| Ameera |
First Time With The Washing OutEnfin...Good Friday, a glorious day in prospect according to the weather forecast, and a perfect opportunity to get Ameera out and put the sails up for the first time. Picked up Doug aiming to be just in comfortable time for the marina gates to open, trundled up the M61 towards the M6, and hit a tailback. It soon became obvious that we wouldn't be getting to the boat before the marina gates closed again at this rate, so engaged sat-nav to find another route. It took us through Preston to dodge the delays and pick up the M55, so we arrived a few minutes later than planned, but just in time. After a mad rush to get ready we got out of the marina about 5 minutes after the gates opened - hoorah! Past the ferry berth and into the channel, Doug on the helm, and I start raising the mainsail. This is enough to give me a coronary - the sail snagged several times, the winch took all the strength I had, and for a while we were sailing with a reef which Doug was holding in by hand while I fiddled. Eventually succeeded, mainsail up, foresail up, and it looked like this...  ...but I must lubricate the mainsail track. Couldn't have done that single-handed. Of course we weren't the only ones out...  Who could resist a day like today? Anyway, onto the other tack...  Doug and I were both stunned. Ameera sails wonderfully, beautifully, fantastically.... Creaming along in 10 - 15 knots of wind, pointing up really close, hardening up at about 20 degrees of heel, in control, amazingly responsive, I'm one very happy bunny. And these are the old cruising sails, the nice new flashy Steve Goacher racing sails are still in my garage. Saw the Ben-My-Chree sailing out of Heysham bound for the Isle of Man...  We squeaked back into the marina with minutes to spare before the gates closed, tidied up and got on with some serious business..  What more can one ask - a beautiful day, cracking sailing, and top beer. Definitely a good Good Friday. 7:28 PM - Apr. 6, 2007 - post comment
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