Both Sides Now

Things I learned on sail #85 yesterday...

• When you don't sail for almost two weeks it takes a while to become familiar with the boat again. How can you forget something as basic as how to sail a Laser flat in 15 knots in a couple of weeks? Do you forget to walk in a straight line in that time? Do you forget how to ride a bike? Weird.
  
  
• It all comes back in a few minutes.
  
  
• It's interesting to sail upwind when you are sailing straight into the waves on one tack and straight across them on the other tack. The body movements to keep the boat balanced and moving well are so different.
  
  
• OK. It's not all that interesting really.
  
  
• Sailing alone on the Sakonnet River on a cold fall day with not another boat in sight for miles and miles in either direction is kind of awesome.
  
  
• And a bit scary too.
  
  
• With the water temperature in the 50's and the air temperature in the 40's it's quite comfortable to sail a Laser in a long wetsuit, spraytop and neoprene hiking boots. No need for the drysuit yet.
  
  
• But three finger gloves leave two fingers painfully cold. Ouch.
  
  
• The picture for 85 under # Days Laser Sailing in 2008 is kind of lame. Something to do with running your car on booze. But it turns out that bio-fuels like E85 can be even worse for the environment than fossil fuels. Who would have thunk it?
  
  
• But you're gonna love 86. Think twice 43.