Our Story

We began sailing in the spring of 2000 when we were looking for an activity we could do together. Mark had sailed a couple of times at youth camps and in college. We went to a spring show at St. Louis Sailing Center, picked out “Blue Skies,” a Starwind 223 and brought it home. The first time we launched, Mark was literally reading a basic sailing book. The wind was light, but a gust caught the sails and we heeled. Suzanne squealed with delight! She had confidence Mark knew what he was doing and enjoyed the ride!

Mark didn’t have a clue! He was pulling lines trying to dump wind and bring her under control. We finally make it back to dock. Suzanne was elated! Mark was exhausted. He had nightmares that night about the boat tipping over and Ellie being trapped inside.

We sailed several times that summer and learned a sailboat is supposed to heel, how to release the mainsheet on a gust and how to reef the main if the wind is too strong.

The Mark Twain Lake Sail Association (MTLSA) hosted a “trailer sailor” weekend in August to recruit new members. As we pulled into the parking lot, several sailors came over and helped us step the mast, attach the sails and prepare launch. They had a slip ready for us at the end of the dock.

We launched “Blue Skies” and motored over to the slip. As we came in the throttle on the Yamaha 9.9 stuck wide open. Mark killed the motor and we coasted into the slip where several sailors caught us before we did any damage to the bow or slip. They welcomed us with advice and rum!

The next day the wind was 15-20 knots and we didn’t feel comfortable sailing in that much wind. Tom and Sandy Wells invited us on an afternoon sail on “Higher Porpoise” a Tartan 37. They showed us how to trim the main and jib, how to adjust the traveler and told lots of lies…I mean stories…about sailing. We sailed much of the afternoon heeled with the “rail in the water.” Suz thought it was great. Mark wasn’t so sure. Tom, an engineer, explained sailing wind dynamics and kept saying that we “couldn’t turn Blue Skies over if we tried!” It was a very exciting and rewarding afternoon.

But, we didn’t believe Tom. We were sure “Blue Skies” would capsize if we weren’t careful. A couple of weeks later, MTLSA hosted a race. The wind was again around 15-20 knots...whitecaps on a many of the waves. Mark and Andy decided to prove Tom wrong and capsize “Blue Skies.” We figured with all the other boats in the area, we would survive. We strapped on life jackets and closed the hatches and companion way.

We had on a 110 jib and full main, keeping the mainsheet fairly loose as we followed the fleet to the starting line. We didn’t want to race, but planned to follow the race to see how they trimmed their sails and rode the wind. The race began and we fell in behind. We tightened the mainsheet caught the wind for a close haul and took off for the first mark! We flew with the rail in the water! A gust caught us and before Mark could release the mainsheet, water came over the rail into the cockpit and soaked us both! But, “Blue Skies” popped back up and charged into the wind. We looked a each other and simultaneously shouted “REEF!” We turned onto the wind, and quickly reefed the main to the first reef point. We turned back into the wind and were off again. We sailed all afternoon with the rail down, riding the high side. It was great!

We hated to admit it, but Tom was right. He and Sandy continue to support and encourage us as we learn to sail.

We sailed “Blue Skies” for two summers before moving up to “Prairie Zephyr” a Beneteau 285 in the fall of 2001. We sailed her the summer of 2002. We went to Strictly Sail in Chicago in February 2003 looking for a geneker for “Prairie Zephyr” and come home with “Dragonfly.” But that’s another story.

We continue to learn to sail by sailing almost every weekend from March through September on Mark Twain Lake. We try to sail regardless of the weather. There have only been a few weekends where the weather was too cold and windy to sail.

Our long term goal is to retire June 2014, move “Dragonfly” to Lake Michigan for the summer, spend the fall sailing down the east coast, and the winter in the Caribbean. With a little luck, we’ll sail the Caribbean for 2-3 years, then who knows, maybe sail through the Panama Cannel and sail the west coast of Mexico…maybe head for the south Pacific and Australia!