May 13th — Boat Handling in a Monsoon Rainstorm

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First Solo Run in Heavy Rain on Bolgoda Lake

Today I headed out to the boat alone around 2:00 pm at the dock on Bolgoda Lake.

The boat was ready and waiting.

I connected the negative battery terminal, lowered the outboard, and the 40HP Yamaha started immediately without hesitation. After a brief idle to warm up, I put on my life jacket, stepped onto the dock, and released the bow and stern lines.

The lake was calm at first — almost still — with no wind. A heavy monsoonal pattern was building, typical of the Western Monsoon season at this time of year.

Leaving the Dock

I eased the boat out in reverse, and she glided cleanly away from the dock. Once clear, I swung her around and motored into the main channel at around 5 knots.

Clusters of water hyacinth were drifting across the lake in varying sizes, carried slowly by the current.

For a brief moment I considered raising the mainsail, which remains wrapped in the boom, but the wind quickly began to build and I decided against it.

The Storm Arrives

Within minutes, conditions changed.

The wind picked up to around 7–8 knots and then the rain arrived — light at first, then quickly turning into a full monsoonal downpour.

I continued motoring, now in heavy rain, standing at the helm. My glasses became completely beaded with water, and visibility dropped sharply. I removed them and visibility improves so I could maintain control.

Ahead, large patches of floating water hyacinth filled the channel, forcing careful steering to make my way back toward the marina area, approximately 3 km to starboard.

Arrival at the Dock in Heavy Rain

By the time I approached the marina at Ceylon Motor Yacht Club, visibility had improved slightly, but the rain was now intense.

The club was quiet — storm shutters down, no one visible on the main building.

The wind gently pushed the boat toward the dock as I lined up the approach. I grabbed the boat hook, stepped onto the dock, and secured the bow line first, followed by the stern line. Fenders were adjusted as the rain continued to pour down.

Only then did I return onboard.

After the Storm

I raised the outboard, disconnected the battery terminal, and covered the helm and battery compartment with the protective cover, securing it with a bungee cord.

Stepping into the cabin felt like entering another world — dry, warm, and still, with the sound of rain pounding on the deck above.

It reminded me of my time as a liveaboard in Portland, Oregon, before retiring and moving to Sri Lanka — only this time, the air was tropical and warm rather than cold and gray.

I lay down on the cabin couch, head resting on a spare life jacket, and made a call to an adventure tour operator running multi-day kayak trips in Sri Lanka.

Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep.

Waking Up

I woke about half an hour later to the sound of people on the dock taking photos. One of the visitors mentioned in Sinhala that she would like to climb aboard — though thankfully that moment didn’t progress further.

Shortly after, I received a call from Jagath, the marina yard supervisor, checking on the boat after noticing it had been quiet for some time. I reassured him everything was fine — I had simply fallen asleep inside the cabin during the storm.

Closing the Day

Despite the weather, the boat handled beautifully in wind, rain, and chop. It felt stable, responsive, and comfortable throughout the entire run.

Later, I met Jagath and handed over a spare set of keys for the boat and locker, as I may be heading to Galle a southern town on the Island for a few days soon and he could move the boat and check bilges.

Another day on the water — and another reminder of how quickly conditions can change on Bolgoda Lake.