Proud Owner of a Bristol 24- New to sailing

[LooseScrews2022]

Hello all!!!

I am extremely new to sailing, it has been a dream of mine for many years now.

Loose Screws is a 24' Bristol Corsair and is located in Deltaville, VA.. I am currently in Tennessee.

I talked about sailing for a few years and my wife said "You need a boat, before you can sail." So I got a boat after 4 years...

How She got her name goes exactly like this, "You have to have a few "Loose Screws" to want to make an Atlantic crossing." that is what my wife said to me 3 years ago so the name stuck...lol

I have been out to see the boat once already and I will be heading back out in a couple of weeks to do some minor repairs with a buddy of mine.

My wife, Amy, will never get on the boat with me out at sea, as she has an extreme rear of the water but, she told me that she stands behind me and my dream, even if it is on dry land...lol...

Now the adventure begins...

[thomm225]

After you get the boat the way you want it and have taken a few shakedown cruises along the Western Side of the bay (like down to Mobjack Bay which has plenty of rivers feeding into it that are excellent for anchoring),

You can then make the crossing over to Onancock which in on the Eastern side of the bay and has free anchorage within 150 yards of the wharf. It's probably 35-40 miles and you should be able to see Tangier Island along the way.

Btw where are you in Tennessee? I used to sail/race beach cats on the TVA Lakes below Memphis

https://www.virginia.org/listing/ona...6-marina/4694/

https://www.google.com/maps/place/De...!4d-76.3402874

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, LooseScrews.

[Bill O]

LS,
Will you be keeping the boat in Deltaville or take it back to Tenn.?The Chesapeake is a great area to learn how to sail and other aspects of cruising (anchoring, fishing, etc.).
It's always nice to have a sailing partner to share the adventure. The CB might also be a good place for your wife to see the water isn't as rough as seen in the movies. Typically people who are afraid of water are not confident in their swimming ability. While the fear maybe deep rooted in an adult, if she's willing to take swim lessons that would be a huge first step.


Good luck with your new boat.

[thomm225]

As far as taking your wife sailing, many days on the bay are quite light.

First video is of me coming into VA Beach/Little Creek as the wind was coming down. She would be fine on days like this as a starter

Second video is sailing the 35 miles home from Mobjack Bay to Little Creek and catching the last of the night breeze before it lays down which is normally between 0930 and 1100 on prevailing wind days in the Spring, Summer, and Fall then building gradually again as the Sun heats up the land.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN-Rv4UObWI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iViRCw8KB2Y

[thomm225]

But be careful with mid summer squalls though

The wind can crank way up fast and then the lightning and thunder.

In the video I got in as close as I could with my 4' draft before anchoring. Good new was I had 30 miles of Bay behind me if the anchor happened to drag which it did not.

40 minutes earlier it was a beautiful Summer day with puffy white clouds. This squall occurred in late afternoon which is quite normal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okRZs6os5Eo

[LooseScrews2022]

Originally Posted by thomm225

After you get the boat the way you want it and have taken a few shakedown cruises along the Western Side of the bay (like down to Mobjack Bay which has plenty of rivers feeding into it that are excellent for anchoring),

You can then make the crossing over to Onancock which in on the Eastern side of the bay and has free anchorage within 150 yards of the wharf. It's probably 35-40 miles and you should be able to see Tangier Island along the way.

Btw where are you in Tennessee? I used to sail/race beach cats on the TVA Lakes below Memphis

https://www.virginia.org/listing/ona...6-marina/4694/

https://www.google.com/maps/place/De...!4d-76.3402874

I am just north of Knoxville...lol...

I am now looking into what you have suggested, now to figure out where Mobjack Bay is...lol...

I do plan on taking a few shakedown cruises, just to get to know Loose Screws...lol... I would be dumb not to do that...

I think my only concern is learning how and when to reef...lol...

I was thinking about going to the yacht club up here to take a course but this is freshwater and I am not sure how well that would do me on the salt...

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by LooseScrews2022

I am just north of Knoxville...lol...

I am now looking into what you have suggested, now to figure out where Mobjack Bay is...lol...

I do plan on taking a few shakedown cruises, just to get to know Loose Screws...lol... I would be dumb not to do that...

I think my only concern is learning how and when to reef...lol...

I was thinking about going to the yacht club up here to take a course but this is freshwater and I am not sure how well that would do me on the salt...

I've been through Knoxville many times. My son even raced BMX in Morristown one year back in the 80's.

Mobjack Bay is just South of Deltaville. See on map link. Lots of places up in there to anchor.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/De...!4d-76.3402874

I raced a few times on Monohulls as crew on Pickwick Lake (Tennessee River). We didn't have to reef. but if we did, it would be the same on fresh as on salt water .....

Unless you were sailing solo 20 miles or more offshore or more in salt water then you will need to be more careful if you have to go to the mast to reef like I do. (use a tether etc)

[LooseScrews2022]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Mobjack Bay is just South of Deltaville. See on map link. Lots of places up in there to anchor.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/De...!4d-76.3402874

I raced a few times on Monohulls as crew on Pickwick Lake (Tennessee River). We didn't have to reef. but if we did, it would be the same on fresh as on salt water .....

Unless you were sailing solo 20 miles or more offshore or more in salt water then you will need to be more careful if you have to go to the mast to reef like I do. (use a tether etc)

Found it...lol.. not sure what I was looking for before lol....

for the most part I plan on being single handed, I think that would be best for the moment so that I get to know Loose Screws inside and out as well as all her quirks lol...

I was already thinking the tether lol... I can swim good but not fast enough to catch a runaway boat...lol

Been watching videos on YouTube on reefing but cannot seem to find on that explains when to reef but plenty that tell me how lol... I got the how part, I just need to understand the when...lol

as for the racing part, lol, that is totally foreign to me.... sounds fun though...

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by LooseScrews2022

Found it...lol.. not sure what I was looking for before lol....

for the most part I plan on being single handed, I think that would be best for the moment so that I get to know Loose Screws inside and out as well as all her quirks lol...

I was already thinking the tether lol... I can swim good but not fast enough to catch a runaway boat...lol

Been watching videos on YouTube on reefing but cannot seem to find on that explains when to reef but plenty that tell me how lol... I got the how part, I just need to understand the when...lol

as for the racing part, lol, that is totally foreign to me.... sounds fun though...

You'd probably reef around 15 knots or so with your boat.

My boat only has one set of reef points so I reef around 18-20 knots or if the wind is higher you can lower the main and just sail with the jib. (if sailing downwind)

I did that here because my mainsail halyard got fouled and since the winds were up, I just sailed with the jib alone. (plus the jib furler was jammed in place)

This is just out in the bay out from the York River which is below (South of) Mobjack bay. And I'm catching the winds from a front that passed during the night which is bring in these North winds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agtdrmAqojs