First Sail 2013

On By David BranbyIn Splendido2 Comments

First Sail

Brother-in-law Tracy and I launched Splendido at Obexer’s last weekend (I won’t toy with your imagination…we fiddle-faddled around and took eight hours to put everything together…it was laughable…we forgot everything we’d learned, despite my bringing the notes from 2010!) and the staff there was terrific, including Jimmy, who gave us some good pointers about how to modify the trailer to fit the boat better. After we finally got her set up, I motored two miles north to put her on the buoy we rented on the south end of Hurricane Bay. Last night, I drove up to check on her and there she was, pretty as a picture, so I rowed out in the dinghy and decided to take a mini-sail, even though there was just a breath of wind. I hadn’t really single-handed her before, so I just set the mainsail and kind of ghosted along, heading toward Tahoe City…I think I hit a max of 2.5 knots. But, since there was no one on the lake at all, I went forward and did all my zip-ties on the turnbuckles, and generally tidied things up. Splendido needs a good wash after all the on-and-off foot traffic from launching her. Right now, she’s just a bare shell, as I still have the teak out (wood restoration is a pain) and in my garage, awaiting more coats of spar varnish. Nevertheless, it was just magical being out on the water again. My soul just beams when I’m out there. A full moon rose and the sky got that classic Tahoe pink right after the sun went behind the mountains. Kind of hated to put her back on the hook!

A Year On The Beach: A Reflection

On By David BranbyIn Keeping Up Appearances, Splendido1 Comment

RiskI’m back, and I’ve gotta say, it’s good to be here. I apologize for the long lapse, but I’m not going to sugar-coat it: 2012 was a rough year. My wife and I live in Reno, arguably the hardest-hit economy in the U.S. during the Great Recession, and we closed two of our businesses last year. Debbie shut down her beloved café in the Nevada Museum of Art because of slow sales, and I shuttered my   advertising agency for the same reason. As a result, we had to make some tough choices, one of the most painful of which was not putting Splendido in the water at all last year. Now, don’t get me wrong: a lot of folks had it a hell of a lot worse than we did, and our hearts go out to them. God knows, we’re not living in Syria and nobody’s shelling our neighborhood. We know how lucky we really are, and as much as we enjoy sailing, “it ain’t nothin’ but a thing,” to quote one of my dear friends. Debbie and I are both incredibly grateful for the lessons we learned during these hard times, and it’s brought us closer together, and closer to  friends and family, too. Debbie’s put all her heart and soul into her flagship restaurant and catering company, The Cheese Board & Wine Seller. As for me, I’ve taken a position at the University of Nevada, Reno where I manage the brand and create marketing campaigns for this dynamic and growing Tier 1 university. Now, as you can probably guess, once we started to get our legs back under us, we began to think about getting Splendido back in the water. And, while I’m proud to say we did what we had to do to weather the economic storm, we’re super-excited to get back out on the water this summer if things go our way.

The sailing season at Lake Tahoe is short (three months on the short end, though some hardy souls sail year-round) and spendy (about $4,250 for in & out and buoy mooring at a marina on the North Shore. The South Shore is about half of what they charge on the North Shore, but the drive down is a long one–certainly not something you’d do after work.) That doesn’t cover the incidentals like the boat license, boat insurance, trailer license, invasive species inspection, gas to and from Tahoe (about an 80-mile round trip a couple of times a week) munchies, wine or N/A beer for me, and tipping out the buoy boat drivers at the marina who do such a great job.

