About Time!

It's high time for Sparkle Plenty to be back in the water.  She's been on the trailer parked in our RV parking area since the end of October.  During the month of October the lake is lowered 10 feet to make room for winter rains.  It's necessary to haul the boat out before the lake in October before the lake level drops significantly.    Putting SP on the trailer this last time was a real bitch as the lake was already 6 feet below normal. 

Anyway, it's take the boat out in October or there's no choice other than to leave her moored in the lake for the winter. 

This winter repairs and upgrades were made to the boat.  The sails were professionally cleaned.  Most of the running rigging replaced.  The topping lift was upgraded.   New windows (6 total) are replacing the originals in the next week or so.  SP still needs a good cleaning and polish.  By the end of March the Bureau of Reclaimation will be raising the level of the lake and we'll be good to go soon after.

Wifey likes to take the helm which is a good thing.  Consider what would happen if I happened to fall overboard.  Then what?  It's essential that she knows how to haul down the sails, secure them, put the outboard in the water, start it and motor over to fish me out of the water. 

Wifey has a good sense about her and there's no doubt that she could do that.  We've practiced the "Bob goes into the drink" drill and she's about got it down pat.

It will be good to get back to sailing.  I've missed that.  There's nothing like the smell of water, the sound of wind filling the sails, the beauty of nature and the peace of it all.

It's about time!