Last Sail of the 2006 Season

[AdriftAtSea]

On Saturday, October 7, 2006, I took the Pretty Gee out for what is now the last sail of the 2006 season.  I hadn't been planning on it as my last sail for the season, but as things turn out, that wasn't really up to me. 

I had invited Eric, a guy who is interested in getting a Telstar, like the Pretty Gee, and his daughter Kate, out to see her, and to go sailing for the day.  The day was a bit overcast with winds of 15-20 knots blowing as Dave, Eric, Kate, and I left the for the swing bridge's 10:00 opening. 

Eric is learning to be a sailor, but his daughter, Kate, holds an RYA Yatchmaster ticket, and I was more than happy to have her aboard.  I generally sail with far less qualified crew, and have to do much of the harder work myself. :D  Getting to be a passenger on the boat was a treat.

Once past the New Bedford Hurricane Barrier, and out on to Buzzards Bay, we put up the mainsail and genoa, with two reefs in the main and the full genny out.  This is not an ideal sailplan for the Pretty Gee as it makes her very unwilling to tack, but I didn't know that at the time.  We would have been much better off with a reef in the genoa and a reef in the main.  However, it did work out in the long run, as the winds built over the course of the day.

The wind was out of the northeast, which is a bit unusually for the area, but we were more than happy to take what we could get.  We decided to head down towards Cuttyhunk and Pekinese islands, near the entrance of the bay, almost a dead downwind run for us. 

Two hours out, Kate noticed that she had finally gotten sprayed.  Hmm.  Two hours, in 15-20 knots of wind with 4-6' seas, and it's taken that long to get water in the cockpit.  I've always been impressed with how dry a boat the Pretty Gee can be. 

I took the opportunity to take some video of our trip, as well as some digital photos.  :D  I don't get to play passenger all that often.  I'll see if I can post some of the photos and video on my blog.  I'm a bit behind on the blog, but more on that later.

About a half-mile from Cuttyhunk, we decided to turn around and start heading back.  We knew we'd be beating all the way back, since the wind hadn't shifted much at all.  I can't wait to see the GPS tracks for the trip. 

The trip back was a lot harder on us and Pretty Gee than the downwind trip out had been.  The winds had increased, reaching at one point 28 knots with gusts up to 35 knots, and the seas were more like 5-7' with the occasional 8-10' one thrown in to keep us on our toes.  Part of the problem was that in much of Buzzards Bay, the winds and seas weren't quite aligned, so sailing 50 degrees off the wind left us nearly broadsides to the seas. 

We all had put on fleece and foul weather jackets.  I was the only one not wearing foul weather bibs, but  my jacket was keeping me pretty dry in any case.  Kate decided to let her father have another turn at the helm.  He immediately got the cockpit soaked, by turning into a wave at just the wrong time.  Since, he was the one who got the most soaked from it, we were all laughing about it.  Eric learns fast. 

It took us several long close reaches to get up to the southern end of the point that separates the New Bedford harbor approach from Clark's Cove,  and at that point, we decided it was time for the iron genny.  The New Bedford harbor channel is no fun, when there are a lot ships coming in, and you're trying to short tack in heavy seas all the way up. 

We got into the shelter of the main harbor, and folded the amas, while awaiting the swing bridge's next opening.  After getting back to the marina, Kate and I hosed off the Pretty Gee, and I pumped out the bilge.  It is pretty amazing, how little water actually came through the open companionway in weather like that. 

I'm pretty sure that Eric is hooked.  I hope he gets a boat, if not, he always welcome to crew on the Pretty Gee. 

While we weren't really able to exploit the Pretty Gee's speed capabilities in heavy seas like that, we did manage to top 12 knots for just a bit according to the GPS.

Later that evening, Rick, a neighbor of mine down at the marina, pointed out that there had been a Small Craft Advisory posted for the day, and that my boat was technically a small craft.  I just looked at him and said, "But we had such good conditions for sailing, we had to go out."

Well, I can't really complain too much if that was the last sail of my 2006 season.  The reason it is the last sail for the season, is two days later, I was in the hospital for a eight-day stay, and am now healing from major surgery.   i can't see myself sailing until I've recovered from the surgery.  It appears my gallbladder was to blame. 

[Zen]

Dan,  :o
Wow, glad you got your sail in. Bummer about the GB.
Good it is you are in the recovery mode and feeling up to writing.
Take care of yourself!!!

[Captain Smollett]

Hey, Dan, glad you seem to be over the hump with the gall baldder.  Here's to a fast and complete recovery.

Fair Winds,

John

[AdriftAtSea]

Thanks guys. 

I'm doing pretty well, for having a six-inch incision in my side.  UGH. 

Actually, it is kind of funny, since just the day before the last sail of the season, I was starting to write about Gee's hospital stay, and realized I had no experience, at least as a patient, from her side of the bed.   Now, I can't say that.  G0d must have a very strange sense of humor. 

I did take some photos and video of the last sail, and will try and get them posted next week on my blog. :D

[Oldrig]

Hey Dan,

Best of luck with the recovery!

I was out on Buzzards Bay that day. It was really blowin', and I was flying with a double-reefed mainsail and working jib at one point.

My boat is still in the water--and I think tomorrow will be the last sail of the season.

Once again, best of luck with the recovery. If autumn's here, summer can't be that far behind!

--Joe

[AdriftAtSea]

Thanks Joe,  I'm hoping to be down at the marina in two weeks, and working on the boat.  She's being hauled this weekend....and I'll be taking the sails off of her when I'm down there.   I've got a few projects that I'm planning on finishing up for the season.