So . . . How Was Your Sail Today ?

[Ex-Calif]

This week's sail was exciting to say the least. First of all I apologize for posting twice in a row to this topic but we had a pretty exciting Sunday.

We are continuing to explore our new boat and decided to do a run around a nearby island. About a 4 hour sail involving beating upwind, a short reach, a long run followed by a 2-3 mile beat back home.

We had 15 knot winds and the first three hours we somewhat uneventful. On the first part of the sail the autopilot refused to power up and so I stuck a meter on the bulkhead plug and it had no power. I started tracing the cable and found it basically falling apart from age with chafes and bare wires all over. I clipped it off, taped it over and decided it was something to be fixed back home.

On the first beat we were pulling on things pretty hard and the starboard pulley for the jib disintigrated with a large twang. We robbed one from the spinnaker track and continued on our way with the best yet to come.

On the final beat the wind was a little stronger and we were really pulling hard on a starboard tack when we heard an almighty bang and that winging sound that high tension wire makes when it let's go and is looking for someone to decapitate!

I was running the jib sheets and my partner was on the tiller. I immediately looked up and the mast looked like a fishing pole bent about 20 degrees. I immediately shouted to him to point up and I let the jib fly. He froze a bit so I grabbed the mainsheet and let it fly as well. He finally reacted and got the got the boat pointed and thank God the mast was still up.

After starting the motor to get some steerage I furled the jib and lowered the main. Then I went to have a look. The D ring on the deck plate for the innner shroud let go completely! I did a cursory check of the mast and it doesn't appear to have cracked anywhere.

We are thanking our stars that the mast didn't go down but it was very sobering. I previously noticed a small amount of corrosion where the rings attach to the deck plate and was wondering to myself how long between replacements for stuff like that. I should have gone with my gut and put them on the sooner than later list.

I have decided to replace all the deck fittings and all the pulleys and anything else I can find that looks like it might be tired.

So what is anyone else's experience with shrouds letting go? I would be interested to hear how frequently this sort of thing happens.

Cheers!

[bmiller]

First day sail on Dillon this year. We splashed the boat last week but it started snowing, no sense sailing in wet snow with warmer days just around the corner. Yesterday I stopped on the way home to find a gentle breeze and not another boat out on the lake. Dinghy started first pull, promising start. I'm near the outside edge of the mooring field so with the main up I eased off the ball and through a couple other boats out into the small bay. The peaks are still covered with snow and the sky was typical high mountain Colorado blue. Wind picked up a bit, gusting 10-15, maybe 20, just few whitecaps. Tacked back and forth on a beam reach getting the beam damp once. After an hour or so headed back to the ball just as the wind settled down and didn't need to motor. In fact the motor never hit the water. The marina just put in a new bathouse and bar/grill. Gonna be a good summer.

[Steve Rust]

Had the daysailor out for the first time in gusty winds of 15- 25 knots. We had a wild time working our way upwind to the more wind sheltered side of the lake. The cockpit was constantly ankle deep with water that we shipped over the side as we heeled in the extreme gusts. I had a reef tucked into the main to keep a certain amount of control. The windsurfers were like gonzo rocketships as they tore across the lake down on the windy side. One cat was constantly flying a hull. We spent some more relaxing time on the quieter side of the lake and then set off on a broad reach home to the launch ramp. With a rooster tail coming off the rudder and the bow trying to climb out of the water on a plane it was a wild and wonderful ride.

[senormechanico]

I grabbed a friend for an evening sail. We went out in about 16 knots true. Immediately put in a reef because the boat (a Dragonfly 1000 tri) really wanted to get out of hand going upwind. With a reef in the jib and main, we took off closehauled about ten knots thru the water. After crossing Admiralty Inlet (about 5 miles) we furled the jib and took out the reef, and set the cruising spinnaker. We tore off on a reach with the apparent wind at 90 but the true more like 150 degrees. We sailed about ten miles averaging 13 knots, one time hitting nearly 18. (The boat planes around 11 knots.)

After that, we went back uphill with the original setup of a reef in the main and jib, this time averaging nearly ten knots on the way home.

Slowing down after a sail like that and 7 knots seems like crawling.

Steve B.

[S/V Elusive]

Sailed from Channel Islands Harbor (California) to Ventura Harbor yesterday. Winds averaged about 15 knots, so no reefs/furling on my boat. However, there is no planeing with a cutaway full keel with heavy displacement. To weather (close hauled) was making a good 6.4 out about 5 miles and tacked to a close reach for the leg into Ventura harbor. Made about 7.1 mas o menos. Sailed 14 miles in a little over 2 hours. And, except for a stupid stunt on the tack (tried to flip off a wrap on the lazy jib sheet side and wound up fouling it on the winch with a backwinded jib), it was an uneventful trip. Actually saw the sun a few times. It was nice to get out and about. Now in my new home in Ventura!

[Tropic Cat]

Last weekend on the Florida ICW we did 35 miles in a tad over 5 hours in 16 mph winds gusting to 23 mph. No reefs were required on a perfect beam reach up and back. It was a gorgeous day for sailing.

