Prior to my divorce I had a sailboat I hated. Mostly for the fact that while it didn’t take me long to figure out Fore and Aft… I couldn’t for the life of me figure out Port and Starboard. Hell, if it wasn’t for spreading your pointer finger and thumb in front of you… I wouldn’t be able to tell Left from Right either!
On top of that… I could never tell what direction the wind was blowing! I don’t know how many times I was told to keep that damn contraption pointed into the wind in order to put the sails up… the boat suddenly taking a huge turn and me quite unaware of what I did to make it happen or what I could do to put it back! All I was doing was trying to figure out what direction the wind was coming from and that damn arrow on top of the sail pole thingy was useless at providing me any information!
Stupid wind.
Eventually the boat took us in two separate directions… divorce was pending… the thing was sold… and my days of visiting sail shops to purchase fowl weather gear and boat paraphernalia happily ended. Though oddly enough… I found myself in North Sails the other day and to my surprise… they’ve made some big improvements!
WHY you ask would I find myself in North Sails during Chester Race Week? Well, while shopping for hockey gear for Spiderman, I quickly realized I was spending far more money than I wanted to spend and a rip in his hockey pants would cost me another chunk of change I couldn’t afford. I went to the tailor… who suggested I try a shoe repair place… and at Moneysworth and Best not only did I find a fellow who repairs shoes but a sailor about to finish his day of mending top-siders and head to the Rope Loft for a night of music with The Hopping Penguins (much to my dismay as not only did I want the pants fixed… but I suddenly wanted a night with the Penguins!) Anyway… his suggestion of Sticky Dac… a sail repair remedy… was the reason I ended up in North Sails where the wonderful staff ordered in the black cloth for my repair.
Last night, for the final night of Chester Race Week… while folks were hanging out at the Yacht Club packed like sardines as they headed to the bar for another Dark and Stormy… running into various friends and having a joyous evening of boat hopping and rebel rousing… I was using sail cloth to repair my son’s hockey pants!
While I missed the weekend at the Rope Loft and Yacht Club, I had a wonderful weekend with my kids. Over the last few years I’ve enjoyed Race Week as I’ve met some amazing sailors who… lucky for me… have taught me which way the wind blows!
As far as the pants… sometimes something that has a rip can easily be repaired. We’re too quick to throw things away.
North Sails is located just of Joseph Howe Road. Their shop has everything a sailor could need… or for that matter… a hockey mom! Oh… and just so you know THEY HAVE BOGS!!! Just in this week… plenty of sizes and colors to choose from. Guess where I’ll be taking Bones to get her winter boots!!!
All the girls cried when Red left port. Red light = left side = port side. Now you can start sailing again:).