Trials and Tribulations of a new CP27 owner

[pbrenton]

Hi Folks,

This is a recounting of my trip from Falmouth MA to Chebeague Island, Maine, about 130 nautical miles by direct route, my route was not so direct. 

I bought a CP27 "Last Mango" in Falmouth, Mass, this winter.  There were a few repairs needed including one divot in the bow, a loose bow pulpit, and other things on my list.  I discovered the yard does not allow DIY work, which messed up some of my plans, but they got her in the water in early May. 

My more experienced companion and I set sail from Falmouth by 7am, bound for a marina in Chelsea MA with a good weather window and tide charts for the Cape Cod Canal early on May 2nd.  I had aboard two GPS systems, one mounted on the instrument panel, which it turned out had no power, one a handheld I've used for years, which turned out not to have charts for the area, but I'd acquired waterproof maptech charts for the trip, thankfully, and at least the binnacle compass worked!  We sailed west from Falmouth on a beam reach, 5-6 knots with the engine running.  The current through Woods Hole channel was about 3 knots dead set against us, and in that sheltered space our sails were not drawing, but the little diesel (supposedly 18hp but possibly 11) chugged away and got us through. 

The Canal was a fun passage, another boat was following the same route much of the day, hardly any commercial traffic.  She peaked at 7.4 knots with the canal current carrying us along with the engine, but bare poles as the wind was not in our favor at that point.  Once we cleared the east end of the canal we turned north, with following seas about 3' and a following breeze, the sea was "lumpy" but surfing down the waves made the passage not terribly uncomfortable, temp about 45 degrees, so we were both bundled up with multiple layers.  The autopilot did well in this sea, the boat and crew behaved themselves, and the weather cooperated.  I refillled the diesel tank at sea from a jerry can, due to my nervousness about the fuel consumption (the fuel gauge was broken).  This turned out later to be unfounded and in fact I'm surprised we did not overfill the tank.  We slipped into Boston harbor through the 'southern pass'.  I was glad to see the sewage treatment plant at Deer Island. 

Boston Harbor, even this early in the season, was bustling with small boats, ferries and barges.  We passed under the Tobin Bridge to get to our marina and into the Mystic River, then into the canal approaching the marina.  I could see my wife there to meet us just as the rain which had held off all day started.  Darkness was gathering but we had plenty for the tie up, I thought, which is when I hit the mudbank and we stopped dead.  It was dead low tide, and I'd sidled over to the left of the channel preparing for a hard right into the slipway and found the boundary of the poorly marked 7' channel.  15 minutes of trying to kedge off with a thrown anchor, in pouring rain, but the tide lifted in that time and we got free, tied up without further incident and collapsed. 

We made Boston after about 12 hours of sail-motoring, 75 nautical miles, over 6 knots.

I kept her there for about two weeks, repairing the GPS, fuel gauge, got some new lines rigged, a few other minor items.  You see, she was bound for an island community in Maine, where a trip to West MArine or the hardware store involves a half day and two ferry rides, so I was trying to get most of the immediate stuff done where spare parts were easy to obtain.

A couple of weeks later my sailing buddy offers to put her on his mooring in Marblehead Mass to put us 3 hours closer - and within one day's sail - of the final destination in Maine.  We got ready only to find no water flow.  An hour later I'd replaced my first impeller, recovering all the broken fins from the heat exchanger, and we were off...only to turn around without leaving Boston Harbor when my friend found Marblehead was socked in with fog.  It as two days later we finally made this mini-hop to Marblehead on a nice sunny day in late May. 

A few days after that there seemed to be a good weather window for making the last jump to Maine.  We left Marblehead harbor at 4am, with the first light where any navigation was possible.  This was glorious sailing; a beam reach with maybe 12 knots, but a worried voice in the back of my head saying that the wind should be from the south, not the North, ah well, perhaps it will swing around as predicted by the time we get to the end of Cape Ann. 

Not a chance!  We round Cape Ann into the full force of about 25-30 knots, rough seas (for a 27' boat) of about 4-5 ' and sharp peaked, and quickly went to shelter in Rockport Harbor, a tiny harbor whose entrance I would swear to this day is about 3' wide.  We held there for 4-5 hours to let the wind change or at least lessen.  After that we motor-slogged into moderated seas and wind to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to a marina with a jaw dropping nightly rate for transients.

My experienced friend was no longer available, but my wife and I handled the last leg ourselves, about an 8 hour motor with just a taste of sailing at the end.  Sunny and maybe 55 that day, with calm seas but no real wind.  I was fine with that this trip.  After the previous leg "uneventful" was my goal.

I hope this was entertaining.  Questions welcomed.

Pete CP27 "Nydra" (Formerly "Last Mango").

[Cruzin]

Congratulations on the new vessel! I enjoyed your recap as I had a similar challenges bringing my 27 home. Best wishes to you, they are great boats!

Dale

[Seachelle]

Pete, that was a wonderful read! Glad you all arrived safe and sound! Please continue to share your adventures here and many congratulations on your 27!!! Please post some pics of her!

Fair winds,
~ Chelle
SV Sunflower (Sunny) | 2021 Com-Pac Legacy
SV No Mas! | 1990 Com-Pac 23D MK3
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