Learning Curve

[sawyer]

Monday was a fantastic day........
We had 20kts gusting to 30kts, I had some great learning.
I started out with full main and the jib, felt that the genoa was too much.

Well, once across the pond having had to release the main a bunch of times, I took the jib off and sailed with just the main.  Still, the gusts were hitting me pretty hard, again letting the main loose.

I reefed the main down to the factory points and started across again, this being a 20+ mile long impoundment about 1 to 2 miles wide in most areas.  That did the trick, the boat just sailed flat and fast, and straight, with little fighting of the tiller.  I actually tied it off and sat back against the cuddy and she sailed quite straight and level.

Later, I found that I had lost the prop on my new electric motor, bummer, but it improved my sailing, right into the marina ramp area and up to the dock under sail. Learned to douse it fast.  (that does it, I'm going back to oars).

All in all, a wonderful day of sailing,  lost prop or not, probably 8 actual hours on the water, and a great learning experience.

Doug...........   CP-16 (without a name)

[Craig]

Doug,

I've been out in such conditions. My older style roller reefing boom allows me to really deeply reef the main and keep the jib up. The boat handles great when rigged like that.

Craig