but it should be. Because the task deserves its own word.
You know how you think something is going to take a certain amount of time and then it takes lots more? :-) I should have known. I did suspect. But I didn't think it would be this complicated. I measured, I studied, I analyzed, I discussed. I thought I had it figured out. But when it came down to it, my inexperience led me to putting tarps on and taking tarps off and putting tarps this way and that way and well.... I think I finally came up with a solution that works, but I'm also sure the experts will look at it and say "newbie."
I went out and bought a 20x20 and a 12x20 thinking I'd use both to cover the entire boat. But because there is no mast on the boat right now, laying the tarps on the boat in such a way that allows easy shed of water and minimal bagginess was nearly impossible. Impossible enough that I decided to just use the 12 x20. I used three winch-straps plus polyester line, lots of decent knots and some padding with duct tape under strategic areas to avoid robe/winch rubbing on the boat's hull.
Here's a funny thing: Got home Sat and realized I'd left some things inside the boat's cabin! ugh! A couple of these things belonged to someone else. I was surprised when I returned Sun that I had enough headroom under the tarp in the cockpit area to pull up the cabin cover. Then I realized I'd forgotten to tie down the front section of the tarp. Thank goodness I'm small, because I shimmied across the top of the cabin to the end to do the deeds. More and more I realize the value of my small size...5'1.5" approx 110 lbs. And trust me, I'm getting more and more muscular...smooth sleek muscles of course. :-)
That's all for now....I think next time I explain my little adventures in cabin water leakage.

Working on Chimera

2007-10-27T19:19:00.000-04:00

Today I learned there are many places water can sneak into a boat....places you don't want water sneaking in. Thank goodness for duct tape! "R"....his name to remain anonymous to protect the innocent (not R....he's not innocent! lol) Anyway, R helped me with the boat today, of course. He's been amazing and so patient with me. I don't know what I'd do without him. (well, I probably wouldn't find myself owning a boat..lol....and having my time taken up this way with it...not to mention my checkbook). But I digress. And truth be known, I loved working on that thing today. I loved crawling around inside R's little boat space there to look at the electrical work he did. I loved hand-pumping water out of the boat. I loved rummaging through the various storage areas to see what was what and what the ex-owner left behind and trying to figure out what the heck all the different pieces and screws and attachments were for. I loved talking boat with other boat owners and dreaming and figuring and planning and scheming.

We added RV antifreeze to the water already in the fresh-water tank. There's much work to be done on the boat's plumbing. That head is all messed up. Not to mention the electrical wiring. But the engine's good, thank goodness. R helped me take down the batteries and I'm storing them at home...probably basement, but they're in my garage right now. Tomorrow I get the rest of the stuff that Chimera's ex-owner had for the boat.

The adventure continues.

Aloha

2007-10-21T13:42:00.001-04:00

And, pray tell, what have you been up to? Well, I've been to Maui. Spent a week in paradise. The wind, the water, the flora, the fauna, the people, the "stuff"....the snorkeling, the waves, the everything! I'm in love. oh well...people say it's a great place to visit, but no way to make a living. Maybe, maybe. But never say never. And never tell me something can't be done. Because most likely I'll try to do it, and most likely I'll get it done....if it's something I really want to do.

I've shared a few photos from the trip. But for those of you who are close to me, if you want to see more, let me know...and maybe, just maybe I'll share with you the website address of a whole slew of these great photos!

More another time....

Meanwhile, share with me your latest vacation, your latest "wow" time...was it near the ocean? near water at all? near the bathtub?

Sailing Season Over...

2007-10-08T20:07:00.001-04:00

Well, most sailors have thrown in the towel....throw down the line? :-) Well, you know what I mean. Water level's been low and forced some to pull in their boats early. Chimera has been drydocked a few weeks, but mostly because it's current owner is in Hawaii and the boat hasn't been in use most of the summer. Chimera is the sailboat I almost own. She was marine survyed on Sunday and so far so good. This does not mean she doesn't need work, because she surely does. But it's most probably worth the work, based on what the surveyor explained to me. No paper in hand yet. No money changed hands in any which way yet. Friends have asked me...why are you buying such a big boat? It's not that big, but I suppose to some 27' may seem big. My position is that anything is possible and other women handle boats this size, so why not me? Sure, I will definitely need to learn alot but anyone who knows me knows that once I put my mind to something, then it's going to happen. Thinking of the boat's name...I'm pretty sure I want to change it. Not sure to what yet, though. Here's a couple photos of what it looks like now.....remember these before photos gals and guys because she'll be looking mighty more pretty some day!