This year, we’re looking into renting a private buoy a mile or two down the road from the marina. If we’re lucky, we can save $1,150 on mooring and still get in as much sailing as in 2011. The thing with renting one of Tahoe’s 4,500 private buoys is, you’ve got to have a dinghy. We didn’t have one when we started looking at private buoys, but lo and behold, CraigsList had an ad for a guy who was looking to sell his Walker Bay dinghy or trade it for a gun. In classic Reno fashion, I looked under our bed and pulled out a shotgun I hadn’t used since my wonderful ol’ shooting partner passed away in 2007. We traded, and I got a dinghy with two oars, a hefty marine battery and an electric motor…all hardly used at all. So, we’re getting ready: I’m varnishing the last of the teak wood I pulled out of the boat last year, and I have my punch-list of things to accomplish before she gets her keel wet. It was a wearing year sitting on the beach, but it will make getting back on the water all the sweeter. I’m looking forward to it, and to sharing it here with you.

Fair winds and smooth sailing.

A Fond Farewell To Our First Season Sailing Lake Tahoe

On By David BranbyIn Commissioning & De-commissioning, Mechanical Stuff, SplendidoLeave a comment

Today is the day we pull Splendido out of Lake Tahoe and put her on her trailer for her winter rest. As I write this, I’m having my first cup of steaming hot Blind Dog Nevada Black coffee and reflecting on the season.

All in all, I think we did pretty well in our first season as “real” sailboat owners. The first challenge was communicating well…I have a tendency to get a little snappy, barking out orders when stressed, which is tough on my first mate (and also bad form in general), so I had to learn to relax, speak clearly and precisely, and do a better job of seeing the bigger picture. We came up with our own “everybody’s having fun, or we head back” rule, which helps us remember that the #1 point of all this is to enjoy the experience. I screwed that up a bit last Saturday night, when I suggested we stay the night on Splendido in a slip at Tahoe City Marina: It was 27 degrees out, and I forgot our little electric space heater at home. We were OK sleeping under the thick comforter, but when we woke up, you could see your breath, and the entire inside of the boat was dripping from condensation. Debbie opted to stay in bed until the coffee was made, but even then, I doubt the cabin warmed up to more than 40 degrees. After having a great breakfast at nearby Sawtooth Cafe, it had warmed up enough to tackle the big chore of the weekend: stripping the boat of everything in preparation for taking her down to Reno. While Debbie loaded up the bins with all the “household” items below, I set to work on taking off the sails, stripping the rigging, and removing the boom. It took about 5-1/2 hours, all told. We loaded up the bins and cushions in Debbie’s catering van, drove home, and neatly stowed everything in the empty garage bay we’d cleaned out the week before.

Last night, brother-in-law Tracy and I worked on the trailer, rebuilding all four of the drum brakes and replacing the wheel cylinders so she hopefully wouldn’t “buck” on our drive down the mountain and back to Reno. On our “test drive” about 9:15 p.m., everything seemed to be working OK.

On the morning of October 11, our haul-out went flawlessly. The trailer worked like a charm, with no bucking whatsoever, and Steve Diel and the crew from Tahoe City Marina were fabulous, helping us to move Splendido about five inches further forward on the trailer than we had done last year, in order to put more weight on the tongue. Tracy and I double-checked all the straps and tie-downs, and had a good lunch at Sawtooth Cafe before motoring down to Reno. We parked Splendido in front of my house for the final washing, polishing, winterizing, and small repairs I’ll do before taking her to storage. I intend to sand, stain, and varnish all the remaining interior woodwork, finish installing the new bilge pump and float switch, and a dozen or so other details over the next seven months. Can’t wait ’til spring…you can see it in my expression, below.

