Wherin We Sail.

La Rosa is a sailboat. Before all things she is a sailor but until today one might not know it. Engine issues; rust issues; steering cable issues and I could bore you with more. Today we sailed. Ulic was leaving at 3 p.m. so we got up bright and early (9:30 a.m.) to another blue, cloudless sky with no wind. No matter. La Rosa can handle these conditions.

We cleaned up the shorelines: shorepower, fenders, loose deck shit, cockpit buckets and lines. There are lines everywhere on a sailboat. They are called ropes on land, but once hooked in on the water they become lines. Loose lines on the cabin top roll your ankles and trip your ass so they need to be squared away.

We cast off at 10:30 with Ulic tending the docklines and me letting the river current drift us clear of our slip. It was not easy and it was the first time for me in this tight corner of the marina. We got away cleanly, not slicing open any neighbours with our 50 pound bow anchor but Ulic did have to hustle down to the other end of the marina to hop on board. It’s tricky, I tell you but watching him run is a lot of fun.

An hour of motoring brought us into the river proper and we hoisted the main. Well, part way. After some tugging and cursing I realized the uphaul was fouled by my lazyjack cables. Don’t worry, they were not important for us today. The lazyjacks help keep the sail flaked on the boom. I’ve never used them before and they gave me grief today. I was able to haul the main partway. We were triple-reefed on the river. There was a very light  breeze and we had a triple-reefed main. The stinkpotters would have laughed and it was embarrassing but the main was up. We raised our new headsail on its new rollerfurler and it was a grand sight. We ghosted through the water at 3 knots but we were sailing. There was ample time to re-jig the headsail sheets in their lead blocks, fix other directional issues and enjoy actual sailing.

Time came soon to head back to the marina for Ulic’s flight and the $#@%%^^engine would not start. No surprise there. We bled the bastard diesel for 10 minutes, much like I would like to bleed my worst enemy and we got home.

So: the sails are good; the rigging is great; the %^# engine needs attention. I have another week to get it right.

Sorry no pictures. I was otherwise occupied.