The Weekend Thread! What's up for the weekend?

[DrB]

Although they were calling for 8 to 10 foot waves around Coastal North Shore to Plymouth, MA, I scheduled a sail on Sunday in hopes that the forecast was more accurate for further away from land than in the Sound.

When I got to the Harbor Entrance and looked out of over the entrance into the sound, I could not believe my eyes, no seas and steady 15 kt winds!

Hope back into the car and get to the launch. Meet my sailing buddy, get to the boat, fire up the iron sail and head out. Get the main up and we are doing a easy 4.5 kts. Unroll the genny and we are flying at 6.5 kts. Some sail trim and course correction and we are flying across the sound at 7.5 kts with a steady heel of about 28 deg. This is the fastest I have ever been in my new-to-me boat.

We blast around for another 3 h, before the winds change to a more easterly direction and the Sound fills with 3 to 4 ft whitecaps and the winds pick up. Tried to outside the sound and was met with 8 foot swells and 20 to 25 kt winds. Not for today's lesson.

Ran only with main up back to mooring at a constant 6.5 kts.

One of the best days of sailing of my life.

Short video during one of the close reach legs.

http://fastshotsphoto.com/images/IMGP1205.MOV

DrB

[sailingdog]

Thanks for sharing that video clip Dr. B.

Yeah, it can really surprise you when you get out past a point or harbor and the fetch increases... one of my first sails on my boat two years ago was in 35 knots of wind and it wasn't so bad, at least until I got out past the second point...then the fetch was from somewhere down in New Jersey, and the waves went from 3-5' up to about 9-12'. Did that for about 45 minutes and decided that I had had enough fun for the day...and headed back in.

[US27inKS]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

If you need some more slow boats, as CD to bring his catalina over.

Sweet. I've smoked a catalina 35 before. I don't think he had a tubocharged grill though.