Fall is in the air, which means that winter is not far away. We decided to take advantage of the weather this week and head out for a sail on Dorjun. Since the girls had been on the boat a few weeks ago, they were able to jump in and take on the many jobs that go into sailing a boat. Starting at the dock, the girls uncovered and prepped the mainsail and worked with Kat to hank on the jib.

Emelia getting ready to haul on the peak halyard

Once we left the marina, the girls worked in two teams to raise the main sail and then the jib. Meanwhile other girls took turns at the tiller. The wind was changing direction, and we were paying attention to the ferry coming and going as well. This meant we needed to tack the boat several times- on Dorjun this means back-winding the jib sail and realizing that she takes some time to turn around! We got faster and faster each time.

Before we headed in, we ate our snacks and then had a moment of silence. We appreciated the sunlight in the clouds, the feel of the wind, and the loons on the water.

Back in the classroom we reviewed our day with the reflection questions, “What is something new you learned today? and What is something you learned from or taught to someone else?”

We learned: easing the main sheet will slow the boat speed, Dorjun doesn’t tack easily, how to tie sail ties, how to use our cleat hitch, how the tiller can be a challenge, and how to roll up the main sail cover so that it’s easier to put back on.

We taught each other: how to take put up and take down the sails, how to see a puff of wind coming by looking at the water, how to steer the boat, how to tack the boat, and how to trim the sails.

Lizzy sums it up best with her drawing: