August 12, 2011
-
To Do Lists
Ever since I was little, my mother has encouraged “To Do Lists.” When I was 6, she posted a list of chores to be completed each day, next to my dresser. It was fun to be able to cross each item off the list, and then be able to do other things, knowing those jobs were done. I hope to do that with the tyke, once he’s able to READ!
Meanwhile, I’ve got some things that I can cross off my sailing “to do list.”
1. Assemble the tiller
2. Get new non-crispy lines for the halyard and sheets.
3. Oil the trailer tire bearings.
4. Attach the new trailer plates.
And yet, as with all “to do lists,” there are always things to be added.
5. Now that I’ve got new lines, I need to cut them to fit, and cauterize the ends.
6. Find the boat plugs.
7. Make sure the new trailer lock fits.
8. Find the sail, lifejackets, bailer, and oar.
9. Make sure to bring the rudder and centerboard!
It’s especially important to make checklists when I go sailing, because the nearest lake is about an hour away. One doesn’t want to forget a crucial item, and then have to drive back home to get it. Last time I tried to go sailing with someone, he brought his Laser. We spent the better part of 30 minutes getting the stupid thing off his SUV, and then he realized he forgot his centerboard at home. I can’t fault him for it, because I didn’t realize I had lost my rudder until I had trailered my boat 60 miles, only to find that it wasn’t in the boathouse. So together, we were like a blind and a lame man attempting to go for a scenic walk.
I do have a new rule for myself, though. I am not sailing with anyone who cannot get his own boat off his car.
