Billy Sets Sail

Back and forth we ride, transiting betwen our old marina where Tara is and our new marina in the Inner Harbor. Its a great set up that is getting everyone used to the boat moving, the motor running and docking without too much of a fuss. In fact we are having so much fun with MeVoy, that the sting of leaving TARA is nearly forgotten.

A big milestone for us was to sail as a family. We planned on a short trip in light winds to test Billy's sea legs. We strapped and bungeed everything and set off with our Genoa hanked on.

Notice the two bikes on board. We were wondering if they would clear the sheets but decided they probably would and left the dock. Billy who has gotten pretty used to the motor made himself  comfortable in the crew bunks and napped. Everything was going well.

It was about our second tack that things went badly. The sheets of the Genoa got caught on T's bike rack and lifted the bike high into the air. I was at the helm and seeing the bike dangling from the sail sheet, I felt my brain tick tocking at this new development. Somehow, perhaps I'm a natural after all, or perhaps T's yelling"turn into the wind!" as he wrangled the hanging bike, made me turn the wheel into the wind, which let off the pressure of the sail and set the bike on deck.

You would think, that after taking one bike down the companionway and into the crew berth, where Billy was no longer napping, we would immediately take the other bike down as well. No. We continued to sail along, until the next tack where my bike got tangled in the sheets, lifted into the air and the whole thing was repeated again this time with T at the helm, and me draggin the bike below. So far this was not the uneventful sailing adventure I had hoped for Billy.

one bike...

...two bikes

We continued to sail in a wind that filled our Genoa (the biggest sail on board) with enough power to cruise between 5-7 knots. We raced a Beneteu and left him far behind us.

 Even though I know very little about sailing, I can tell that MeVoy loves being a boat. The designers Holman and Pye, designed her for circumnavigation, and despite being so beamy and roomy she just flies thru the water. Being a cutter, we also have many sail options. The above picture is when we were flying the Genoa and the mainsail and the rig was perfectly balanced, which meant the boat stayed on course without anyone holding the wheel.

I kept checking in on Billy who seemed mildly displeased with this whole sailing thing.  He dug his way from under the bikes and laid under the table in the salon. A pretty good spot. All in all, he only pooped three times to voice his displeasure, and the third one was tiny. I think the old lady with the window (our plan B for Billy) will have to wait still.

The way back to the old marina was much calmer. Downwind all the way, with coffee and goose wings.

A pretty sweet way to spend the day!