“Sailing a boat calls for quick action, a blending of feeling with the wind and water as well as with the very heart and soul of the boat itself. Sailing teaches alertness and courage, and gives in return a joyousness and peace that few sports afford.”

— George Matthew Adams,

American newspaper columnist, 1878-1962

I’ve always wondered why sailors are drawn to the sea. Yes, it is beautiful and powerful and mysterious, and in a boat, far from the nearest shore, the air is invigorating — cool, fresh and tinged with salt spray.

But “out there” it’s a monotony of blue — blue sea, blue sky. There are none of the colors, scenes and sounds that enliven days on land, just the same vast emptiness no matter how far you go.

“Exactly, that’s the point,” insisted my friend Rick, who has been sailing for close to 50 years and has made several trans-Pacific crossings. “It’s freedom. You don’t have any distractions; it’s just you and nature, which can be wild and unpredictable sometimes. Sailing keeps you on your toes. It’s both exciting and relaxing. It clears the clutter from your mind.”

I thought of that as I boarded Trilogy Excursions’ Trilogy VI, a 55-foot sailing catamaran, for the Captain’s Sunset Dinner Sail on a recent afternoon. I knew I was going to have some free time during my visit to Lahaina, and sailing seemed like a natural thing to do in the historic seaport.

For the dinner cruise, Trilogy VI is transformed into a floating al fresco restaurant. It accommodates a maximum of 32 guests at private tables, and there’s no bad seat on the boat. Sit in the stern and you will have more privacy and be able to chat with the captain and get a look at the helm and control panel. Choose a spot on the bow or sides and you’ll be rewarded with unobstructed views.

Happily, the weather promised to cooperate as the sleek cat motored out of Lahaina Harbor and the crew served the first round of drinks.

Following that came dinner, prepared by an onboard chef. There were appetizers of Hawaiian salt-dusted breadsticks with lilikoi (passion fruit) butter, smoked salmon wedges and fresh dill on pita, cucumber slices topped with Maui onion cream cheese and tataki (seared) beef tenderloin on crostini.

Served next, nicely paced, were Caesar salad and a choice of entrees (rosemary- and garlic-crusted steak, wild-caught mahimahi with lemon butter caper sauce or seasonal vegetable pasta) accompanied by sauteed vegetables and roasted garlic mashed potatoes. Dessert was a trio of delights: fresh strawberries, lilikoi cheesecake and a dark chocolate truffle.

As the first courses were served, the captain gauged the wind, and when she determined it was strong enough, she cut the engines. With the help of two mates, she unfurled the jib and pulled on the halyard to raise the 580-square-foot mainsail. What a sight that was for a landlubber like me — it was like a bird opening its wings to fly!

From then on my focus was on where the wind and sails were carrying us — first north along the coast revealing Lanai and Molokai to our left and Lahaina, the Kaanapali coast and the West Maui mountains to our right. Then we turned west toward a glorious sunset painted pink, gold, orange and magenta. It was a show worthy of a champagne toast.

Seldom do most of us live in the moment like that — enjoying the spectacles of billowing sails, an undulating expanse of water and daylight yielding to night.

During our return to the harbor, I realized that for most of the 2-1/2-hour sail, I hadn’t thought about work, house renovations or the taxes I needed to pay when I got home. I was relaxed and content, my mind cleared of clutter, as Rick had said.

I’m certainly not an old salt, but the next time I hear the call of the sea, I’ll be just as eager to heed it.

A FAMILY OF SAILORS

Trilogy Excursions is led by Jim and Randy Coon, who grew up in a sailing family. In 1969 their parents, Eldon and Jeannette, moved from Sitka, Alaska, to Seattle where they built a 50-foot sailing trimaran.

They christened the vessel Trilogy in 1971, and during the subsequent two years they sailed it with their sons and daughter Pattie to Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands and the Marquesas before stopping on Maui to work so they could replenish their funds. The plan was to stay for a few months, then restock provisions and continue their round-the-world adventure.

But, as the Coon brothers like to say, they fell in love with Maui and two local girls and made Lahaina their home. The rest of the family settled there too, and in 1973 they banded together to launch Trilogy Excursions.

Today, as Maui’s oldest sailing company, Trilogy uses a fleet of six 50- to 64-foot U.S. Coast Guard-certified sailing catamarans for its tours. The Coon family designed (or had design input) and supervised the construction of all of their vessels.