1st Sail!

Cregan13

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Left out of Wrightsville Beach almost 2 hours before sunrise. Hit some heavy seas in the 330 Express. Heard some charter guys in go fast center consoles talk on VHF about only being able to hit 23mph. We were rolling at 28mph, though with, admittedly, an occasional backless wave that resulted in a good hull-slap. Got to the Stream 60 miles later and fished some very unsettled seas when...bam!...long rigger goes off like a bomb. Eight years of fishing and finally! My first sail. Neptune complied, and the seas laid down for a great ride home. A day that will be long remembered!
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Jacktrop99

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Left out of Wrightsville Beach almost 2 hours before sunrise. Hit some heavy seas in the 330 Express. Heard some charter guys in go fast center consoles talk on VHF about only being able to hit 23mph. We were rolling at 28mph, though with, admittedly, an occasional backless wave that resulted in a good hull-slap. Got to the Stream 60 miles later and fished some very unsettled seas when...bam!...long rigger goes off like a bomb. Eight years of fishing and finally! My first sail. Neptune complied, and the seas laid down for a great ride home. A day that will be long remembered!
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That’s fun af I’m from cb and have a 1990 seafarer 228g and go fishing offshore a lot and it’s tons of fun
 

wahoo33417

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Congrats on your first sail! Used to be that the Billfish foundation would issue a release certificate for a first sailfish release, even to nonmembers. Perhaps they still do.

For all future sails, it is recommended to get pictures with the fish still in the water. Sorry to introduce what I don't mean to sound like a detraction from a celebratory post. This coming from a retired marine biologist.
 

Cregan13

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I am not sure I could have left him in the water. The hook was pretty solid in his bill. The 330 Express has freeboard for days, and it was all I could do even to get a hold of the bill. I had to lay him down on the deck and work on the hook for a second. I get what your saying though and appreciate it. Now, with that said, I would be less than honest to say that the first one wasn't getting the star treatment in the picture regardless!
 
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Hookup1

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Congratulations! Not sure if NC offers "citations" for blue, white or sails. Virginia does. Check your local tackle store. Made a nice wall mount for my son with the certificate and the photo. I put the hook in there too!
 

wahoo33417

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Truth be told, my Dad's first sail, with me as "captain", got the same star treatment. He treasured those photos and I'm glad of it.