Rick in Florida

[avazquez]

This last Saturday was an exciting one. Since we are new to the boat I called a friend to give my wife (and me) some lessons in handling the boat. We went out at around noon time. The weather was spectacular as usual here in Puerto Rico, sunny with 15-20 knots. We left the Sea Lovers Marina and a smaller sailboat was right behind us. We were both engine/main still. As soon as I unrolled the jib we just said goodbye. We were beating at 7.5 knots in no time, even with the old beat up sails that I still have. We went like that for a few miles until we got between Palomino and Icacos islands. We then turned towards Icacos on a reach hitting 8+ knots steady. We got to Icacos and tacked towards Palomino Island on a reach against prevailing current at 7 knots for a couple of miles. We then jibed towards the Fajardo lighthouse and again 8-9 knots on a reach. It was a gorgeous windy sunny tropical day here in the islands. We practiced a couple of tacks and a couple of jibes only me and my wife. Most of them were alright a couple didn’t go as smooth .....but what the hell we are still learning a lot about the boat and how to handle a 46 footer....................

[SkiprJohn]

Good for you Avazquez!! Sounds like a great sail. I took some students out on a 26 foot Folkboat on Sunday and had light winds at about 8 and of course a small boat doesn't go as fast as your 46 footer. We did man overboard drills both by jibing and figure eight, then anchoring drills. Each person got to do at least 3 tacks, 3 jibes, 3 man overboard drills. It was a beautiful clear sunny day and we could see all the way to the top of Mauna Kea (13,000 feet.)
JohnL

[Charlie]

I just had to revive the thread. Weather was supposed to be bad. I went to the boat the day before and worked on her. I like doing that. Family and freinds showed up on Sunday and off we went. First adventure was that we left a guest at the dock. He was controlling the stern with a dock line and let the boat get too far from the dock. The wind was pushing me toward the boats on the other side of the fairway so I just told him to throw the dock line and off I went. I met him elsewhere in the marina and did a touch and go. The wind was blowing at about 15 to 25 so I left a full main and a reefed headsail. Next time I will change down to the number three jib. Much better shape. Thru Racoon Straights and then around Angel Island. I was going to take us around Alcatraz but I noticed that we weren't making the buoy to go above The Rock. so we fell in behind the prison where we had nice whether to do a gybe. From there it was a nice downwind sail to get to Richmond. Well docking could have been better but I didn't hit anything and didn't scrape the paint.

Oh Yeah I forgot to tell you. There were 4 adults on board and 6, yes count them 6 kids between the ages of 10 and 13. They were having a blast running around the boat from the bow to the stern. swinging in the botsins chair then running down to play cards. Laughing. Waving at every boat that came within a half mile.

What a nice day. The drive home. Not too bad either. I split the driving with the admiral and we were home by ten with Mondya to recover.

[Connemara]

Went out last night for an after-dinner sail while the Admiral watched Jeopardy. 7-11 knots, about half-metre swells, both out of the SSW. Did I mention this is Lake Ontario?

Didn't bother to unpack the main and just unrolled the Genny once I got out a ways.

Gorgeous night, sun setting over Toronto, a bit chilly but fine.

And I was cruising at 5 knots SOG about half the time and nailed 6.4 a couple of times.

Great sail.


Connemara

[Weyalan]

[Charlie]

Weylan:

A picture is worth a thousand words. This proves it.

[SkiprJohn]

Just got back from a beautiful sail aboard a friend's Columbia 28 in and around Hilo Bay. We went out past the breakwater but the two dogs on board got a bit nervous so we turned back and ducked back in the bay. The Captain is housesitting and therefore dogsitting for two small dogs which came with us. Sunny, about 80 deg and winds from 12 to 17 knots. Couldn't be better. 4 adults and two pups.
What a beautiful day.

JohnL

[Ex-Calif]

We had our twilight race (keelboats) on Saturday. There was another maxi77 in the race which is always fun.

Great start and a medium quick beat to the windward mark. We stayed wide in the channel and beat the other maxi to the mark by about 6 lengths.

Downwind slog back across the start line. Light airs. No spinnakers in the twilight races. Made the start line with about 3 boat lengths advantage.

More (long) downwind to the downwind mark. They did a great job in the light airs. They came alongside to touching distance for about 20 minutes where we engaed in a slight gybing duel. Eventually they beat us to the bottom mark by about 2 lengths. Our boat hates to go downwind ;-(

They rounded wide and ran a beam reach for a bit to cross the channel. We rounded 180 and stayed mid channel, close hauled. We only bore away to clear a container ship and we passed within easy hailing distance to the crew who were egging us on.

We absolutely kicked butt on the beat back to the line. We had 12-13 boat lengths and although they were on a course for the line we had to put in a tack. We all agreed that we had done it and all we had to do was execute.

With the tide running out (with us) I left the tack too late - oh no! We ended up drifting down on the mark too far and had to reach for the line. They pipped us at the post by less than 30 seconds. I should have known better because that exact tide was helping us as we stayed mid-channel. Every sail is a learning experience!

It doesn't matter how slow you go. Two boats of the same class is always fun.

Boy was I embarrased at the BBQ that night ;-)

But the best part is that competition makes everyone better. The maxis were 2nd and 3rd overall on handicap!

[Sandero]

IN LIS we had a stiff NW breeze and with a clean bottom I went out for a few hours and got her up over 8.4 on a beam reach in 25 true... over hull speed with out any reefs. I don't expect those conditions very often and almost no boats on the water on Memorial Day which is an omen or a sign of expensive fuel. What a start to the season!