• suzeh
  • Veteran Member
  • Offline
  • From: Penetanguishene
  • Registered: 2006-02-05
  • Posts: 67

Topic: My first solo sail!!!!

After a lot of pruning and preening, I finally got Suselle up and running. Today I took her out for the first time ALL BY MYSELF!!!!!!! (which was a huge hurdle for me as I'm a novice sailor, and, well, kinda puny and no spring chicken AND I have some fear issues to get over).  She was flawless.  Me, not so much, but hey, I'm learning.  I did get her moving and it was a wonderful sail I'll always remember because it was my first.  I LOVE MY BOAT!!!!   I did take the time to record the big event -- check out the pic in the gallery.
A very happy Suzeh.

  • From: Ottawa, On
  • Registered: 2005-03-10
  • Posts: 353

Re: My first solo sail!!!!

only one thing to say

NICE!!

enjoy the rest of the season

stefan_d's Website

  • From: Lake Erie, Dunkirk, NY
  • Registered: 2005-03-11
  • Posts: 272

Re: My first solo sail!!!!

Yes, I remember my first, it is a great feeling. jklee

  • From: Hamilton, Ontario CANADA
  • Registered: 2006-04-06
  • Posts: 148

Re: My first solo sail!!!!

Hey Suzeh!

Temendous feeling isn't it?  That lump in your throat as you pull out of your slip hoping nobody sees you if you accidentally ram that boat portside due to prop walk.  Then, motoring away as you clear every obstacle in the marina to the open water trying not to white knuckle that tiller and trying to remember what to do next.  Is it ease the vang and harden  the topping lift before hoisting the main?  Damn, the sail cover's still on!!  Eventually, however, you manage to get your sails up still in irons everything sounds frenetic until you pick your tack and your boat heels as you try and get comfortable all the while admiring how beautiful your sails look as they do their thing.  Then,.........the moment of truth is upon you.  You shut off your engine and all there is is sweet tranquility and more of it as the minutes then the hours pass.  The sun warms your face and the wind gently caresses you while your boat, all the while reassures that she's there to take care of you no matter how much you err during your voyage.  You remember nothing else except how heavenly the feeling is and how you wish that it would last forever.

Yeah, I remember my first solo on Tessa and each voyage reveals more and more about myself and my boat and I hope that you get the same experiences on Suselle and I'm sure you will.  Congratulations on your maiden voyage. 

José

p.s. With regards to a more accurate reading on your speed, I recommend getting a good handheld GPS unit and using that to track your speed over the ground.  A really good unit for less than $ 200.00 is the Garmin E-Trex Legend H.  It's a chart plotter unit which last approximately 18 hours on two AA batteries but please practise plotting your course on a paper chart as a backup using sound navigational practices such as Dead Reckoning, Running Fixes, etc., etc......Happy Sailing!  Two more months to go till haulout.

J.

jcfoto's Website

  • From: Vancouver, B.C.
  • Registered: 2010-12-21
  • Posts: 24

Re: My first solo sail!!!!

Belated "congrats!" on first solo sail!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I remember mine: I took an HOUR to look and prep and relax and just....do it!  Once I left the dock, it took me an HOUR to put up the sails...I talked myself through every step and told myself: no worries, take your time, no one is watching...but being a perfectionist, it rubs off in weird ways while sailing....

Solo sailing is awesome for us women.......and yeah, I am small too, and also getting older "a little ways out of my 30s", as I put it! lol...

Sue, I hope you are sailing solo still, I know that I love it: and Lin and Larry Pardy commented on how pretty my boat was as I breathlessly (and inanely) circled their boat and babbled "I love your boat", and Lin hollered back "your boat is very nice too", I was speechless and was lucky I was tethered in, lol........

And if you solo sail: ALWAYS TETHER YOURSELF IN!!!  Trust me, I have had both feet in the air when the boat went one way and I went another, and even a control freak like me cannot make things the way I want them on the ocean, lol...

“You get a boat for only one reason, because you want one.  If you’re worried about being practical, forget boats.”
  • Registered: 2011-01-19
  • Posts: 4

Re: My first solo sail!!!!

Hi suzeh,
First of all congratulations on first soll sail. i read your thread where you where looking for contessa26.
Did you contact the buddy i informed you about?
Thanks

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