A quick launch scenario

            I don’t know about you, but I like to get my boat on the water as soon as possible.  That is, off the trailer and sailing.  It takes me about an hour to set everything up and actually start sailing the boat. 

            I should clarify.  The only time when set up is an issue is when I am traveling with the boat; for example, when I hauled it out to Montana to sail on Flathead Lake.  When at home, the Flying Fish stays on a mooring and it takes me about ten minutes to board her, stow gear, and set sail. 



Mast Cradle on the Rudder

         When I refurbished my boat, I built a mast cradle which I designed to attach to the upper half of the rudder.  This was accomplished by mounting the cradle through the same holes that the tiller and rudder blade use.  It works great.  However, I have found that over time the weight of the mast is starting to damage the mounts.  The overall effect of which is that there is more lateral play in both the tiller and rudder blade.  I.E. the rudder blade and tiller are loose.  It’s not a major concern at this point, but I am looking at correcting the problem before it gets worse. 

            My idea is to use a sawhorse which can fit in the cock pit and support the mast when traveling.  I’ve seen these on other boats as mast cradles and I think it is the best alternative to what I have now.  No one tells you these things when you first get a boat.  Oh well, live and learn.

            In thinking about it; not only will it eliminate the strain on the rudder mounts, but it will allow me to keep the rudder and tiller set up when traveling.  It could potentially speed up launch time by fifteen or more minutes.  Not to mention recovery and travel preparation.

            I realize that an extra fifteen minutes here and there is not a big deal.  Also, there is a potential for damage to the rudder if it comes loose and gets dragged down the highway.  That would be awesome; show up at your destination only to find your rudder is half the size it was when you left.  Truth be told, I would remove it on any trip longer then an hour or so. 

            On the other hand, I have been at boat launches where powerboat owners gave me the evil eye. This was because I was taking up valuable space with my archaic sailboat; making their comrades wait an unduly amount of time while I set up everything.  “Buy a real boat asshole,” I could hear them thinking.

            Hey, I have all winter to make a new mast cradle.  Only six months to go until launch.

Main Sheet and Boom Modifications on a CM-21

When I first got my CM-21 I didn’t know sailing from flying.  However, I quickly figured out that the main sheet was located in a very inconvenient location; mounted just outside the cabin in the front of the cockpit. 

Old Main Sheet Mount

On the many sailing outings I went on, it became apparent that the original design was cumbersome and limited the overall utility of the boat.  The system consisted of a rail, and a block mounted directly aft of the main hatch.  The rail allowed the block to slide from port to starboard, giving optimal adjustment to the boom.  The main sheet effectively restricted entry to the cabin and limited the sitting space available in the cockpit. 

More then once the mainsheet would lock a passenger or myself into a front corner of the cockpit; or when tacking make it difficult for a passenger or myself to switch sides while turning.  It was an inconvenient and unacceptable set-up and needed to be addressed.  I’m sure other CM-21 owners can appreciate my concerns and have experienced the same.

During my initial period of sailing I had the good fortune to experience other boats and observed how their main sheets were rigged.  It seemed to me that there was a wide array of options as to rigging a main sheet.  This, I’m sure helped me realize that the CM-21 design could use some improvement.

New Main Sheet Mount

In the spring of 2011, prior to launching the boat for the season, I decided to do the modifications.  I had had all winter to contemplate my many options, and decided to go with a simple yet efficient design.  I would mount the main sheet off of the aft stay. 

I had seen this configuration on another boat and thought that it would lend itself well to my CM-21.  It was just a matter of fabricating and mounting the necessary hardware.  All I needed to accomplish my modifications were a couple pieces of aluminum and a new block system.

First, I needed a thin rectangular piece of aluminum to make into both an aft stay mount and a connection point for the block.  This I found at a local fabrication shop and acquired for free.  It was too small a piece of aluminum to have any marketable value, so they just let me have it.  Cool.   The aluminum piece was 3/8 inch thick, 8 inches long by 3 inches wide.  I would have preferred a ¼ inch thick piece, but there were none available.

