11 October 2007

Missed my Slip

Every once in a while I miss my slip. I've always gone by the mantra that you can't go too slow while docking. On Sunday, I think I realized that's wrong. When you're going so slow that you lose steerage while trying to turn upwind you will miss your slip. The windage just backs your bow down and you've missed it.

I have a backup plan when this happens, I meander down the way, turn around at the end and go back to try again. I've never missed twice.

But still it's embarrassing, I'm a freakin' Seagoing Man, I shouldn't be missing my slip. Most of the time there's no-one there to see it but as luck would have it last Sunday was different. The marina was crowded: the new guy was there, Will was there, the guy with the unpronouncable name was there. And they saw me and waved condescendingly as I went by the wrong way. At that point, Camille said, "at least Chris didn't see you" all chirpily and BOOM, just then I look over and even Chris is walking down the dock. It was a full house. At just the right time.

But there is an upside. I realized as I came back that I rarely get to see the names of the boats on my pier so I tried to remember them, thinking that at the end of the week (today), I'd see how well I did and put them in the blog. Here goes nothing.

Pearl, Grendel, Hardtack II, Uff?, Louisa, Ferocity?, Carroll E, Hana, and Tangiel. I missed the Hunter, the unpronouncable guy's boat name, a few powerboats that don't count and the one in between hana and Tangiel. The last one that I know but didn't see: Lady Bug.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi - I've been reading your blog since this summer and thought I would introduce myself. My name is Melissa and my husband and I are on N dock (Ericson 39B, Pacifica) in Berkeley and have been enjoying your musings. We also have a webpage that we write about our adventures on the bay - if you're interested, www.queserasailing.com . Anyway, thanks for the blog...Melissa (melissa at queserasailing dot com)

merrifie said...

Would that be Uff Da? A Moore 24 with a fast BBQ on the stern...

EVK4 said...

I think Uff Da is out of Seattle isn't she? I know there's a guy on SA who has a Moore called Uff Da up in the Northwest.

For some reason, there might be two boats named Uff near us, the one on my finger is a 28-30 foot something.

EVK4 said...

Melissa, did you used to have a Cal 20 named Que Sera? I think I considered buying her from you years ago. I'll check out your site.

merrifie said...

Yep... must be Seattle. I know they're out of PMYC so it must be Port Madison rather than Pacific Mariners. I'm sure the latter is closer to you :D

Anonymous said...

...I'm a former Catalina 22 sailor and have to say that is not a pretty crowd. Not really mullet oriented but the c22 owners list page could frighten young children... SA forum

Interesting..coming from a guy who sold his C22 a few months prior to campaign a Newport 28 ? in the Chowder Series.
I know, the One Design stuff is for mullets.
Good luck with the docking

EVK4 said...

Anonymous, sorry to offend you, it was not my intention. I don't recall the SA comment but have no doubt that I said it...for gosh sake, there's a guy on that page that has a photo with his business hanging out of his shorts.

As to what I do on a race course, to call it campaigning is an insult to anyone who maintains a racing campaign...I'm merely trying to make it to the end without hitting anyone.