The first annual (hopefully) Priest Lake Interstate Rendezvous in northern Idaho was a huge success with M-boaters converging from Washington, Idaho, and Montana. The three of us enjoyed beautiful scenery, sandy beaches, sparse crowds, and fantastic sailing on one of the prettiest lakes in the northwest.
The last week of June proved to be a good time to have the 20 mile lake nearly to ourselves as most people apparently were saving their vacation time for the 4th of July week. I started the week solo, launching on Monday afternoon at the southern end of the lake with a brisk tailwind that held steady for a good 4 hours into the early evening, carrying me wing and wing well up the lake with hardly another boat in sight while I fiddled around rigging a preventer and installing my new whisker pole. The winds were so steady I hardly needed them, although later in the week when things were really gusting I nearly lost the pole when the sail gave it a good shake, somehow unhooked it from the mast eye (maybe I didn't have it completely snapped), and shot it like an arrow out into the lake. I had visions of my new pole exploring the 300 foot depths of the lake, but it rebounded at the opposite angle it dove in, and by lunging to the back corner of the cockpit I was able to snag it as we wizzed by.
I anchored near west Twin Island on a dead calm sea, (which was the case every night) and watched the full moon rise over the jagged Selkirk mountains. Not a soul in sight and not a care in the world.
Tuesday and Wednesday were more of the same, with calm mornings and evenings and steady winds all afternoon. I shared an anchorage with a bald eagle and her not-so-small youngster Tuesday night, but forecasts of thunderstorms chased me in to a marina on Wednesday night. Priest can get real nasty in a storm and sheltered anchorages are only trustworthy if you're sure which direction the storm will hit from.
On Thursday, Charless Fowlkes from Bozeman, Mt. came up with his M15 and joined me for what looked to be a blazing hot float on a calm lake. But while we were shooting the breeze at the ramp, admiring each others boats, the wind started coming up, and by the time we got him launched, my wind gauge said it was gusting to 20mph. I thought it was more, and so did the lake, because in no time 2 to 3 ft. whitecaps were rolling down the lake. We both tied in reefs before setting off and didn't regret it. It was a wild ride, and a little wet, as we headed out close-hauled for the south end of Kalispell Island. Rounding the island we came around to a broad reach, which set up a rolling, surfing action that kept you busy at the tiller. This was the first time I had sailed my M17 with a M15 and I was amazed at the difference in size. That extra 2 feet really makes a difference in room, but those 15's are impressive in the rough conditions they can handle with good speed. Charless is quite a sailor and I had to have my sails trimmed perfect to keep up with him. It wasn't until under lighter wind conditions where I could fully unfurl my 150 genoa that I could pull away from his 15 with it's working jib. On Friday, Randy Graves from Post Falls, Idaho brought his M15 up to join us for the day. We had the same strong winds and waves as Thursday, which I think was an eye-opener for Randy until he got used to them. We enjoyed some great sailing and then stopped on the lee side of Bartoo Island on a beautiful sandy beach for lunch and the usual boat talk. One advantage of those 15's is the shallower draft and kick-up rudder. They were beached long before I was done fussing around trying to get my 17 anchored and positioned with a backing line close enough to shore to wade in. After lunch, Charless and Randy headed in, which proved to be a wise call. I stayed out for another day and endured a night of pouring rain and ended up pulling out the next day without doing any more sailing. All in all, though, a great trip.