It was a cool windy day with a steady 20 - 25 knot wind. I just loaded the 150% Genoa on the furler with it furled to about the size of a storm jib and left the main tied to the boom so we would just make 3 knots. The boys had a great time at the helm practicing holding courses using the built in compass. Kimberly and Pax wound up taking a nap for a bit over three hours in the V-berth as we just cruised around the lake. The boys had a great time and it gave them confidence that they could steer the boat and stay in control in the higher gusty winds. Around 4pm in the afternoon I dropped anchor and pulled the sails and stored them below deck.
We motored into the marina and the boys helped me land the boat at the dock for the first time without help from my wife. My 10 year old was at the bow with the dock hook and 25' dock line and my 8 year old was at the rear of the boat with a 25' dock line. My son at the bow was able to hook the dock cleat and hold us. I helped my younger son wrap the dock line around a dock cleat at the back and tie the boat off. I then went to the bow and helped my older son wrap his dock line around a cleat and tie it off. It was the first day that I have set the boat up, launched, landed, and packed back up to trailer home with just my two older boys. My wife was able to show up with our toddler before we left the dock and head home after we landed back a the dock.
Setting the boat up and taking it down is easy and actually relaxing for me. The boat floats on and off the trailer without the motor, which is nice. I enjoy mechanical things and the way the mast is perfectly balanced and cranks up and down easily with the wench is great.
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