I love to sail. There’s something about the wind in the sails and the quietness of the water around you, the feel of control (or lack of it) when you’re easing out or trimming the sails, the way the tiller feels in your hands, I love everything about sailing.
Years ago, my friend Leigh introduced me to sailing, and I fell in love with it. We would go out often, and he would show me a few things, but I never really understood how to sail.
So, I decided to take a class. I’ve put it off for years, letting other commitments take precedence over the sailing class. But, this year, I was determined to take a class. Luckily, Truckee Donner Parks and Rec had a recent opening in the adult sailing class and I joined two other would-be sailors – Lauri Wall of Truckee and Martin Bessolo of San Rafael – for a weekend learning to sail on Donner Lake.
We met at West End Beach with instructor James Foster, for some class time on the beach. But, the best way to learn to sail, is to do it.
We loaded onto a pedal boat (yes, a pedal boat) to head over to the district’s 21’ Macgregor sailboat for class. The parts of a sailboat are many and each with a unique name, we discovered as class got under way. Fortunately, most people in Tahoe have spent time on a boat, so the basics of bow vs. stern (front of the boat vs. the back of the boat), port (left) and starboard (right) and hull are familiar terms. But, jib, headstay, mainsheet, boom vang, tack, luff, padeye and halyard had us all stumped at the start. James was patient and will we learned the parts, then moved on to practicing knots we would need to sail – the figure 8, the bowline, a square knot (to tie two pieces of rope together), the cleat and clove hitch, along with coiling rope. I never thought knots could be so much fun.
With our knots ready to go, we started to rig the boat. First, the jib sail to the jib halyard (attaching it to the mast) and the jib sheet (the ropes we’ll use to sail with). Next, attaching the mainsail to the main halyard (again to the mast), feeding the sail into the boom. Now, we were ready to get under way.
We used the motor to clear the shoreline and raised the sails. James started at the tiller directing us when to trim (tighten) and when to ease out the sheets on the jib and main. We each practiced when and how to trim and eased out on the sheets.
The constantly shifting winds of our first day on Donner Lake had us tacking throughout the day – changing direction to find the wind. For a small lake like Donner, we spent a good portion of the day zigzagging across the lake, tacking to change our direction to follow the wind.
With those basics down, the three of each took turns rotating through the positions: tiller, mainsail and jib, while James coached us. It’s a delicate balance of easing out on the sails to find the wind and trimming them to maximize your position. At the tiller, you’re at the helm, keeping your eye out for the wind direction, while watching out for obstacles and overseeing a tack or jibe (changing direction depending on where the wind is coming from).
When you’re working the sheets or the tiller, something comes over you. A serene peace on the water, that also is a thrilling adventure as you try to marry wind and water using sails and ropes to carry the boat. You have to learn to sail, but you also have to feel it.
We learned to watch the water, the wind and the sails. But, it’s the indescribable feel of the tiller when the wind catches the sail in the perfect spot, or when the sails start to luff and you have to navigate back to catch the wind.
Over the course of the two-day class, we spent 90 percent of our time sailing. From practicing Man Overboard drills – using a Figure 8 sailing maneuver – to jibing (changing direction with the wind behind you), to experiencing the bliss we each felt as we took the tiller and the wind filled the sails, the class was amazing.
I felt confident of my new-found knowledge and abilities, and am ready to spend more time sailing this summer. Now, if I can only get Santa to bring me a sailboat this year.
(Photo: James Foster)
