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May. 26th, 2010 08:10 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gilanaYesterday, I was pleased to see that the bruises on my legs from banging into the centerboard as I switched sides were finally fading (and that I seem to be learning to get over without acquiring any more), especially since I have a friend's wedding coming up this weekend and I'd like to look good for it.
This morning, I notice that after my sailing class last night, the inside of my upper arms (which show much more than my legs do in the dress for the wedding) are covered in dozens of small bruises.
Ah well. Badges of honor.
So, after you get your solo rating at CBI, you're allowed to take out a Mercury alone on light-wind days. The next big step is to pass the Helmsman test, showing that you can handle the boat competently in higher wind, after which you are allowed out under most conditions, and can bring a passenger and even give instruction. To that end, they have an on-the-water Mainsail class, which basically mimics the Helmsman test -- a class of ten people go out on the water and sail a path around 2 or 3 buoys, tacking and jibing on the way. The instructor is out in a motorboat following you, yelling corrections, and rescuing you if you capsize (as a number seem to do in each class.)
The first time I tried the class, I failing to even get out to the course; I tried to tack on my way out there, stalled out, and got blown onto a little island that's between the docks and the main river body. I remembered my lessons and pulled up my centerboard, took off my rudder, took my mainsail halfway down, and waited to be rescued. They towed me back in, upon which I gamely set out again. This time I got out into the river but discovered that one of my main sheet (the rope that controls the lateral motion of the sail) had gotten messed up somehow. I tried to get into a position that would let me stay still enough to mess with it, but ended up getting blown onto the shore. I decided that running aground twice was probably a sign, and went out for a sail with someone else instead.
The second time I signed up for the class was for the last day of my 30-day membership. I thought about going out earlier that afternoon, but decided to wait and save my energy for the class. At the last minute, it got cancelled (and all sailing shut down) on account of thunderstorms.
(Luckily, their mission is "Committed to the advancement of Sailing for All by minimizing economic and physical obstacles to the sport of sailing", so they were really great about making financial arrangements so that I could afford a full year membership. Yay!)
The third time I tried the class, I made it out on the water before they had laid the course out, and spent a chunk of time wandering up and down river trying to find it. Once I eventually did find it, I had trouble trying to figure out which direction I was supposed to go around it, and then more trouble trying to find a course that would let me get to the buoys instead of just sailing to the wind, the way I usually do. So I spent pretty much the entire class confused and frustrated and just trying to get anywhere near the right place or on the right path (although at least sailing competently while I did so.)
(By the way, I know I'm not explaining a whole lot of the sailing terms in these posts. I'm not sure how much the details matter, whether it's confusing to non-sailors without explanation or if you get enough of the gist for it to be ok. So if you have particular questions, or want more explanation overall, let me know and I'll try to accomodate.)
That was Sunday May 16. I've gone out solo twice since then, and gotten some more practice in setting a course and trying to follow it, and I felt really ready for the class last night.
Ha.
I did manage to find the course this time, but the wind was much higher than I've gone out in solo before, and it was a *lot* harder to manage the boat. It was heeling dangerously while close-hauled, so I had to keep heading up and easing the sails to try to get it flatter, but then I'd veer off course, or the sail would get too far out, or I'd try to tack and end up in irons. And sometimes, especially going downwind, the tiller was stiff enough that I just could not get it to turn, no matter how I tried to muscle it around (hence the bruises). I was very glad that I had finally decided to invest in a pair of sailing gloves before I went out this time; I suspect my hands would be pretty torn up without them. I ended up in accidental jibes once or twice, and was pretty sure I was going to go over more than once, but managed to get across the boat and straighten it out quickly enough to stay afloat.
In the end, at least I was more on the course than I've been before, and I definitely understood how to tack back and forth to get to the buoy better than the last time, even if I had a hard time actually doing it sometimes. And given that at least two people capsized and one ran into a duck boat -- and that it was really crowded out there, so I was also dodging other novice sailors at any given point -- I have to say, I did ok over all. (And hey, once the instructor said "Nice tack!" after a particularly smooth move. So I'm getting something right, at least now and then.)
Clearly I'm not as ready for the Helmsman test as I had hoped, but that's ok. I'm planning to go out on some lighter-wind days and ask the dock staff if they'll lay out a practice course for me, so I can get more experience sailing around the course without having to fight as much wind (and other boats); breaking things down like that always helps me a lot. (And is part of why I've had trouble learning to drive, really -- there's only so much you can learn in a parking lot, and it's hard for me to deal with both learning to operate a vehicle at speed, and also dealing with other traffic, and navigation, and all that.)
