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Jim,
Per your original request, please allow me to share my first serious solo sailing experience with you. As it is a story, it's going to become quite wordy. I hope I don't bore you too much.
Preface: prior to purchasing a 1981 Hunter 30 in 2000, I owned a series of powerboats and had a USCG 6-pack license. My last boat was a 35 ft. Mainship which I cruised from Catskill, NY to Nassau, Bahamas. When my wife and I split up, I solo cruised it back to FL to sell. Before I left Nassau, I bought the Hunter. When I returned, I lived aboard, worked as a dive instructor, and used it to motor out to Athol and Rose Islands. I rarely raised the sails.
Fast forward to 2003.
It was time to bring the Hunter back to the States. I had been caring for my elderly father in FL for 2 years, and had kept the boat at the Nassau marina. At the marina, the manager and other thieves stole me blind; anchors and rodes, batteries, propane tank, tools, outboard, you name it.
In April 2004 I returned to the boat, got it running and provisioned. I left Nassau and headed back to FL.
After leaving the harbor I raised the main and the 135 genoa. Hey, I was sailing at last! Unfortunately, the wind petered out and I ended up motor sailing into Chub Cay. I anchored out overnight and headed west toward the Banks the next morning in about 15 knt. east winds. I was flying along, while big swells from the SE just passed harmlessly under my stern. I was pumped! I couldn't believe how peaceful and quiet it was without the motor running!
The winds picked up to about 20 knts. and I was afraid I had too much sail on. But, I was flying along, probably close to hull speed, and I had a long 80 miles to cross the Banks to Gun Cay. Without an autopilot, it became a long, hot day, with rarely another boat in sight. In order to leave the cockpit to get lunch, I had to tie the wheel down and hope the boat held its course.
Late in the afternoon I could see dark clouds north and south of me, with occasional lightning flashes. I kept flying along toward Gun Cay, hoping that I could pass between the 2 frontal systems. No such luck!
Finally, with thunderstorms ahead and to both sides I figured it was time to bring down the sails and get ready for a blow. I steered into the wind, tied off the wheel and rushed up to the bow. After a bit of a struggle, I got the genny down and bagged. I threw over the old, spare Danforth, with the ratty rode that the thieves had forgotten to steal, and let out all the rode I had. After it caught, the boat turned back into the wind and I focused on lowering the main.
The main proved more difficult. After lowering it about half way one of the slugs jammed in the track and I could neither raise or lower it. So, all I could do was tie as much sail as I could to the boom and pray for the best.
A few minutes later the squall hit. The wind shrieked, the boat jumped up and down, and the lightning flashed. My only comfort was that I was in the middle of the Bahama Banks and if my anchor broke free, I could drift quite a ways before I hit anything solid. Fortunately, the anchor held, the storm passed, and when I woke up the next morning, the main was free and looking none the worst for wear.
The Banks were as quiet as a mill pond and as clear as glass. I motored about 20 miles to Gun Cay, where I dropped anchor.
About 10 pm that night I motored out through the cut between Gun Cay and N. Cat Cay. It was pitch black and I was thankful I had already passed through to cut twice before. I set a course for Ft. Lauderdale, using my handheld gps, factored in about 15 degree drift, and headed out into the Gulf Stream.
The winds were light from the south, the sky clear as crystal, and I motor sailed with just the main all night long. The only nervous moment I had was when a cruise ship started overtaking me from the stern. Eventually he veered away and I breathed a sight of relief. I arrived in Port Everglades around 11 am and started looking for a marina.
Trying to find a marina slip in Ft. Lauderdale on a busy Saturday is another story in itself.
Anyway, Intuition and I made it safely back to FL and I've now had an opportunity to share this story with someone. Thanks!
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