What a blast! We took the O'day Daysailer 17 out for a spin around Lake Harris in Leesburg. The wind was gusting pretty good so we were moving along at about 5-6 mph with occasional gusts that had us going above 7. I have this nifty Timex Ironman GPS watch that tells speed and distance for biking and running but it worked great for this too. Now I know what you are thinking. "You were going 7 mph and you thought that was a blast?" "Yes I do," I reply. When you are on a beam reach heeled over nearly 45 degrees where you feel like you are standing up straight, pounding through waves, side rail in the water, that's pretty fricking intense!
I also got to play around with a few (albeit basic) techniques that I hadn't tried yet from the sailing book I got from Mr. Mike from Naples.
The first was a technique for getting out of irons in a controlled manor. I screwed this up on a Hobie cat wave while in the Bahamas. I ended up putting us into the rocks that time. So the book said when you are in irons and want to move to starboard on a port take you sit on the port side and push both the boom and tiller handle to the starboard side. After doing this the bow of the boat immediately turned to starboard, the main filled, and we were off on a port tack. It was brilliant! and while this is a basic technique for most sailors I had not learned it yet. I believe I was pulling the tiller towards me thinking that when the boat started moving forward from the wind on the main sail and I would need the rudder turning me starboard. Now I realize the wind is pushing you backwards first. and then the sail fills to move you forward.
The second thing I tried was using the jib. Correctly. I definitely don't know all the tricks with it but we at least played around. We had tacked to the far west side of the lake and went on a run back. We had the main to starboard and Amber pulled the jib over to port and we were off. Were sailing smooth and fast. It is such a difference from the heeling on a beam reach. I had never before had the jib to one side and the main to the other. It was very cool and a very breathtaking view with both sails filled and towering above us.
There is something truly magical about sailing. Its calming and peaceful. Its just you and your chosen company at one with the wind, the water, and the boat. The only sounds other than your conversation is the splashing of waves on the bow, the bubbling of a wake behind you, the ruffling of the sails in the breeze, and the light slapping of lines on the mast. We had brought a cooler with drinks, we didn't have a destination, and we didn't have a time limit. It doesn't get any better. 
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