Author Topic: Back on the boat  (Read 7306 times)

Dave

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Back on the boat
« on: January 18, 2014, 12:01:48 AM »
Three days on Searenity. Tonight the wind is howling and coming out of the west. It is the only exposed direction when we are in the slip. Boat is rising and falling on the bow and shaking with the big gusts. Hoping to fill the sails in the next few days. Tomorrow is supposed to be 15 to 25 knots with 8-10 foot seas. May just be sailing St Andrews Bay.
Dave

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Dave

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Re: Back on the boat
« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2014, 01:32:33 PM »
The wind was pretty strong the whole weekend. Got in a great sail yesterday. Winds at 25 knots and just choppy in St Andrews bay. The boat was getting it on about all points of sail. Between 6.5 and 7 knots heading into the wind and exceeding 7 knots sailing downwind. We inflated a Mini Dinghy from West Marine in thoughts of going ashore on Shell Island. The wind caught one of the inflatable seat cushions and overboard she flew. Dropped the mini dinghy in the water and paddled about 500 yards before I caught up to it. Turned around and headed into the wind to get back to the boat. Rowing against 25 knot winds in that small square mini dinghy changed my mind about taking the family ashore in it. After a quick change of clothes decided to motor for an hour. It has been three months since we have motored more than just taking the boat over for a pump out. It is darn near a summer day today as we are packing out to go home.

Sigh

Someday greeting to the boat will not involve a three hour drive.
Dave

adventurer, ex-hippy, good timer, (crook? quite possibly), manic self-publicist, terribly bad at personal relationships, often thought to be completely out to lunch

selene

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Re: Back on the boat
« Reply #2 on: January 24, 2014, 09:28:43 AM »
I also have one of those tiny 2-people West Marine inflatables.  It always makes me nervous - they have a lot of windage for the size, and as you discovered rowing against a strong wind (or current) is very difficult and disheartening!  I am looking out on Craigslist for a slightly larger tender with a motor. Glad you got back at all with that wind!

Where we are,  the good news is that you can sail all year - the bad news is that while the summer winds are strong (typically 20-25 knots every day), and in winter very light (currently around 5 knots).  For some reason Selene does not seem to be very competitive in 5 knot winds...I wonder why not? :-) But at least you can lie in the sun in your shorts over winter....