Last Sail of the Season

[NateD]

Well, it's that time of year for us Yankee sailors. You can see the posts on any sailing message board. They usually involve a short sweet sail, some reflections on the season and the impeding sailing hiatus. Well, this is not that kind of post because my last sail was not that kind of outing.

After two weeks of wet cold weather in MN, forecasts were calling for a sunny 60 degree day with 10-20mph wind for Sunday. I had considered sailing last week in 35 degrees and snow (with 15mph wind) because I figured it would be the last chance to get out on the water this year. I'm glad I waited for this weekend.

I got to the ramp and rigged without incident. There were a lot of fishermen out on the water, but not many sailboats. I paid my $15 and got the boat wet. While motoring I rigged up my cajun tiller tamer (line wrapped around the tiller a few times). I motored South, directly into the wind, weaving my way through the fishing boats while the whitecaps crashed against the bow, sporadically sending spray back into the cockpit. It was time to raise sails, so I tensioned the tamer, but it wasn't holding well, which was going to make life hard. I tried a couple extra wraps, which helped, but didn't want to hold as well as it used to. I raised the main. My sail doesn't have reef points, so I reef it by wrapping it around the boom. I had reefed it back on shore, but given the wind, I decided to twist it around another turn. I pressed down on the halyard clutch lever and hurried back to the tiller. The halyard slipped a bit, they're too weathered to hold in the clutch in heavy wind, a problem that will be remedied next spring with all new running rigging. So I went forward and cleated off the halyard instead of using the clutch.

It was time to raise the 110 jib (my smallest headsail). I moved forward again and started raising it, got most of it up, but a hank got caught on the thicker portion of forestay where the turnbuckle attaches. Sh*t, I'll have to go forward. Sh*t, I have to go aft quickly first, or I'm gonna gybe. My tiller must be too wild for my tamer today. Then it's up onto the foredeck to free the fouled hank, and back into the cockpit to raise the jib the rest of the way. I got it all the way up, but the sail was flogging loudly. I looked at the sheet, and the jib downhaul was wrapped around it, sh*t. My jib downhaul is short, just enough to cleat it off when the jib is up so that there isn't a bunch of extra line cluttering the deck/cockpit. I got the jib sheet tensioned, unfortunately I rigged the boat wrong and the sheet was caught around the wires for my masthead light and they were trying to rip my through-deck wiring socket out of the deck. Ok tiller tamer, you're in charge again. I got everything routed correctly, with minimal damage to the socket. Back to the cockpit quickly, since were veering off course again.

Ok, main is up and halyard secured. Jib is up and the sheet is routed correctly. Jib downhaul is still flailing in the wind. Well, that's not really a critical item. I tacked back and forth a few times. The wind was strong, two other sailboats were out. One was heavily reefed, the other only had a 130 jib up. Eventually I was going to need to bring the jib down, which would involve going forward to either pull it down, or to get the downhaul rigged again. The downhaul was still attached to the halyard, but it had pulled out of the block at the bow and was just flapping in the wind. So I got as far from a lee shore as I could, which wasn't very far since I was sailing in a river. I hove to, went forward, and re-rigged the downhaul. Back to the cockpit.

The rest of the sail was good, 2-4 foot whitecaps, a few other sailboats found there way out of their slips, and the fishermen headed back to shore. I worked my way to windward. I'm sure I sailed about 12-16 miles, but only made about 3 miles to windward. I dropped the main and sailed downwind with just the jib. Got back to the dock, pulled the boat and went home. I had a rough start, but a good end to my last sail in 2009.

[Steve Ullrich]

The St. Croix, I'm willing to bet...  Glad you were able to get out again Nate.  I watched the wind whip the trees in my yard while I was mowing this afternoon.  I was wishing that I'd have held out another week before putting my 16 away for the Winter.  Hang on to my email.  We'll have to get back out on the water together again some time.

Steve & Jane

[Bob23]

   I've had those kinds of last sails also, Nate. Always made we wonder why I've kept her in for so long. But not so this year. After seeing Koinonia endure 2 back to back nor-easters we just had here in Southern NJ, we are lookng at a sunny, warm week ahead. I'm glad I'm still in and am moving her up to her fall home at a marina.
   I suppose "sailing season" is relative to where you live. I envy those southern lattitude sailors who sail all year but sure am glad I don't live any further north than where I am (39.705 degrees N lattitude.)
   Best to you all as we get ready to put our Compacs to sleep for the winter. Ah...the thought of winter projects and visions of sanding teak dancing in my head!
Bob23

[nies]

BOB23, EVERY YEAR I GET THE BOAT TO STORAGE AND THEN WE GET A NICE FEW DAYS, THEN I THINK I GOT IN TO BIG A RUSH. THEN SNOW AND COLD AGAIN AND I AM GALD SHES WARM AND DRY. ITS A LOT EASIER GETTING THE BOAT READY FOR STORAGE WITHOUT GLOVES ON AND A HOOD COVERING YOUR HEAD......NIES

[NateD]

Steve,

   Yeah, it was that spot on the St. Croix just south of I-94. We should definitely get back out somewhere next spring.

Nate

[Steve Ullrich]

Hi Nate,

I was really wishing I'd have kept my boat out of the machine shed for one more week though.  It would have been a perfect day for Pepin.  I'm a little sad I missed that this Fall.  On the plus side, Pepin will still be there next Spring.  We'll have to pick a stormy weekend so you can show off those new foul weather duds.

Steve

Steve,

  Yeah, it was that spot on the St. Croix just south of I-94. We should definitely get back out somewhere next spring.

Nate

[nies]

NateD, ONCE IN A WHILE I WOULD HAVE THE FIRST(LOWEST) HANK CATCH ON THE TURNBUCKLE, USUALLY WHEN THE WIND IS BLOWING THE HARDEST AND AT THE WORST TIME. I FIXED THE PROBLEM BY MAKING A SMALL DISC TO ATTACH ON TOP OF THE TURNBUCKLE AND THEN ATTACHING THE FIRST HANK ABOVE IT. JUST AN IDEA IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED.........NIES

[NateD]

That's a really good idea neis. I image that when the jib is down on the deck that keeps it a little higher than it otherwise would be, does the wind ever catch it like that? I'm just thinking while I'm at anchor, or even just motoring back to the launch having the jib up just a couple inches might cause trouble if it catches some wind.

[nies]

NateD, THE DIFFERENCE IS SO SLIGHT I HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM......NIES

[fafnir]

Hi Nate,
Happy to see you made it out last weekend, when I saw the forecast I figured you would probably make it out.  I had hoped I would make it out, but instead got called into work on Saturday and mowed for the last time on Sunday so unfortunately my last sail for 2009 was the one where I joined you on Lake Superior.  I keep thinking I should trailer the boat down I35 this winter and find someplace to get some sailing in. 

[NateD]

Chad,

    I was thinking about the Havasu Pocket Cruisers February get together (http://havasumontgomerys.piczo.com/?g=43878091&cr=1), but I started to add up the time and cost to trailer all the way to AZ and back, and I don't think it would be worth it.

Nate

[fafnir]

Chad,

    I was thinking about the Havasu Pocket Cruisers February get together (http://havasumontgomerys.piczo.com/?g=43878091&cr=1), but I started to add up the time and cost to trailer all the way to AZ and back, and I don't think it would be worth it.

Nate

I have thought about this as well and figured that if I was going to take my boat on a long road trip my destination would be the Florida Keys.  Although looking at the map,  Galveston TX is a straight shot down I35 and is about 1200 miles,  with a little caffein I could be there in 24 hours. :-)