What I've Learned...

This has been a very busy summer for us and we've only managed to take the boat out twice so far. Our second time out on the water was a bit scary due to the gusty winds... Anyway, having spent some time in the boat now, I've made a list of things that I've learned:

• Exterior latex house paint doesn't work very well on a boat (I repainted it with oil paint after the latex started peeling off).
• Make sure wood filler is water proof once it dries. Perhaps bondo would have been better to use...
  
• A 12ft boat isn't very big. Mine only holds 3 people (I haven't tried 4 yet, but 3 is pretty crowded).
• Backing the boat into the water is much easier than carrying the boat to/from the water.
  
• I need to redesign my sail because my current sail puts too much stress on the mast.
• Unless you have all the right sailing hardware (for the ropes, etc.) it's a lot of work!
• I need to get some sort of motor (for times when there's no wind). I'm looking into getting an electric trolling motor.