My mother in law is visiting from Japan. She is 70 plus, she has never been on a boat much less sailing. In fact this is her first time visiting the states. We took her out today on s/v Zen. Her first time seeing the boat that carries her husband family seal.

The sun shone like a gold disk in the sky , blessing the earth with it’s warmth. Yet held back it’s strength and just gave forth a warming comfort. However as we left the condo, there was no wind. zero, zip, nada! Hmmm, ok, I thought we’ll motor or slow drift. No biggie Oksan (mother)will have a easy ride. Even as we pull into the marina no wind, the flag is drooping.

After a short while I start to feel a light breeze pickup. Nice I thought! we will have just a nice breeze, prefect. I looking at the tides, no, wondering if it is ebb or flow…I got two different reading on the net. It looks like it is ebbing, but it is suppose to be flooding. It is up enough for me to get out, it only matters on how long we need to stay out.

I check out the boat for launch. All is good except when I put the battery switch on #2 instead of all. I get nothing. No blowers , zip. Not good! that means the other battery I did not replace has died most likely, even though I have been keeping them on the solar charger. arrgh. I switch to both banks, and all is well, blower blows, after a few I crank and the motor jumps to life. Sweet, the gauges go to were they should, water flow from the motor, it’s all good. Off we go…

As I am heading out of the marina breakwall, I troddle upthe motor and the engine just races. hmm, jumped out of gear. That happens I need to adjust the linkage. I put it back in gear and we still go forward but no speed increase… I give it more gas, but the motor sound does not change. This is not good I’m thinking. We are moving but not with any speed. I’m worried about pushing the engine… Paranoia sets in… Should I go back, or keep going…

The plan is to sail to Benica, just 1 hours away. I can keep going under sail, but what about in the marina. The motor is working the gears are working, just I’m not getting any real power…

I decide to go onward. I can test things over at the Benica entrance, and just turn around and sail back if I need to. I know I can sail back into my slip if needed.

I raise the main sail, thinking the wind has picked up enough for me go just under main sail and the ladies have a easy sail.

We are not making much headway, at one point the wind shifts and turns the boat to another tack no matter how much I push the tiller. I’m thinking, oh no, this is not right, is something wrong with the steering as well!! I get it turn back on tack. After a while I figure, I’m just not use to my boat after all this time sailing half keel boats, full keels, respond, different. I need to adjust myself to that, as well as the current conditions. I see we have a strong head wind, and are going against the current which is pretty strong. I am not in harmony. I engage the jib, partway, we move better now. Yet the ride is smooth to the ladies. Okasan is napping, and Lady Z is riding out on the deck. They know nothing of all the mind trips I’m going through.

The wind picks up…

We still move forward but slowly, I had planned on making a beam reach into the Benica breakwall entrance, but My tack was moving me further away. So I came about and made my approach on a close reach. Going was really slow, seemed like the wind and the current had picked up, I’m going against both. I figure it’s a good time to test the motor. It starts and runs. I do not push it, or my luck. Slowly we motor sail to the entrance. The wind now is about 20 knots and the current is strong. I can not go directly into the gates I am at a 45 degree angle as I go through the entrance. Once inside I straighten out and we dock without problems.

We walk into town for lunch and have a nice meal sitting outside enjoying the day watching the locals go by.

After some fast service and a good small meal, we walk back to the marina.

I prepare for the launch unsure watch to expect. The launch goes easy, even though the motor cut off once while leaving. It did restart right up and we were able to power off. The motor sounded as it should this time, and I had more speed leaving. Now I’m thinking, the current was so strong when I was leaving that was the problem. However I did not push it. AS soon as I was clear of the breakwall Up went the sail and we had a fast run back to our home port.

Once near enough I dropped the sails and we cruised easily back into the home slip. It was a good sail.

I have not been able to get in any of the sail trips I had planned for this past year, due to working and job changes. The Islander group is having their final cruise of the season on Oct, 20th. I signed up to attend. It is a weekend journey for me. It was good to check things today. I will give the motor and transmission a checkout before I leave as well as replace the battery, which is a small thing. However if the transmission is weirded out. I will cancel the trip. No sense setting off with a handicap. For now I’m looking forward to my big sail of the season/year. Martinez to Alameda, it is an all day trip 8 – 10 hrs. I want to catch the ebb tide out, which will mean leaving before sunrise at o-dark-thirty. The Lady Z is going with me, it will be her first Long Distance and overnight trip. I want it to be a pleasant cruise an adventure of the mind, not the body. Hopefully the Universe will go along with that…