When I stop to reflect on the lessons I’ve learned in our first year of sailboat ownership, the one thing that stands out is the new confidence we’ve both developed around identifying a challenge, considering the options, and selecting the right course of action. This sequence of events  happened time and time again over our short sailing season, from learning how to anchor properly overnight to dealing with an engine failure on a light-wind day to learning proper sail trim to deal with Tahoe’s gusty conditions to developing a Zen mindset to deal with sometimes uncourteous powerboaters (and the occasional sailor, too). It was a surprise to me how taxing sailing can be on the body. Debbie and I would both return home exhausted from a “relaxing day on the water.” Two days, even more so! One of the casualties of sailing this summer was my left elbow: I developed a case of medial epicondylitis because I was using my left arm as a sort of “shock absorber” when tending the mainsheet while Debbie was driving. The condition is also known as “golfer’s elbow,” and is basically an inflammation of the attachment points at the elbow. I have to wear a brace through mid-December to “rest” the elbow so it will heal. Mentally, though, was where we both reaped the benefits of our time on the water. Just being around water helped us both to relax and release the strain of running our four businesses. For the first time in our 20 years together, we were able to truly enjoy and feel a part of Lake Tahoe, just by being out on it, rather than relegated to viewing it from the shore. We were able to learn its moods, its winds, its weather, and a few of its secrets that we wouldn’t have learned about otherwise. I picked up two books of Tahoe tales from a used book store; now, some of the family and place names make more sense. I am beginning to understand why people flock here and relocate here and decide to make their lives here. Perhaps most importantly, we both felt that our summer on the water helped us to slow down a bit and be in the moment more. We stopped to check the weather forecasts, to gaze at the stars, to breathe more slowly and savor that sacred time, whether for an afternoon’s outing or a weekend boat camping trip. The coffee even tastes better up there. The book Saving Sailing, which I read earlier in the summer, suddenly made sense to me. We gave up our “500 channels of nothing to watch” cable TV contract, and put that money into our sailing fund. We got rid of a bunch of “stuff” that was cluttering our closets, our house, and our garage. Everything feels a bit lighter, a bit simpler, and a whole lot easier on mind and eye, and I suspect—in no small way—it had something to do with sailing Lake Tahoe aboat Splendido this season.

Fair winds and smooth sailing. DB

Riding The Storm Out

On By David BranbyIn On The Water, SplendidoLeave a comment

The Gathering Storm at Lake Tahoe, Sept. 24, 2011The first of  autumn’s low-pressure systems came to Lake Tahoe this weekend, so Debbie and I went up to Tahoe City Marina on Saturday morning to get in a quick sail before the stormy weather hit. We sailed down to the area around Sunnyside, enjoying the balmy temperatures and blue skies on the west side of the lake, and keeping a watchful eye on the darkening sky in the southeast. Winds were light and variable with a few gusts to around 25, so we got in some good sailing. After about an hour, and with memories of last fall’s squall, I decided we’d better head back, as the winds were starting to swirl, and the dark clouds were quickly moving north and west. Within minutes of getting back on the buoy, the rain began, and gusty winds that boxed the compass had Splendido spinning around the buoy one way, then back in the opposite direction. We went below and discussed our end-of-season strategy, as the boat needs to come out of the water around October 2. It was actually quite cozy hanging out in the gently rocking boat, so I stretched out on the port cushions and dozed a bit. Debbie was a bit more restless, though she finally crawled into the aft berth to nap for a while. Around 4:30 p.m., we decided it was time to pack up and go. We’re hoping that our Indian Summer will come back and last at least another week so we can get a few more sails in before Splendido needs to be winterized and trailered down to Reno for her long winter’s rest.

Fair winds and smooth sailing! DB

Boat Camping On Labor Day Weekend

On By David BranbyIn On The Water, Overnighters, Ports Of CallLeave a comment

Summer goes by much too quickly in the high Sierras. It’s already Labor Day, and we still don’t feel we’ve had enough time on the water this summer. Actually, we’re averaging two days of sailing per week, which, considering the hour-there and hour-back drive to Tahoe City from Reno, is about what we figured when we were thinking about such things last winter. At any rate, we felt the need to try boat camping at D.L. Bliss State Park again, if only to see if we could both get a good night’s sleep once the hook was set, dinner was served, and we’d gotten a chance to stargaze after moonset, lying on our backs and staring at the heavens in general and the Milky Way in particular. Splendido in a slip at Tahoe Keys Marina

