Sailing on Lake Mead with my friend Richard

[adla]

It all started with a phone call. My friend Heidi called and mentioned that her son Richard wanted to sail with me. Well, how could I refuse! Morgaine had been upside down for months until the last couple of weeks. It took so much energy and time to get her ready for the Yuba trip; it seemed a waste not to sail again immediately! Richard showed up at 7 and we checked the boat for last minute issues, loaded a cooler with cola and goodies, and then hit the road. He was a fabulous help rigging the boat at the launch ramp. He listened as I told him what we were going do to do and why we were doing it. He helped raise the mast, tightened the stays, and folded the sail cover meticulously. It wasn't more than 1/2 hour before we were able to launch. Richard had never sailed before, in fact, the only boat he'd ever been on was a pontoon boat. He was in for a treat. The weekender is a fabulous boat and Richard was enamored with Morgaine just after we moved off the dock. He was so impressed with her "displacement," or so he kept saying.

There wasn't a lot of wind, but there was some. As soon as we were past the breakwater, we raised the sails:

The sky was mostly clear, with a few clouds scattered here and there. Richard was having a wonderful time!:

http://adlacearl.com/aphotos/albums/Richard-and-Adla-Lake-Mead/Richard_sailing19.jpg[/img]

http://adlacearl.com/aphotos/albums/Richard-and-Adla-Lake-Mead/Sailing4.jpg[/img]

We sailed as best we could, but the winds were light! After several hours, we decided to anchor in a cove and have lunch.

http://adlacearl.com/aphotos/albums/Richard-and-Adla-Lake-Mead/Richard_sailing13.jpg[/img]

of course we had to sail over to the cove! Where we decided to go swimming.

http://adlacearl.com/aphotos/albums/Richard-and-Adla-Lake-Mead/Richard_swimming.jpg[/img]

http://adlacearl.com/aphotos/albums/Richard-and-Adla-Lake-Mead/cove8.jpg[/img]

Richard found a treasure on the shore.  :roll:  It was just a bottle on a rope. But, I wasn't going to ruin his day and tell him it was just a bottle on a rope.

http://adlacearl.com/aphotos/albums/Richard-and-Adla-Lake-Mead/Richard_treasure.jpg[/img]

We had lunch:

we explored a bit on shore:

I took pictures of Morgaine:

http://adlacearl.com/aphotos/albums/Richard-and-Adla-Lake-Mead/cove19.jpg[/img]

http://adlacearl.com/aphotos/albums/Richard-and-Adla-Lake-Mead/cove5.jpg[/img]

and then we went back to sailing. The wind was light. Eventually, we had to motor back in, but all in all, it was a very nice day.

http://adlacearl.com/aphotos/albums/Richard-and-Adla-Lake-Mead/Sailing3.jpg[/img]

http://adlacearl.com/aphotos/albums/Richard-and-Adla-Lake-Mead/Richard_sailing3.jpg[/img]

http://adlacearl.com/aphotos/albums/Richard-and-Adla-Lake-Mead/sail2.jpg[/img]

http://adlacearl.com/aphotos/albums/Richard-and-Adla-Lake-Mead/Richard_sailing21.jpg[/img]

http://adlacearl.com/aphotos/albums/Richard-and-Adla-Lake-Mead/cove13.jpg[/img]

[capt jake]

And yet ANOTHER blast from the past!   Great pictures and thank you so much for sharing with us!

What is this lately, gather the missing forumites week? LOL

[adla]

oh...I have been lurking all these years. Morgaine was just upside down undergoing major keel repairs, which by the way have been completely successful. Richard and I plan to sail lots more this year. We  bought season passes for the boat and the car. Next, we are going to update our fishing licenses. When we motored the lake we went much further than I had ever been. Lake mead is HUGE...we took off out of Calville bay and went south almost to the next launch point. If we had wanted to we could have motored over to the dam. All in all - we only used 1/2 a tank of gas. I just love having the option to motor. We also found some better (less stinky) sandy coves for beaching and camping. Lake Mead isn't the best *smelling* lake. When we got back to the house and unhitched the boat, we jumped in the pool to get the smell of the lake off of us. :... ;D  Morgaine still needs a lot of stuff - like notice the duct taped portholes... that was a quick fix to get out on the water. I need to decided whether I am keeping all those portholes and what I am going to do about making them permanent. But, while making those kinds of decisions...she is sailable and lots of fun.

and Morgaine sure makes that lake look good:

a.

[Konrad]

All of us old-timers are rising from the depths of Davey Jones' Locker as ZOMBIES..!!!

SEE... ?? 

LOOK...!!!

[glow=red,2,300]IT'S BRUCE[/glow]...!!!

By the way, nice photos of your sailing excursion.

Thanks for sharing.

[kydocfrog]

Whoo Hoooo!  Adla and Morgaine are back!

What a great post and a great sail.

The Lurking Frog

[adla]

Hey Doc Frog!!

Nice to hear from you!

I am thinking about taking the boat out again this weekend - why the heck not!

a.

[Konrad]

By the way, who made your sails?

And how do you like them?

[adla]

I bought them straight from Mike Stevenson. I LOVE them. They were cut with the loose foot. I didn't know it until they arrived. I put the reef points in myself using the same measurements as Timtone - my favorite weekender modifier.

it was a tedious task but I have used them and really appreciate being able to shorten sail and keep my sailing relaxed. I don't have quite the adrenaline rush desire that most people have. I like to sail heeled over at a max 30deg and in control.

a.

[Oyster]

I have been putting off posting to this thread.   Some people have all the fun.   Thanks for sharing the shots as they give me something to consider while buried in sawdust.  Now to find the time to see if my own sails are not dry rotted .

[Greg Luckett]

Thanks for the pics Adla.  I truly enjoyed seeing them and the story too. :)

[adla]

Well, there you are Mike! Nice to hear from you! I had all the fun last weekend and the one before....and just maybe I will have to go out again this weekend. Although, I do detest the crowds on holidays. BUT if I time it right....it shouldn't be too bad.

Thanks Greg -

Richard has been talking about it all week. It was his first time sailing and he really liked it. He was wonderful. No complaints about the sun...never once said he was bored (when there was no wind)....and generally made the afternoon that much nicer by keeping me good company. And he was an excellent hand at rigging and un-rigging the boat.

a.