Details details

2007-09-27T21:29:00.000-04:00

Okay, so now I have this boat...well, almost have this boat...and I want to get it inspected. And I want to get insurance. ETc. eTc.Etc. The plan is to find a good marine surveyor! Anyone out there know one to recommend? I want to make a decision about that before the weekend is up. Also, I need to decide what to do about insurance. Because I have little sailing experience, getting insured is a problem. And...there's yacht-club membership to consider. I want to stay at PYC...but will probably wait til Boat Show to enter membership application.

Other plans...see if there's a home study Coast Guard program I can do this winter, while I'm twittling my thumbs. And I know the boat's hull needs a waxing.

Chimera

2007-09-26T13:29:00.000-04:00

I put an offer on a sailboat yesterday and it was countered and then I accepted. Basically, what this means is that given unforeseen circumstances, I will soon become the owner of a 1971 Coronado 27'. The name: Chimera. However, I will probably change it's name. My understanding of the word is not quite the image I want to project: fire breathing dragon with doghead or something like that. I'd want an image that projects the passion of living life.

Can't write much right now.. Stay tuned...for more about my adventures.

sensual sailing

2007-09-23T21:51:00.000-04:00

Well, this isn't about sensual anything,but I thought maybe if I put that in as a title, anyone doing searches might end up on this site and I'd get some comments!!!

Buying a sailboat

2007-09-22T14:36:00.000-04:00

Been looking at sailboats. Been thinking about sailboats. Might buy a sailboat.

My first one. Probably a fixer-upper.

The reactions I've been getting from various friends and family has been interesting. Family has been supportive. Some friends also. Some other friends, the naturally cautious ones, probably think I'm crazy but don't want to say it to my face. :-)

Trying to explain to someone who hasn't had a passion or a dream or feel the wind on a sailboat or experience the challenges and joys and frustrations of sailing....trying to explain to him or her why I want this so much...well, it's tough. But, hey, we live our own lives. I like going for the gusto. What can I say? And while I'm eager, I'm not stupid. I'm trying to take into account all aspects of this decision.

Anyone with advice for first-time boat buyers, please share your thoughts.

Buying that Sailboat!!

2007-09-18T14:49:00.000-04:00

wow...just think of it... a middle-aged woman, fit, healthy, young, strong, open minded...but a newbie to sailing...in love with it....the possibility of owning her own boat???

This may be it, ladies and gents! A dream conversion of sorts. I was thinking that once the kids were gone next spring, I'd sell my townhouse and buy a house a house closer to the lake. I was thinking I'd buy myself a little one-person sailing thingie next year. But then someone mentions a used boat for sale and I'm thinking...yeah, sure, okay....who has the cash...and then I started thinking...wait...I've got it...the money I was planning to use for the house closer to the lake....I can use that. Think on it! working, fixing my own boat, using it as I learn thru my classes next year to sail and skipper my own...I'd need the lessons to get the insurance anyway, I think....think on it! sleeping on the boat! Being rocked to sleep in that wonder! Think on it! Facing the lake myself! Slowly I will go, of course, at first...but I will learn and grow. think on it! Having other women join me on this adventure. Of course...I would need to retrofit whatever I got (and I'm not assuming I'd get this particular boat) to single hand in addition to adding some power tools to make up for my lack of masculine strength. But nothing is impossible!

Think on it!!!

help!

2007-09-16T22:30:00.000-04:00

Hi,

If you're reading this...thank you! However, if you are reading this, then I'd like to know about it. Please add a comment....ask me a question (I'll try to get the answer for you)...express your opinion...rant...rave.

I'm trying to get the word out as much as possible about this blog. I've told many people about it, but things are still slow here.

Reading Matter..recommendations??

2007-09-16T22:21:00.001-04:00

As you begin to think about how you're going to get thru the winter without sailing, consider this....the winter is a great time to read about sailing. A couple books I have found helpful:

The Handbook of Sailing by Bob Bond
The Complete Sailor by David Seidman

and any of the Chapman Piloting books

I'd like to hear recommendations from other sailors.

Knots

2007-09-16T22:18:00.000-04:00

Amazing things....you have to know 'em to love 'em. :-)

Every sailor needs to know knots. The first one I learned was the figure-eight knot. This is used at the end of a line to keep it from going where you don't want it to go. But I am told the most important knot to learn is the Bowline.

