end of season for Cal 20

Well, my quest for additional sailing time didn't work out very well. I had set a haul-out date a little later than usual, hoping for some nice fall sailing afternoons. In the past, we've had sun and nice breezes quite reliably after I hauled out. This year, my workplace has been on "summer hours" that started early but ended at 4:30 p.m. That's a big help, because it meant I could actually get to the boat and go sailing for a reasonable time before darkness fell. It was a great concept, but the weather failed to cooperate. We've had either rain or high winds or both. The haul-out happens tomorrow, so another Cal 20 sailor and I had arranged to unstep our masts tonight. The weather forecast was looking grim, however, so we moved the unstepping up to last night. It was perfect--sun, some warmth, not too much wind. The masts came down without a hitch. It was a good move--it's raining buckets today. But that means that the season is over for /Martha C/ and her skipper. I think I set a new record for days (mostly afternoons) spent on the boat. Life is good when you can ride your bike to the boat after work. It makes me less grumpy about work (poor pay, other deficiencies) when I think that those folks making a lot more money are still in their offices, and far from the water. I got to sail in winds both strong and light, in seas and flat water, and mostly in shirtsleeve temps. The boat performed admirably, with no failures of equipment or performance. The skipper made no major or embarrassing errors (well, none that anybody else observed). Now I'll have a few months to read, attend to activities that I had neglected to go sailing, and get the boat in proper condition for the next season. Chris Campbell Cal 20 #1220