Trying To Be "Sufficiently" Happy

I try to be as self-sufficient as I can with regards to my sailing. Why? Do I think that when I sail around the world or across big blue oceans that this is going to help me? Well, yes, IF I was to do either of those things it would help me a lot. But I am here to tell you that more than likely; I am not going to get the opportunity to do either of those things.  I'm a blue collar worker bee. As time goes by, I become older, more realistic, and I come to accept more and more, that “It’s Ok” that I am not crossing oceans.  There are many challenges for me right here in good old North America on the small little boats I sail.

Over the years I have taught myself basic splicing, basic rigging, basic sewing, basic woodwork, basic

electrical, basic canvass work, basic fiberglass work, and basic maintenance on the outboard.  At times working on my own stuff has bit me in the butt. The latest scenario was costing myself a $200 repair bill when I accidentally disturbed the shift fork while changing an impeller on my outboard's lower unit. This was a mistake I had made once before years ago (which made it that much more frustrating for me). I have done the job numerous times since then with no issues. Just brain farted this time. I guess my memory is going. However, after I did it…somehow  my memory suddenly restored itself ! (about 20 minutes and $200 too late). That's one of the pitfalls of the DIY'er working within a limited skill set. Once in a while you will get outside your comfort zone. When that happens, you just gotta go seek professional help, and pay the price. (By the way, I have been told many times "You need to seek professional help!) LOL .

 I'll readily admit that, at times, I have overestimated my DIY skill-sets in various disciplines and purchased items or materials I later deemed beyond my skill level to effectively put into use.  Sometimes It IS just better to swallow your pride and leave it to the professionals. But your skills never gain any ground unless you put them to the test. 

Taking all that into account, I have to say…that our boat “Dauntless” would not be the boat she is today had I not just bit the bullet, rolled up my sleeves, dug in, and got dirty a few times.  It’s just a plain old fact that sweat equity is a real and tangible thing. Because “Dauntless” is our boat (and my time is free to me) I was willing expend way more labor and love on many projects , than I could ever afford to pay a professional to do.  

Getting Realistic

Even though I don’t see myself having the opportunity to sail the Seven Seas…we do occasionally find ourselves in fairly remote locations or on the water in conditions where there are not a lot of other boaters around.

 It’s times like these I feel that the DIY’er in me really pays off. For one thing….I’m much more intimately acquainted with many aspects of my boat than I would be otherwise. I understand their condition, strengths, and weaknesses. I know what to look for and what to be alarmed by. I pick up on things that are changing quicker and I am able to address them sooner because of it. I think that this makes us safer on the water.  I know it makes me feel better and more confident.  It brings me joy to know that to some extent I have developed some skills that allow us a certain amount of freedom while enjoying a certain level of safety. I see the safety of my crew as my primary job. My crew is the most precious thing I have in this world. Anything I can do to help take care of them is a worthwhile endeavor.

I like to think that as a sailor I should strive for self sufficiency. However, I have to be realistic. I don’t want to come off sounding like the guy who has been sailing for whopping 6 months that scolds people for using a motor….because he is a “sailing purist”.  Some things I leave to the pros. I strive for self sufficiency because it makes me feel good and it may help me out in a pinch. Let’s face it…for a true long distance cruising sailor all these skills that I have learned are only the beginning. He/She truly needs to be confident that 2000 miles from help, they can get the job done, any job, if needed. For me…the max  number seems to be closer to 30 miles than 2000…but that can still be a long ways away at 5 knots. 

 I’m not gonna lie….it gives me a sense of satisfaction to be able to take care of as much as I can on my own. It makes me feel like a better sailor, it at times saves me a fair amount of money,  and I do think it makes us safer on the water. More than once some of the skills I have learned from maintaining and fixing our own stuff have come into play while on a trip and turned what could have been a crappy day , into "no big deal".  It’d be really easy to allow myself to start getting a little smug about "how smart I am" , fixing all my own stuff.  Yep, …. And about that time is when I am usually handing my debit card over to the pro…who’s running a charge on it…for fixing my mistake and teaching me something new. J  Basically he’s charging me for experience. You now, Experience …knowledge gained from correcting one’s mistakes. It's amazing how that can help keep your ego in check. ;-)