It took me a couple hours to fabricate the aluminum shank into the shape I had designed.  This consisted of cutting, grinding, sanding, and drilling three holes into the piece of metal.  When it was all said and done, I was very happy with the end result.

Wooden Block

To make the new fitting attach properly I had to shorten the aft stay by about the same length.  I actually shortened it a tad more then the aluminum shank in order to maximize the adjustment potential of the aft stay and to account for the shackles I would need to attach the fitting to the boat. 

I also added to the adjustment potential of the aft stay by placing a wooded block or wedge onto the boat.  This I fabricated and painted.  The wedge is placed between the hull and the aft stay mount; making it possible to adjust the aft stay by a couple inches either way. It also moved the aft stay out another inch and a half making sure that the boom can swing freely.  On my boat, I only had a couple inches between the boom and the aft stay in the first place.  I wanted to make sure the new modifications would work properly and adding more space seemed to be the answer.

New Boom Mount

Next, I needed to add an attachment point to the end of my boom.  This I accomplished by using a long thin piece of aluminum.  The only issue was how to attach the new fitting without compromising the existing configuration.  The new fitting could not restrict the line used to tighten the foot of the main sail; which pulled through a groove at the end of the boom and is attached to a cleat on the under side.

My solution was to bend the aluminum in half and rivet it to both sides of the boom.  I left enough space in the curvature of the bend as not to restrict the tension line of the main sail.  In the middle of the bend I drilled a single hole where the main sheet could attach via a shackle.

So far so good, the modifications seemed like they would work.  It was at this point in the project I actually spent money.  I decided I wanted marine quality hardware to complete the refit of my boat. 

I purchased two blocks (one with an attached cleat), a new main sheet, and several stainless steel shackles.  I took my new toys home and assembled my new main sheet. 

Kicking Strap

It worked just as I had envisioned, opening up the cock pit and eliminating the restriction to the cabin.  Soon, I tried it on the water and it proved to be as effective in actual use as it was in my driveway.

Because I had moved the main sheet from the original position, I now needed a kicking strap.  In the old configuration this was not necessary, as the main sheet eliminated the boom from lifting.  Boom lift was the only consequence of moving the main sheet to the aft of the cock pit.  It was an easy fix.

I used my old main sheet and blocks for the kicking strap and attached them to the mast using a climbing wedge.  The wedge fit perfectly into the bottom of the mast and eliminated the need to add an attachment point to it.  

With the new fittings in place and the addition of a kicking strap my CM-21, the Flying Fish, is ready for action.  The cock pit is now more comfortable then ever and the cabin is easily accessed.   I am very happy with my most recent modifications.  Happy sailing.

The Wilds of Glacier

            Last weekend I had the opportunity to explore Glacier National Park.  Not just drive through like so many visitors, but actually take in all the park had to offer; at least in one little section.

            Joined by my friends Levi and Lucas, we were determined to set out and explore the back country and see what we could see.  The trip had been planned some weeks in advance.  Not really planned, rather an allocation of time.  We all wanted to camp in the deep recesses of the park and had a general idea of where we wanted to go.

            After work on Thursday we were to head up to Glacier for an early start on Friday.  This did not happen.  Levi left and ended up hanging out with a friend who was leaving the next day.  Needless to say, he was worthless on Friday morning.  That’s ok, it allowed Lucas and I to sleep in.  We left for Glacier around noon and did the tourist thing; spending three or four hours checking out the area around Lake McDonald.  It was actually a good thing because I was able to buy some gifts for my family while I visited the lodge.

Lake McDonald

            Lucas and I drove part way up Logan Pass and stopped multiple times to take pictures.  I even took some of him pretending to fly fish.  These were for a newsletter associated with an organization which had awarded him a scholarship.  He wanted to at least look the part; a bass angler getting a fly fishing scholarship.  You go buddy.



