Which Way To Starboard?: Memoir of a Lifelong Sailor and Wooden Boat Enthusiast

At one point after the boom vang broke loose the boom and the sail shifted to a higher position. I didnt like the loss of control this caused. The boat was swinging from 0 to 20 degrees in jerky motions lifting and heeling. The boom vang had been ripped out of its housing. I had an idea what to do and told Roxanne what I had in mind. At a certain moment with her help holding up the boom vang in a certain way I would let go of the rudder and lunge forward to grab the creature from her hand and plunge its little head into the second available hole a slot just under the boom. This she understood but all the while I was under great stress anxious for my daughters life and mine. The wind was quite strong and I didnt want the boat to flip over ... not there away from any available help. We were two miles from shore in any direction. I checked the waves and wind and then turned the boat into the wind. On my signal to Roxanne I lurched forward and grabbed the beastly creature and shakily shoved its head in the hole. I then turned the boat back to windward and pulled in on the sheet that pulled the boom back to its correct position. Everything was fine again. In a plastic bag hanging from the boom near the mast were my cigarettes and a lighter. Thats where Roxanne was also handy. She passed me a cigarette and my lighter and I lit it and took a big drag. Ah... The rest of the day went beautifully. In the same bag we had a nice light lunch (gourmet style) a couple of baloney sandwiches and two cans of pop.