Catching Up

We have been spending time this summer traveling, working on projects and spending time with friends and family. Most of our sailing has been single nights at anchor or day sails, usually about once a week. Three weeks ago we took advantage of a brief respite from hot and humid weather to spend a night at anchor with our friends Doug and Laura. We were expecting an easy sail in 8 knots of breeze but found wind in the teens instead. We chose to sail with just a full main. As we were tacking down the river there was another boat, sailing with just a genoa, on the opposite tack a few hundred yards ahead of us. George said something was going on with their genoa. I looked up to see it flapping like crazy, then falling down into the water. Next, their mast fell down. It was a very upsetting sight. We turned our engine on, dropped the mainsail and motored close enough to ask if they needed help. They declined our help and the help of another small motor boat. We continued on to our anchorage. George and Doug assembled the Porta-Bote on the foredeck. We used the spinnaker halyard to lower it into the water. George attempted to unlock the dinghy outboard but couldn't get the key to turn. It had frozen since we last used it in April. Doug used a hacksaw to cut the lock off. We used a block and tackle on the end of the boom to lower the outboard onto the Porta-Bote.  It didn't fit!  The transom was too thick for the outboard. George used a chisel to cut away enough of the plastic transom so the the motor would fit over it. By then it was time for dinner so we ate, left the dishes for later, piled into the dinghy and motored to Oxford for ice cream. We had to be quick in order to get back before dark. It seemed like a lot of effort for ice cream but it was worth it.