Mt. Oberlin



            Later that evening we hooked up with Levi and his friend Carlton.  We would stay at Carlton’s place that night and hopefully get an early start in the morning.  As the evening wore on this seemed like an impossible task.  This was due to the fact that we ended up at a local bar and were settled in for a long haul.  I left at nine or ten knowing that to stay any longer would jeopardize any hope of hiking the next day.  I’m not as young as I use to be. 

            I went back to Carlton’s house, got out my sleeping bag and went to sleep on the front porch.  The rest of the motley crew arrived sometime after one AM according to what I was told.

            At around six in the morning I got up.  I had been pretty much awake anyway and didn’t sleep much that night.  I rousted Levi and Lucas and we were out the door by half past the hour. 

            We decided to go to the permit office at Lake McDonald instead of the Two Medicine side.  It was an hour or more away and there was no telling if we could get a permit if we waited. 

Upper Two Medicine Lake

            When we arrived at the permit office there was already a line. Damn!  So, if you are trying to get a back country permit in Glacier National Park, go early.  We joined the group of back country enthusiasts and waited for fate to grant us passage.

            The available camp sites were filling up quickly, so we didn’t get the area we were planning on, which was Old Man Lake.  We had wanted to do Dawson and Pitamakan pass; a sixteen mile loop staying at Old Man Lake on the way out.  Fortunately, there was an opening at Upper Two Medicine Lake which was in the same general area of high peaks and deep valleys.  Plus it was only a five mile hike.  That was a good thing because it almost killed me.

Mt. Rockwell

            Permit in hand we headed for the trail head stopping for breakfast along the way.  It was eleven in the morning when we finally hit the trail and made our way up to the lake.  Three hours later we arrived.

            It was beautiful, eye candy, and I had to just sit for a while and take it in.  Once the awe inspiring view loosened its grip we found a camp site and settled in.  Then it was time to play.

            It soon became very apparent that nature had no intention of letting us explore without a fight.  The vegetation was extremely dense and there were downed trees to contend with.  If we left the trail it was slow going.  This and the fact that it was late in the afternoon restricted our activities to the area around our camp.  I made it about 300 yards around one side of the lake but got tired of climbing over logs. 

Levi & Lucas

            In lue of hiking we decided to go fishing.  It would keep us busy for the next hour or two before dinner.  Lucas and Levi did great, catching many unsuspecting trout out of Upper Two Medicine Lake.  I on the other hand, only managed to catch sticks and loose two flies.  Certainly not my best day, but at least there was the view; of course I was fly fishing and did I mention there was dense brush.

            We ate dinner at the communal cooking area which also had a bear box.  A bear box is a metal container where we and everyone else camping there, stored our food.  Being known for grizzly bears, Glacier National Park requires all back country visitors to properly store their food to help avoid human / bear interaction. 

            Dinner consisted of MREs or Meals Ready to Eat, which really aren’t too bad on a limited basis.  It’s like opening a Christmas present because you never know what you’re going to get.  However, I wouldn’t recommend them on any trip longer then a day or two; they weigh a ton, most of it being packaging.  I had beef stew and a strawberry shake. 

            After we got to camp Levi had gotten a little annoyed with me because I was carrying around a water bottle with Gator Aid in it.  He said I should only drink that at the cook area.  Whatever, camp Nazi.  His concerns may have been warranted, but I didn’t feel I was endangering anyone and I did store the water bottle in the bear box that night.

Rising Wolf Mountain

            Once it started to cool down the bugs came out and drove us all into our tents.  We played a few games and called it a night.  It was kind of funny looking at each other through the mesh screens of the tents while we kept ourselves entertained.

            The next day we hit the trail around nine and stated the trip out.  I intentionally took my own sweet time stopping often to take pictures and look at the scenery.  It was a beautiful day and I was going to enjoy it.  The hike out took about three hours.  I found Lucas and Levi waiting for me by the car and was rewarded with a cold beer upon my arrival.

