Sailing Team: GP

My master's thesis in grad school is actually a group project (GP) done with four other students - in order to simulate a "real" work environment. "El Capitan" Beadle had everyone come out for a day sail, the rest of the team being Lucas, Gia, Ashley, and Paul; their gung-ho-ness was put to the test that Sunday --


First the team had to meet at the Stern's Wharf since Black Pearl was still anchored at East Beach. The team skillfully descended the wooden ladder leading to the dinghy below, with bags and the odd six-pack of beer, and piled 5 people onto the small rowboat (official max capacity, 3 people). We paddled canoe style through the calm-ish water to the vessel, and proceeded to weigh anchor.


Ashley had the initiative to work the windlass, with vigor might I add, which was excellent until we came up to the stern of another boat and realized they had anchored on top of our anchor. A Bummer - first time this has happened to me. I clambered on top of the bloke's sailboat (nobody's home) and tried to maneuver the Pearl around them, but to no avail. Happily, the intruding owner returned, as it were, fairly drunk but agreeable, and apologetically pulled on his own anchor until we are able to get right alongside him. If it weren't for my crew to fend off, I'm sure our spreaders would have collided and tangled by then. Hurrah team!

We were actually able to pull up our anchor aboard his boat and then get the 33lb thing over to the Pearl. Funny enough, through a casual conversation we figured out they had the very extra gas cap that I needed for my small Nissan outboard - fluke of all flukes - so I gave them $5 for it and jumped aboard the Pearl before we drifted off and set sail.



We practiced tacking and jibing up to Leadbetter Beach and after 2 hours went back to the harbor. We pulled into a guest slip without a hitch and we concluded that next year we should celebrate our success as a group project by competing in a few Wet Wednesdays with the SB Yacht Club. If the race includes weighing anchor and rowing dinghies, we'll definitely be ready...