Boat Buddy

A boat buddy is a wonderful thing.   In some ways.

You've bought a boat;  your pride and joy.   You've sailed a little and you've passed your Day Skipper exams.   Now you want to go to sea.
Well;  down the estuary and back.   Or upriver and back.

Let's face it,  you're a little apprehensive.   What you need is a boat buddy.   Someone with experience,  to keep you out of trouble.   Someone with compassion,  to forgive or ignore your mistakes.   Someone with patience,  to overcome your ignorance.   Someone with fortitude,  to keep you going in the darkness of fear.

The Skipper's friend had recommended his own father as just such a paragon of sailing.   The candidate buddy had been to see the yacht,  ashore in the yard;  her bottom freshly antifouled,  her bilges cleaned,  one or two seacocks jammed,  her engine untried;  and had admired her (a wise and politic move from a buddy hoping to sail with a doting new skipper.   In this case,  the admiration was genuine;   this buddy has no concept of dissimulation or ingratiation;  friendly social discourse is a stranger to him.).