Windy days…

[sailen69]

I thought I would post about my adventure on the water Saturday with what was left the hurricane passing by Southern Illinois.   I decided to go south to Kentucky Lake and miss out on the heavy rain and lightning.  I was able to sail right off the dock and was out all day on Kentucky Lake in my CP-16.  The winds were 14 to 20 and built up to 24 to 30 out of the south pushing mostly straight up the lake.  There were some whitecaps and swells 2 feet most of the day.  Later on I started seeing 3 foot swells and wondered where they were coming from and before long the 24 to 30 winds were blowing.  It rained for a short time but it wasn't much more than the spray coming over the bow.  I was the only sailboat out on the lake for some reason.  I am impressed with the conditions this boat will sail through.  I had both sails up with my out hall tight.  I worked hard for about 7 hours tacking as close to the wind as I could get with the sails close haled.  The boat cut through the swells at a nice 35ish degrees, any closer on the wind and the sails would luff, any further off the wind and I would have to let out the sheets or put the rail down in the water.  Some people out there may not believe me but I didn't put the rail in the water all day.  If I had been sailing more off the wind I would have put a role reef or two in in the main.  I gave the ole' heave to a couple of times to get things out of the cabin.  That is something I think everyone should try if you have not.  I made it up stream 14 miles working into the wind and against the current with two heave to's in 7 ½ hours.  I decided to turn the boat back for home with three hours of day light left, cloud cover permitting.  Sailing at night is fun but more risk in those conditions than what I wanted.  It was an almost straight downwind run all the way back.  I decided to drop the main and run with only the jib.  It seemed like a relaxing ride home with the tiller under my knee as I fixed a few sandwiches on the way home.  I covered the 14 miles in about 2 ½ hours.  I was riding the current, 2 to 3 foot swells, and the wind hard ant my stern all the way home with only a 110 jib without a pole.  Around sun set the winds dropped down to 10 to 12 as I dropped the jib and motored 400 feet to the dock.  WOW!  How do you describe what this is like to some one that has not had this kind of experience?

Sorry the cell phone video does not really show the good stuff.

Click on the photos and see the video clips.


Spray over the bow.






3 foot swells off the stern.


The ride home.

[Bob23]

Thanks for "taking us along" via video. That sounds like one wonderful day on the water. I'm really impressed about all the reports I read heralding the seaworthiness of the 16. I'd like to sail on one more to see for myself.
And, yes, I'll take your advice on heaving to...something I've been ignoring in favor of moving under sail.
bob23

[chas5131]

Sailed there a lot in the 80s and 90s.  Great place to sail.
Thanks