A three Mirror Morning.

A lovely warm light wind Sunday morning, so I got up early and schlepped the Mirror down to the launching spot by Altona YC. When I got down there, a chap with a Mirror on a road trailer plus two young sons was already there.  The Mirror had been sitting in a garage for many years, and had arrived from his brother the day before.  The kids were so keen to go sailing they were up at 5.00.  You have to admire that sort of enthusiasm.

I helped get their boat in the water, then managed to get a few photos before they sailed off.

I headed off eastwards, then when I was away from the madding crowds, I dropped the sails and anchored in about two metre deep water.  I have put a stirrup on the back of Peregrina as I remember even twenty years ago I was pretty hopeless at getting back into a Mirror from the water.  Took a bit of adjusting, but if I tie the stirrup so my foot goes against the rudder, I can get back in.  Not elegant, and I would really not like to be doing it in a chop, but I can do it, with a few scrapes and bruises.

I sat in the sun with the boat bobbing at anchor and had early lunch and a thermos of tea while I dried off a bit, then I pulled in the anchor (how did I manage to get the line so tangled so quickly ?) then headed off to explore the shallow waters at the entrance to Koroit Creek.  Tide was falling so I didnt get too far before I was aground, even with the centre board up. Headed back, and as I approached the Altona boat ramp, yet another Mirror bravely sailed and paddled out of the sheltered harbour mouth.  Almost no wind so I rowed while he paddled, then the wind came back and I chased him but could not make any ground on him. We were sailing at pretty much the same speed, about 3.5 knots according to my GPS.  I gave up, headed back home, and as I was putting the boat back on the trolley I saw the sails heading back into the marina.  Another young dad with a young son and daughter.  A crack crew, I sure couldn't catch them.  The sail number was 57 thousand and something - a close relative of Peregrina 57868 - but in much better condition.

I resolved today to simplify things a bit, less sundry stuff in the boat, and take off the bits of string that I don't need. When I took the boat apart, I saw that one of the "P" rings that secure the rudder had bent almost straight - probably when I was reboarding. I small price to pay to get back in the boat, but annoying non the less.