Here is the Story behind that shot in USA Today :
Notice the sail rolled up and tied to the tramp ? That Was, (past tense)
the main-sail.
It was blowing 30+mph on Mohave, so we reefed the Main to about the size
of a Hobie-16. We had previously sent the sail to San Diego to
get two reefing points sewn in it, but we also Knew the sail was OLD, (like Me) .
We kept the jib furled, for our trip to the South end of the main-body
of lake Mohave. If Ya go much past 9-mile, the lake gets real narrow, (more like a river)
with high rock walls on both sides. In winter North winds ; only the windsurfers can
deal with that unstable stuff, and even kite-boarding is out of the question.
Everything was Great ; we were past our goal of 9-mile cove, with mostly steady 30-mph
breeze , when a 35 to 38 mph gust hit us and destroyed the old main .
We beached the cat, and dropped the Main ; secured it to the tramp and headed
back to Cottenwood-cove.
Lucky Us -- we had practiced in high-winds, using just the jib ; so we were good
to go for our mostly down-wind run back to Cottenwood-cove.
By the time this shot was taken, the wind had mostly died, so i hooked into the
trapeze just to break the Bore-Dum !!
Wouldn't Ya know it ; that's the shot which made it into USA Today !!
Bille
