The calms are worse than the storms. Without wind, my sails have nothing to lean against. The movement is random and unpredictable as ocean swells, today from two different directions, toss me around. The boat rolls from side to side, she pitches forward and back, the bow yaws from side to side. She also heaves up and down, surges forward and sways side to side. The force of the waves is relentless. Mother Nature is as unforgiving as ever.
Before I took the sails down the random movement of the boat created its own wind upon them. As much as I tried to keep them full with the little wind still present, the rolling of the boat created stronger wind. The boom would swing from side to side and bang when it reached the limit of the main sheet. The genoa would collapse as it rolled with the wind and then fill with a clap as the boat rolled back. It felt like nature was taking a hammer to the boat, trying to tear it apart.
Eventually the purist in me decides the sail has to come down and its time to motor. At this point, however, I’m frustrated and when I start the engine i flip on the autopilot, forgetting that I also have the windvane engaged. A creaking in the steering alerts me that these two powerful mechanisms are fighting to control the rudder. That battle would not have ended well.
At least in a storm I would have every tool imaginable to control the power in the sails and the movement of the boat. Now I have one — the motor. Its loud and it vibrates the boat, but the forward thrust at least stabilizes one degree of motion. And its not like I have much choice. There is a storm coming in two days and I have to travel 250 miles to get out of its way so I have to average 5mph.
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