Ice Out

Today is the first official day of spring, but in fact, last night I got my first dose of spring when I showed up for a Quannapowitt Yacht Club board meeting – Lake Quannapowitt was ice free and the beach was free of snow drifts; it's sailing season!

My list of boat projects just took on an urgency I had escaped all winter. I need to put numbers on my new Intensity practice sails; it’s warm enough to polish the bottom of my club Laser and get it to the club racks; I still haven’t gotten a new PFD.

The real change is the flip back to the sailing decisions. Is it warm enough for my wet suit or do I need the dry suit? Is there enough wind to allow me to practice what I want to practice? Is there so much wind I need to have someone else there for safety? Should I use the good weather to get some paint on the back of the house?

There is a consensus that a strategic mind is a plus in sailboat racing, but that same mind creates difficulties when it presents too many options with no clear advantage to any one choice. I used to try to pretend it was a puzzle and fit all the pieces in, but that didn’t give weight to the emotional pulls.

Would I feel more satisfied at the end of the day if I raked the yard or I got in an hour sailing? Is today a good day to take care of myself or support some of the project needs my wife feels?

I used to get frustrated with myself as I spent time sorting through the alternatives, now I relax and know that whatever I decide I am likely to end up the day feeling at least ok and if I went sailing I’ll most likely feel great!

Enough of this though, I need to pull the winter cover and see what kind of shape the boat is in, and if there is enough time I will pick up the downed branches in the yard. It’s just possible tomorrow will be a good day to go sailing for the first time this year.