So started off cold. On my hill that is,,, as soon as I was out and about things were warming up nice. By 12 it was almost 70.
LAKE TIME!!!
Loaded Blue Jean up and headed out. Took camp gear, not with intention, but as a “just in case I feel like it “.
And Blue Jean handles just the same with or without a load. Granted, only an extra 30# but it was all in the aft hatch and I didnt notice any changes in character.
So, spent two hours out and did some piddlin’round, and had a good time. Never once felt off center even when I was applying edge to turn or hold course in quartering winds. (she doesn’t weather cock like most boats but will shift around if the wind is off her rear quarters.)
And no, I wasn’t pushing hard. Average speed being 2.3, I did a lot of sitting and watching things. The distance though, if I had followed the waters edge all the time, that distance would be double or tripled. I went out in the open water much more today than I have done in some time. (since before I picked up the Nordkapp/Lizzy).
Whats the problem? Confidence. Blue Jean inspires confidence in her handling. As Kitchi-Gami states “A boat that feels stable will retain that feeling when things get rougher”. Lizzy doesn’t feel stable to me and that starts me tensing up, and that exacerbates the whole problem from word go.
So, I will be taking BJ out more over the winter months, to build up muscle tissue and endurance (she’s not a slow boat, but she is slower than Lizzy, and doesn’t have the same ‘glide’ factor,,,) AND to build up my confidence again. Start by working on that moving average, then start adding more distance. When things start to turn warmer, I am positive I will be able to get some support and start working on that confidence in Lizzy, and already have the ‘race’ side of things built up, will just need to work on communication between Lizzy and myself. I don’t want to take her out solo when the water is colder and things could go sideways. (like the dumbass kid on a seadoo that missed me by a length: HIS length, not mine. Didn’t phase me in BJ, but would have had me running for the nearest cove to check my wetsuit had I been in Lizzy.)
And to show you just how low the water is in these parts, I found an island that is usually a warning buoy for ‘shoal’. At the waterline, the island is taller than me. And does not show in the maps of the area when summer levels are up. (it shows as shallow water, not a flippin’ Island.
And I am back home now. Checking ‘in’ and looked at my emails, Looks like BCE is back up and running, “at least temporarily” as he states in the email. Y’all need to go check in on him. I’m headed there as soon as I get this post published up.
