First "Agressive" Sail on Lake Michigan - Long

[thomeng55]

The day began with a great run up the south shore of Lake Michigan and finished with the most challenging sail I have experienced so far.

Lets start with a confession.  I am more or less a neophyte to sailing.  Although I have owned 4 boats in the past 30 years, I still have very little sailing time.  And nearly all of it has been in calm to mild conditions. Cathy – the CAT in all my boats names – is not fond of water nor sailing, and especially not fond of the boat "tipping over" which most of us call "heeling".

Now that the confession is complete, when all you salty dogs out there start laughing about my "tale of adventure", at least you have a reference for my perspective. 

It was a beautiful Saturday morning.  65, light SSE breeze blowing up Lake Michigan about 5 kts with less than 1 foot waves.  NOAA forecast called for "5 to 10 knots, SSE, with waves under 1 foot." For the evening "winds 10 to 15kts, SSE, waves 1 to 3 feet".  A pretty typical south Lake Michigan Day.

I was out on my own, as is often the case, in my Compac 23 – TomCat (I'm the TOM and I explained the CAT). I backed out of the slip in Hammond, and motored out.  The Lake was calm so raising the sails was a breeze, though one of the battens popped out and flew overboard.  As it sank below the green, but clear, lake water I figured 'No Biggie, I'll cut a new one when I get back'.  In retrospect, foreshadowing perhaps?

The main up, I unfurled the 150 Ginny and steered for the cut in the break water 2.5 miles to the north,  that marked the northern edge of the Calumet shipping lane.  The wind was mostly astern and was more than a little flaky as it fluctuated from near calm to maybe 5 or so knots.

I have many things that irritate me.  One is the headsail flapping when I am running.  To solve this, I just bought a new Whisker pole – Forespars had a rebate on it, and Defender.com was selling them for $12 less than West Marine. I bought the spar (nautical sounding) with the clasps on each end thinking the one end would be more secure than just using the bayonet end.  Mmm... that was not as good an idea as I thought.

I tied off the tiller and went forward to set my spanking new whisker pole for the first time ever.  Here is a hint: Don't set your spanking new whisker pole for the first time ever before checking it out with your sales to see how it all works. It did not fit in the grommet on the ginny. But I tried, and tried, until, of course, the tied off tiller came loose and rounding the boat up, dang near jibed her. 

You see the tiller has one of the Tiller Tamers, mounted under the tiller and the line tends to pop out.  PO installed it that way and he is a very experienced sailor. My "plan" was during the several hour downwind run of the day was to take off the tiller tamer and rethread the line.  But that was to happen 'later'.

I instead, furled the ginny and sailed on while I contemplated ways to rig my new pole.  I watched a 30 (ish) footer sail on a bean reach across my bow and all the way up the breakwater to round it.  He was moving, I was inching.  He sailed all the way up and around and we both ended on parallel point about 1000 yards apart once I cleared the channel.  He had sailed at least twice the distance over ground I did in the same time.  I did not like that.

I finally rigged a loop on the end on the ginny and got my whisker pole set.  It was glorious.  Every puff of air I could feel her pull forward. I could sail several degrees off of a straight run and she responded well.... And NO flapping sails.  Perhaps best of all, I watch the 30 footer off my starboard beam and we sailed neck and neck, for over an hour.  (I saw his headsail flapping... a LOT)  It was great sailing.  Sun, light wind, just a ripple on the water and no dead air.

I repaired the tiller tamer – as planned.  Life was great!

Sailing the southern shore of Lake Michigan up the Chicago is a nice sail.  The steel mills are behind you, there are churches, apartments and an amazing amount of tree lined lake shore. Along the route you need to avoid the Chicago pumping station in the lake but even that is a nice waypoint to show progress.  The green dome of the Museum of Science and Industry, the last substantial structure remaining from the 1893 Chicago World Fair, slides past and lets me know that I am nearly half way to the Navy Pier. The Chicago skyline grows in the distance.  Soldier field glits in the sun – Burnham harbor just to its east. 

The entire horizon is dotted with white sails.  Lots of sails.

