A Short Day Sail

[wolverine]

With the weather offering a beautiful day, I took the opportunity to go for a last minute sail.  Grabbing a couple drinks I tossed off the lines and motored out of the creek, dodging crab pots along the route.  Passing under the Oriental bridge we entered the mighty Neuse and after clearing the channel to Pecan Grove Marina, I raised the sails.  Well, I tried to raise the main, but I found the battens are a bit too long and grab the lazy jacks.  When sailing our Compac 19, I can let go of the tiller and she automatically points into the wind.  The Siedelman with it's wheel steering doesn't.  After several frustrating and tiring minutes, I now know why sailors downsize with age.  I was exhausted, but the wind was light and I was able to rest while we ghosted along.  After an hour the wind picked up and we were moving along brilliantly with a 22* heel.  With a 90* heading we were headed for the Pamlico Sound.  The wind kept building and as we sailed along time passed to the point the sun was getting low.  A port tack put us on a line to Oriental and we only had to change course when we encountered more crab pots and another sailboat that had run out of fuel.  Dousing the main was easy and the Yanmar brought us back up Greens Creek and Sur La Mer's slip.   We traveled 8.4 miles in 3 hours and 18 minutes.  At the slip I readjusted the jack lines as they were too tight and didn't allow the sail to properly flake itself on the boom.  I also removed the battens and will shorten them by 3/4" leaving no chance of grabbing the jack lines again.  It was nice to get out on the water, but I really need to order new sails for the Compac.  A 19' boat is so much easier to ready and put up than a 30'r, making quick sails more enjoyable. 

[Norman]

 :)  Very envious of your sail.  Perfect weather here, buy cut the grass and other out door activity.

Those short sails, solo, do bring the issues into sharp focus, but after they are corrected, you are ready for a no sweat cruise with the wife.  Wives  prefer that nothing goes wrong.

[CapnK]

Cannot wait to do afternoon sails again... :)

I'd wager that after a couple more trips you'll start getting the new boat preps down to a system and it will be much faster and less hassle to go out on quick /short notice trips.  8) ;D

[Crazer]

I am also envious. My Cape Dory is still on the hard, while I work on repowering her. After having owned her for three years and having made countless improvements (and some compromises) I can now happily take her out for a couple of hours in the evening. It helps that I am just fifteen minutes motor from the mouth of the Patapsco River where there's plenty of room to sail.

[CapnK]

I am also envious. My Cape Dory is still on the hard, while I work on repowering her.

Avery - What are you putting in - gas, diesel. or electric? (I'm assuming inboard...)

[Captain Smollett]

Thank-you for sharing this story.  Oriental is a fun area to sail around.

The entrance to South River in higher winds and rougher seas can be "exciting."  Haha.  May see you around there later this year as I hope to get some canoe speck fishing in on the creeks down in that area.

I like to launch the trailer boat at the Oriental ramp for sails and to cut across to fish in South River.

[wolverine]

Thank-you for sharing this story.  Oriental is a fun area to sail around.

The entrance to South River in higher winds and rougher seas can be "exciting."  Haha.  May see you around there later this year as I hope to get some canoe speck fishing in on the creeks down in that area.

I like to launch the trailer boat at the Oriental ramp for sails and to cut across to fish in South River.

We're just up the creek from the ramp.  The ramp is on Smith creek and we're to the left of the ramp on Greens creek.

[Crazer]

Avery - What are you putting in - gas, diesel. or electric? (I'm assuming inboard...)

I'm putting in a gently used Yanmar 2gm20f to replace the old Volvo MD2. The old engine ran fine but was louder than heck and leaked every fluid it contained so it was time for an upgrade. I'm also getting a new Campbell prop which is supposed to be a big improvement from the old 2 bladed wheel.