Over the moon happy....I finally cracked the milestone...first solo sail. Snuck out unassisted on the beautiful calm morning. 4 hours sailing. ..perfect day... came back in and had 2 friends gelp me tie up.
NSW unbeknown to me wgelpwd tooas still on my finger or he could have helped too.
Select to expand quoteMcNaughtical said..
Over the moon happy....I finally cracked the milestone...first solo sail. Snuck out unassisted on the beautiful calm morning. 4 hours sailing. ..perfect day... came back in and had 2 friends gelp me tie up.
NSW unbeknown to me wgelpwd tooas still on my finger or he could have helped too.
Good one, not so difficult after all is it.
You look as happy as, may this be the first of many.
Cheers Bob
Well done MC nautical
Pull those check apart smile 
You just remember you have a good boat there keep chipping away
Congrats McNaught - fantastic. The more you do, the easier it'll get.
The first of many milestones.... keep knocking them over.
As Winston Churchill said "we have nothing to fear but fear itself"
best regards,
Allan
At the risk of being called sexist might I add that you are looking pretty good too!
Thanks everyone... The smile is still on my face... back at work now with the feeling and the sound of the wind and the sea and the sky floating me on this high. I love company but there is something bewitching about being out there alone just because I can.
My typos from above...lol...
What I meant to say was that NSW with his Top Hat was at my berth on his way home from his long trip north and back. I would have dug him out of bed to come and help me in the morning if I knew he was on his boat, but I thought he must have gone home to come back for his boat later.
Was great to catch up with you NSW and hear of your adventures north.
I still couldn't get my main up higher than the 1st reef, due to the sheaves needing replacing but we still sailed the whole trip without motor. It was a perfect day.
Thank you all for your encouragement. The hardest part is getting out of the tight spot I'm in at the Marina, and back in again. That's when my boat feels REAAALLLY big!!!
Fantastic McN. Proud of you. Congrats. And good on you for righting up the pics HG.
did you talk to yourself while out sailing solo, or is it only me that does that?
Well done McN!
Two comments. I used to have chain that I wore around my neck. One day I looked over the lifelines, and the chain looped around the lifeline. As I pulled back it choked me. Luckily it was a cheap silver one, and the chain broke, and slid into the briney, never to be worn again.
With that lovely stable dinghy on the foredeck, can you get quick access to the anchor and chain etc?
Select to expand quoteYara said..
Well done McN!
Two comments. I used to have chain that I wore around my neck. One day I looked over the lifelines, and the chain looped around the lifeline. As I pulled back it choked me. Luckily it was a cheap silver one, and the chain broke, and slid into the briney, never to be worn again.
With that lovely stable dinghy on the foredeck, can you get quick access to the anchor and chain etc?
Thanks for your thoughts Yara,
I certainly don't want to lose my chain into the briny nor choke on it... but I'm quite attached to it... It can come over my head if need be.
And there is more room in front of the dinghy than what it looks like. No trouble getting to the anchor etc.
Yes, well I was asleep after a full days sailing the previous day from Yamba and been hauled down to the Yacht club by Manughtical for drinks when I arrived 
, but that morning I did hear this vessel maneuvering between the arms and cracked the hatch door open to see MacNaughtical sitting at her wheel driving her boat out. Must say she brought her back in very smartly.
I left later that day for a 20 hour sail over night to Camden Haven, my home port.
I had very good conditions the whole way but only got in a few hours of pure sailing, but that's cruising!
All over after 209 days and 2,773 nautical miles.
Ahhh.... so I did have a witness... thought I was sneaking out unobserved...lol... I wonder if you heard my multiple f's as I was nervously manouvering my way out of there.....
I didn't think about it till afterwards, but it was only my 6th time taking her anywhere.... sad after having her over 3 years. I've kind of imagined that I've been out a lot more (trying to bolster my own perception of my experience)... but actually now quite proud of myself having gone solo for my 6th time out. It's a milestone I really wanted to reach... I'm still smiling about it.
Tonight I found this great read about sailing solo especially the section about docking.
Link below
www.billdietrich.me/SingleHand.html
Great to know you're home safe NSW... what a great achievement your trip has been... and thanks for your compliments on my coming back "smartly" 
I feel like the world is mine now!!!
Solo sailing is great! The challenge of being entirely self reliant, if only for a few hours, is very rewarding.
Have a read of "Singlehanded Sailing - Thoughts, Tips, Techniques & Tactics" by Andrew Evan.
Yay Mcnaughtical!!
That's brilliant! A picture paints a thousand words, that smile is the perfect example of why we sail. Don't you wish you could explain what it is like to people that have never had the pleasure ?
I am chuffed for you mate, well done on another milestone!
SB
Select to expand quoteYara said...
If it's OK to ask, did you lower the center board while you were out there?
No I didn't it won't go down
Select to expand quoteShaggybaxter said...
Yay Mcnaughtical!!
That's brilliant! A picture paints a thousand words, that smile is the perfect example of why we sail. Don't you wish you could explain what it is like to people that have never had the pleasure ?
I am chuffed for you mate, well done on another milestone!
SB
Thanks SB. And yes... it's one of those things that when you try to convey the excitement to most people they just give you bkank looks...