We arrived at Tahoe City Marina about 1 p.m., and took our time loading food and water on Splendido. Fortunately, a slip opened up by the gas dock, so that made things easier. Winds had been non-existent all day, so we had motored down the west shore of Lake Tahoe, enjoying the blue skies but a little surprised there weren’t more boats out. A Hunter 380 was already anchored when we arrived at D.L. Bliss; another Hunter joined it about an hour after we set our hook. I had let out 155 feet of anchor chain and rode, which caused us to swing widely when a light breeze kicked up, so we pulled in half of that before nightfall and tugged back on the Danforth anchor to really sink it in to the soft sandy bottom. Splendido at sunset, looking north from D.L. Bliss State Park.After a dinner of yummy steaks and salad, we double-checked everything on our lists, and tucked into the main berth, which Debbie calls “the MRI machine built for two,” and I fell right asleep. Debbie, on the other hand, was kept from getting a deep sleep by the slap-slap of the wavelets against the hull, which I have to admit, are amplified by the drum-like interior of a fiberglass boat. In the morning, I was very refreshed, and wanted to go for a swim. David ready for a morning swim.Debbie took  a little more time to wake up, but she ended up getting in a great swim as well. About 2 p.m., Debbie noticed the wind coming up, so we set sail and headed back.  Surprisingly, we averaged over 5 knots all the way home, so we were back early, and even stopped by Cable Car Ice Cream for a cone before heading back to Reno.

Fair winds and smooth sailing. DB

Debbie swimming at D.L. Bliss State Park, Sept. 4, 2011.

Thank Goodness for Tahoe’s Canyon Winds

On By David BranbyIn On The WaterLeave a comment

Andy Gagnon, at the helm on Splendido, a 1993 Catalina 270 sailboat, on Lake Tahoe.Andy Gagnon was my guest on Splendido yesterday, and it was a very light-air day for the most part. Thankfully, Blackwood Canyon fired up with some pretty good breezes around 6 p.m., so we actually got to feel the boat stretch out a bit and almost get to six knots top speed. Andy had sailed a bit in his youth, so getting back out on the water has been a goal of his for a while. He did a great job of being helmsman for the majority of the trip, and so I relaxed and kept the refreshments coming. Debbie’s catering team had laid in some wonderful chicken wraps for us, and I stocked up on my favorite sailing drink: Old Milwaukeee N/A (because who needs the sugar in soft drinks?). We turned around just off Obexer’s and made a bee-line back as the winds began to die. The last 1/2 mile, we motored in as darkness started to settle in over the lake around 8:15 p.m. There’s a hint of fall in the air these days, especially in the evenings, when it gets a tad chilly motoring back. I’ll do my best to get as many sailing days as possible in the remaining weeks of summer, and Andy says he’ll be happy to join.

Fair winds and smooth sailing. DB

College Girls Give Sailing A Try

On By David BranbyIn On The WaterLeave a comment

Last Tuesday after work, I had the opportunity to take niece Kelsie Hieber and her friend McKayla out for a sail, along with Kelsie’s parents, Tracy and Carol Hieber. McKayla had never been on a sailboat before, and Kelsie had only been on Tracy’s 18’ Hobie Cat, so it was a new experience for them. Like true sailors, the two college girls tucked into some grog to help them avoid scurvy and sea-sickness, but fortunately, Carol kept an eye on them and encouraged them to eat some sandwiches and snacks before getting too gung-ho about this sailing thing. Winds were fairly light, so we sailed down toward Chamber’s Landing under Tahoe’s gorgeous blue skies. I had a chance to talk with them about Bernouilli’s Law and laminar flow and how tell-tales worked, and how a sail was like an airplane wing standing on end. Toward sunset, the winds slowly shut down, and the temperature dropped, so the girls put on boat-coats to fight the chill, but when asked if sailing was something they’d enjoy doing again, both girls chimed in, “Anytime!”