|
Circus Circus How Not to Use a Trapeze By John Lunn |
|
On the day of the luau, we were doing our best to build up our appetites so we could do justice to the roast pig at
the Vice-Commodore's Party. It was sunny and warm, with steady northerlies of 25 km/h kicking up waves of three to four
feet: great conditions for hearty sailing. Harry Adderley was the first out, launching a Laser at 0800, and the gusts of kept
him on his tennis toes. Later, others followed, including Laser experts Innes Sr. and Jr., enjoying a last weekend of 'quality
time together' before Doug ventures off to University. Dave and Wendy Perry had a great deal of practice hiking out on a
Pontiac, I mean an Albacore.
Red-taggers Phil Worthington and Paul Zaleski provided Hobie style entertainment to the deck-chair brigade. The stay-at-homes enjoyed the spectacle of myriad spray-drenched sailors flying across the waves, with hulls lifting. Each and every mariner returned to the beach soaked to the skin and glowing with excitement. I heard strange nautical mutterings: adrenal remarks about "unbelievable speed", "great wind," "planting a hull without capsizing," and "we did it three times," or words to that effect. The visitors wanted to know, " When can we sign up for membership?" Within the hour, like vultures at a kill, Louis Nadeau, Tim Lawlor and others gathered, salivating at the opportunity to practice their dancing. Next it was Gord Klein and myself trying not to get washed off the hulls of Dasher. Gord is an experienced Laser sailor, with a good sense of balance. His voluble vocabulary helped focus my concentration so that we stayed more or less upright. Then Louis and Paul took over the Hobie 18, while Tim and I (on the Hobie 16) tried to improve on our previous amazing adventure. No, there were no capsizes, as after all, cats don't like to get wet. The thrills were boundless, what with the winds howling, the waves crashing and a hull flying here and there. It is astounding how waves and spray can find their way inside a K-Way and wetsuit, and then trickle down one's neck. By this time, Mark and Grant were rigging their well-known vessel, yet another Hobie 18, with the fruity name of "Top Banana." What dance step were they going to practice? The one-hull boogie? Brave Paul took out Blitzen solo, but wearing a trapeze, and I helmed Dasher, as it was Tim's turn to ride the wire and practise the "toenail two-step". On our third run downwind, we hit a glitch or a pothole or something. This meant that Tim's footing disappeared from under him, just as we powered into the wave in front. Goodbye! You could hear him yell as he swung past the shroud, bounced off the decking, and headed for the jib-stay. Do not fear, dear reader, Dasher did not capsize as skilled helmsmanship came to the rescue. The magic of a pendulum is that it has a fixed radius, so Tim did not hit the jib, but ended up secure in the trapeze harness, spinning gently in front of the mast, with no harm done. As you can imagine, that evening some very tired cat sailors enjoyed the party and kept all amused with their comments and embellished demonstrations. Summer camp was never this good! John Lunn Kanata Sailing Club Back to Features |