Weather permitting I'm taking it out for the first time Tue!

[zeroready]

Bought a couple weeks ago. Seller threw in a 1976 4.5 Mercury. It didn't start when I got it, I changed the gear oil and spark plug, replaced the water pump impeller, squirted some fuel into the cylinder, and it runs like a champ now. Probably needs a carburetor rebuild but that will come later. As for the boat, I made a new mast crutch from an 8 inch PVC, slotted to fit over the transom. Replaced the main sheet (at $2.50 a foot that new line better make my boat go fast lol), added a bail to the mast to hook in the boom vang, drained about 1000 lbs of the nastiest most foul smelling bilge water from inside the hull, and removed all the wasps nests. I had to have a 14 foot gate installed in my fence so I could back it into my yard, I didn't think about where I was going to keep it before I bought it (I'm not a smart man). I've been practicing rigging and taking it all down in my yard every day, sitting in it with a cocktail and the sails up just waiting for the chance to take it out. I'll be with wife and 2 younglings, hopefully nothing catastrophic happens.

I've been sailing the Hobie waves at the sailing club for the past year, I crewed on the Precision a for a few races. I feel pretty confident but I'm little nervous. No idea if it leaks, no idea if the centerboard will go down or come back up. Hopefully the weather holds up but it may be too rainy on Tuesday to go out, may have to wait til the weekend. My kids are so excited, I cant wait to get them out to the sand bar and throw them in the water. They've been stuck in the house for months with the quarantine and we finally have something we can do together. So wish me luck! I'm really grateful for the vast amount of info here on the forums, and to my dad who taught me everything I know about sailing, made everything really come together for a first time boat owner.

[GreenLake]

Nice boat!

Good luck. If sailing with kids and not sure of your boat, I'd suggest you limit yourself to winds < 15 knots (including gusts).

That way, you won't get overpowered/overwhelmed and everyone will have fun (and want to come back).

So, check the forecast, but also look for local conditions (wind forecasts are never correct -- either too low or too high)

Also, in the same vein, unless your wife is the better sailor, it's your task #1 to always exude confidence and give people a firm feeling that you know what you are doing. Skipper's task #1. Task #2 is to give everyone something to do (weather practical or just something like looking for waves doesn't matter as much). Task # 3, is to make sure everyone has fun (includes not keeping them on the water longer than the fun lasts, so best not sailing downwind first and then being committed to endless upwind tacking or motoring).

Also, always best to plan to use the sails for everything - not relying on the motor as primary propulsion. (No matter how nice and powerful it is in theory). Use it when you have to, of course.

Good luck again!

[zeroready]

Great advice thank you. So far wind is forecast at 9 to 10 knots, will that be enough for us do you think? If 15 is too much, what is the minimum to actually have a good time out there on a DS2? I don't know what to expect as far as performance, in the hobie wave, with just one sail, 9 knots would be pretty boring, but the DS2 has SO much more sail area up there so I'm expecting a very different experience. I will definitely come up with jobs for the kids, hopefully the older one can actually get on the jib.

For sure I only want to motor when necessary, unfortunately there is quite a ways to get out of the bay/channel where the boat launch is. I just hope the motor holds up, we do have paddles just in case. I've had it run in a tub of water for about 10 minutes just to make sure nothing explodes or seizes and it really sounds great for being almost 50 years old. My wife is in the Coast Guard though so we should be fine lol. We definitely have the appropriate number of PFD's and flares aboard.

Thanks again for all your help!

[GreenLake]

8-10 knots is about the sweet spot of for the DS. Couldn't ask for better. Somewher between 12 and 14 knots you start to be overpowered, particularly if single handling, and over 15, especially in gusts, you have to be a bit proactive to stay upright. The DS starts to noticeably move from about 6 knots, but you can still sail (as opposed to merely drift) as long as you can feel the wind. I personally enjoy the challenge of light wind sailing, but kids and visitors are generally not up for it.

I realize some launches are really not directly next to waters that make easy sailing, but as long as there's wind and unless there's heavy traffic the DS can be sailed (even tacked) in pretty narrow waters. We only have about 200 ft to our favortie dock, but we generally sail down that fairway. I don't always bring a motor, so that's one reason, but even if I do, I might use it only if it's practically dead calm.

I've never had to use a PFD for real, but wear one every time. I really hope that you won't ever have to use flares.

Good luck!

[GreenLake]

PS: you may find once you are on the water that wind forecasts can be rather approximate. One useful thing, if you have an hourly forecast, is to look at how the wind is supposed to develop over the day. Sometimes, the general development is forecast correctly, but the timing is off (and the wind comes or leaves sooner / later than forecast). After a while you'll get a feel for the range of conditions that you might expect for a given forecast.

On our local lake, there may be enough wind to move the boat even on a "calm" day, or conversely, a stronger wind may not materialize as forecast. So we tend to drive down there and look at the actual conditions even if the forecast did not show ideal conditions. That requires being able to read the look of wind on the water - something you should be familiar with. Near land, flags on the shore are also helpful.