Captain's Log - Last outing of the summer

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Captain's Log - Last outing of the summer

Postby fatjackdurham » Sun Sep 10, 2017 9:26 pm

Well, I squeezed in one last outing to test out the changes I made to the mast and rake. It was a little chilly, about 55 when I left home and about 62 when I hit the water. This time, I put in at the Coast Guard boat ramp, which was a much nicer place. Plenty of room, docks to tie up on. The only drawback is a very tight mouth to sail in and out of.

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Winds were from the NNW, about 8 - 9 knots when I launched. Everything went smoothly. The new topping lift is awesome, and the new outhaul was a cinch to use. Since the winds were from the North, I sailed south to get out of the breakwater. The boat really moved along. As soon as I launched, I trimmed the sails for a broad-reach, and dashed down the waterfront and through the mooring field. I am sure it looked a lot more professional than the last time I was there.

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The new soft shackle worked perfectly. Just using an eye splice and a lanyard knot held just fine. I love it. I decided to try to sail across to New York again. I picked a spot on the far shore and headed towards it. The wind wandered back and forth from NW to NNW. They stayed strong and the boat handled like a dream. The new mast rake must be just about right. It had just the right about of weather-helm. I think at this point the winds must have been closer to ten knots, because there was just barely a little bit of chop. However, it wasn't enough to cause the boat to pitch at all, so we just cut along at a pretty good pace.

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As I got close to the New York shore, the winds started to die. I was still gliding along, but the wind seemed to shift to the NNE, which meant I was going to tack back across, just as I had tacked over. I had left the breakwater at about 12:23. By 1:50, I was about a half mile off-shore from Port Douglas. That's about 8.5 miles covered at 1 and a half hours. That works out to about 4 and a half knots. I'd venture when the wind was stronger, I was probably going about 6 knots. Since the wind was dying, I decided to turn around, again failing to reach the New York shore. However, to be honest, I was sailing the absolute widest part of the lake.
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Re: Captain's Log - Last outing of the summer

Postby fatjackdurham » Sun Sep 10, 2017 9:35 pm

At first, the wind was very fickle. For about 45 minutes, I crawled along. The wind had shifted to NE, and I could barely keep Burlington in line with the forestay. I figured I'd have to sail a little to the south, then tack up again. However, about halfway across, the wind picked up again to about 5-7 knots, and shifted to N. I had the jib sheets inside the shrouds as Greenlake recommended, and I was very closely hauled. It was just about perfect conditions. The boat hummed along smoothly, and quickly.

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Every now and again, the wind would die and shift to the east. I would fall off, to avoid luffing and then correct up again when the wind picked up. One time though, immediately after dying and shifting to east, a gust came up from the north and just about capsized me. It was the only time I had to open the auto baler.

An absolutely gorgeous gaff rig was sailing out of the breakwater, and I tacked to port to close with her so that I could get a picture.

Finally, around 4, I was inside the break water. The last challenge was to get into the protected mini-harbor at the Coast Guard boat ramp. The wind was straight out of the mouth, which is not more than 100 feet wide. I had to make three very slow tacks to get in. I was close enough to shore to actually hear a man tell his wife "That is actually not as easy as it looks, to get the boat in like that, straight into the wind." I felt pretty good.

I landed and got the boat onto the trailer with no drama, and my sailing season was over. I rolled the main and jib around the mast and put it into the bag wistfully, and dropped the mast.
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Re: Captain's Log - Last outing of the summer

Postby GreenLake » Mon Sep 11, 2017 7:52 pm

Sounds like you had a good time. Our bit of 100' wide channel to the dock is twice as long and winds are such that one direction (in or out) is always pretty much dead upwind. As long as you complete each tack (never ever stall the flow over your CB and rudder or end up in irons) you should be fine.

We have a bit of canal here that's not much wider than a big barge, but a good fraction of a mile in length. Had a friend who insisted we short tack it (at night - so at least no traffic, and no wakes), but to make it more challenging, whatever little wind there was channeled along one side only - I learned very quickly to play with the momentum the DS carries....
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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Re: Captain's Log - Last outing of the summer

Postby carl10579 » Tue Sep 12, 2017 4:16 am

What about the first outing of the Fall? A warm October day on the lake with the fall colors is stunning.
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Re: Captain's Log - Last outing of the summer

Postby fatjackdurham » Tue Sep 12, 2017 8:54 am

That does sound nice, but I have other projects I have neglected while working on the boat. Time to put it away for the season.
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Re: Captain's Log - Last outing of the summer

Postby GreenLake » Wed Sep 13, 2017 11:34 am

Know that feeling.

If others are still out sailing, would love to hear about a fall cruise.

PS: I'll move this one to the "cruising" section as it is not so much about the specifics of the DSII
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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Re: Captain's Log - Last outing of the summer

Postby DigitalMechanic » Thu Sep 14, 2017 8:22 am

It is Fall? I was waiting for it to cool off enough to sail without having a heat stroke. I think the hurricane might have left a touch of cooler weather behind for us to enjoy :wink:

Now we just need to remove the fallen trees and rebuild the docks. Nothing comes easy, right? lol
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Re: Captain's Log - Last outing of the summer

Postby GreenLake » Fri Sep 15, 2017 3:37 pm

Glad you are able to think of sailing.
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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Re: Captain's Log - Last outing of the summer

Postby carl10579 » Mon Sep 18, 2017 1:51 am

Yes Irma left quite a mess. I'm sure everyone has seen the photos of all those boats piled up in the marinas not to mention all the death and destruction left in Irma's wake.

And now Jose ---

The winds will be picking up a bit around here and I'm taking Wednesday off to go and zip around the lake. Projected winds = 12 to 14 mph and overcast. I'll take it.

Carl
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Re: Captain's Log - Last outing of the summer

Postby carl10579 » Fri Sep 22, 2017 2:45 am

This was probably my last outing. Hope not. Posted an 8 minute youtube video of the boat on Wallenpaupack.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ydfq6Ml1P3E
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Re: Captain's Log - Last outing of the summer

Postby DigitalMechanic » Fri Sep 22, 2017 8:32 am

Nice Carl! Looks like Jose brought you a little wind. Nice set of sails you have on that little boat ;)
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Re: Captain's Log - Last outing of the summer

Postby fatjackdurham » Fri Sep 22, 2017 10:02 am

carl10579 wrote:This was probably my last outing. Hope not. Posted an 8 minute youtube video of the boat on Wallenpaupack.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ydfq6Ml1P3E


Nice! You are really moving there! Downwind, too. What was the wind speed?

I also like the trim of your sails. I have a brand new Intensity sail, but it has a kind of fold along the boom most of the time, as though it was sewn with too much "bag" in it.

I
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Re: Captain's Log - Last outing of the summer

Postby GreenLake » Sat Sep 23, 2017 2:58 am

Any sail with a boltrope should have a bit of a "shelf" at the foot. That allows the sail to assume the proper camber without being distorted by the presence of the boom.
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