Blown over (A bit long)

[Mark Gudschinsky]

Here's something I didn't get around to posting last summer.

We were enjoying a sunny weekend at our cabin wanting to sail, but the wind wasn't cooperating. The first day out there wasn't even enough wind to drift our Weekender the half-mile from the landing to our cabin. We paddled.

The second day a light breeze would come up, but by the time we gathered up to go out the wind would die. An hour later it would do it again. This repeated three times before we finally got the hint. The next time the breeze stirred we jumped to the boat. We timed our outing for about twenty minutes, which was just how long the wind would last.

It worked great, we'd hang around the beach with the sails up and a ten pound mushroom anchor tethering The Flyer. Soon as the wind would stir and The Flyer started pulling at the anchor, we'd jump in and off we'd go. We managed this several times over the afternoon till the wind showed no sign of perking up again. So we went in for dinner and some conversation.

Then time drifted by and some where along one of the conversations, someone mentioned how the leaves were really rustling. In fact it got to the point where the trees were shaking from the wind. About that time it occurred to me that the sails were still up and there was nothing but a ten-pound mushroom anchor in charge of our boat. I scampered down to the beach to find The Flyer blown down.

Well I was a bit aghast, but glad it was on the beach and not a half-mile away. Luckily the water was only shin deep, so it was easy to right. There was a bit of water in the boat but no damage and we didn't loose anything.

The bonus was the passing rain storm left us with an amazing double rainbow spanning the entire lake and a blazing sunset at the same time.

(You can see a small bit of the rainbow in my Gallery.)

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[tomstock]

Wow despite the accident, thats a really neat picture I'm always amazed at how high a sailboat will float on it's rail. It looks like it's in 2 inches of water (is it? hah!)!

Anyway glad there was no damage or wasn't just missing when you got there.

Tom

[Mark Gudschinsky]

Actually the water is about 6 or 8 inches deep and the rails (My sanded rails!) are resting on the bottom. But everythig has a good coat of epoxy so there was hardly a scratch.

The one thing I do like about the picture is that we never really get to see the great topside lines of these boats.

[Jan Williamson]

You know?...... you are a pretty good sport for sharing that with us. That sounds like something I would surely do, only my boat would probably not be so lucky and would probably be out in the middle of the lake and all my stuff at the bottom.

Thanks for the picture. Nice Boat!

[Johannah]

Looks like a trick photo. It's oddly beautiful.

[Tim Diebert]

That one is now my desktop backround.

Had you left the boat with the sheets cleated off?

Perhaps the windage alone overpowered your anchor...

Did you have any chain on the anchor?

Sorry for your misfortunes....and thanks for sharing.

[tdrown]

I'm always amazed at how high a sailboat will float... water is about 6 or 8 inches deep...

At the first moment I looked at it I was wondering how she got on top of the ice. Great picture.

[thebob]

Really enjoyed the read and I agree that the picture is excellent.

If you have a high res copy of that I think it will be a good one for the next calender.

[Mike Pennington]

Mark,

Better than the pic I saw of the Weekender on the trailer nock down. I also saw your nice little boat shed on the way by from work the other day. Brother your going to spoil that girl! :roll:

Mike

[Mark Gudschinsky]

Glad the photo was well received. As far as misshapes go it was actually very minor. In fact the next morning I discovered a tangeled line near the top of the mast. I cleared it by pulling back into the shallow water and pulling the boat back over on its side! I only took about three minutes and eliminated all of the bad ideas we get about shimming up the mast.