an afternoon sail with the wifey - what could possible go wrong?

[curtisv]

Much to my surprise a few days ago my wife Tara suggested that the two of us go sailing.  We settled on Saturday.

Yesterday, the weather forecasters were calling for 10 knots.  What could be better.  Sunday would be windy and with a good chance of rain.  They seemed to have changed their minds and moved up the windy part.  More on that later.

Last night we invited another couple and their son, a member of the Coast Guard, along for the sail.  So today we packed a cooler.  I rowed out while Tara stayed home to wait for them.  Turns out they called and cancelled.  Maybe a good choice on their part on account of it turning out to be a bit windy.

The wind prediction had been changed to SW 10-15 knots with gusts up to 20, later backing to NW.  That seemed about right.  There were some whitecaps when we started out.  There were also some waves, our mooring being on the north of a 2.5 mile fetch, and our faithful dinghy Salty took on some water over the bow on the way out.  Picking up Tara in Salty and then shipping a lot of water with the two of us in Salty didn't seem like a great option.  It being not quite high tide I decided depths were safe to bring our CP23 in through the 15 inch MLW "channel" into Quanset Pond.  Add the better part of the 4 foot tidal range and all should be fine.  Except perhaps the wind.

So then there is the wind.  In Pleasant Bay when the wind blows from the SW it blows nice and steady from Jackknife Point, a low spot in the land in the SW corner through The Narrows in the NE corner with some going over the higher land and doing funny things near the shore.  When the wind is a little more from the W, it can't make up its mind whether to blow SW over the low land or blow W over the higher land, so it does both, coming mainly from the SW and gusting from the W.  Today was one such day, only the gusts were in the 20 knot range.

Then there is Quanset Pond.  It has a set of high bluffs with notches in the bluffs in a few places.  This can make for crazy variations in wind direction in the end of the channel and in the pond itself.  Compound variable and shifting wind directions in the pond with 20 knot gusts and things can get interesting.

So I ventured down the channel toward the pond to pick up Tara at the dock.  It was downwind so being on a run one moment and a broad reach the next wasn't a problem.  The problem was turning around in the tiny pond with moored boats and making my way back upwind to the dock when the wind can't decide which way it wants to come from moment to moment.  Quick solution was to anchor about 50 feet off the dock, put out enough rode to hold but not enough to back into the boat nearest the dock.  I could row the 50 feet in the somewhat protected pond and pick up Tara.  That went fine.

The next challenge, and a challenge it was, was to sail upwind in a changeable wind, through a narrow channel with boots moored throughout including just off the channel.  There is a discernible channel if you are a motorboat and think one boat length is plenty wide enough.  Otherwise you have to weave through moored boats.

Given the wind strength and the gust strength, I had tied in the second reef in the main from the start.  To make it easier to tack I put out the entire 110 jib.  We couldn't miss any tacks in closely moored boats.  That actually went fairly well up to a point.

I don't know if anyone else has ever had a jib sheet stuck on the jaw of the turnbuckle (the lower part where the clevis pin goes through).  I had that happen plenty of times.  PVC tubing over the turnbuckle helps but mine needs to be replaced and is missing on a few turnbuckles.  This was the first time I had the sheet jam on the opposite side.  I tacked and was backwinded and couldn't bring the sail to the new leeward side.  With the tightly moored boats I also couldn't leave the tiller for a moment to clear it.  That brings up another problem - my tiller tamer broke a while back and I can't leave the tiller.  So I asked the wifie to clear it, conveying a sense of urgency in the request.

With Tara a sense of urgency puts her in a panic.  She cleared something.  She immediately cleared the other sheet from the block.  Then when I got her to focus on the other sheet, the one jammed with tension on it, she cleared that too with little trouble.  That left me with one sheet working and the other over the side in the water.  I needed to get her to put the other sheet (which was just fine before she touched it) back through the block and bring it back to the winch.  (My sheet tracks are up by the aft lower stay chainplates so I couldn't see what she was clearing at first).

Having put us downwind to clear the tension on the sheet while the mess was cleared and then not being able to tack with one working sheet, I was back in Quanset Pond by the time everything was in order.  And Tara was all stressed out.  But now things were almost back to right, ignoring that the one sheet that was rethreaded through the block was now on the wrong side of the stays.  It all still worked.

At this point the wind was stronger, a clear 15 knots steady in Pleasant Bay judging by the whitecaps.  It was still variable and the gusts were stronger in Quanset Pond.  The full headsail, even though only a 110 was getting hard to handle.  Regardless we tacked out and reached the outer buoy before leaving the partial protection of land and getting hit with a full strength gust.  We were nearly put over and already a bit stressed Tara wasn't taking this well.  I furled the headsail and sailed to windward a bit on only the mainsail with the second reef tied.  This was calming for Tara.  It was OK until I had to tack so I had to put out most of the headsail to get decent shape and tack easily.

We then had a fine little sail in Pleasant Bay.  I was fine with it.  Good stiff breeze, little whitecaps, choppy waves, reefed, occasional gusts from the W putting the rail down, but nothing to worry about.  Except that I had a real worry expert on board.  All Tara wanted to know was when were we going to anchor.  I told her that the calmest anchorages would be along the W side near the NW corner but we were going to have to tack up there.  Gradually she was getting OK with that and the wind was letting up a little and maybe gusting less often.  When we did get to the W side near the NW corner, conditions were lighter and we were in the lee of the land there.

