It Was a Great Day From the Top of the Mast
Today was a work day and practice for one of the boats that I sail on. We were testing out rigging and sails that hadn’t been used in a while. That included re-taping spreaders and cleaning up things attached to the mast. Let me tell you that I have a huge fear of heights — well, it’s a fear of falling, actually. But, I usually go up the mast — for a couple of reasons. One of those reasons […]
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Who Wants to Drive?
When I was a kid, I used to love it when my Dad would let me drive the boat. That boat was a 20 foot Matilda sloop with a tiller. Honestly, I don’t remember doing many tacks. I think my Dad would just set me up and let me steer a straight course across the lake. Fast forward to adulthood and I get apprehensive every time I’m asked to steer the boat. In recent years, my sailing and racing […]
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It’s a Good Time to Brush Up on First Aid & CPR
Even though it’s been a mild winter on the Mid-Atlantic coast, it’s still winter. There’s less sailing going on right now. So, that makes it a great time to take advantage of the off season and brush up on your first aid and CPR skills. I write this post after having completed first aid and CPR training earlier today. Even though most certifications are good for more than a year, I feel better about taking a refresher every year. If […]
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How to Tie a Clove Hitch
A clove hitch is a simple knot that can be used to secure fenders to a boat’s lifelines or to tie the boat off to a piling. There are a few different ways to tie a clove hitch. I’ve got information about some of them here. First, I’ll share my example of tying the clove hitch step by step. This is one way that I tie fenders to lifelines: Make a counterclockwise loop: Cross […]
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Yes, I Spent the Morning Sponging the Bilge
My parents have a few boats in a boatyard nearby. One of them is the 20 foot trailer sailor that I learned to sail on growing up. My Dad was worried that water had gotten inside; but he hadn’t gotten a chance to check it out himself. It was a bright, sunny, and warm (for the Mid-Atlantic) weekend. So, I decided to go out and give the boat a check. We were afraid that the trailer needed some additional blocks under […]
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So, Where Did That Logo Come From?
You may be wondering where the Race Girl Talk and Race Girl Race logos have come from. Well, here’s the story just in case you need to put your mind at ease. RaceGirl partnered with Shaun Boland for creation of the RaceGirlTalk and RaceGirlRace logos. Shaun is a talented graphic designer and cartoonist who writes the cartoon Bol’s Eye. It’s pretty hilarious – if you want some light hearted humor, you can check it out at www.bolseye.com. Shaun took time […]
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Eco-Armour . . . Products You Never Knew You Needed
During the Annapolis Sailboat show, I came across a product that I didn’t know I needed. Eco-Armour makes a line of botanical products using natural and organic ingredients. The one that caught my eye was the mosquito repelling body spray & moisturizer. Eco-Armour founder Robert Benzinger was sharing a sample of the product and also letting visitors know that it repels black flies, as well as, mosquitos. I’ve spent many hot summer days racing or cruising when black flies […]
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For a Great Shower, Start Here……
I remember being surprised as I prepared to take a shower during my first ocean charter. A boat mate handed me a bottle of dish soap and wished me well. I didn’t have any idea that regular soap would not foam in salt water. I also didn’t have any idea what the implications were for me, the boat, or the environment if I was showering with dish soap. Anyhow, I was pleasantly surprised to discover Savon de Mer; a shampoo […]
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Everyone’s a Fourth Grader
I had a lot of doubts about starting this blog. For a while, I was thinking that I didn’t know enough about racing sailboats to write about it. There were many lapses in my confidence and repeated instances of questioning my rationale. Then, I listened to the audiobook “The Barefoot Executive.” Honestly, I just happened upon the download as a special from audible.com. I wasn’t sure what I would find, but the title enticed the tropic loving sailor in me […]
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Hello World!
Hopefully, you can gather from the pictures on this page that I’m a girl and I love to race sailboats. My family bought a 20’ Matilda sloop when I was 13 years old; and I spent many summers trying to convince my parents to sail as much as possible. But, they loved to cruise and I always wanted to race. I fell out of sailing during college. However, my early thirties brought me to the Annapolis area. From a friend, […]
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