So many sails that I actually dashed below to get my Rules of the Road.  I knew the starboard tack has the right of Way, but if 2 vessels are both on the starboard tack, then... the leeward does... or ??  Most of my sailing I never have to think about this.  Off of Indiana, there are so few boats that it literally never comes up.  I have my 2 square miles of solitary lake.  I'm not use to sailing about so many boats. And they are passing within 50 yards or less.  I am on a starboard tack.  I see the bows of 2 boats, 50 feet apart, both on a port tack, bearing down on a collision course to my starboard beam.  I am transfixed on them.  They are supposed to avoid me.  Should I alter course anyway?  Finally, maybe a 50 yards out, the windward boat steers to my stern and the windward boat tacks to a starboard point parallel to me.  Almost claustrophobic out there.

A few minutes later, a big sailboat draws up my stern, closing fast.  I glance back every minute, or more, to see it getting closer – and bigger.  She is dead astern.  Over taking boat is supposed to yield the right of way, I tell myself.  Do they know that?  Less than 50 yards off, she tacks to starboard and sails off. 

Another hour sailing around these 50 to 100 boats and I feel comfortable. I just scan 360 degrees all the time and enjoy the sight of all the boats – coming and going, racing each other, sailing, and motoring, all against the background of the Chicago skyline.

By now the wind is picking up and there is a lot of chop on the lake.  Adding to the surface action, are the wakes of power boaters hauling butt around the lake front.  These are not just runabouts either.  Some of the cruiser are in the 50 to 60 foot range – maybe more.  And there are cigarette boats (why are they called that – I bet you can't light up on them with the winds velocity they produce).  I am bouncing all over the place.

I set course towards Waverly Island.  I want to check the entrance to Burnham harbor for a future visit.  They have transient dockage and my daughter lives about 4 blocks straight west from the north end of the harbor.  I figure that it would be a great sail up there, then dock and spend the night in a transient slip while I visit her.  By the way, a 23 footer in a transient for the night is $75 – I may rethink my plans.

I notice as I turn south, and start beating in to the wind that a lot of the boats are motoring back into the harbors, and at least half of the ones still out sailing are under headsail alone or headsail and a reefed main. The waves are about 3 feet now, I am heeling about 15 to 20 degrees and I am starting to see a little white capping on the lake.  Just a bit.

I decided to furl the ginny to about 30% - just a guess.  I learned the sail quality of the roller furls sails really stinks at least while close hauled.

And I was going to be close hauled all the way back.  The exact heading I needed to sail the 14 miles back to Hammond is 150 and the wind was out of the SSE.  In short, I was going to be tacking all the way back.  The advantage of a lake that is 60 miles wide, is that I can go on one tack for a long way, then come around of a second tack and be done.  I headed up into the lake on a heading of about 60. 

I was pound through the wave.  Literally I heard them slam into the flat of the hull. But TomCat sailed on.  I headed out for about 4 miles before I tacked to about 180 (the wind must have come around a bit too) 



I spent the next 2 to 3 hours on this tack, and living in a world of 15 to 25 degree heel. Wave heights were about 3 feet, some breaking spraying over the bow and hitting me at the stern. The whitecaps were gone and I had let out the jinny to about 100%. I could not tie off the tiller, she would never hold a course.  The boat was nicely balanced, or so I think, as the tiller did not fight me, just demanded I not ignore her. The shoreline about 3 miles veritably flew by.  I shot dome movies and some picture while minding the helm. 

I had to use the head, but couldn't without letting go the helm.  I thought about heaving to to take care of that, but told myself, "only if it became absolutely necessary" . It did not although when I docked I practically ran to the marinas restrooms.

I had to brace my legs against the opposite cockpit seat the entire time.  Today – my legs are very sore.

I shot through the cut in the breakwater that I inched through earlier in the morning.  I fell off the wind about 20 degrees and had a straight shot to the marina.  I was still heeling 20 with an occasional 25 to 30 which, I readily admit, made me nervous to the point I bled some wind out of the main.  20 was ok, I got used to it, but when the inclinometer bounced close to 30, my heart began to lurch.  I never really felt she was going to go over, I just don't know how far to take her.  That is one reason I left so much sail up... to get a feel.

Of course, once I got near the entrance and went to fire up the motor, it would not start.   The waves were down here, maybe 1 to 2 feet but the wind was blowing pretty good.  I finally figured that I needed to put the Kill Switch clip in place (duh) and she fired on the second pull.  Head into the wind.  Furl the jinny, drop the main, sheet the boon tight and head on in.

So 8 hours after I left I made it back to my slip and tied her up. 

