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Brian and Hines Smith at Lake Pleasant, AZ (photo by Suzanne Willess)
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My cousin Frank was a sailor and I looked up to him, he was a multi hull freak and even hand built a 42 foot Cross Trimaran in Austin. He took me out on his sunfish a few times and Mom and I decided to take some sailing lessons from the Austin Parks and Recreation department.
So it all started with my Sunfish sailing lessons when I was 12 on Austin's Town Lake. I had a blast running the small sailboat at it's limit. Feeling the spray from the bow and the cool water when she capsized. 25 years later I saw a sunfish on Ebay, and I thought to myself "sailing was such fun, I have to have this boat." Well as soon at the bid went higher than the boat was worth, I stepped back and said to myself. "Self, if you're going to get a sailboat, get something fast, a catamaran." I found a Prindle 18 at the local sailboat shop and paid way too much for a boat that needed way too much work, but what the heck it was a blast. Again I had the spray from the hulls, the cold slap of water on my face when the dolphin striker hit large chop, and the Adeline running through my body as I lost my footing while trapped out doing 20 knots.
I had many great days with the boat, met lots of great sailors in Fleet 42 here in Arizona, and took many friends out for a day of sailing. Most day's were fun, but we had a few with low/no wind and chop from all the power boats, but that's the price you pay for being a sailor. I even had a nice day on the water with my x-wife and what do you know, we ended up married for the second (and final) time.
After 6-7 years of taking the old cat out, I got the bug to learn a new sport. That windsurfing sport looked like lots of fun. Going fast, staying cool and wet. Keeping the equipment in the garage and not needing any crew to help get it rigged.
I bought my first board from a guy in Tucson, it was a 80's vintage Bic Volice, she was a little advanced for a beginner, but hey I would catch on fast. I did catch on fast and after a 1-week vacation to Hood River and a few lessons from Hood River Water Play, I was hooked on planning! Now my control was sketchy, but I could bail off before running into another sailor or the shore! After that trip I upgraded to a Minstral 150L Explosion. It was used but much more fun then the Bic Volice.
The cold water of Hood River soon fell to the wayside as we discovered Bonaire. We could sail in the morning in 80 degree water that was only knee deep, and then dive all afternoon on one of the most beautiful reefs in the Caribbean. After two trips to Bonaire and many trips to fabulous Lake Pleasant I rate myself as an intermediate wind surfer. I still can't pull off the planning jibe, but I'm getting there.
Suzanne is also sailing, we bought her a nice beginner board and rig it with a nice lightweight carbon fiber rig. She's very competent and has not expressed the need for speed that her I have.
Suzanne making waves in Bonaire 2008.
Brian enjoying the speed in Bonaire 2008. The bay has a sandy bottom and is anywhere from 6" to 4' deep. Every now and then you can chase the 4' baracuda who trolls the shallows for a snack.