"Goofball_star_dot_etal" wrote

I could put in a good word for you, and also mention that your knees
and back were transplanted from a thirty year old.


Please do although I wouldn't fudge the truth with the transplant bit.

Actually though, in a summer of some of some ambitious coastal cruising (by
Maine standards anyway)

http://home.maine.rr.com/rlma/GEfile...er08Cruise.kml

the full extent of what are considered normal cruising grounds in this part
of the world including the wilder portions thereof, my back and knees have
felt far better than in my previous three years of sailing. I feel younger
than when I first bought the boat. The enforced rest and therapy, together
with three seasons of nearly daily sailing and two off seasons of extensive
work on the boat, have definitely turned the clock back a bit.

Some of it though is being aware and smarter. When the anchor is really dug
in, I don't just grab on and heave while still stiff in the morning. First
trick is to take the rode back to the midships cleat and get as much tension
on it as possible. I then can put a powerful swig on it by pulling up in
the middle. If the water is shallow and it's mostly chain aboard, I've made
up a tackle with a chain hook. The other end has a loop that I throw around
a winch on the mast. Swigging the fall from a bow cleat creates a pretty
good lift. If I'm motoring off the hook, I can just go ahead on the up and
down rode but I often like to sail away without using the engine.

--
Roger Long