And if you see my arms some time soon -- no, I haven't suddenly taken up heroin. It's another addiction entirely.
This morning, I notice that after my sailing class last night, the inside of my upper arms (which show much more than my legs do in the dress for the wedding) are covered in dozens of small bruises.
Ah well. Badges of honor.
So, after you get your solo rating at CBI, you're allowed to take out a Mercury alone on light-wind days. The next big step is to pass the Helmsman test, showing that you can handle the boat competently in higher wind, after which you are allowed out under most conditions, and can bring a passenger and even give instruction. To that end, they have an on-the-water Mainsail class, which basically mimics the Helmsman test -- a class of ten people go out on the water and sail a path around 2 or 3 buoys, tacking and jibing on the way. The instructor is out in a motorboat following you, yelling corrections, and rescuing you if you capsize (as a number seem to do in each class.)
The first time I tried the class, I failing to even get out to the course; I tried to tack on my way out there, stalled out, and got blown onto a little island that's between the docks and the main river body. I remembered my lessons and pulled up my centerboard, took off my rudder, took my mainsail halfway down, and waited to be rescued. They towed me back in, upon which I gamely set out again. This time I got out into the river but discovered that one of my main sheet (the rope that controls the lateral motion of the sail) had gotten messed up somehow. I tried to get into a position that would let me stay still enough to mess with it, but ended up getting blown onto the shore. I decided that running aground twice was probably a sign, and went out for a sail with someone else instead.
The second time I signed up for the class was for the last day of my 30-day membership. I thought about going out earlier that afternoon, but decided to wait and save my energy for the class. At the last minute, it got cancelled (and all sailing shut down) on account of thunderstorms.
(Luckily, their mission is "Committed to the advancement of Sailing for All by minimizing economic and physical obstacles to the sport of sailing", so they were really great about making financial arrangements so that I could afford a full year membership. Yay!)
The third time I tried the class, I made it out on the water before they had laid the course out, and spent a chunk of time wandering up and down river trying to find it. Once I eventually did find it, I had trouble trying to figure out which direction I was supposed to go around it, and then more trouble trying to find a course that would let me get to the buoys instead of just sailing to the wind, the way I usually do. So I spent pretty much the entire class confused and frustrated and just trying to get anywhere near the right place or on the right path (although at least sailing competently while I did so.)
(By the way, I know I'm not explaining a whole lot of the sailing terms in these posts. I'm not sure how much the details matter, whether it's confusing to non-sailors without explanation or if you get enough of the gist for it to be ok. So if you have particular questions, or want more explanation overall, let me know and I'll try to accomodate.)
That was Sunday May 16. I've gone out solo twice since then, and gotten some more practice in setting a course and trying to follow it, and I felt really ready for the class last night.
Ha.
I did manage to find the course this time, but the wind was much higher than I've gone out in solo before, and it was a *lot* harder to manage the boat. It was heeling dangerously while close-hauled, so I had to keep heading up and easing the sails to try to get it flatter, but then I'd veer off course, or the sail would get too far out, or I'd try to tack and end up in irons. And sometimes, especially going downwind, the tiller was stiff enough that I just could not get it to turn, no matter how I tried to muscle it around (hence the bruises). I was very glad that I had finally decided to invest in a pair of sailing gloves before I went out this time; I suspect my hands would be pretty torn up without them. I ended up in accidental jibes once or twice, and was pretty sure I was going to go over more than once, but managed to get across the boat and straighten it out quickly enough to stay afloat.
In the end, at least I was more on the course than I've been before, and I definitely understood how to tack back and forth to get to the buoy better than the last time, even if I had a hard time actually doing it sometimes. And given that at least two people capsized and one ran into a duck boat -- and that it was really crowded out there, so I was also dodging other novice sailors at any given point -- I have to say, I did ok over all. (And hey, once the instructor said "Nice tack!" after a particularly smooth move. So I'm getting something right, at least now and then.)
Clearly I'm not as ready for the Helmsman test as I had hoped, but that's ok. I'm planning to go out on some lighter-wind days and ask the dock staff if they'll lay out a practice course for me, so I can get more experience sailing around the course without having to fight as much wind (and other boats); breaking things down like that always helps me a lot. (And is part of why I've had trouble learning to drive, really -- there's only so much you can learn in a parking lot, and it's hard for me to deal with both learning to operate a vehicle at speed, and also dealing with other traffic, and navigation, and all that.)
And if you see my arms some time soon -- no, I haven't suddenly taken up heroin. It's another addiction entirely.
no subject
Date: 2010-05-26 01:22 pm (UTC)