It's a SAIL boat--

Well, some folks have the power of denying themselves gratification, but I'm just not that disciplined.  With the bull together, oars in hand and a mast raised, it wasn't much more to cut the sail and booms, figure something of the rigging and have that in order.  The leeboard and rudder--well they deserve their own stories (oh boy....).  Suffice it to say, time to take the boat out.

Frenchtown Pond State Park is a 52 acre flooded gravel pit, but is long enough and broad enough to make some decent sailing.  It's also the closest water to get to.  So, putting the boat on the car and trundling out with James (who brought his current 1 sheet skiff project, the Trudy C.) the challenge lay ahead, will it float? So, August 26 was the fateful day, and worked out to be a pretty good one.

Fiddling with the lines and not ready to sail anywhere, but it does float!

There was a decent breeze (anything around here rates as wind), and when I finally got the lines in order and the leeboard set--off I went!   As much as people complain that the Teal design is tender, I didn't find it that bad--certainly a whole lot more boat than a Harley 8!

And now we're sailing.  Oh so short lived--shallows ahead will not play well with the leeboard.

At the Pond, it's always into the wind to go west, and a true test of what a boat will do if you can get past the dock.  The Pica did that with ease and, as a bonus, tacked without stalling.  To say the least, it performs great.  There are no doubt boats that run rings around a Teal, but for starters this was pretty darned good.  Sadly, in not being mindful of lake conditions, and having made a really big leeboard, I eventually found that getting near the shore created problems.   After running the leeboard aground once, I was able to sail a bit more before it decided to fail when on a reach.  Even so, I was able to sail back to the dock.   Actually this was the first of many excursions, but one of only two with decent wind.  Well, lets me work on my rowing skills.