Sailing on the Lean

My disability journey was a slow progression over many years. When I bought Ta Fixe I was working full time, as a nurse, in order to not only pay slip fees and insurance, it also included the improvements I wanted to make. The boat was mine. I was in charge the costs around ownership.

My challenges at the time of the purchase my physical issues were really related to heart, kidney and lung issues. I had also started on medicine for rheumatoid arthritis and it was well controlled. For me the difficulties were more about endurance and fatigue. I needed to figure out where my red line was. I was able to raise the main on a winch. I felt like I was going to vomit and it would knock me out for about 20 minutes. I was only able to pull the genoa out partially before asking hubby for help. I was under the belief that if I powered through the fatigue I would gain back endurance. To a point I did.

The duties were divided with me trimming the sails and he did the helming. I was working hard to make my dream of crossing oceans come true. I wanted to be an equal part of the crew and wanted to prove not only to myself but to Magill that I had the ability to do this. I had the boat and now I needed the how.

Hubby and I had some routines we set in that first summer, we still hold these now. Magill took the boat off the dock and I brought her back in to the slip. I seriously have a hard time figuring out the prop wash and which way to get the stern to move. Ask me to back a trailer into a gas station and I am your gal…get the boat out of the slip…nope.

At the time an afternoon sail would exhaust me. On a regular basis we would sail for a few hours every afternoon to increase our knowledge of how the boat preformed in all conditions and to increase my endourance. We would take small sails across Long Island Sound and back for the evening. We would go out in champagne sailing conditions and when it was blowing like stink. In a 40 year old boat we were trying to figure out what would break while sailing and…Nothing did.

Our first long sail was out to Newport and back with family. We made stops in Milford, Fishers Island and Block Island. We did only day sailing. The pace was slow and was very relaxing. Having family on board was fantastic.

On this cruise we found out how close knit the boating community was when we spent a few days in Block Island at the beginning of July. The harbor was packed and the boats were three deep on each morning. We went out to the anchorage and dropped anchor in a very crowded place. We learned about swing and scope of the anchor. Also the benefit of having all chain as several boat went sliding through the anchorage when the wind picked up.

Block Island is off the eastern end of Long Island, NY and is part of Rhode Island. It is a seasonal haven for tourists and boaters. The island is set up for yachts and sailors. One of the surprising things about Block Island they have a great tradition of having the entire harbor blow their boat horns off when the sun sets. Even the cars ashore participate. I have never experienced the level of community.

We stopped in Newport, RI where my husband and I got married. It was our 25th anniversary and we stopped at the beach where he had proposed. Then we went to dinner at the restaurant where we had gotten our lobster for the night after the wedding.

This trip was the beginning of me finding a balance between my new reality and my expectations from my previous life of sailboat racing. I struggled with slowing down, being purposeful in my actions and realizing when I had over done it. I was clumsy and had bruises everywhere. Unfortunately it was many years before I was able to get out of this habit

The first year was about getting to know the boat. What was working on the boat and what needed to be replaced. There was a great deal of the systems that needed repair and what was to become my love for woodworking.

As winter approached we had a list of what we wanted to do when the boat was pulled and was prioritizing the ones that needed to be done first.