Minnesota Potters Invade Waconia

I was praying to the computer gods that my morning work would go well. We were planning to meet up with the Minnesota Potters on Lake Waconia in time for lunch - if the upgrades went as planned. They did, and we arrived at the In Towne Marina just before 12:30. One of our group, Bill, moors his boat there and had arranged a discounted launch rate for us. $10, instead of the usual $20 - double what the marina charges for powerboats. When I asked about the difference, the manager said it was because of the extra time it takes to rig a sailboat. I couldn't figure out how it cost him extra for me to rig the boat; I'm going to be taking up parking space either way. Oh, well. After parking, we spotted a raft of Potters a little to the east. There was little wind, so the kids were swimming around the rafted boats.

We got done rigging the boat just as the others were returning for lunch. Those of us who had not yet met introduced ourselves, and we got out the coolers and set up in the screened porch next to the marina office. We had planned a pot-luck and, amazingly, nobody brought duplicate dishes. While we ate, two Carver County sheriff's deputies launched PWCs. I never saw them on the water, but there was an article in the local paper the next Monday about them patrolling Lake Waconia and ticketing PWC operators who were going too fast near sailboats. Apparently, a new law prohibits them from going faster than no-wake speeds within 150 feet of non-motorized craft. All right!

After lunch, we launched Necessity while the others returned to their boats and cast off from the dock. We headed northwest around the island trying to find some wind. Bill's Thalia, with her monster 170% genoa, was in the lead making some 2 kts while the rest of us struggled to maintain steerage. Panacea brought up the rear with her short rig, towing a dinghy to slow her even more. Before long, Bill had to return to his mooring in order to keep an afternoon appointment. Belle Isle followed suit a little later; Dave Rein and family wanted to stop at the Bloomington Boat/US store on the way home. The floating hole is already sucking Dave's wallet from his pocket, right after the maiden voyage of his shiny new P-19.

Tom and Kris Medin, in their unnamed #434, turned northeast on a heading to round the island and return to the DNR ramp. We decided to raft with Panacea and let the kids swim for a bit. The water seemed cold, but the kids were having fun. Mary Calva on Panacea went below and emerged with her swimsuit on. She got about two rungs down the stern ladder before proclaiming, "That's enough swimming for me!" and returning to the cockpit. She did join the kids a bit later for a few minutes before everyone returned to the boats and we broke up the raft to seek some wind. After finding something to drink, Mandy took a turn at the helm before finding the lack of wind too boring.

After a bit of ghosting, we set the iron spinnaker and moved north where we had spotted some ripples in the water. Eventually we found what seemed to be a steady breath of wind and radioed Panacea, who had found some wind as well. Tom radioed that he had found some wind further north and east, so we headed that way. We sailed around to the east side of the island before losing the wind again and deciding to motor to a beach and have dinner. I mounted the BBQ on the starboard rail and Julie got some rice cooking on the cabin stove. The kids splashed around in the water while the steaks cooked. Panacea called on the VHF and motored over to join us. Dinner was served in the cockpit while the Calvas prepared their own meal. Afterwards, the kids continued their splashing in the lake while the adults talked - Julie and Mary in Necessity's cockpit, Mike and I on the beach.

Eventually, we noticed that the sun was getting low. We pushed off from the beach and motored back to the marina. Both boats were recovered with no fuss. Panacea was ready for the road before we were, and Mike came over to say goodbye. It was dark before we left for home, but the long day was well worth it.

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