After seven years, I've sold my Harbor 20, Fiona, to a new owner, and had to deliver her from my dock on Valentine Creek, up the Severn River, to Bert Jabins' boat year in Annapolis, about 8 miles away.
The trip took a bit over 3 hours, since instead of winds being from the North, as forecast, they were from the South, right on my nose. I used my Torqueedo at low speed against the light breeze, averaging around 2.5 mph. Got to put the main and jib up about half an hour in, once the wind picked up a bit. Was fascinating to remember going aground with Fiona on her first voyage up this river from Jabins, back in 2014, right at the entry to Round Bay, off Sherwood Forest -- a mistake I never made again.
My Harbor 20 was a great daysailer for me to explore and enjoy Round Bay on my own, as well as with family, a lot of whom have been on her, including my brother and sister, my parents, and my nephews and cousins. It has been a great family boat to learn about sailing in a small keelboat with. It has also been a fun boat to learn to race on -- figuring out how to win the start, and then try to figure out where the marks are and how to get to them fastest and most efficiently. Learned how to fly a spinnaker, and make all the mistakes one can doing so. Was fabulous to have a great teacher in my teammate and neighbor, without whom Fiona would still have been last every night. And to be joined by another neighbor who joined our team, and to be with them in 2019 when we won a PHRF race on corrected time was spectacular.
All good things come to an end, and I'm planning to buy a bigger daysailor. But Fiona has been a marvel. And a great partner with whom to decompress after work by sailing out and running a course and watching the sun set.
End of an era.
