Pre Tropical Storm Sail

[kobo]

The previous night (Sat. 11/7) the winds for Sunday were posted as 8 to 10 knots NE. So my son and son in-law made plans for a early morning sail on Mobile Bay to watch the sunrise and enjoy a comfortable sailing day. Boy were we surprised. We met at the slip where I keep "Deja Blue" my 20' Horizon Cat". The winds were 15 to 20 knots out of the east. We decided to go anyway as it would not be the first time we had sailed on Mobile Bay with similar wind conditions. However it was the first time I had sailed my Cat boat in these conditons. When we entered the bay the waves were 2 to 3 ft. I had heard that the Horizon cat would need to be reefed in these conditions. We were close hauled and I can tell you the boat handled quite well. Needless to say we had a fast sail out into the bay and a very fast downwind sail home. I am very pleased with the way the Horizon cat handled the wind and the seas. Today I took "Deja Blue" out of the water and parked her saftly in my driveway as we are now in the middle of tropical storm "IDA" (We have never had a tropical storm in Nov.) It very reasuring to be able to get my boat out the slip and out of harms way. Trailer sailing is the way to go.

[HideAway]

It is very reassuring to have HideAway on a trailer.  Sunday we were lowing the mast to do some maintenance as well as prepare for Ida - which never came close to us as it turned out.  Still I'm amazed at how much HideAway rocks and rolls in the 25mph winds even though it is tied down to screw in anchors.  I think even a tropical storm could blow it over if not for the mobile home type anchors.

It took us several close calls to realize that when the water is three feet over the docks you really can't do anything for the boat anyway except kiss it goodbye and hope she is still there when the storm passes.  Matt

[Bob23]

   I keep my 23 moored in Surf City, NJ- Barnegat Bay. Hurricanes are not our big threat up here but Nor-easters are and can be pretty nasty. I'm fairly well protected in the cove which is Koinonias summer home but once in a while a good blow comes through. I deploy a big storm anchor, add additional llines, tighten everything up a bit and pray she's there the next morning. I usually don't sleep that night.
   Moving the boat or hauling her would be more mind-easing but I don't always have that much notice. It's reassuring to know that the forward mooring cleat on my 23 is there to stay!
   In the fall, when NW winds tend to blow hard, we move to a marina for a few months and enjoy the safety of a real boat slip! Wow! Electricity and water! And protection!
Bob23