It’s been several weeks since I have been able to sail, so yesterday’s outing on Lake Tahoe was a real treat. Winds were fresh out of the SSW at 15-16 knots with gusts up to a sprightly 23+ knots, which made for some exhilirating moments. To shake off the rust, I sailed down to Chambers Landing, then tacked and sailed back up to Mark Zuckerberg’s place before heading in. Along the way back, I noticed the leech (trailing edge) of the genoa looking a little ragged. Nothing major; the stitching had come undone on the sacrificial UV strip (the blue fabric that protects the white Dacron® cloth of the sail) along the last 8-10 ft. up from the clew. Back on the hook, I dropped the genoa onto the deck and did my best to roll it up and stuff it into the dinghy so I could take it home and re-sew the material.

Once I got home, I dragged out the ol’ sewing machine, found some UV-protected upholstery thread, and got to work. I had actually forgotten everything about using a sewing machine, including how to put thread on the bobbin and even how to re-install the bobbin. A few minutes with the 1970s-era manual, and I was back in business.

As luck would have it, I broke the needle at the very last stitch down the leech. I still have a bit of work to do on the cross stitching that holds the sacrificial UV strip on, and then it’s time to re-hoist the genoa and go for a sail. August is the best month for sailing Tahoe. The weather settles down and becomes nicely predictable, and the water is warm enough to go for a swim. Can’t wait to get back up there. Until then…

Fair winds and smooth sailing! DB