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Well it was time for the first sail with my wife Jeanie on board. My sons Brian and Jacob have been several times and can now get out of the slip motor out, and have a safe sailing day. So we motor out of the slip. Of course, my wife says all she has in her head is the song from “Gilligans Island” heavy sigh…. We reach the main channel and see a 34ft Cal under sail alone tacking back and forth in the main channel. Now everybody else is motoring out, and more wind in the channel than we have had before Ah ha! A challenge! We raised the main and Jib, Brian pulls up the motor as Jacob prepares for the first tack. Now you have to understand we watched the movie “WIND” last night so my commands are just TACKING and throwing the helm over, no warning, just TACKING! Man I felt like Matthew Modine, One boy on port and one on the starboard. We beat that Cal out of the north side of Marina Del Rey by 10 boat lengths. (I wonder if he knew we were racing?) It took him half way between the Venice and Santa Monica piers before he finally caught us. Out, up to Santa Monica pier, and around the bell buoy, my sons wanted Jeanie to see all the sea lions lying on the buoy. I am trying my best to bury the rail the wind is great and my wife standing in the companionway looks back and says she feels like a golden retriever with her head out the car window! (And yes that was her comment not mine) She had a great time. We sailed a little off shore, how far you ask? Well when I get a GPS or even a chart I might be able to answer but….We chased down what we could as we sailed toward LAX and under the flight path of all those jets. Now you might think they would be LOUD! Maybe but all those small planes towing banners for everything from “South Park “ to “Tower records” really are irritating. We made it back to the entrance to Marina Del Rey and turned up the main channel, a downwind run. Brian dropped the Jib and brought it below as Jacob watched for small hard to see kayaks and other water toys. Turned North sheeting in the main and wandered around the Marina eventually dropped the Main and Ghosted into our slip the boys stepped off the boat and onto the dock a near perfect ending to a near perfect sail. Most important Jeanie had a great time! She did ask if I could sail it by myself, which had to do with the boys being gone in two weeks and she does not feel comfortable helping YET, NOT go by yourself!
Dan,Jeanie, Brian and Jacob on the KATHARSIS
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