I recommend picking up a book that provides easy directions and illustrations and then practicing making knots in your spare time...maybe in front of the tv for instance. Keep a length of sailing rope with the book. Set it in front of your tv on the table or in your car to practice when you're waiting for someone or as your car sails through the carwash.

Coping

2007-09-15T13:24:00.000-04:00

It's been several days since my last post. Sorry about that. My life is very busy these days, not so much with sailing, because that's winding down...darn! But with dancing lessons and going out dancing. Dancing is alot like sailing, actually. It's a combination of the physical and the intellectual. You've got to pay attention to the details while allowing yourself to "feel" it as well. Quite amazing.

Coping means having the right tools, whether they're emotional, physical or whatever. Tools for dancing include wearing clothing that allows you to move comfortably. Shoes are esp important. Tools for sailing depends upon what you're into. Crewing often means being prepared, for instance, for a wider variety of weather. You can't be a fair-weather sailor and crew. Few races are halted due to inclement weather.

My favorite sailing tool right now is Scopace. It's a wonder drug! As far as I'm concerned, at least. If you have any trouble with motion sickness, you gotta try this out! Other favorites tool includes this pair of sport pants with legs that zip off...in some sort of breathable easy fitting and quick drying nylonish material! heaven!!

That's all for now. Hopefully, I'll have more race information for the next post.

If you didn't have to work, what would you be doing right now?

2007-09-11T14:11:00.000-04:00

I asked this question recently of a few people I know, and the answers were very interesting. Everything from reading all day to traveling. One woman and I made the comparison that while I would want to travel the world and experience all kinds of wonders, she would mostly like to read about these things. Though she admitted to wanting to travel, but her excitement about discovery was more centered on the discoveries found by reading books and all the wonderful ideas in them. I agree with the wonders of information and stories in books. But I need more than just mind experiences. Perhaps this is one reason why I am drawn to sailing!?

How about you?

New Links

2007-09-11T05:44:00.001-04:00

Hello, and welcome to Tuesday. :-)
Please check out the links I've provided. One new link is to a Web page entitled Lake Ontario Sailing, and ladies (and gents) that's what it is! It's a wonderfully designed site with lots of information. Pls check it out!

I'll be adding more links as time goes on. If there's something you'd like to see here, pls let me know.

You're never too old to learn

2007-09-10T22:16:00.001-04:00

Lessons are vital, esp in a sport like sailing. I made the decision that next sailing season I'm taking lessons from Rochester Yacht Club. They have an excellent program. It will keep me sailing next year. It will allow me to meet more sailors. It will teach me much!

I got a little ahead of myself lately, thinking that I could start looking for a used Laser to buy. I had all these plans of where I could dock it, getting a hitch for my car, etc. etc. Then I came down to earth a bit and realized that I want to be more skilled and knowledgeable before I buy anything.

Another lesson I learned this weekend, and this comment is prompted by a reader who posted a comment today to me. She felt badly for the seasickness experiences I shared on an earlier post. I am happy to report that I got the seasickness thing all taken care of! I had always known about keeping my eyes on the horizon, how steering is a good thing to keep busy with, staying hydrated, and staying out of the cabin below...but I had to learn the hard way about reminding myself to eat regularly, being well rested, not drinking alot of alochol the night before sailing and keeping my caffeine intake low. But the most miraculous thing was my discovery of the Scopace drug. It's a prescription drug in pill form you take an hour before you will need it. It last a good 8 hrs for me. While on this thing, I could search for small lost items on the floor of the cabin while the ship was pitching around without any symptoms whatsoever! It was amazing!

I tend to be one of these women who are very sensitive to drugs, so I tend to steer clear of these things. You know how the inserts of prescription and over the counter drugs list the side effects 1% of the population gets? Well, I'm always that in that 1%. With Scopace, I did get a little druggy feeling the first 30 minutes, but it wore off fairly soon, then I felt great. Dry mouth is an issue, and I would suggest sour candies or sour gum to keep your saliva flowing.

Take it from me, this stuff works!!

The Conversion

2007-09-09T15:46:00.000-04:00

Thurday night races at PYC. Been to quite a few, but there was a change in me during my last one that showed a certain change over for me. Interestingly, Pirate Captain mentioned he noticed an increase in confidence in my performance and a desire from me to see the boat move faster and more dynamically.