The anchor set firmly and we set out 50 feet of chain, certainly more than needed, but we had plenty of room.  We had some nice scenery.  We were just off the Wequasset Inn, just south of their dock and the boats moored there.  We could see the boats in Round Cove and all the boats in the large mooring field by Jackknife Point.  First I rerouted the sheet that had been moved, then out came the cooler.  We had fruit salad and water (other things in the cooler but that's all we wanted) and both lay down in the cockpit.  I sat up now and then to make sure we weren't dragging anchor.  Tara got her book and read a chapter.  All was peaceful and calm again, despite the winds still whistling through the rigging.  I think we stayed about an hour, maybe more.

By the time we were ready to head back, conditions had actually calmed a bit.  The whitecaps were almost entirely gone.  The gusts were less frequent and not nearly as powerful.  We weighed anchor and set sail on a broad reach with reefed main only.  With still a good 10-12 knots behind us, it was a quick run to the mooring.  We picked up the mooring on first try.  I took my time tidying up, putting on sail covers, securing the mooring pendants, tiller cover, putting things away in the lockers and cabin, but soon we were ready to board Salty for the row back.  I did notice that I left the rudder down, but I'll be out again soon so I'll let that go.

The row back was uneventful.  With the two of us and a cooler Salty was low in the water and we had following waves.  Slow rowing was called for so we didn't have any water over the transom but all went fine.

So the day started out near disastrous and stressing poor Tara, but ended calm.  She had a good time.  We'll do it again soon, but hopefully without the gusts and without the sheet getting jammed at the worst possible time.

Curtis


ps - Things to do better:  1) get a new tiller lock, different brand that won't slip and won't break so easily, 2) put PVC over the turnbuckles - I have some 1" ID but its schedule 40, not exactly thin wall.  (3/4 is too small).  Its a very late start to the season for me and things aren't quite the way I'd like them quite yet.

[jthatcher]

hey curtis,  this was a great story.   My wife  is beginning to get used to the boat heeling, but she still has not spent enough time on the boat to really understand the routine.   I am impressed with your engineless approach..  endless opportunities for problem solving!   

we had the opportunity to camp at nickerson state park early in june this summer.. did a lot of bike riding, but no sailing - next time we come up, perhaps we could hitch a ride! 

i had hoped to sail my 23  to Maine from jersey this summer, but those plans did not materialize..  i am beginning to think that, with some better planning,  it will happen next summer..  jt

[Shawn]

As far as a tiller lock this is well built.

http://www.cansail.com/

And very quick to engage and disengage.

Glad the hear everything calmed down. Once stressed my wife stays stressed for the rest of the day.

Shaw

[Bob23]

Great tale, Curtis:
   What is it with these ladies? At least your wives get on the boat. Mine practically refuses to sail...but she threw me a curve ball the other day:
   Kiddingly, I suggested she sail with me to the marina that I'll store the boat in for the next few weeks. Was I shocked when she said ok. Ya coulda knocked me over with a feather! As things turn out, I didn't move the boat today...maybe Tuesday after work. Once on the boat, she'd probably do fine. As a kid, she went with her dad fishing on his Carl Adams Skiff and then on a garvey he built.
   I have had the jib sheets get tangled on the turnbuckle...I have covers...safer and looks cleaner. Come to think of it, I've had any sheet, halyard and stray line get tangled in practically everything at one time or another but I'm still here to tell the stories.
   I wonder how the Tiller Lock suggested by Shawn compares to the Tiller Clutch?
Thanks again, Shawn,
Bob23

[brackish]

Great recount, and all's well that ends well.  You definitely have challenging conditions more frequently than I.  However, my wife Sheri is probably just as nervous on the boat as Tara.   Her first question when asked to go is if it is going to be fairly calm.

I've never experienced a snag on a turnbuckle component.  I have Velcro closed heavy canvas covers and they seem to work fine.  I have snagged my clew knot on the shrouds, however, I can keep that happening by tacking technique If I think about it.

[curtisv]

As to the turnbuckles I had 3/4 thin wall PVC on them but its a bit too narrow.  If it jammed on a cotter pin I'd have to force it off or cut it.  Sometimes it ripped trying to force it off so then I had to cut it.  Getting shorter all the time a few turnbuckles now have no protection.  The canvas with velcro or tied seems like a good idea but for now I have some 1" ID sched 40.  If that jams its time to break out the hacksaw so I may get a length of 1.25 ID for the backstay (protect people from cotter pins) and for the shrouds.  The lowers have smaller turnbuckles so 1" should be fine.  I have a long length of 1/2" ID PVC on the forward lowers to prevent the knots on the clew of the sail from catching on the forward lower.  Works great - the sail and knots roll over the PVC nicely every time.

As for the tiller, what I have now is a broken Davis Tiller Tamer.  Probably OK for light use but slipped for me and eventually broke.  Its all plastic and thin in critical places.  That is all West Marine carries so next order from Defender I'll get a tiller lock.  I know about the CanSail and it seems like a solid product and reasonably priced.  Defender has two tiller locks that are a bit more expensive than the CanSail but look very solid and like they'll mount nicely under the tiller.  The     Schaefer Midshipman II Tiller Lock looks real solid and a reasonable size.  The WaveFront TillerClutch Kit also seems nice.  They are a little pricey.  After using the Tiller Tamer for many years I'm solidly in the "tiller lock" camp vs the tiller clutch (allowing slip).  In heavy conditions (ie: over 20 knots) the tiller tamer became close to useless and I had to lash the tiller.  Besides the slipage of a clutch eats up line.

Today wind is light.  Would be a great day to try the sculling oar again.  Stomach is not feeling well but if that goes away I'll be out there.  Tara has things to do.  Wednesday looks to be ideal - moderate wind (10-15) and warm (high 70s here on The Outer Cape, low 90s mainland).  But you know how weather forecasters change their minds.

Curtis