I was more worn out than I have been in a very long time.  I was also so sore I could barely stand up stright and my arms and chest muscles ache considerably. 

I felt GREAT!

According to iNav, I sailed about 24 NM
According to NOAA the wind off Chicago while I was there was 19.43 kts.
I did not get an official wave heights but I think 3 feet is realistic (I'd like to say 5, but I know it wasn't that)

I learned to use sailing gloves – I did not and I had rope burns to the point of bleeding.  I admit, its because I was a bit of a chicken and was letting out the lines for bleed the wind by letting the sheets slide thorough my hands.

I learned to test equipment (whisker pole) BEFORE you intend to use it.

I learned to use the head every chance I get.

I learned the boat can take close to a 30 degree heel without capsizing, and I also learned, I don't a 25 to 30 degree heels.

I learned that a roller furls headsail has terrible sailing qualities, but who cares.  When I furl it, its because I need to.

I learned – I love sailing even when its gets a little hairy (at least for me.)

Just thought I would share.

Tom
SV TomCat
Hammond Marina
I'll post some pictures and videos on my website www.sailtomcat.com

[skip1930]

Nice day on the water. Great re-tell.

As a highschool kid I was the 'spinnaker man' on a Rhodes 19 keel boat out of Montrose Harbor.
We would practice on Saturday and race on Sunday. WHAT A LOT OF WORK. Can't come near to doing that now.

As to sailing with some of the furler hauled in ... I'd much rather sail the 155% lapper full out with the main tied down on the main. [The first time I put my cockpit combing of my CP-19 under water was sailing this configuration]

As to using the head ... forget it unless the boat is Heaved Too. It's amazing how calm this can be. I have been known to Heave Too in Lake Michigan or in The Bay of Green Bay for a 45 minute nap. Since most dead bodies of male sailors are pulled from the water by the Coast Guard are found with the fly open ... have a 3 lb Hills Brothers coffee can on a bridle and pee in that while never leaving the tiller. Or better yet, pee on the cockpit sole and washer it out through the scuppers. Don't pee over the side where a loss of balance could end your life.

The starboard tac may yield being in the right, but don't bet your life on it. I usually alter course to go astern. I'm in no hurry anymore.

Thanks for the story. The parents sailed their schooner and Star Boat out of Belmont when dad was stationed around here. Once in a while we had to give this up for a while as the Navy pushed us around.


The solid stick 'tiller Minder' no lines. A socket on both sides of the cockpit.


Belmont Harbor.


The day the rail went under. So much fun.


Best sailing is between two storms.



The 'P's schooner when The Prudential Building was the tallest sky scrapper in Chicago.


Occasionally she lays over.

skip.

[crazycarl]

very nice write up tom, i enjoyed reading it!

cc

[thomeng55]

Hey Skip

Yeah... My "head" is a bucket.  I read about the "floaters" with their pants down and took that one to heart.  The porta potty is ONLY in absolute emergency or if the CAT (of TomCat) ever comes on board and the portapotti is fitted with those deodorized doggy dodo bags - 'cause I hate cleaning it out.

I"ll try the jinny out and the main reffed or down next time.  I saw a lot of boats out there sailing that way.

I am the first in my family to sail.  My dad feared water.  No boats in our family.  The Marina has a Beer Can race every Weds and I am thinking of offering to crew on those to learn more skills.  Other than one sailing course, books (and now YouTube) have been in teachers. And a bit of trial and error.

Thanks again Skip.  I am a lurker usually reading lots of your posts.  Planning on heading to Green Bay late summer or early fall.

[Bob23]

Tom:
   Great tale! I've had my share of white knuckle days aboard "Koinonia", my 1985 23/2. My 23 likes a first reef in her main at about 15-18 knots of winds. I know, sounds wimpy but they sail much more upright and faster, too. This is especially true if your sails are not new. When I had new sails for my boat, I was amazed at how much more energy from the wind was transferred into forward motion instead of sideways (excessive heeling) motion. So if your sails are old, consider buying your baby a new wardrobe. You won't regret it.
(Ps: I like the double lifelines..great look and practical)
Bob23

[Saluki86]

Hey Tom,
Enjoyed your story.  Hope to hear more.
Sal

[Floyd]

Great story - thanks!

Cigarette boats - so named because they were used to outrun law enforcement while smuggling cigarettes, among other things.

Floyd in Tampa Bay