I recall the exact moment when I felt "different." I was trimming the starboard side of the genoa, the winds were fairly light but enough to confidentantly fill the sails and get us moving somewhat. As I trimmed in the sail by pulling the line around the winch, I could feel the wind filling the sail and had a sense of how I was impacting it, how it was impacting the boat, and how much I needed to let out more or pull in. While I had done this many times before, this was the first time I was more on automatic pilot with certain aspects of my chore and this allowed me to feel/sense/experience the moment the wind filling the sails properly. As is my way, I enjoyed myself and made it publicly known with a smile, laughter and comments. Not sure if anyone heard me, but I didn't care, because I was in absolute awe and joy at that moment! LOL

Hospice Regatta 2007

2007-09-09T15:08:00.000-04:00

August 17 at the Rochester Yacht Club. The Hospice Regatta (see link to page with more information about 2007 race) raises money for local hospice. It's a big super deal in a variety of cities and very big (and getting bigger every year) in Rochester, NY. It's hosted by the Rochester Yacht Club, which is a swanky joint. It's in a very busy part of the lake shore, though, and certainly not as quiet as I prefer it. But a number of things make it an optimum marina. For one thing, it's very well organized and the lovely to look at it. The facilities are top notch. And there are quite a few restaurants and other entertainment venues within walking distance. Personally, however, I think it's too busy and noisy a place to sleep in ones boat at night (though I haven't done this). But just knowing the area is enough to make one realize that it's certainly not as quiet as other places like Pultneyville or Sodus. But I digresss....

August 17 was the river cruise event where anyone donating a certain amount to the Hospice can have his/her pick of boats to take a relaxing cruise on for a few hours. The Captain Pirate's boat is a popular one because everyone knows the leader offers a fun and safe experience. In addition to crewing, I provided the food and drink. Nothing fancy. A few trays of things like cheese, fruit, crackers, hummus, pita, water, and such. The winds were decent and we had a pretty good time out there. We had two guests. One was very talkative and a bit distracting to me at times and it was sometimes difficult to explain to him that my first responsiblity was to the Pirate Captain's orders to me.

August 18 at the Rochester Yacht Club. The skippers meeting was around 9, and we got the sailboat underway shortly thereafter. The crew was a mix of very experienced to novice. I was the novice. It was the longest amount of time I'd ever been out and it was tiring and exhilerating at the same time.

We hadn't trained as a crew together, so there was some getting to used to each other's abilities and knowledge. But our leader (for now on I'm calling him Pirate Captain.....he jokingly told me to use that name and I decided now that I kind of like it because it describes him well in many ways) Pirate Captain :-) Pirate Captain put up with a lot and got us working together pretty well, considering. Every members had his/her strengths and weaknesses and those became more apparent as the day continued. One of my strengths was being rail meat and keeping out of the way! LOL

We raced hard and we all made some mistakes, but we finished the race and it felt good. Afterwards, Pirate Captain discovered a tear in the mainsail! Ugh! But he patched it up and it not only held for the Rochester Race the next day, but continues to hold! Great going Skipper!!

There were three heats (races), pretty much one after another. We faced all kinds of wind and wave conditions. I had brought back some food from the prior (Friday) day's fundraising river cruise and thankfully there were times during Saturday when the winds were so light and Pirate Captain had us going in one heading for a while that people were able to head down to the cabin and get some grub....mostly bagels, crackers, cheese, fruit.

Despite the food, I ate maybe two bites of a bagel. Big Mistake!!! Around two hours before the end of the race, I felt so ill I became even more useless than normal as a contributing crew member. As it is, I'm still new that I sometimes lapse into errors. When I start to feel seasick, my concentration goes practically to nothing and my energy level dips so low that I can't put my entire bodily strength into things. Every time I'd look down at something to trim any of the sails, my stomach did super topsy turvies. Now, the truth of all this is (and if Pirate Captain reads this, he may or may not be surprised) I was alot sicker than I ever let on. In fact, I've felt some motion sickness a bunch of times, but was always able to control it. I discounted it most of the time. I would not let it get in my way. But I had one particularly surprising and difficult experience on a Thursday night race when the waves were vigorous (by my standards) and the winds dead. We were rocking and rolling like crazy. I hadn't been feeling all that well that day as it was and then neglected to eat enough before we went out. I was sooooo sick that evening. Then any time after that I became so afraid of getting sick again. It's like that one Thursday evening caused me cross some threshhold. But I wanted to do the Hospice so much! So I faced it as best I could, but still stupidly did not take the proper precautions.