Montana

            Montana, if you haven’t been, go.  If you have been, go again.  It’s great.  I have had the good fortune to spend a summer in western Montana and it’s an experience I will never forget.  Besides the new friends I’ve made, I’ve seen some of the most beautiful country in the world, “God’s Country.”

            I found myself in Condon Montana in early June to work for the Forest Service.  There, I met a group of talented and diverse people whom I am proud to call friends.  They come from a wide range of backgrounds and locations; all adding to my appreciation of lifestyles and philosophies, of which I was previously aware of, but had not been exposed to; or, maybe stereo-typed in my perception.  Anyway, my friends more than the location, have made for a wonderful experience.

            I, being obsessed with sailing was able to broaden their experiences as well.  This is because, most if not all of my new friends had never been on a sailboat, and due to the fact that I am such a dynamic personality.  On the flip side, I have been introduced to some very rewarding experiences of my own.

            Last weekend, my friend Levi invited Lucas and me to go to Glacier National Park and stay with some friends of his, “Parkys” who live and work there.  They are a bunch of great folks in their own rite.

The Town

            While in Glacier, the entire group of us went to Polebridge, a quaint little community in the middle of nowhere.  It is nestled in the Flathead valley on the west side of the Park and is home to some commanding views.

            The town, if you can call it that, consists of a mercantile and a small café, with many other out buildings and cabins near by.  Upon arrival, it felt as if I had been transported back in time to somewhere in the mid 1800’s.  To put this in perspective, the only bathroom facility was literally an outhouse.  That only added to the charm of this community.  However, it is advisable to hold your breath when using it.

            The Polebridge café made great pizza and sold beer; a winning combination by my standards.  On the south side of the building was a volleyball court and I soon found myself in a pick-up game with my new friends.  In between getting our asses kicked, we would sit on one of the many picnic tables eating pizza and drinking beer.  I had a great time.

The Game

Playing on the Porch

            One of the neatest things about Polebridge were the musicians who hung out on the porch and played bluegrass.  They kept it up the whole time we were there.  Apparently, the people playing were locals and would play at the café whenever the urge hit them.  I was told it was a common occurrence.  How cool is that. 

            After we had our fill, the group headed back to West Glacier and the Park’s employee housing where we would spend the rest of the night.  Out of the eight or nine of us, we managed to kill a lot of beer.  Hard to believe I know.  I think I ended up on the couch sometime around 3:00 AM.

            The next day was a little rough, but Lucas and I were up and gone by nine in the morning.  I had to run into Kalispell to have my brakes worked on and wanted to get it done and over with.  The rest of the weekend was uneventful and found us back in Condon doing what we usually do, drinking beer and listening to music.

            Future weekends will find me back on the lake at least a couple times.  The others are reserved for exploration.  We are planning to hit Glacier for a backpacking trip.  It’s Levi’s back yard so he has picked “the spot."  It should be a fun trip if it doesn’t kill me. 

Montana Pictures

Town of Big Fork

Angel Point

Flathead Lake

Holland Lake

Bear Print

Mission Mountains

Sunset on Flathead

Cold Lake Basin

Glacier National Park

Flathead Revisited

Making the most of free time is an art.  If you can get all of the little odds and ends out of the way and focus on what you really want to be doing you’re in good shape.  If one of you knows the secret please let me know.

            I had a four day weekend and was determined to make the most of it.  I wanted to spend my time on the lake.  Where else?  I was hoping that I would be able to circumnavigate Flathead Lake.  Finally.  No such luck, it was to be an epic failure.  That is, in actually circumnavigating the lake.  I did succeed in spending pretty much my entire weekend sailing.  Unfortunately, the wind gods were not with me, and I spent a lot of time bobbing. 

            To put that in perspective, it took me six hours to go three miles.  It probably would have been faster if I swam towing the boat.  Oh well, a bad day of no wind on the boat is better then a good day at work any time.

            I could have started the motor and made the distance in half an hour but I had motored for twelve miles the day before.  I needed to conserve my remaining fuel to make it back to the launch and that was a good twenty miles away.

Flathead Islands

            That sums it up.  No wind, no circumnavigation.  Now, what I did manage to do is find some really neat areas on the south side of Flathead Lake.  There are at least four good sized islands there and many smaller ones; all very fun to sail in and around.  Even if you are only going half a knot.

            It was in that area where I spent the majority of the weekend.  Also, Finley Point State Park is there and it undoubtedly has the nicest boating facilities out of all the state parks located around the lake, and is the only one with a marina.  Good luck getting a camp site.  Ha ha, don’t need one. 

            I would be back at the lake again the next weekend.  This time I did have wind and accomplished my goal of circumnavigating the lake.  I also managed to find an open spot on an island and camp there.  That was impossible the previous weekend.  It was a mad house out there; everybody and their brother had a speed boat.  Thus all the prime camping areas I saw were already taken.

Levi Sleeping

            This past weekend I had my friend Levi aboard.  He had never been sailing before and much like my own indoctrination into the sport, it was a trial by fire.  One day we were pulling six knots with only my storm jib up.  It was great.

            Unfortunately, the previous weekend (the 4^th) there was no wind, so my friend Donovan wasn’t very impressed.  However, he did get to see the lake.

            I had fun both weekends and will say this about Flathead Lake.  It is a fun lake to sail but is no Lake Superior.  It is too small for my taste but one must make due.  I will be going again and will probably even enjoy it. 

            One other note, I contacted Tim, not “Tim” but a gentleman I met through the blog.  He lives here in Montana and I invited him out for a sail.  He joined Levi and I for a quick cruise around the southern islands.  We had good wind and the boat was healing for a good portion of the voyage.  I think it worried him a bit.  That was probably due to the fact that he had flipped his boat the weekend before.  I assured him that, at least in the current conditions, the Flying Fish was completely stable.  Fair sailing Tim.



Island Camp Sites



Donovan at  Finley Point St Pk.

Bull Island

The Cap'n

The Mission Range

A Voyage on Flathead Lake

After three weeks of waiting for decent weather, the opportunity finally presented itself.  It was time to hit the lake.  I was ready and had been for some time.  After being stuck in Condon Montana for the last two weeks; it was time to see what Flathead Lake had to offer.

I had been thinking about it for some time and knew what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go.  I had an eager crew, a seaworthy vessel, and a plan.  It was the perfect formula for a weekend on the lake.  Well, nothing ever goes as planned, especially if you’re dealing with unknown variables.

First off, the night before we left, I wasn’t expecting to drink beers with my crew mates until 2 AM in the morning.  But we did have a good time and even managed to shave one of the individuals’ leg.  How old am I?  Hey, when in Rome.

Needless to say, the next day was a very slow start.  I think we rolled out at about 12:30 in the afternoon, bound for Kalispell.  We needed supplies and I wanted to make sure the boat would be legal on Montana waters.  The only place I could accomplish that was at the Fish and Wildlife office in Kalispell.  I also needed to get a spare part for the motor.  It seems I had lost the plug which connects the gas line to the motor sometime in the pervious couple weeks.  A fruitless search revealed nothing.

After a fifteen minute wait at the Fish and Wildlife office I was told that I was good to go and wasn’t required to purchase any addition permits for the boat.  What a colossal waste of time.  Last time I’ll listen to locals on the virtues of boat registration.

After a few more stops and an endless set of traffic lights we were headed for the lake.  I was able procure a chart of the Lake when I bought the spare part for the motor; so the trip wasn’t a total waste.  Now I at least had an idea what was to be found around the lake.

I wanted to launch on the south side, out of Yellow Bay.  That would put us close to the more interesting areas of the lake.  I needed to get gas, and figured there would be a gas station at the launch point.  Nope, wrong again.  So, we turned around and headed back up to Woods Bay.  Hell, at this rate I would be circumnavigating the lake via the highway system instead of on the water.

We got gas and headed for the launch.  There is a marina/RV park at Woods Bay and it seemed like our best hope.  Unfortunately, the good folks there didn’t think about sailboats when they built the marina.  There was a bridge over the entrance; thus making it impossible to access the lake if you happen to have a twenty eight foot tall mast on you vessel.  Arrrrrrg!

I talked to the owner and found out there was a public boat launch just over the hill.  She said there was no over night camping, but we could launch the boat there.  No, problem, we wouldn’t be camping; at least not there.  As long as we could leave the truck and trailer, we were good to go.

We made it.  The time was 3:30 PM Friday.  It took about thirty minutes to set up the boat and stow (loosely termed) our gear.  The boat was launched and we began our weekend.  It was much later then I had hoped for, but better late then never. 

My original plan had been to circumnavigate the lake and maybe stop at a dock side bar or two along the way.  I would find a nice cove somewhere every night to anchor the boat.  It looked good on paper.

No sooner then we were on the water then my crew member Lucas was on the phone making plans for the night.  Lucas….. “Hey, were heading for the Raven, meet us there.”  This call directed at our supervisor, who was hurting for a social life.

We sailed for an hour or two and then headed for the Raven.  The Raven, a bar located in Woods Bay is located on the shore of Flathead Lake and comes equipped with a dock; very convenient. 

I was thinking, a couple beers and back on the water.  We needed to find a place to park it for the night.  Lucas however, had other plans.  Little did I know that I would be spending my entire night there. 

I called it good around 11 PM and sought refuge on the Flying Fish.  With earplugs in, I was immune to the noise coming from the bar.  Soon I was sawing logs, as is my custom.  Lucas wouldn’t come aboard until after the bar closed. 

When I went to sleep the lake was perfectly calm.  Sometime in the middle of the night the wind picked up and provided chop.  Since I was tied up to the dock, the boat started to bang against it, rousing me from my slumber.  I got up, moved the boat, and anchored out in the bay.  The rest of the night was fitful, but at least the boat wasn’t hitting the dock.

Saturday morning we actually started “real” sailing; setting our course west across Flathead Lake.  As we cruised, the wind picked up and by the time we were close to the west shore the Flying Fish was pulling six knots. 

I was loving it; this is what I had come here to do.  Lucas, being a complete novice to the “State of Mind” that is sailing, didn’t know what to expect.  At times becoming freaked out as the boat healed in a gust.  He picked it up quickly and soon I was leaving him to man the tiller so I could attend other things.

We made for West Shore State Park.  We hadn’t eaten breakfast yet and the lake was too rough to prepare a meal on.  We docked and found a picnic area.  It was disheartening to me as we ate due to the boat being completely pounded against the dock.  Looking back, I would have sought out a calmer spot to eat.  As far as I could tell the Flying Fish suffered no adverse effects; just my nerves.  I was happy to get back out onto the lake.

From West Shore State Park we made for Long Arm Bay; a journey which would take about four hours.  At first the wind was coming from the south and our direction of travel.  After tacking for more then an hour we were making little headway.  The Flying Fish does not like to beat.  So, I started the motor.  We only made four knots against the wind, but we did gain ground. 

We motored until we approached Wild Horse Island and then left our fate up to the prevailing winds.  Murphy’s Law, the wind died down making for a slow trip from that point on.  We would have to use the motor again just to move.  Oh well, at least we were out on the lake.

I headed into the harbor at Big Arm hoping to find a gas station.  The chart indicated that it was a fueling spot.  My tank was down to about a third and I wanted to make sure we could make it back to the launch if the wind didn’t agree with us.

As we pulled in the boat came to a sudden halt.  The harbor was not deep enough for the keel.  Somewhat embarrassed by the situation, I quickly cranked up the keel and proceeded into the slip area.  There is nothing better then having an audience when something like that happens.  I’m sure the people lounging on their boat in the harbor appreciated the spectacle.  They were nice enough to inform us that there was no longer any fuel services located there.  SHIT.

Back out we went, engine stalls and all.  At that point I decided to head straight for Big Arm State Park and whatever camping spot we could find.  Fifteen minutes later we neared the shore, spotted a camp spot, and made ready to land.  In no time at all we were set up and ready to enjoy the evening.

Lucas pitched his tent and we both had camp chairs.  Soon after landing we were sitting around a fire and enjoying a few beers.  The night set in and we called it a day.

On Sunday morning the Flying Fish made her way back out into the lake and towards the launch area.  It would take us about six hours to sail the distance.  This was mostly due to inconsistent wind.  However, once we cleared Wild Horse Island the wind was steady and we made good time, averaging five and a half knots.

We arrived at 3:00 PM, packed up the boat and headed back to Condon.  The weekend was drawing to a close, but had provided good sailing and some extra curricular activities.  I would be ready to hit it again the following weekend.

Out on Lindbergh

Yesterday, to spite my better judgment I took the boat out.  It was raining pretty much all day, but the crew and I were restless due to the poor weather and needed a break in the monotony.

Being stuck in Condon Montana is no picnic.  There is nothing to do unless you like dive bars or hiking.  The locals are friendly enough, but offer little in the way of entertainment.  Unless you happen to be at Liquid Louie’s on a Saturday night; it can get pretty lively.

Round about two in the afternoon, I was asked if we were going to take the boat out.  I looked at the weather (dark and overcast) and said what the hell.  We hooked up the boat, drove down to the local store, bought supplies, and headed out.

Within about fifteen minutes we had reached Lindbergh Lake; a small four mile long  lake in the Mission Range of northern Montana.  Not what I would call a good sailing lake, but you could tell by the numerous houses along the shore, and the power boats on their docks that it was a well used body of water.

The crew and I, that is, me and a couple new friends Lucas and Donovan, arrived and set up the boat; soon there after we had it in the water.  No sooner then that took place, than it started to rain.  Our adventure on Lindbergh Lake was not starting out to well.

We retreated to Lucas’s truck, where we took refuge.  About fifteen minutes later the rain subsided and I made the decision to begin our little voyage.  It was overcast, but at least it wasn’t raining, a definite plus.

The mountains from the lake

I started my four horse Evinrude and motored us out into the lake.  The mist was ever present, but as we moved further out in to the water it became apparent that Lindbergh Lake had some beautiful scenery to offer.  We motored west roughly down the middle of the lake.  I estimate that it was about a quarter mile wide at most.  The lake meandered thought a steep glacier carved valley and was completely surrounded by lush forests.  It was very picturesque.

During that time I made preparations to get rained on again, by erecting a home made canopy over the cockpit.  With bungee cords, tent poles, and tarp installed; we were now ready for the deluge.  Good thing too, because it started raining on us shortly there after.

With no sun and wet conditions it was a cold trip.  Donovan decided he was more comfortable in the cabin; leaving Lucas and I to man the cockpit.  We hunkered down under the tarp as the Flying Fish slowly made her way down the lake.  The tarp did its job with the exception of our derrières.  The water coming into the cockpit was soaking the seats.

As we rounded the last bend of the lake we were rewarded with a great view of the high peaks located in the Mission Wilderness.  It almost looked as if we had been transported to the Alps.  I was waiting for some guy in lederhosen to pop out of the forest. Actually, lederhosen were not on my mind. 

I did a couple circles at the west end of the lake before heading back; the whole time taking in the magnificent view.  We could see that there was going to be a break in the weather, but I decided that it was better to make our way back instead of counting on a reprieve in the rain.

When we were almost back, about a half a mile from the boat ramp, the rain stopped; if only for a brief pause.  It looked like the sun might make out and warm us up.  It was at time that I broke out the grill and fired it up. 

The motor was silenced and we sat drifting on Lindbergh Lake.  We threw some brats on the grill and soon were feasting.  Those and a couple beers did us good.  Pretty much as soon as we finished eating the weather decided it was time for the fun to end.   

The rain started up again and so did the motor.  By the time we made it to the boat ramp it was getting pretty wet.  It took us about fifteen minutes to get the boat ready to tow.  We hopped in Lucas’s truck, heater on, and headed back to the ever exciting Condon work station to resume our ever exciting weekend activities.  But hey, at least I got the boat out.  Oh, and we did see a deer swimming.

Swimming deer

A Journey to Flathead Lake, Montana

Situated in the northern Rockies of Montana is a great valley carved by glaciers and in this valley sits a lake; Flathead Lake. Some thirty miles long and up to about fifteen miles wide, with islands and coves to explore.  It was here that I set my sites if I had any hope of taking my boat out this summer.   Because sailing season is so short in the north, one must take every opportunity.

I had gotten the offer to work on the Flathead National Forest in late April.  I immediately got on Google maps and looked at the perspective job location to see what was there.  Low and behold there was a relatively large lake very close to the location I would be working. Nothing like Lake Superior, but adequate for the purpose (I hoped).

In early June I packed up my car, hooked up the boat, and hit the road  It was hard leaving family and friends, but it was only for a short duration; I would return and in time to enjoy at least the last bit of summer.  

The drive was uneventful; my Subaru Forester pulled the boat with no trouble.  Of course it was flat; the real test would come when I got out west.  Wait, I spoke to soon.  At approximately 12:00 noon as I was driving across Minnesota I blew out one of the trailer tires.  As fate would have it I had no spare, and to top that off, the lug wrench in my car didn’t fit the wheel.

I disconnected the trailer on the side of a narrow two lane highway, and drove to the closest town, a distance of about eight miles.  Once there I bought a lug wrench, and went back to the boat.  It took another trip into town with the blown tire and back before I was on the road again.  I had the other tire changed as well, not wanting to relive the experience. 

Yep, still there (the boat)

The rest of the day was spent heading west in some wicked head winds.  My little car was struggling to maintain sixty miles an hour across North Dakota.  Man, that was a long drive.  I can only hope the winds are in my favor on the way home. 

I made my goal of reaching the Montana state line before midnight eastern time, with ten minutes to spare.  I drove for another hour until I was getting loopy and then pulled over and slept in the boat.

The next day found me in Montana.  Let me tell you, Montana is a really big state!  It took me ten hours of driving through beautiful landscapes devoid of any towns to reach my goal.  Hell, the 1^st McDonalds I found was in Helena. 

My new pad

I arrived in Condon Montana at 3:00 PM local time and claimed my spot for the summer.  It was a small bedroom in the corner of a small house located on a government compound in the middle of nowhere.  The other occupant and I proceeded to drink many beers.

My new RV

The next day I drove down to Flathead Lake, towing the boat.  I went to Wayfarer State Park and got a camp spot for the night.  I then went shopping for all the necessary supplies to see me through the coming week.  Upon my return, I crawled into the boat and took a nap.  Sailing would have to wait, it was late in the day and I was tired.

The next day I was up early.  I made some food and some coffee, broke camp, and headed for the boat launch.  It took me an hour to set up the boat, and get her launched.  I would spend the next seven hours on Flathead lake (my new lake) admiring the scenery.

           It was a pretty slow sail with the top speed pushing four knots.  In fact, I had to motor about half of the time due to lack of wind.  That’s okay; it was good just to be out on the lake.  In future water souljourns, I shall make a much more detailed exploration of the lake, spending my three day weekends in and around all the coves and islands to be found there.

Looking east on Flathead lake

Typical shore habitations

A view from the Flying Fish