Sailing on my mind . . . again . . . some more

It was time. We pulled the sailboat out of the lake, but not without sailing it around a few times. I’ve seen ice fishing shacks on the lake as early as Thanksgiving week. Last year we sailed well into November, but so far it has been colder this year.

Remember a while back I almost had my wife convinced to sail the Intra Coastal Waterway this year? (The 72 hour escape plan) My charts for the ICW came in. You never know. Right now we hope to do that trip during the fall of 2013. I think by the time we actually go, I’ll have the charts and guidebook almost memorized.

My lovely wife and I have tentative plans to trailer the boat south come January. We’d have to be back by March as we have another grandchild due then. I’m informed we have to be home for that by she who must be obeyed.

Normally we wouldn’t come home until the middle of April or so. I don’t expect any sympathy for cutting my trip down to just two months. Still, what do I do with that extra month and half? March in Northern NH is still very much a winter month. Zero degree temperatures are not unheard of. March can break your heart. There may be a few warm days when people run around without jackets and bicycles are in the streets -followed by 2 feet of snow.

March might be a perfect time to build a small sailboat in my basement. One side of my basement is at ground level and has big double doors. It would take some rearranging to find room for even a small boat project, but it’s doable. I’ve plans for a Ooze Goose. That would be a fun boat to sail. With any luck, it should be finished before the ice goes out on the lake.

I don’t know where the summer sailing season went. There are places we’d hoped to go, but never fit into our schedule. Such is life. At least there’s a fair chance of wetting the hull in January.

-Sixbears