Though I am a small woman (5'2" probably only 108 lbs soaking wet) and I don't have the largest muscles around (though my legs are very strong), I have the ability to transcend my physical discomforts. Don't ask me why. This is simply the case. Perhaps maybe because I sort of believe in the mind over matter thing. Anyway, that day at the Hospice Race was one of the most challenging things I've ever done. Afterwards, I had seriously begun to think I was not meant to do sailing or racing. I felt like a weakling, a coward, a failure. After feeling sorry for myself for a short period of time (I don't dip into that mood easily and even if I do, it's not for long), I made my mind that this was not going to stop me from doing what I wanted to do.

If you knew me, you'd know that if I want do do something, I'll be damned if anything will stop me! I was not going to let this motion sickness thing get to me. It was a challenge I would meet. Understanding that it was partially a matter of time and experience sailing and racing as well as understanding my own bodily needs, I went straight into facing all this. How did I do it? What did I do? That's the next installment....

Comments Welcome

2007-09-07T10:18:00.000-04:00

If you're reading this and it touches you...angers you...connects...makes you joyful...intrigued...bored...whatever....pls feel free to leave a comment. I will be monitoring these to make sure nothing nasty gets published. However, let it be known that I have a strange sense of humor and a very open attitude about other people's thoughts, so it may occur that you, as a reader, will see things posted that you cannot believe I'd allow. On the other hand, pls know that I'm a Christian Italian woman who grew up with strong values, so I won't publish any comments that diminish anyone, including the person who makes the comment.

Not sure what to say? Go ahead and say it. No risk, no gain. :-)

The First Time

2007-09-07T06:31:00.000-04:00

Imagine your first time doing anything. You come at it with no expectations, perhaps a little trepidation, and certainly if you're relying on someone else to show you the ropes (or lines, so to speak, in the case of sailing) you had better have complete confidence in that other individual.

While I had been on boats before, including a few sailboats, this first sailing cruise with the Captain (I'll call him this rather than use any real names) was very much a maiden voyage for me. First of all, it was much smaller than any sailboats I'd been on before, secondly it was just he and I, and third this was not some sort of tourist event. Think on this, if you will, I had only recently met Captain and here I was placing my life in his hands out on this big lake. Why? When I recently had the opportunity to go on a sail with someone else I didn't know that well, I declined. Why?

What I'm leading up to here is that I believe in sailing it is first and foremost important to be fully confident in who your captain is. This individual, be it male or female, holds the safety of the boat and the entire crew in his/her hands. This individual better know what he or she's doing, the limitations of the boat and the leader and everyone on board. To say the least, I had complete confidence in Captain, no matter what. As far as confidence in myself, well, that's another matter. The only things I knew were that I wanted to find out what sailing was really all about. I had always been drawn to the water. Perhaps it's my Sicialian/Maltese blood.....waterside was always a place I felt most at peace.

After a few sailing adventures, however, I discovered I wanted more than just waterside! I wanted to be ON the water!!

The self-confidence of being on the boat grew with time and has miles yet to go. Interestingly, the confidence grown there with Captain has spilled into other areas of my life.

To understand this, however, you need to hear some sailing and racing stories. Until next time.

Where I began

2007-09-05T21:14:00.000-04:00

A beginning. Welcome to my blog. I hope you find it entertaining, perhaps thoughtful.
I'm beginning slowly, as I do with many things, but I will, as I get more comfortable with this venue, provide more and more of hopefully what you want to see and read. I am writing this from my heart, but will be using this blog as more than just a way to bridge any communications gaps between women who love sailing. I will use it as a tool for knowledge sharing of services I think are worthwhile you knowing about.

Why Women Sail Strong? Thanks to a wonderful man who came into my life less than six months ago, I discovered sailing and my love of it. While I was busy discovering sailing, I discovered new parts of myself. This same man, incidentally, introduced me to a new level of spirituality and respect for myself as well....but that's another story and perhaps a different blog.

More than sailing, I discovered racing and crewing and the beauty, strength, wonder of being on a sailboat in a large lake. I learned the joy of being rocked to sleep on a boat. I also learned the discomfort of seasickness.

As I move through this blog and grow with it, I will share how I moved from a woman who knew virtually nothing about sailing to a woman who still knows little but knows enough to want to know as much as possible.

Stay tuned!