On May 14th, we fulfilled a five-year dream and bought a sailboat. We took possession of Southwind, a golden-hulled 20 foot Matilda sailboat built in 1971 by Ouyang Boat Works in Oshawa.

We have spent the better part of the last 2 months fixing her up, stocking her, and practicing our sailing skills out of Toronto Sailing & Canoe Club at the base of Jameson Ave. In 10 weeks we have put in many dozens of hours on her but none longer than an afternoon, and none ever overnight.

This is her inaugural cruise:

We take a quiet morning to buy groceries and pack. Finally hit the road at 3:30. Dinner at the club with Eileen & Rick (our friends without whom the Southwind would never have gotten her hull wet). Stayed in TS&CC for first night. Beautiful, warm, calm night. But noisy. We were only a few hundred yards from Gardiner Expressway. We have our first mechanical mishap. The head has not been tested since we put it in. I go to get it ready by pressurizing it - and all the hoses pop off! This would have been better to deal with ahead of time. That aside, we have an uneventful and restful night's sleep.back to map