"The owner needs the boat in Paradise in less than a week." The delivery captain said to his crew.
"But the weather forecast just said..." Uttered the first mate before getting cut off.
"The weather forecast my foot." Interrupted the captain. "We get this boat to Paradise by Friday and it's a big fat envelope for each and every one of ya."
The crew rustled about after that line.
"You know the guy's good for it."
_____
The first day out had 30 to 40 knot winds on the nose with 20 foot seas. The racing sled sailboat flew over the tops of the big waves BAM!! belly flopping over and over.
The helmsman was getting disconcerted, "You think this OOMPH!! hull can take all this?"
"This boat's made of that new space age composite ultra-light ultra-strong stuff." Replied the captain. "Keep her on that course I gave you and don't deviate more than 5 degrees either way!"
"5 degrees in these waves?! That's imposs..."
"And watch out for ships. Oh, and hit the waves at more of an angle. The guys down below can't get proper rest with all the banging." The captain barked out at the helmsman while turning around and going below with an air of I'll hear no more.
_____
The days passed, the life story exchanges were exhausted, the wind remained hard on the nose and the waves kept pounding as the crew got into a groove.
"This sure ain't the Clipper Route." Uttered Sammy after pulling a dog eared paperback copy of "Moby Dick" from his face.
"Who invented this upwind sailing anyway?" Jimmy sarcastically asked.
"I think it was those Barbary Pirates with those lateen rigs." Sammy replied.
"Probably was an enterprising Arab delivering a luxury dhow for a Sheik, a Sheik who was always good with his promises of ready gold. That I say is the original inspiration for upwind sailing." Added Carlos from behind the helm.
"Well, after this gig I'm going back to being a downwind bum. You know, just drop a square sail from a yard and the hell with it. I mean, why fight fight the natural flow of mother earth?" Sammy added philosophically.
"Fat envelopes." Carlos added dryly.
"Yeah." Agreed Jimmy.
_____
Friday arrived and the captain addressed the exhausted beat up crew.
"We gotta get into Paradise by sunset or the owner won't pay."
"If he don't pay we'll..."
"Yeah we'll..."
The grumbling of the crew quickly got more and more loud and intense until the captain gave everyone The Death Stare.
The crew was frozen solid.
"Keep us on course!" Yelled the captain, thawing Jimmy at the helm.
"Pull in that jib! Let out the main! You, go below and clean the head!"
"I'll clean the galley!" Volunteered Carlos.
"Very good! Replied the captain. "At this speed we might barely make it to Paradise on time."
_____
to be continued...
Fair Winds
Captain Bill
"But the weather forecast just said..." Uttered the first mate before getting cut off.
"The weather forecast my foot." Interrupted the captain. "We get this boat to Paradise by Friday and it's a big fat envelope for each and every one of ya."
The crew rustled about after that line.
"You know the guy's good for it."
_____
The first day out had 30 to 40 knot winds on the nose with 20 foot seas. The racing sled sailboat flew over the tops of the big waves BAM!! belly flopping over and over.
The helmsman was getting disconcerted, "You think this OOMPH!! hull can take all this?"
"This boat's made of that new space age composite ultra-light ultra-strong stuff." Replied the captain. "Keep her on that course I gave you and don't deviate more than 5 degrees either way!"
"5 degrees in these waves?! That's imposs..."
"And watch out for ships. Oh, and hit the waves at more of an angle. The guys down below can't get proper rest with all the banging." The captain barked out at the helmsman while turning around and going below with an air of I'll hear no more.
_____
The days passed, the life story exchanges were exhausted, the wind remained hard on the nose and the waves kept pounding as the crew got into a groove.
"This sure ain't the Clipper Route." Uttered Sammy after pulling a dog eared paperback copy of "Moby Dick" from his face.
"Who invented this upwind sailing anyway?" Jimmy sarcastically asked.
"I think it was those Barbary Pirates with those lateen rigs." Sammy replied.
"Probably was an enterprising Arab delivering a luxury dhow for a Sheik, a Sheik who was always good with his promises of ready gold. That I say is the original inspiration for upwind sailing." Added Carlos from behind the helm.
"Well, after this gig I'm going back to being a downwind bum. You know, just drop a square sail from a yard and the hell with it. I mean, why fight fight the natural flow of mother earth?" Sammy added philosophically.
"Fat envelopes." Carlos added dryly.
"Yeah." Agreed Jimmy.
_____
Friday arrived and the captain addressed the exhausted beat up crew.
"We gotta get into Paradise by sunset or the owner won't pay."
"If he don't pay we'll..."
"Yeah we'll..."
The grumbling of the crew quickly got more and more loud and intense until the captain gave everyone The Death Stare.
The crew was frozen solid.
"Keep us on course!" Yelled the captain, thawing Jimmy at the helm.
"Pull in that jib! Let out the main! You, go below and clean the head!"
"I'll clean the galley!" Volunteered Carlos.
"Very good! Replied the captain. "At this speed we might barely make it to Paradise on time."
_____
to be continued...
Fair Winds
Captain Bill
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