Rack 'Em Up!

Yesterday was the final Abaco Dinghy and Sunfish race of the season. Ironically, only two Sunfish sailors showed up and two others decided to race Abaco Dinghies...us included! Dandy didn't do too well on the course because it was windier than expected. We discovered that its original rudder is too small in 12-15 knots of wind, and Dave would lose all steering as soon as we tried to come about on the windward legs. Plus, even though we made a beautiful jibe at the mark, the traveler stop broke, and that big sail just kept going to the end of its line. We quickly brought down the main, and Dave jury rigged the traveler, up went the main, and we completed the first race...in last place, of course. We were also last of the 4 remaining boats for the other two races of the day, due to the small rudder issue (one boat had a tiller break and another took on so much water he submarined and sank, but was rescued). In fact in the last race we had to use a paddle to get some momentum going after coming about (the race committee looked the other way when we disqualified ourselves with the paddle action, since we were so far behind😉). I guess size does matter!

That's us in the center...although we really are last.

Today it was time to haul out some of the other Abaco Dinghies and put them up on the rack for storage. This takes a large number of helpers, so a call went out on the VHF radio for able bodies who could lift. First it was Mac 'N' Cheese on the move. Lucy the talking dog (seriously, she does!) leads the way. 

Then more and more people kept showing up and Nuthin's Easy was easily carried to the rack. Actually they look like they are tripping over each other!

All snug for the summer along with their mast and booms ready to be put away...

Lucy says, "dinghy moving is hard work!"

We'll keep Dandy in the water for awhile yet and sail it around the harbor when the wind allows. Dave could modify the keel and rudder, but we would rather keep it original and wait for optimum conditions.