Grace, In 9+ years on this list, I've read a number of First Sail stories. Yours is definitely the most heartwarming. I know you will enjoy your 15 (Bob?) for many years. Bill Riker M15 - #184 Storm Petrel -----Original Message----- From: montgomery_boats-bounces+wriker=mindspring.com@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:montgomery_boats-bounces+wriker=mindspring.com@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Grace Coville Sent: Monday, June 11, 2007 11:46 AM To: montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com Subject: M_Boats: First sail After a week of sleeping and dreaming on the boat on the trailer in the driveway, I took it for my first sail yesterday on tiny, local Pinto Lake. Good thing the ramp wasn't crowded. Kept blowing the back-up and having to go around the parking lot again, to the great entertainment of the picnickers on shore. Fortunately, my husband who works at the little next door airport happened to show up, and directly inserted that boat into the water. Next thing out of his mouth was a reminder to put the tiller under the traveler while I was placing the rudder, so he was banished back to the airport for being insufferable. My boat, my learning. He sure knows how to whip a trailer around, though. When I remarked to the kids how lucky he happened to show up, they admitted they'd feared never getting out of the parking lot and had surreptitiously cell-phoned an SOS. So, what the heck, at the end of the day, we called him again and he hauled the boat out of the water right smartly. Showed up with hot pizza, too. A wonderful man! The boat is wonderful, too. My 15-yr-old son took the helm, and declared himself a "natural sailor," conveniently forgetting the one summer of sailing lessons, and the next summer racing lasers. But the boat, at least in the light lake wind, does have a way of making you feel like a natural. It tacks crisply, and has a big boat solid feel combined with little boat responsiveness. When my 12-yr-old son finished scrubbing the road dust off the deck, I raised the jib and put him at the helm, and he did very well despite the distractions of tree-lined-shore wind changes and fighting with his older brother. A Potter 15 showed up and there was great halloo-ing as we passed each other up and down the lake. We played around with weight and balance and each of us took turns for a small nap down below, listening to the splashings on the hull, and the thumping around of wrestling boys on deck, and we all agreed we'd like to live on board forever. Next purchase: a swim ladder. Given my obsession with my new toy, my husband has taken to calling it the other man, and thinks I should name the boat "Francois" or "Emilio." In that vein, I think I've come up with a better name. I'm seriously considering calling it "Bob." Happy sailing! Grace M15 #478 "Bob" (maybe) --------------------------------- Yahoo! oneSearch: Finally, mobile search that gives answers, not web links. _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats