26.56.712N 149.18.312W

Whee! I love it when you are at the helm in 20+ knots on a moonless
night off the wind.

There is a little pressure under your butt as a wave starts to pick up
the back of the boat. You are just getting a gust of wind, so you know
your apparent wind will move forward a little more, so you press a
little extra against the rudder to get the head of the boat headed down
the building wave. Just one quick press because you want to get it over
there and not be dragging your rudder when it's time to surf. So you
jab it pretty firmly and the added drag to leeward of the centerline
causes the boat to start heeling in the building gust. Not what you
want, but you have to get that head down, so you do it quick to get it
over with. The boat sort of picks up it's shoulder and drives off the
wind a step, with the rail pressing down. You can't surf a boat on it's
side, so that's not going to work. But you knew that was going to
happen because it's happened a thousand times before, just today. So
just as the bulk of the boat responds to your jab but before the head
even really starts to move down, you release the wheel, allowing it to
spin back, giving back the pressure you had applied, releasing the force
on the rudder. It's job is done. It got the big boat swinging into
line already, momentum will finish the job. What you need now is for
the boat to get back on it's lines before the crest of the wave passes.
So when it's head comes down in perfect alignment with the press of
the wave on your seat, and it levels it's shoulders for the charge, you
are not surprised. Your fingertips are light on the wheel because you
know adjustments now will be subtle. There is a heave as 30,000 lbs.
raises up like a sprinter in his blocks. Then a hiss from the front of
the boat that becomes an open throated "waaaaaa' then finally a deep
roar as the green glittery glowing foam cascades out from the bow like
the flames from the sidepipes of a dragster. The beast blasts ahead in
full roar, level, on balance, but teetering on forces that will go bad
in a hurry if they get out of alignment. So you make the tiniest little
moves with your fingers on the wheel, just to keep everything in perfect
alignment, and you ride that wave on your massive surfboard till it
finally drops you off for the slide down it's back. Glance over your
shoulder and get ready for the next ride.

I just got through doing that in alternating 30 minute turns for the
past 3 hours (except for 20 minutes spent trying to keep the mast
pointed up during a squall). How cool is that?!

Whiskey Delta Bravo 2898 VALIS out
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