Surfing the Madame - Last Sail

[Eagleye]

Last Monday was forecasted to be just perfect to get one last sail here in upstate NY so I took the day off from work.  Suzie couldn't get off from work so I sent out a couple of feelers for crew and got no takers.  Sharing the experience is always fun but since this is my first season sailing getting a second single-handed sail in was a great way to end the year.  

I had several choices as to where I was going to sail but since I was going to be by myself I decide to stay close to home and go in familiar waters.  Saratoga Lake is just over an hours drive and considering the short daylight hours I felt it was a good choice.  The only down side is that they are drawing the water level down for winter so the marina ramp I usually use was out of the question but the public ramp at the north end of the lake was still usable and the bonus was it was free after Nov. 1st.   It is a beautiful ramp for launching a sailboat but for one little detail.  Between the ramp and the lake is the Route 9P bridge, which only has only an 11 foot vertical clearance which means motoring under the bridge and stepping the mast on the other side.  Not a problem as I did exactly that about 3 weeks ago on my first single-handed sail.

So I rigged her up as much as I could on the hard right up to actually hoisting the mast.  Here is a pic from 3 weeks ago,  






Now the forecasts predicted temps in the mid 60's and winds up to 15 mph.  Well they got the temps right.  As I motored the 1/2 mile under the bridge and up the channel into open waters the reality of the matter was hitting me directly in the face.  With the chop and the feel of the wind blowing directly at me I guessed it was already at 15 and they predicted the afternoon to be the highest.  When I stepped the mast on the water 3 weeks ago I was fortunate to do so in dead calm and then the afternoon elevated up to 15 mph.  This time I had to throw out the anchor and play around on a pitching deck.  But I was undaunted even when I realized my anchor was dragging but we were being blown back into the channel so there was plenty of room.  Keeping a watchful eye I even straddled the stanchions and made some needed adjustments to the shroud turnbuckles.   When I hoisted the mast and the wires started whistling I knew it was going to be quite the sail.  

What happened during the next 2-1/2  hours I could write pages so let's just suffice it to say that I got a real good understanding of the term "beating into the wind".    My goal was to sail the 6 miles to the other end of the lake but by now I was soaked to the skin from spray and fatigued so I went with plan "B" and headed fore the cove where the power boaters raft up in the summer and where Suzie and I had numerous lunches, about 3 miles.  Somewhat protected I tossed the anchor and took some time to reorganize the Madame and have a thermos of hot soup in the cabin.....and reflect.




Realizing that it was around 3:00 and I didn't have a lot of daylight left I pulled anchor and headed back towards the ramp.  Back out in the open water I popped open the still reefed sails and the Madame took off downwind like a spooked stallion.  Ok, Saratoga Lake isn't blue waters or even a Great Lake but this was the best ride of my meager tenure as a sailor. (It was only when I got home and looked up the recorded wind speeds did I realize that I was in 28 mph winds with 39 mph gusts.)  What a feeling having the waves carrying the boat with a rush and then completely stalling when she dropped in between the waves.  The trip back was way to short! It seemed to be only about 20 minutes but I think it was more.  The Garmin recorded our max speed to be 9.4 mph. I continued sailing as far as we could go right into the channel and within a few hundred feet of the bridge I dropped the sails.  Tucking in close to the marina for protection I again dropped the anchor to lower the mast.  

 Motoring under the bridge, now with lights on I could see that there was only one lone fishing boat at the ramp so there was almost no wait.  The photo is blurry but you get an idea of the bridge and the low water level.







 I got her on the trailer and finished tying her down under a street light in the parking lot.  Driving home tired and spent I was still exhilarated knowing that I couldn't have asked for a better last sail for the season....or was it the last?

From the Madam Z's Log 2012:

28 days sailed
216 miles sailed
Launched and retrieved 20 times
Sailed 3 different bodies of water
Launched from 6 different ramps
2 overnights
2 night time sails
more time that Suzie and I have spent doing something together in years...priceless!

I'm happy with that.

Thank you to all on the CPYOA forum for making our first season successful and without major mishaps.

Respectfully,
Allen, Suzie and the Madame Z

[Glenn Basore]

Allen,

I think your memories of your last sail will carry you through until next years season.

I bet your already planning your first earlist possible launch for your next season!

Glenn B.