Last of the season

[Jim in TC]

Out for the last time of the season in yesterday's blow. Pictures do no justice to the 20 mph most of the time, gusting above 25 (with occasional lighter air, allowing the camera to come out). We had a bit of trouble staying on course, which I will be exploring in a different post. Interesting weather, looking threatening and pleasant within minutes. We enjoyed spectacular fall colors, saw 30 degrees on the heel-O-meter and were able to enjoy considerable spray over side that was warmer than the air. I suppose we should have reefed...

[DanM]

We had our last sail of the season today, too, here in upstate NY. Uncomfortably gusty and shifty, that is until we got back to the dock, dropped the mast and got her ready for the ramp on Saturday. Then it turned into the beautiful, easy sailing day that we hoped for. Meanwhile, the racers at the club getting ready for the last race of the season, who would have liked the challenging winds, will be unhappy that the air went light just before the evening race. The Wind Gods have a sense of humor!!!!

[Andre]

Jim,

I'm glad you had a nice time on your last sail.  But I have to ask - why didn't you reef? It's a catboat, and reefing is just part of sailing since there's no other way to reduce sail.  In those conditions on my PC I would've had both reefs in, if I'd even ventured out, and on my HC I would've definitely started out with both reefs in and then maybe dropped down to just the 1st if conditions moderated.  I don't like to strain the rig, rudder, or crew.

I look forward to reading your follow-up ......

Andre

[Renae]

To be fair, the biggest reason I have not reefed (or not reefed sufficiently) in the past owes mostly to the tendency to underestimate the wind on open water on the basis of the amount of apparent wind on the shoreline.  I continue to improve my reefing system over time as well as my reading of true conditions, but it is still more skill-intensive to reef on the water than when at the dock, particularly when single-handing.

Jim already said he should have reefed.  I don't think there is a sailor around who hasn't come to that conclusion in retrospect.

We live, we learn.

[Roland of Macatawa]

Jim,

It was good to sail with you once this season, on Grand Traverse Bay.

My sailing season is also over, and I'm on into the maintenance season.

Be well, Roland

[Jim in TC]

I'm glad you had a nice time on your last sail.  But I have to ask - why didn't you reef? It's a catboat, and reefing is just part of sailing since there's no other way to reduce sail.  In those conditions on my PC I would've had both reefs in, if I'd even ventured out, and on my HC I would've definitely started out with both reefs in and then maybe dropped down to just the 1st if conditions moderated.  I don't like to strain the rig, rudder, or crew.

A few reasons, not necessarily all good ones...
I tend to resist reefing, just for the inelegance of it (sail shape). Not a particularly good reason, but there it is.

I also resist reefing just for the gusts, since they by definition are passing by.

With the first mate, conditions need to be pretty light and steady, while the guy down the street likes the bluster. So if wind forecasts have it above, say, 10 mph or gusts approaching 15+ (and yes, we have found wind forecasting to be the least reliable) it is the guy down the street. It turns out we both like a bit of adventure, so we tend to push the limits. We did reef once, while underway (an adventure in its own right), when wind and waves were way past our tolerance, and to get back to port we needed to head closer to the wind than I liked. But we both like the spray, the heel, and the speed (such as it is) at - and sometimes past -  the edges of the boat's ability to handle.

Finally, we did get a bit caught out on this last sail by winds - especially the puffs - well over the forecasts, and from a very protected direction at the slip; this gives us some cover for a decision not to consider a reef. And with the guy down the street, we anyway don't reef for the puffs.