A membership meeting at the Harlem Yacht Club on Saturday. We defeated a measure to avoid paying the credit card companies so much in fees by raising prices but giving a corresponding discount to members who pay by cash or check as compared to credit. This would mostly have helped the tax collectors. But we did approve a new super-low-cost membership class for people who do not yet own a boat but want to belong, dine, socialize but not use our club-owed boats. Sort of a way to attract young people who, in time, will want to use our club for its main purpose, sailing.
Sunday was a lecture at the Club on the newly revised sailboat racing rules -- particularly the portion of the rules designed to prevent boats who follow them from colliding with each other. Racing maximizes the likelihood for such bumps by having several testosterone and adrenaline laden skippers all trying to round a mark at the same time, as fast as possible, often approaching at different speeds and from different angles. But the rules are complicated and the lecture was more useful for those with a good working knowledge of them -- to refine that knowledge. Lacking that, I just try to keep out of the way, though I did learn a bit more about the rules.
One interesting tidbit I learned was the origin of the word "starboard" being the right side of the boat, when facing forward (the "passenger" side of a car). The old Norse boats were steered by a steering oar or board, (the "star board") was mounted through a hole through the starboard quarter of the boat. When such boats came to a dock, this side was away from the dock, so the steering board would not get smashed into the dock. But a sailboat on what we now call a starboard tack (the wind approaching from its starboard side), especially when pointing closer to the wind, which causes a boat to heel to the port side, was less maneuverable than a boat on the port tack, because its steering oar was likely to be partly or fully lifted out of the water by the angle of the heel. This fact gave rise to the first rule designed to prevent collisions of sailboats: Those on starboard tack have right of way over those on port tack. Why? Because they were less maneuverable and hence it was easier for the port tack boat to alter course to keep clear. So there was a reason for the rule!
The lecture was followed by a tasting of Old Pultney's single malt scotch liquor, which calls itself a "maritime" scotch. They also served quite a bit of food, wine and beer. I had tastes of the 12 and 16 year old whiskeys, far too little to inebriate me. It reminded me of my youth, when I drank some scotch because it was such an adult and hence "cool" thing to do. In my youthful insecurity I was victimized by advertising It was sort of like my college age pipe smoking -- not for the flavor, ugh!, but to look cool. But now, less than two months shy of age 70, I feel that I no longer have to do things to look cool. I am cool enough, thank you, in my own mind. So scotch has joined pipe smoking as things that I no longer need do.
Monday, I joined Bennett (who truly does enjoy both single malt scotch whiskeys and fine cigars) in Jersey City, NJ. Our mission was to look over a boat he is thinking of buying. His old "Defiance", was totaled by hurricane Sandy last fall. I enjoyed sailing Defiance (See blog, August 2011), when ILENE was on the hard in Grenada. We spent more than an hour going over almost every inch of a 1999 Beneteau 411, about 40 feet long, with a draft of an estimated six feet and 12.5 feet of beam, and roller furling for both genoa and main. With modern styling, and a lot of room in her cockpit and cabin, she is a boat that Harriet could enjoy. He will have to ask the owner how its AC electrical systems, including refrigeration, work, especially when not plugged in at the dock. I love boats! It would be cool if Bennett sailed a Beneteau!
So three consecutive days of boating activities but not on the water. ILENE needs more work, but all that needs be done ashore has been done. Stay tuned for news of her launch.
No comments:
Post a Comment