If you’ve ever seen a sailboat tied to a dock or sitting at anchor, you might have noticed that the slightest wind or wave makes it sway back & forth. If you step on the side of a smaller sailboat it wobbles noticeably, frighteningly unstable.
“A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.” -William Shedd
Sailboats aren’t designed to be sitting at the dock. In fact, that’s a boat’s most unstable state. It’s most stable when fulfilling its purpose — sailing.
It’s when sailing that it heels over slightly…just enough so that the weight of the keel & the force of the wind in the sails balance each other to the point that they’re working in conjunction to propel the boat forward.
Without the keel, the boat would have the power to go straight, but not the ability. Without the sails, it would have the ability but not the power.
Only when a boat is sailing; only when the lines are cast off, the sails are raised and the dock disappears astern do all forces work together in perfect harmony to create a vessel stable enough to handle nature’s worst.
So Bo, just spent the day in Jackson with your fam at the new digs…they told me about your blog and that I had a mention from our chance encounter earlier this summer. Had to check it out, and will add you to my ever increasing blog roll (although, to be honest, you are my ONLY sailing blog!) Looking forward to keeping up with your adventures!
Hello there..
i’ve never realised there can be such kind of a viewpoint when one looks at the sailboats. and that quote above tells so very much about it. i love it! i love ships. every kind of it. especially the small ones. they always arouse some kind of mystery in me. it’s like they all can reach everywhere but we can’t. like they’re stronger..
it’s nice to be here.. great blog.. and nice to meet you..
best