Dinghy Days

[Ex-Calif]

My brother lives in San Jose and has a Force 5 dinghy. Every time I visit I shame him into getting out on the water. Here is the April trip.

Launching - The boat trailer isn't really set up right for single hand launching - it was a freebie - so two folks muscle it onto the water. Later on during the April trip we got energetic and fixed the trailer so now he can launch the boat on his own - No excuses! Josh had fun drilling, sawing and hammering and eventually made a small cross bow from off -cuts. He was shooting dowel arrows 50 feet. Dad's are so irresponsible.

Setup - Josh manned the boat as we walked it around to the beach. The single sail rig with the battened main is very colorful and quite cool. For a dinghy there are a lot of control lines - outhaul, cunningham, vang and mainsheet. It always takes us a while to remember how to rig after a year lay off.

Sailing - Eventually we get her on the water and my brother and Josh wring her out. Josh keeps pestering to go out on his own but my brother is nervous. Josh is a decent sailor and after a few dock landings my brother finally agrees. Josh takes off and shows the old fogeys how to put her on her ear. My brother can't bear to watch and hides his head in a pfd.

Dad's Turn - Josh decides to take me for a ride and we have a good but unexciting trip around the small lake. As we complete our large turn to port and approach the dock I get the bright idea to stand on the (tiny) foredeck with the painter in my hand to make fast the boat. Right as we reach the dock the sail tacks, is sheeted in pretty good and, of course, with my weight up on the deck, mast in hand we are at serious risk of capsizing so I end up in the water. Josh is way amused...

All in all a really fun 4 hours on the water. Dinghy's are way fun!

[James S]

Nice story and pictures Dan, thanks for shinning a little light on my dark land locked days.

[hummingway]

Remembering Sunfish sailing as a teen and watching the youngsters go out in 420's every Sunday has me enamoured with the idea of a rowing/sailing skiff or dinghy. I've been toying with the idea of chucking the Avon and Honda but that doesn't seem to be adding up so far ... Thanks for the pictures and story I loved it.