Ever do something....

sharps4590 · Post by **sharps4590** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 1:15 pm

....you thought you were doing right but turns out you were 180 degrees out? I gotta tell one on me that happened yesterday.

I found this little O'Day Widgeon for a grand total of $250.00 complete with sails and trailer. The longer I examined the boat the better it looked, especially for a 1969. So I brought it home and proceeded to clean it up and it is in REMARKABLE condition! I had to sail it. Yesterday was nice, 5-8 mph winds, cobalt blue skys and in the upper 70's so I hooked up the little boat and headed for our equally little lake. The darn thing rigs up in about 1/2 hour so I was on the water pretty quick. Here's my "duh" moment. I looked at the centerboard ropes, yup, pull this one the board goes down and the other pulls it up. Took off and it sails just ok....lots of lee helm and I ain't got this figgered out.....and why do I keep getting closer to the dam....I'm tacking the other way...what's up with this? Now I'm sure all you guys got this pegged already but dodo here didn't. Not even after I got all tangled up in the underwater weeds close to shore. Finally got out of that mess when the wind turned a little and got headed back to the boat ramp. Everything is fine and as I get closer to shore I pull the rope to raise the centerboard....get closer to shore and something is dragging bottom...what gives here....the board is up....ain't it.....no it ain't! Well horse manure....no wonder the darn thing didn't sail well. Ok...get turned around just as the wind picks up for it's last fling of the evening and this cute little boat really DOES sail good!!!! I had about 15 minutes left before the wind started dying in earnest and that 15 minutes was a blast...shame I wasted the previous two hours!

CaptainScott · Post by **CaptainScott** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 1:38 pm

Doh!

LOL!

It's all good! We all do it at some point or another!

Congrats on a great find for a great price though!
Nice!

So where's the pictures?

Scott

parared · Post by **parared** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 2:00 pm

Heh, reminds me of ...

Once I'm taking Dia out of Allen's Harbor, which has a switch-back opening with about 20ft of dredged channel. So, of course, I find myself aground there. So, I jump in to push her off. After about 2 minutes of work, it occurs to me that in tucked-up mode, Dia should be drawing about 2 ft, but evidence at the moment indicated that I was standing in 4 ft of water. So, I climbed in and raised the keel up all the way, and off we went

.

EmergencyExit · Post by **EmergencyExit** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 3:56 pm

Oh yes I have ! In the Coronado C15 once, found myself unable to "go right" only able to sail "to the left". Wound up at someone's dock, scratching my head in confusion, checking the boat over. That's when I looked down and saw the centerboard still in the up position...suddenly "to the right" translated in my head to pointing upwind, and "to the left" to a reach, then downwind..oh..

Board down, and all was better.

Capt. Bondo · Post by **Capt. Bondo** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 8:57 am

On the river you can find yourself rubbing the bottom, where a month earlier there was lots of bottom room.
Finally read the manual on how to set the depth alarm on the sounder

Alanhod · Post by **Alanhod** » Wed Oct 20, 2010 12:03 pm

sharps4590 · Post by **sharps4590** » Thu Oct 21, 2010 8:15 am

Thanks guys....now I don't feel quite so bad.

Alan....I can't imagine the feeling in the pit of ones stomach. I've hit a few tree tops in the little lake I sail but the keel and rudder just slide over them....nothing like what you described. Glad nothing got torn up.

CaptainScott · Post by **CaptainScott** » Thu Oct 21, 2010 8:47 am

Speaking of hitting bottom . . .
here is a unique one for ya!!

As a kid I was quite capable of turning a daysailer like a sunfish or Chrysler Dagger over and the righting it without getting wet or into the water!

I was younger and bragging to a girl of my abilities when she challenged me to do it! Show her what I was capable of! So I confidently launched my dagger, ghosted out about a hundered feet from shore in the very light breeze and heeled my proud little boat over until she finaly turned over. The mast and sail hit the water and I scampered over the hull edge and slowly crawled onto the bottom as the mast and sail sank into the abyss. My dagger rolled 3/4 of the way over and stopped. What? well, I managed to stick the top of the mast into the mud and grassy bottom.

Well, I was not even phased a bit! I can just right her! So my feet on the edge and my weight hanging from the centerboard I slowly worked the mast from the mud and subsequently righted the boat!

As I smiled sitting there in my sleek sailboat explaining what had happened a nice big blop of bud and grass came loose from the top of my mast and splattered on the deck of my boat! Made a MESS!

Well, I married the girl and she still remembers!! LOL!
Scott

Capt. Bondo · Post by **Capt. Bondo** » Thu Oct 21, 2010 9:04 am

Scott;
I was waiting for your story to turn into a real "mud in the face" story

CaptainScott · Post by **CaptainScott** » Thu Oct 21, 2010 12:05 pm

LOL!!!

Good one!

Scott

sharps4590 · Post by **sharps4590** » Thu Oct 21, 2010 4:44 pm

Too funny Scott! Great story! What does the Bible say...."pride goeth before the fall"

Capt. Bondo · Post by **Capt. Bondo** » Fri Oct 22, 2010 8:31 am

Don't feel bad, even the professionals...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39793497/ns ... ws-europe/