Sailing is therapy, Captain Rob says as we traverse the serene waters of Lake Arrowhead. It’s a mantra he’s repeated several times as we discuss his love for the hobby, and I think I understand what he means. I gaze at the calm, sparkling water. The sun warms my back, a slight breeze cools my face, and I can hear the soothing sound of small waves lapping against the boat. Sailing smoothly along a peaceful lake is relaxing, like being rocked gently to sleep with a soothing lullaby. But it’s later that I truly grasp what he means. The wind picks up and changes direction, and I tug on the line to keep the sail shaped into a curve, while at the same time try to turn the rudder in the right direction so we’re not heading directly into the wind. I suddenly feel like a pirate, trying to navigate my one-sail ship on the treacherous high seas. I wonder if our little dinghy of a boat is any match for the 540-acre lake, because I’m certainly no captain, and this is not only my first attempt at sailing, it’s my first time on a sail boat. I repeat to myself the basics Captain Rob has told me: find direction the wind is blowing, steer boat at a 45-degree angle to wind, sail must form a curve. I glance over and Captain Rob is still calmly basking in the sun, while my mind races with “man overboard!” scenarios. So I tug and pull and turn with pirate-like confidence, and soon the wind embraces the sail and my ship forges sturdily ahead. I feel brave, empowered, and in command. “Sailing is like life; you don’t know what the wind or weather is going to throw at you, so you just have to adapt and adjust with it,” Captain Rob says after I’ve steered us back in to smooth sailing. I imagine a life of sailing gives one quiet time to think and philosophize, as Captain Rob seems to be full of nuggets of wisdom. Captain Rob, known outside the nautical world as Rob James, learned how to sail while serving in the Vietnam War. Sailing was therapeutic for he and his fellow soldiers, he said, a way to find some peace against a backdrop of war. When he returned back home to continue his career at Sears, a friend suggested he find a way to keep sailing. “He said, ‘you can make boat payments or psychiatric payments,’” James said. So James traveled south to Florida to take lessons, and was soon teaching in Gainesville, Ga. He later opened the first ASA certification facility in Georgia, and taught sailing on Lake Lanier for 30 years. Two years ago he and his wife Judy, who is also an ASA certified instructor and licensed coast guard sailing captain, began teaching sailing on Lake Arrowhead in Waleska. The Boat House also rents out various types of watercraft, and offers lunch and dinner cruises. The couple also run a boating club and conduct several trips to the Caribbean or Maine Windjammer Cruises each year. Interest in sailing has grown in the past five years, especially among women, according to James. To better accommodate beginners, he purchased two ten-foot boats about five years ago. With only one sail, one line and bumpers on a boat that’s practically uncapsizable, the 10-footers make learning to sail less intimidating. As students advance in classes, they also advance in boat size. But James stresses anyone can learn the basics of sailing within a few hours of being out on a body of water. He helps run a program based out of Lake Lanier that teaches children with attention-deficit disorder how to sail, which in turn teaches them to focus and boosts their self-esteem. “Sailing is not only relaxing, it’s a confidence builder,” said James. “It builds self-worth in people.” Aye, captain. I recommend taking at least one lesson, even if you’re not an aquaphile. Who knows what you may discover, or what lessons you may learn, while out at ‘sea.’
The Boat House 2015 Lake Arrowhead Drive Waleska, GA 30183 770-887-7966
boatsforrent@gmail.com
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www.lakearrowheadclub.net www.sailclub.org
Private lessons are $149 a session or $99 for Kingdom Yachts Sailing Club members. Pontoons and other boats are also available for rent.
