Saga's May 2016 Cruise

[HeaveToo]

Here is a video that I made from footage that I filmed while on my last trip:
https://youtu.be/bqDQ1VHNwVM

let me know what you think!

[kahpho]

Nice. Looks like a good times.

[alsantini]

Very cool.  Enjoyed watching and listening to it.

Al

[jthatcher]

inspiring video...  seems like a nice time to be on the bay!   thanks for sharing,  jt

[deisher6]

Hey HeaveToo:
Great flick & compilation of your cruise.

I gotta get out more.

regards charlie

[Bob23]

Thanks, Matt. Well done and just the push I may need. I really liked some of the interior shots. Always nice to see how other 23's are set up.
Bob23

[tmw]

Great video, looks like a great time.

[HeaveToo]

Bob, it is always good to see an interior of a similar boat.

I didn't pull out my sink.  One modification that was really nice was the pressurized water with the folding tap.  It made doing the dishes so much easier.  I didn't kill myself on water usage either.  I have the 13.5 gallon tank and I never fill it to completely full so I probably started with 11 gallons.  I filled up once and that was later on in the trip.  I took a shower and cleaned the dishes for over a week on the 11 gallons. 

I don't drink the water in the water tank.  I take bottled drinking water and then I carry 3 drinking containers about 1.5 liters that I fill with water when I am at a place that has good water.  I use that water for cooking.

The shower in the cockpit works good.  I have it set up so I didn't make an external bracket for it, I take it out through one of the lazzerette openings.  If you put the hose in the corner you can actually shut the lazzerette top without pinching the hose.  The other cool thing I learned was that if you sit in the cockpit like a bathtub and have your back to the back of the boat you can use the cockpit like a bath tub.  It gives you a little privacy.

Adding the weight in the bow was a very good thing.  My boat sits better and I think that it sails better. 

This spring I made a piece of canvas that goes between my dodger and the connector.  In that area there was an exposed zipper that would leak water in the companionway during rain.  The piece of canvas was like a gutter and it worked perfectly.  When I am anchored I can leave the companionway open no matter how hard it rains. 

I have a hatch tent (you can see it in the video when I am anchored in Jackson Creek).  That hatch tent works perfectly and I can keep the hatch open in heavy rain without getting water in the hatch.  It is great to have full ventilation on a humid day when it is raining. 

My dingy was behind me the whole trip.  I barely noticed it but I can tell how fast I am going by the dingy is behaving.  When the dingy is on full plane and barely in the water I am at or above hull speed.  Towing the dingy doesn't hurt me much for speed.

The porta Potty worked great for me.  I won't change that system at this point.

The solar panels are awesome.  Actually, I have one panel at 100 watts.  It never got hot, even on the hottest days, and ventilates fine through the bimini.  Currently I tie it on.  Eventually I may make a system and Velcro it on the bimini when in use.  I store it in the boat face down when I am not on the boat.

I love my canvas on this boat.  I don't think that I will change anything with it for a while since it is functioning well and it is in pretty good shape.

If you can't tell by the video, the spinnaker is possibly the best $100 I have ever spent on this boat.  It is a lot of fun.  It takes a lot of work to rig, launch, and retrieve.  It also takes some monitoring on trimming it but there were times where I got it just right and was able to get the boat tiller pilot and not touch the spinnaker.  During the 28 mile run with the spinnaker it was AWESOME!!!!!!!!! 

[Bob23]

Thanks. I should compare my 23  with yours. I was thinking of another Mid Chesapeake Compac Sailors get together sometime. What do you think?
Bob23

[HeaveToo]

I would be game but it would have to be a while.  The rest of my summer may be getting busy at work.  The other part is that the Chesapeake Bay during the end of June, all of July, and all of August is marked with light winds and hot temps.  Even in September I remember seeing cabin temps at night in the 90s.  The end of May and beginning of June is my favorite time.

[Mas]

Hey Bob, true nuff bout the summer weather here on the Bay, but the spring sure was not typical so ya never know! Hopefully Heave can spring free for at least some cold beverage and lunch or dinner. I'm game for something and know that PeterG is now blow boat free but we can get him to join regardless. Whatcha got in mind? Let's see that would be CBMSG right!? Plus you need to come visit No Mas before she possibly sails off to new horizons. July is looking pretty good time wise with August and rest of June kinda full.

[Bob23]

Love to get down there. July is the Blackburn Challenge (7/16) and CLR the last week of July. Let's plan something even if its just another opportunity to me to drink the last beer!!!  Hahahaha
Bob23

[HeaveToo]

If my schedule wasn't so bad I would suggest grinning and bearing it and meeting at St. Mary's for the end of the Governor's Cup race.  That is one heck of a party, or so I've heard.  It is August 5.  I have friends that have gone and anchored in Horseshoe bend in the St. Mary's River for this.  The St. Mary's River is off of the Potomac, kind of near the mouth on the Maryland side.  I could almost put in for leave for it but it would cost me about 36 hours of leave.  I have it but I also know that it would probably mean motoring the 30 miles from Colonial Beach to St. Mary's and motoring the 30 miles back on Sunday.  August is hot and light winds most of the time with storms in the afternoon.  There aren't any marinas close to Horseshoe bend but there is one or two near St. George's Point that I know of. 

This one popped up on Active Captain:  Dennis Point Marina and Campground
46555 Dennis Point Way
Drayden, MD 20630-3212
United States (US)
301-994-2288
After hours: 240-273-2603

Still, it is a ways from Horse Shoe Bend where the college of St. Mary's is.

It is something to think about.