Commodore's Column - February 2008

by Tom Sokoloski
Catalina 36 International Association

2007. Where did it go? Sitting around after a glorious Thanksgiving feast, I have time to reflect on the past year. From a sailing perspective, 2007 was one of the best ever, at least for me. After a rainy start in May, I cannot remember a summer with better winds, better weather, or better sailing, at least in New England. I feel very fortunate, knowing about the flooding in Texas, the drought in the Southeast, and the rainy weekends in other parts of the country. If memory serves, I was out sailing every weekend except two. Even when the rest of the family had other plans, they were kind and understanding enough to allow me to escape to the boat, and escape I did. With jacklines and a harness, I single-handed Julandra on several weekends to meet up with friends at Block Island, Coecles Harbor, and Watch Hill. Don’t get me wrong. I would rather sail with friends and family, but if given the choice of sitting around the house in nice weather and complaining that I’m not on the boat, or sailing alone, sailing wins every time.
Early in the season I was asked to help a friend deliver his newly purchased boat a hundred miles or so to its new home. Despite the boat’s reputation as a great sailing boat (a “racer-cruiser,” as the brochure described), I was disappointed in its performance, and couldn’t wait to get back to my C36 the next weekend. Later in the summer, I was asked by another friend to help him sail his boat back from a family vacation in Maine. This boat sails well, but has nowhere near the room of the C36, even though all of the dimensions are almost identical. I keep looking, but it is very hard to find a better all-around boat than the C36. Biased? You bet I am!
September has always been my favorite month for sailing. The water is still warm. The skies are clear. The wind is more dependable after lighter summer air. Many have forgotten their boats to pursue school and other family activities, leaving popular harbors less crowded. This past September was no exception. The Admiral and I dropped our daughter off at college, and left the next day for two weeks on the water. We were blessed with perfect weather. It seemed that everywhere we went, the wind was 60 degrees off the bow. Some days were lighter than others, but the wind always cooperated. Maybe, just maybe, Julandra had shaken the nickname of “HMS Headwind”? It was such a great feeling to get the sails set just so, take my hand off the wheel, and feel the boat surge through the waves, tracking straight for hours at a time. Soon the mercury will drop, the snow will fly, and the long countdown to launch will begin. In the meantime I have some outstanding memories to help me through the winter. One hundred and fifty three days, if you have to ask…

Tom Sokoloski
C36IA Commodore