Sailing with Strangers....
Posted: Tue May 03, 2005 10:53 am
Sunday 24th Started innocently enough, I talked my way out of the endless to do list of home improvements and negotiated a day down in Oxnard, CA. working on Enterprise Sea. I actually wanted to go sailing, but a solo sail is still off the table given my seamanship skills (or lack there of) and believe it or not, I couldnt find anyone to go sailing with me. I settled for a day of installing a few must have items that have been waiting for months to be installed and started my 2hr drive from Bakersfield to Oxnard, where Enterprise Sea is stored in a mast-up facility. I could feel my spirits lift with each mile I drove closer to Channel Islands Landing and my awaiting oasis. She was just as I left her, but lonely since it had been over a week since we last spent any quality time together. I quickly got to work drilling fiberglass, squeezing out white 5200 sealant and otherwise having great Sunday afternoon. As I was basking in my accomplishment of installing a cabin hatch handle, I spotted a couple heading my way with their eyes fixed upon the brilliant blue gel-coat. They approached with smiles and fascination while they eyed my MacGregor 26M. I have seen this adoration before over this boat, but it seemed different on this occasion, more intense and personal. In no time, I was fielding the questions that have by now become part of the standard hymn of a Mac owner: How do you like the boat, does she sail and motor well, are you happy with your outboard motor selection, do you dream about her at night when you are apart? All of the basic questions that we Mac owners love to answer.
It turns out that the couple was down at Channel Islands Harbor in their quest for a Mac and was trying to wade through the used X or New M decision and had arranged to go out Saturday on a demo-sail with another gentlemen that keeps his 2004 Mac M at Channel Island Landing, but bad weather Saturday had canceled the sail. In a twist of coincidence, they were to go out with the same gentlemen that took me out on my first Mac M cruise that resulted in my purchase decision before we left the harbor. After giving them a tour of Enterprise Sea and in hearing that they may have to head back home without their demo sail, I decided to help do my part in growing the MacGregor family and offered to take them out for a few hrs. I think I surprised them with my seemingly selfless and generous offer, but in reality I had wanted to go sailing and had settled for a day working on the boat. Perhaps youre familiar with the saying, a bad day of fishing beats a good day at work, well I have made a small modification: a day working on the boat beats a day of doing almost anything, except sailing. It would be a win-win situation, they would get their demo sail and I would get my sailing fix! And besides it would make a good story to harass all of my so-called friends that in order to go sailing I had to resort to picking up two strangers off the street, while my friends werent available.
After they realized I was serious about my offer, they headed to their car to retrieve their wind-breakers and sun glasses while I stored away the tools and made preparations for an afternoon sail. When they arrived back at the boat, still a bit in shock, I realized that in our combined excitement over the boat we had not made proper introductions. My name is Rich, by the way and I will store your jackets down below. Following Rick and Mollys introductions, we were no longer strangers, but long lost friends with a common love interest, sailing.
With Enterprise Sea in the water with her Honda 50 warming up in near silence, I gave my new best friends a quick safety and boat overview: life-jackets, throw line, VHF radio location and function, and general what to do if information. With formalities out of the way, we departed the dock with me sporting the typical cast off smile that could only have been eclipsed by the smiles of my new crew. I was quick to express my general disclaimer to preemptively explain my general lack of sailing skills and that any of my techniques should be emulated with caution. With the mainsail up, motored out of the harbor at about 4 knts where we found stiff wind out of the west from 8-15 knts and 4-5 foot seas. It was not their first time on a sailboat; they have had some sailing time on a 40-something Catalina, so now after sailing on a multiple ton ocean tank plowing through the chop, they were to experience a 1 ton cork- bobbing through the chop!
Despite my best attempts at exhibiting good seamanship, I did manage to share an unplanned boom flying from one side of the cock-pit to the other and a failed tack that resulted in getting us caught in irons. But despite my poor ability to show off the aptitude of the Mac, I should have received a sales commission from the good folks at H&S Yachts. I think we were back on the hard for maybe 15 minutes when Rick was on his cell phone putting down a deposit on a New 2005 Mac. After our cruise had come to an end, Rick and Molly expressed their thanks for my apparent generosity, but in reality I should thank them for helping remind me of the joys of sailing and sharing that joy with others. Maybe I should keep a few extra MacGregor sales brochures handy in the boat for the next time I offer passage to some MacGregor hopefuls. If my current friend list doesnt contain someone to sail with, I now have a good solution, let Enterprise Sea assist in making new friends.
Rich
It turns out that the couple was down at Channel Islands Harbor in their quest for a Mac and was trying to wade through the used X or New M decision and had arranged to go out Saturday on a demo-sail with another gentlemen that keeps his 2004 Mac M at Channel Island Landing, but bad weather Saturday had canceled the sail. In a twist of coincidence, they were to go out with the same gentlemen that took me out on my first Mac M cruise that resulted in my purchase decision before we left the harbor. After giving them a tour of Enterprise Sea and in hearing that they may have to head back home without their demo sail, I decided to help do my part in growing the MacGregor family and offered to take them out for a few hrs. I think I surprised them with my seemingly selfless and generous offer, but in reality I had wanted to go sailing and had settled for a day working on the boat. Perhaps youre familiar with the saying, a bad day of fishing beats a good day at work, well I have made a small modification: a day working on the boat beats a day of doing almost anything, except sailing. It would be a win-win situation, they would get their demo sail and I would get my sailing fix! And besides it would make a good story to harass all of my so-called friends that in order to go sailing I had to resort to picking up two strangers off the street, while my friends werent available.
After they realized I was serious about my offer, they headed to their car to retrieve their wind-breakers and sun glasses while I stored away the tools and made preparations for an afternoon sail. When they arrived back at the boat, still a bit in shock, I realized that in our combined excitement over the boat we had not made proper introductions. My name is Rich, by the way and I will store your jackets down below. Following Rick and Mollys introductions, we were no longer strangers, but long lost friends with a common love interest, sailing.
With Enterprise Sea in the water with her Honda 50 warming up in near silence, I gave my new best friends a quick safety and boat overview: life-jackets, throw line, VHF radio location and function, and general what to do if information. With formalities out of the way, we departed the dock with me sporting the typical cast off smile that could only have been eclipsed by the smiles of my new crew. I was quick to express my general disclaimer to preemptively explain my general lack of sailing skills and that any of my techniques should be emulated with caution. With the mainsail up, motored out of the harbor at about 4 knts where we found stiff wind out of the west from 8-15 knts and 4-5 foot seas. It was not their first time on a sailboat; they have had some sailing time on a 40-something Catalina, so now after sailing on a multiple ton ocean tank plowing through the chop, they were to experience a 1 ton cork- bobbing through the chop!
Despite my best attempts at exhibiting good seamanship, I did manage to share an unplanned boom flying from one side of the cock-pit to the other and a failed tack that resulted in getting us caught in irons. But despite my poor ability to show off the aptitude of the Mac, I should have received a sales commission from the good folks at H&S Yachts. I think we were back on the hard for maybe 15 minutes when Rick was on his cell phone putting down a deposit on a New 2005 Mac. After our cruise had come to an end, Rick and Molly expressed their thanks for my apparent generosity, but in reality I should thank them for helping remind me of the joys of sailing and sharing that joy with others. Maybe I should keep a few extra MacGregor sales brochures handy in the boat for the next time I offer passage to some MacGregor hopefuls. If my current friend list doesnt contain someone to sail with, I now have a good solution, let Enterprise Sea assist in making new friends.
Rich
