Lake Perry never disappoints on holiday weekends in terms of sheer entertainment value. Usually it's powerboaters. Sometimes it's a scary tale with a tragic end - "Powerboat crashes into houseboat late at night, one dead." Other times it's just a funny "hold my beer and watch this" incident. Many of those have captivated us on the lake weekends through the years.
Labor Day 2011 - Fellow sailors Chuck and Ester have the sickness like us....in that they have many boats including a kewl little Point Jude day sailor. They like to get into it and sail around inside the marina just like Cap10 Tom on our MacVay Minuet s/v Riot.
Chuck is an excellent sailor. Tops in handling both his C36 and the Point Jude.
As mentioned in a previous blog (Commodore's Cup) it was breezy. If I have the story right - Chuck convinced some of the powerboaters on C-Dock to get off their beer can butts and go sailing with him in the Point Jude. His novice crew was two other guys and two little girls. Life jackets were on. They happily zoomed around in the marina - whizzing past our dock several times. And then it happened - a knockdown (my term). A big gust of wind, the crew slid around and down onto the mainsheet cleat, unable to release the main to spill wind, over they went close to A-Dock.
Our dock (B-Dock) immediately jumped to action. The little girls were out and in towels in 2 mins. Then we started working to be sure the guys were safe and the Point Jude secure. C-Dock was alerted and brought in a SeaDoo to assist. Wildlife and Parks circled but was NO HELP WHAT SO EVER - as usual!
The SeaDoo pulled the Point Jude to the end of our dock (B-Dock) and secured it and then the work to right her began.
It took an entire dock/marina village to get her righted and then bailed out. But we all worked together and got her floating again. Chuck managed to smile and joke through it all. Ester came over in their little runabout with supplies - towels, tools, mental support and the all important beverage support!
Chuck and Ester have been on the flip side many times through the years, assisting boaters. Hell - they helped us in earlier this season, when we were crew on the Lord Nelson and the engine conked out. * YES - there is a Lord Nelson on our little lake. YES, that is a heavy duty, ocean going boat with a full keel that tacks like a semi-truck....thus making it very difficult to get back into our marina under sail ALONE - Chuck and Ester assisted us with a tow the final stretch to the dock. But that is a story for another time.
It takes a village to raise or at least right a sailor
ReplyDeleteThanks to all who helped turn my mistake & mishap into an adventure & show for the entire marina. I can hear my Dad now saying "Hey - Stunad! NEVER lock the mainsheet when you have novices on board!" - Chuck Tantillo
ReplyDeleteWe've all been there and as I said...you have assisted plenty of boaters through the years!
ReplyDeleteYou are too kind Sabrina & Tom. Thanks again !
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